Saddles for the female anatomy?

sidesaddlegirl

sidesaddlegirl

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Wigston, Leicestershire
www.sidesaddlegirl.co.uk
This is a bit of an embarrasing problem....

I absolutely love my Wintec close contact saddle, fits my mare perfectly, she goes well in it and I feel secure in it yet the seat is flat enough for me to get out of it when galloping and jumping. The only problem is that it chafes at the pommel!!!!

I'm not a beginner that bounces around in the saddle, I have a good seat and ride deep in my saddle. I went for a long walking hack yesterday and I was well sore after being chafed by the flaming pommel (still am now!)
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I have always had this problem with some saddles except for one saddle I rode in the 90's (it was my trainer's saddle). Her saddle was instantly comfortable and my seat bones sat were they were supposed to.

I've been googling this problem and I'm not alone, it seems that some women are a bit more "sensitive" to this as saddles tend to be designed for men and our girly bits weren't meant to take this kind of abuse!
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I don't wear thongs to ride in or overly tight breeches as I read that sometimes that can cause irritation too.

I don't think my saddle is too small for me, I'm 5'9"with a 38" hips and it has a 17" seat. there is enough room to put a hand's width on the pommel and on the cantle. Sen is 14.1 so I can't really go bigger. She could just about fit a 17 1/2" but that would be pushing it.

I wonder if it's just the equileather that Wintect uses, that it doesn't soften as leather does? Mind you, I had the same problem in my old leather Lovatt & Ricketts GP but that had a high pommel anyways.

So it looks like I'm going to be in the market for new saddle as I'm not some kind of masochist and don't always want to ride side saddle!
Can anyone recommend some brands that are "girl friendly"? I don't have loads of cash to spend so Butets and Devacouxs are out of the question and prefer close contact saddles.
 
Can't say I have ever had this problem! So thats what those *sexy* pants in Robinsons & Rideaway are for
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Have you tried a Hather Moffat Seat Saver or a sheepskin one?

I would say you aren't too big for the saddle, I am 5'9" and a lard arse, so you would think that if anyone was going to have problems it would be me. All my saddles are 17" & 18" and it makes no difference which I use.
 
I think that Albion make saddles with women in mind! My saddle (5000 Legend) is perfect, nice wide seat, not too high a pommel in front. I think sometimes you have to try a few before you decide what suits you and your build, by the way witch hazel is great for your ailment! Stings like hell but by god it works!!!
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Wow saddles are designed with the female anatomy in mind. They have designed it so that your thigh can sit closer as we have those bulgy bits at the top that men don't have!! Whether it would rub where yours does I can't answer.

Good luck with your search.
 
tbh i'd try lots of different ones, beg/borrow/steal for an hour. high pommels with cut-back heads can be particularly bad.
some saddles are made with a narrower head and twist iirc, to cater for ladies' anatomy!
my new Ideal saddles were both made for me, with extra padding on the seat area(extra layer of shaped foam) because i can't bear the feel of a hard saddle, under my seat bones or anywhere else! both incredibly comfy, highly recommended, not ridiculous money either.
 

Now you mention it, I have ridden on some saddles that have had that effect! I thought it was me
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I have the Wintec 500 & that is quite comfy. I take about a 15/16" seat as I am tiny & any bigger it would be too much saddle!
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but the above is comfy for both me & horse so may be worth a try?

They come up on Ebay fairly often. Mine was fitted by a master saddler & cost me about £200 nearly new, about 6 years ago. Had only been used once I think.

Might be worth a try if you can get a good price one.
 
My mother has the same problem and blames child birth (me!)

She uses a thick sheepskin bum-nah which seems to help

My ordinary flat seat wow's are ok with her, although could be better, but no where near the deep seated crippling effect of the fieldhouse make!

WOW do a "Lady CC" option, where they cut more of the foam away in the seat for more comfort. I probably should have got this for mum, but didn't really think about it at the time.
 
Thanks for the suggetions guys! I'm dreading riding tomorrow so I may just go side saddle instead and then go the tack shop in the afternoon to try some out. They have some Barnsby close contacts there and some 2nd hand saddles although most of them look to be from the 1950's!

I've been googling too for female saddles and have found some but they are all in the US. I will look into those seat savers too but it's the actual front bit of the saddle that hurts me, not the bum bit so not really sure if adding padding to the front bit will make it worse or not. Yes, think i need to look for a smaller pommeled saddle of some sort.
 
I have 2 wide seat ideal saddles and i chose these because they are wider at the waist .

I have had this problem in the past and its not nice.

I cant stand wow saddles sat in one and swiftly got out before i had to have it surgically removed. Have also ridden in a albion ( dont know whick model ) and the seat bit for my bum was wide but the waist was like a ravor and cut me right up my poor lady parts.

I love my saddles now and i have no more problems in the "lady garden " area. My horse is happy and so and my bits hehe.
 
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