Older adult rider here. Can anyone recommend a brand of sticky stuff (to make me feel tighter in the saddle? I realize this may not have any real, appreciable impact, but at this point, psychological is good enough. I am short, horse has a big jump and is downhill. I just want to THINK I am more secure. I am trying to improve my fitness (core, back, legs), if anyone has any other recommendations (fancy stirrups, etc.), I’d love to hear. Thanks!
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I had tried the sticky sprays. They worked quite well, I felt nice and secure and I stopped slipping around in the saddle. THEN my skin started breaking out, really ugly big pimples, all under where I had sprayed the sticky spray.
Then I found out about silicon full seat breeches/tights. These are WONDERFUL. I use Kerrits silicon full seats, I stick better to the saddle, I stopped sliding all over the saddle, but they are not too sticky as in I have no problems when I post or do 2-point.
Then I got the Rider Grips. They are big circles of rubber that self glues to the saddle. If you own your own saddle it is a good answer, but I see no way that I could put them on, peel them off, and put them on another saddle for every time I ride.
Between the silicon full seat breeches and the Rider Grips I feel much more secure in the saddle, and since I am not sliding around in the saddle the horses like them too!
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I find the sticky spray and the roll-stick products helpful at shows - I put them on my boots and knee patches only. They offset the slippery feeling of tall boots, which I only wear to show.
Full seat breeches or full chaps are certainly more sticky. I gave up my full chaps a long time ago because I felt so insecure when I didn’t/couldn’t wear them.
I have never owned one myself, but I hear that a full buffalo saddle feels nicely “grippy”.
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Sporty Haft-Spray. Comes in an orange can with German writing on it. Best stuff ever.
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You’ll trash your saddle trying to get that stuff off. I know several amateurs in need of a little extra security who prefer to wear full-seats or breeches with silicone patches.
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I like the Kerrits full seat Griptek breeches.
Amen, Stacymc!!!
Sporty Haft Spray all the way! I don’t go into the show ring without it.
In my experience, it provides just enough friction to make you feel a smidge more secure, and maybe just think more about your leg position.
And yes, it will make a gunky mess, mainly on your stirrup leathers. But I do not care…totally worth it. 
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Do your boots have a waxed inner leg panel? As a short very ammy adult whos conformation is definitely not designed to be conducive to riding - i feel your pain.
I bought some Ariat Monaco LX’s that have a waxed inner leg and HECK they stabilize my leg hugely compared to my same-the-whole-way-around Parlanti’s.
Also love my silicon grip breeches. I’m keen to try some of those wide stirrup leathers next!
Going off to look at Sporty Haft Spray…
Yeah, yeah, yeah i know, fix your equitation etc etc etc, some of us are old, have fallen off too many times, and will use what ever we can to help. No shame!
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I once had to show in the 3’6" A/O first thing in the morning after my horse won an International Derby with my pro. At the ingate I told the nice girl that was helping groom to please use enough of the spray so that they had to peel me off for the jog. I was taking no chances. 
Full seat sticky butt pants are the best, coming from another short amateur who has often been in need of extra help. I have tried Smartpaks and liked them, Horze Grand Prix are nice, RJ Classics came out with a version recently, the already mentioned Kerrits breeches are also great. Lots of choice. I have never actually used the sticky spray, I’ve just worn sticky butt pants as we jokingly call them in our barn. Our biggest jumping amateur always shows in them for the extra security.
Voltaire saddles especially don’t like that.
I’ve never wanted a sticky seat since I ride mostly in a little half seat, but I do buy boots with a grippier inner calf (EGO 7, Ariat Monaco for example). No stick spray needed. I also find Parlanti to be a naturally grippy boot.
I use the Nunn Finer sticky spray for XC. I prefer to spray my boots, NOT my saddle, and tack cleaning is much better. Easier to scrub boots than saddle…and I find that it’s mostly all worn off by the end if the ride anyway. However, I do use it sparingly. I’ll never forget seeing Becky Holder “spray paint” her entire dressage saddle (seat, flaps, knee pads) in sticky spray before getting on Courageous Comet. :eek: I can’t imagine cleaning that much off!
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I have one very slippery jump saddle, and always made sure to clean and wipe down with glycerin before going cross country in it, otherwise I’d slide all around in it, even wearing full seat breeches. i always wear full seats anyway, but the glycerin made the difference I needed with the saddle. That said, I’ve never used sticky spray, so I don’t know if trying different tack cleaning products would make enough of a difference.
Ever since I saw McLain Ward liberally apply Sporty Haft sticky spray in the warm up at WEF, I’ve felt zero shame about using it myself. Yeah ok, I’m jumping 40cm less than he is but whatever, I need all the help I can get! I prefer Sporty Haft, I’ve tried most of the others. I have a butet saddle, and haven’t had any problems getting it clean after, it is absolutely rubbed off by then. I find that grippy silicone if you pinch with your knees is actually not ideal. I try to do everything I can to not grip from there and use my lower leg instead.
I like the Effax Leather Grip Stick - it’s like a mini deodorant stick. I leave it in my backpack and rub it on the inside of my boots (not on my saddle!) before showing, XC schooling, when my horse is fresh, when someone is videoing me and I want to make my lower leg look more quiet than it really is…
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Wow, thank you for all of the wonderful suggestions, very useful information and also a terrific show of support for the amateurs, especially the short ladies. I appreciate the specific references, now purchasing the famous spray, some new breeches, rider grips, had never even heard of grippy boots!
Another vote for Sporty Haft-Spay. Just be sure to apply it just before you get on (I just use on boots) and don’t go into a bedded stall with it freshly applied.
In a pinch, a bit of water applied to the inside calves of your boots will take away the slippery feeling you sometimes get, especially in drier weather, when you first get on. Seems counterintuitive but it works.
This is what I use on my boots. It’s not as good/long lasting as the old Sekur Grip Sadl-Tite beeswax stuff, but it doesn’t gunk up the saddle as bad either.
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OP, another short rider here (whose homebred mare has a VERY thrusty jump), and I event.
I found TuffRider Suregrip tall boots a couple of years ago; they have rubbery section on the inside upper panel and REALLY help with calf grip! I also use silicone full seats (and occasionally the Sporty Haft spray for x-country) but the boots have made such a difference that I no longer need the spray 😉
Unfortunately they are out of production 😞, but there are still some sizes available if you poke around. I bought 2 of the last three pairs (in my size) available on Amazon, so now I have a “spare pair” in reserve!
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