Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE Newsletter Archives

saddles and seatbones

From: Sally

Dear Jessica, thank you for horse-sense, I love it and look forward to reading the new messages each week. You help me so much, I'm really grateful. This is a weird question but I guess if anyone knows the answer it would probably be you since you know everything!! I'm nineteen with a normal build, at least I've always thought that I was normal. But I'm having a problem with getting comfortable in a saddle. I get really sore in my crotch (sorry but that's where it hurts) area when I ride. My saddle is an old Stubben and I know you like those saddles, so it probably isn't the saddle, it's probably me. But what is it? I tried my instructor's saddle which is a special saddle made for women, called the Legend Albion, but that one was way worse than mine, my seatbones hurt every single second. She said that wasn't possible because that saddle was designed to make women's seatbones feel comfortable but they are my seatbones!! I know what I felt!! Her saddle doesn't hurt my crotch area, but that might just be because it's bigger than mine. But I don't need a big saddle, I don't have a big butt. What can I do?

I hope this makes some sense to you.

Thank you very much,

Sally

Hi Sally! You're making perfect sense, don't worry. ;-) Would you believe that I've been there and felt that -- and that most riders have? You're absolutely normal. Here's the thing, though: women, as a group, tend to have seatbones that are positioned in a slightly different way and at a slightly different distance than the seatbones of men, as a group. This is why the Albion saddles were designed the way they are, and they fit a lot -- not ALL, but a lot -- of women, because women who find that their seatbones are right on top of the seams in the twist of other saddles often find that those seatbones are NOT on top of the seams of the twist of an Albion.

Okay, but.... having said that, let me also say that there are women who are much more comfortable in other saddles! Some of it is doubtless due to individual conformation, since there is a a LOT of variety in seatbone distance and positioning among women. Some of it may be due to other aspects of conformation -- as well as size, physical type, and fitness level. And all of these issues are also true for men.

I suspect that the other problem -- the sore crotch -- comes from ONE simple cause: riding in a saddle that is TOO SMALL for you, and that forces your crotch up against the pommel. This isn't uncommon -- there are many adults who are still trying to ride in the 16" seat that would be a good fit for a twelve-year-old child. Most adult women require a much larger saddle for their comfort and for their horse's comfort (see the horse-sense archives for a lot of information on saddle-fitting). As I travel around the world and teach clinics, one of the most common problems I find is women trying to ride in a 16" or 17" saddle, when what they need is an 18" saddle. When I'm able to borrow a larger saddle for them to try, they always, ALWAYS look better, sit better, ride more effectively, and FEEL BETTER. And, just by the way, their horses are much happier too.

It's not a matter of a big butt. ;-) Do you remember the last Olympics, and our own Michelle Gibson riding Peron? This is NOT a woman with a big butt, by any means, and yet -- guess what size saddle Michelle rides in? That's right, 18". It's a matter of the rider's comfort and the ability to move around in the saddle -- and it's a matter of making the horse comfortable.

My suggestion is that you be VERY nice to everyone at your barn, and ask if you can sit in their saddles for a few minutes. Then go to the biggest saddle shop you can find, and sit in THOSE saddles. Keep sitting in different saddles until you find the right one -- and don't refuse to sit in ANY saddle until you've sat in at least 50 or 100. You need a saddle that will let you keep your legs and knees on the flaps when your legs are in riding position. You need to be able to sit comfortably on your seatbones in the lowest part of the saddle, balanced over your legs and feet, without your seatbones digging into the seams, and without your body shoved up against the saddle in front OR in back. You need a saddle that will leave room (at least 2") between your crotch and the pommel, and room (at least 4") between your backside and the cantle. If you feel as though you've been crammed and jammed into the seat, you will NEVER be comfortable riding in that saddle. It's easy to get a too-small saddle; I very rarely see an adult in a too-large one... and when in doubt, go larger. ALWAYS.

Anyway, relax, I think the problem is clearly a saddle problem, not a Sally problem. ;-)

Jessica

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