Who else rubs their legs raw riding?

[Gil_s_Girl]

I now ride ONLY in tall boots and breeches, everytime. I go through boots quicker than i like, but its the only way that I don’t end up with half the skin on my inner calf worn off.

Anyone else get this consistently? I’m sure it’s something to do with the way I ride, or a wierd leg anatomy thing, but I once, after weeks of showing and riding 8 plus horses a day, developed not only huge raw patches with no skin, but a hard, bony growth along the inner shinbone of one leg - it was hard and calcified, and basically looked and felt like a splint, which obviously my human doctor didn’t understand, when I told him that I had “popped a splint”. I get it worse on certain horses, too.

It went away when I stopped riding for about 3 month, but really! I’ve tried the elastic leg guards, polo wraps, you name it. I don’t want another hard lump forming on my leg, so I’ve ditched chaps, half chaps, etc.

So am I destined to ride in tall boots forever? Does anyone else get it to this degree?

[Highflyer]

I wear the elastic leggings under my jeans and chaps, or under my half chaps over my britches. I even wear them under my tall boots if I’m hunting or doing something that involves a couple of hours of riding. I don’t get lumps but I do get bruises and bleeding raw spots.

[Shahrazade]

That’s funny, I only rub mine raw when I DO wear tall boots! Big ol quarter sized sores on the inside of my knees, every time.

Maybe if you try that anti-chafing gel that some people (cough) use as a cheaper version of makeup primer?

[Gil_s_Girl]

You have tighter knees than me obviously! My trainer would get rubs on her knees - but mine are halfway down the inside of my shinbone - I have absolutely no inner calf muscle, I think maybe that’s part of the issue.

[CatOnLap]

What are the rubs coming from?

If you are riding half a dozen or more horses a day, it is essential to ahve clothing that fits, boots that fit. Most of my rubs back in the day came from breeches with badly placed seams, or with that awful clarino fake leather at the knees. It didn’t happen with breeches that had real leather or thinner quality fake leather. So I had to buy the nicer more expensive breeches that fit me better.

I also wonder, if you are riding 8 horses a day, are you possibly underweight? Having no subcutaneous fat ( you say you have no " inner calf muscle" ) would cause rubs and callouses to form more quickly where rubs do occur. Since there is no real muscle on the inside of the calf ( the muscles are mainly at the back of the calf and tend to be well developed in regular riders) it makes me wonder if you have too little body weight and no fat padding where it is needed.

Also, of course, different saddles and different horse shapes make a difference too- some horses, even using your same saddle, will be shaped to rub you the wrong way.

You can try Captain Kirk’s magic solution- he always wore panty hose under his breeches to prevent rubs. I have also known people to wrap their legs with a polo bandage to prevent rubs, or to buy those half chaps that have foam padding in them. And as someone else suggested, the stuff called " Bodyglide" that runners and other athletes wear to prevent chafing.

Good luck!

[Gil_s_Girl]

thank you - those are all good tips - I’m slim, not underweight :), but I have skinny legs and bony shins - just the way my weight distributes - so I think that’s part of it.

The problem is solved wearing tall boots, I just wish I had more wardrobe choice!

[saddleup]

Yes, when I ride in an english saddle I get sores and bruises on the inside of my calves, so I can only ride in tall boots.

When I ride in a western saddle I get bruises where my cowboy boot tops meet my calves. If I wear knee-high socks it helps a lot.

[phoebetrainer]

might be TMI for some people.

Might be TMI for some people.

At home I ride in half chaps and boots and don’t get ruba any more on my legs, but when I ride one of my ponies I do rub my backside raw:eek::eek::eek:. Very painful afterwards - don’t even realise its happening while I’m on the horse. Realise when I am having a shower or when I peel off my knickers:cry:.

Only happens on that pony. Not on the horses. Not when I use that saddle on a different horse or pony.

[pondpony]

Moleskin worked for me. You can find it at a drugstore.

[theroyale1]

Gel bands for stirrup leather rubs

I also suffer from rubs on my shins/calves (I have fallen arches and my toes turn out when my heels are down, putting even more pressure on my shins/calves from the leathers) and I think I’ve finally found the solution. These: http://www.smartpakequine.com/equifit-gel-bands-8100p.aspx?cm_vc=Search

They’re a similar idea to the elastic legging in that they’re very tight around the leg, but these have a layer of gel on the inside next to your skin. I rode in them for the first time yesterday to protect two partially healed places were I rubbed all the skin off (with breeches and half chaps on top), and there was no pain at all. They worked way better than anything I’ve tried before–elastic leggings, bandaids, tall socks, etc.

They did feel a little hot on my leg riding in the Texas heat, but they didn’t slip around much at all and pretty much stayed put. I’m not sure how long the gel would last for someone who rides multiple horses a day, but they’re worth a try!

[Aggie4Bar]

Clarify. Is your inner shin bone in contact with the saddle and getting pinched? Or is this friction caused by the taut stirrup leather rubbing against your shin?

If the former, I’m having a difficult time imagining how someone could pinch tight enough with their knees two twist their shin in. If the latter, I would suspect a tendency to turn your toes out, which pulls the leather taut against the shin bone. Generally, the inner calf won’t get rubbed and pinched unless you’re riding on your knees.

Regardless, sorry you’re getting rubbed raw! Take some video of yourself and ask your trainer to help adjust your leg position to a more biomechanically correct (and friction friendly!) position.

[LShipley]

I get rubs from wearing half-chaps and breeches in the exact place that you describe. I didn’t have a callous, but my skin was rubbed raw. If I wear jeans - no problems. But I ride in tall boots and breeches all the time because 1) I don’t want rubs; 2) I don’t want to wear jeans all the time and cause more wear on my saddle; and 3) I find that I have a better feel with tall boots.

When riding in two point, my leg is a little loose. I think this may contribute to the rubs. I’ve working on a tighter leg and a better position, but I still think I have better eq in my tall boots, so I plan to keep on wearing them.

[HorseLuvr]

I too get horrible rubs on my legs, my skin is very sensitive and the stirrup leather will rub it through my half chaps! I always wrap my legs in ace bandages before I wear my half chaps and it helps a lot!

[katrgiddens]

Tough it out ladies.

[mustangtrailrider]

Riding in shorts and paddock boots without any leg protection at all stopped my legs from getting rubbed raw…why, you ask?!

To ride in shorts and boots offers no protection on the lower leg. I found that my leg must be absolutely still and quiet with no rubbing what so ever. I paid attention to when it was rubbing vs not. I found out very quickly that keeping my leg tight, correct, and still led to a rub-free leg!

[mht]

Have you tried Anti Monkey Butt Powder? It works great in preventing chaffing!

[Foxtrot_s]

Different saddles - some make me sore, some don’t rub at all.

[jawa]

I can remember my riding instructor (he was in his 80’s at the time) using soccer shin guards under his full chaps to protect his shins while he rode. He would get rubs from the stirrup leather on his thin shin and it would develop into an ulcer that would not heal well…then he wouldn’t be able to ride for a while…which was not what he wanted…so he added an extra layer of protection, that for him was relatively easy to put on and take off.

[kcmel]

@katrgiddens;5732913

Tough it out ladies.

Helpful:rolleyes:

[Chaila]

I have the same thing… I think it’s because my legs are sort of shaped like this:

           | |
          /   \

If I ride in anything but tall boots, I get horrible gouges on my calves. My knees sort of shoot out sideways.

I have a pair of treadstep boots with elastic and zippers that are super easy to get off and on.

Love the Tall Boots and keep riding.