How do I avoid stirrup leather chafing?

[KingLooieCatz]

I'm just getting back into riding after a good 10+ years break. Less stiff after yesterday's lesson but the stirrup leather has chafed right through the top layer of skin and I have large reddened area of skin with a bit about the size of a 50p piece that is raw. I didn't realize how bad it was until after the lesson. I have a dim recollection of having this pinching and chafing occasionally back in time.

I don't want to repeat this every week or two!

Any advice? Is it something I'm doing with my leg?

Is it what I'm wearing? Short boots, don't find long ones comfy, and trackies for now as I had got rid of riding gear. I'll need to get jods and if it would help I wouldn't mind seeking out a particular style/brand.

If it's the tack there isn't much I can do about.

If it's relevant, yesterday's horse was pretty lazy and I was pushing him on a lot. I didn't have any chafing last time when the horse barely needed pushing on at all.

[PestoSwimissimos]

Wear chaps over jodhs

[Polkadotties]

You need chaps.
I wear Dublin tights, they have gel on the seat help you stick to the saddle

[Eve]

You need jods and chaps to ease any friction.

As you get better leg will be stiller which will help.

[Pennina]

Def 1/2 chaps - you must get some! I find jeggings v comfortable as cheap alt to jodhpurs. I buy from Sainsbury's a size or two too big and they're great for riding, jobs etc.

[MrsMozart]

Jodhs and chaps.

[tigercub50]

When I first read the title, I thought this post belonged somewhere else entirely!! 😉

[CatastropheKate]

Ride with no stirrups - no chafe and a better seat but a whole new world of stiffness and sore!

Any cheap jodhpurs will be better than trackies.

[KingLooieCatz]

Half chaps and jods is the way forward then for me. I was keeping spend to a minimum in case it was a flash in the pan, don't think it is, I'm really enjoying the break from rushing around working and parenting, also finding I'm a more assertive rider than I was as a teen!

Thanks everyone.

[SensitiveOldAgeGuy]

Western saddles have wide fenders instead of stirrup leathers

No chafe! Not on legs anyway.

I wear quite casual attire, I havn't tried jodhpurs. I wear chaps under the legs of whatever pants I'm wearing. That works well for me.

[NewLove]

Dressage stirrup leathers are single layer so this doesn't happen - you can even ride in shorts!

[smerlin]

Chaos- I started with really cheap Dublin or Shires fabric ones and had never had chafed legs

[Frankswife87]

Wear a pair of half chaps over jodhpur boots, I found long boots used to rub my calf's raw

[smerlin]

*chaps not chaos!