What Can I Use on My Western Saddle Seat to Help Keep Me in Instead of Riding Breeches?

There is no substitute for the time and practice it takes to develop a good, secure seat while riding a horse. However, there are several pieces of equipment on the market that are designed to help western riders gain a better seat and maintain a stronger, steadier position in the saddle while riding.

  1. Chaps

    • Chaps are one of the oldest tricks for staying put in a western saddle and are used frequently by western competitors and cowboys. Chaps are most commonly made out of leather or suede, and they cover the rider's legs and then fasten around his hips or waist, depending on the style. Chaps provide a significant amount of non-slip grip in the saddle and protect your legs from scratches or cuts when riding on trails. A good-quality pair of chaps will cost several hundred dollars. If they are cared for properly, well-made chaps can last 10 years or longer. Chinks are a name for chaps that end between the rider's knee and ankle rather than covering the full leg.

    Seat Covers

    • If your western saddle has a smooth leather seat, it can be rather slippery to ride in. You can fix this problem by putting a saddle seat cover over the existing seat. These covers can be made of a wide assortment of fabrics, such as suede or neoprene, and many are designed to help prevent slipping and improve a rider's grip on the saddle. The added benefit of saddle seat covers is that, unless someone is looking very closely, no one will notice you are using one.

    Leather Products

    • If you are dealing with an unusually slippery saddle or just need a little bit of extra traction in the saddle, you can use several different products for creating additional traction on your saddle seat. A good, thick coating of glycerin saddle soap can do the trick, as can leather care products designed to create a non-slip texture on the leather. There are a number of these products to choose from on the market. If you are trying to make your saddle seat less slippery, avoid conditioning it unless absolutely necessary.

    Sit Tite / Saddle Tite

    • Sit Tite is a German-made product that is very popular in the gaited horse and saddle seat community. It comes in both a cream and a spray and is applied to the rider's pants to provide extra grip and traction while riding. Saddle Tite is a similar product that can be applied to the saddle or the rider's pants for the same effect.