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If you ride dressage, you already know who wins. If you do a different kind of riding, you probably like one for some things and the other for other things. I am not one to disagree with your own preferences, but I learned this weekend that for this girl, it's full seats or nothing. At the start of summer, which lasts a full six months in my neck of the woods, I bought three pairs of the Horze Juliet HyPer Flex Full Seat Tights. It was a smart move on my part as this summer ended up being nearly as brutal as last summer (and it's not over). There were 67 triple-digit days in 2017 and 54 triple-digit days this summer. Our normal is closer to 33. I rode in nothing but those three pairs of tights all summer long. The only time I put something else on was for shows, and I sweat my butt off. As a side note, these tights wore amazingly well and look just the same as they did when I bought them.  Back when I bought them, but they really do look the same. Over the weekend, we finally had a small break in the weather (highs in the low 80s). I decided to drag out an old pair of Piper breeches with a euro seat and knee patches. They're cute, and I have a belt that matches perfectly.
As cute as they are/were, they now live in my discard pile. As soon as I sat in my saddle, I realized how slick it really is. With nothing but Polyester and Spandex between my butt and the saddle, I was all over the place. And while my sitting trot has improved tremendously, I still need all the help I can get. No more Euro seats for this girl. It's full seats every time, all the time. Can I get an amen? Want to sell some euro seats?? I recently bought a couple pairs of silicon full seats (before my only pair of full seats was suede) and after a number of rides I have decided I don't like them, they are too sticky for me and I feel if I get knocked out of position I can't fix it. My go to old cotton knee pad breaches are falling apart and I am looking for euro seats to replace them with 10/7/2018 03:42:24 pm
I only have the Horze silicone seats because they are more of a sueded feel than sticky. Some of the silicone I have felt have been WAY too sticky for my tastes, so I agree with you on that. :0)
I haven't gone back to knee patch breeches since I bought my dressage saddle. I think I might slide right off if I did! 10/7/2018 03:46:46 pm
So far, I've never had any full seats that were too sticky, but I don't use silicone either. The exception is the Horze tights I found at Riding Warehouse (for summer riding) that have a super soft silicone that's not sticky at all. Perfect in fact. :0)
Carly
10/1/2018 11:05:47 am
I have one pair of (non-showing) full seats and I never use them because I always feel super stuck in my saddle. I'm definitely a knee patch girl myself! 10/7/2018 03:48:13 pm
It is so interesting that riders feel either stuck or loose! Maybe it depends on your saddle's seat. I slide all over the place without full seats. 10/1/2018 04:23:56 pm
Can't handle the super sticky ones either. Seems to make it harder to adjust my position. Also - once got stuck to the saddle when dismounting on the first day of the only bnt clinic I ever attended - new saddle + new breeches. Super embarrassing. 10/7/2018 03:48:57 pm
Oh, how funny! I like a bit of texture, but not super sticky myself. :0) 10/5/2018 12:35:53 pm
I HATE the silicone breeches, they sit still while I am moving all around within the breeches. Um no? I like my full seats and avoid knee patches. If nothing else, full seats do much better at withstanding crotch and thigh wear! 10/7/2018 03:49:44 pm
"full seats do much better at withstanding crotch and thigh wear!" so true!!!!! Comments are closed.
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About the Writer and RiderI am a lifelong rider.
I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010. Welcome to my dressage journey. 
Photo by Lori Ovanessian
About Speedy GSpeedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
July 2020 (PC AJSK Photography)
About IzzyIzzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
March 2021 (PC Tess Michelle Photography)
FOR THE SMALLER EQUINE ATHLETE
I love her stuff!
Watercolor Artist and Friend
Bakersfield Dressage approved!
National Rider Awards
USDF Bronze Medal - 2020
USDF Second Level Rider Performance Award - 2018
USDF First Level Rider Performance Award - 2015
USDF Training Level Rider Performance Award - 2013
State Rider Awards
CDS Ruby Rider Award - 2018
State Horse Awards
Speedy G - 3rd Level Horse Performance Award - 2020
Speedy G - 2nd Level Horse Performance Award - 2018
Working Towards:
CDS Sapphire Rider Award Third Level: 63.514% Third Level: 62.105% Fourth Level: Fourth Level: 2022 Show Season
Show Rating (***) CDS/USDF/USEF (*) CDS (s) Schooling (c) Clinic (r) Ride-a-Test Clinic (Q) Must Qualify 2022 Shows Schedule
(*) Tehachapi 5/22/22 2022 Completed … Pending ... 2022 Qualifying Scores
Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC) Qualifying 2 Scores/1 Judges/60%: Score 1: Score 2: Archives
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