Blisters on inside of shin

[LShipley]

Does anyone have problems getting blisters on the inside of their shins, around where the stirrup leather hits the half chaps? I have a blister, now rubbed raw, in this area, on one leg. I have been working on improving my lower leg position, and I get this blister when cantering in two point, only when I am in a correct position, or at least a better one. I have been locking my knees when in two point, and this gives me a pogo stick effect, with me bouncing up and down from my heels, when cantering. When I relax my knees, I am still, but I get this horrendous blister.

I have gotten them before, and I wrap an ace bandage around my leg when I ride so it can heal. However, the blisters come back without that protection.

Any ideas on what I could be doing wrong position wise to cause this?

[findeight]

Loose leg position.

The leather may have slid towards the rear of the bar where it attaches, check that (happened to me, slid almost all the way off the back and created a sore, good thing I checked there).

Fabric on jeans or breeches not smooth and aggravated by sweat. It will slide a little if you and the fabric are dry. Clumps and sticks if you are wet with sweat.

Make sure you smooth the inside fabric when putting half chaps on. Check that leather attachment. Drop or raise your irons one hole to put your leg in a different spot. Make sure to wear boot socks, the high, thin ones or knee high hose-you can put a second pair or layer the knee highs with your regular boot sock on the sore leg. Baby powder under the sock on that leg can help keep the fabric from bunching too.

[KateKat]

It doesn't sound like you are doing anything wrong position wise. What kind of pants do you wear? I know people who ride in jeans and that combined with the heat has left their legs in pretty nasty shape. If you aren't already, try riding in breeches.

[findeight]

But even the breeches can get wet and bunch up on a hot day. But you are right, the jeans are worse.

[Bearhunter]

Yes, it often does come from a loose leg position. Findeight is right about making sure the fabric is smooth under your half chaps. Velcro can be a killer if it hits your skin as are the seams of jeans. Long socks under breeches with half chaps over the breeches. Tall boots are ideal imo.

Boot rubs can be very serious if not attended to. All riders have had one at one point or another and probably shrugged it off. However, after my friend ended up in the hospital with a staph infection and had to have emergency surgery, I am no longer cavalier about them. Please be careful.

[LShipley]

Thank you for all the tips! It is frustrating that the improvement I have been making causes this problem - it is only after a lesson when my trainer says good job keeping still today that I have these icky blisters. But I know I have room to make my leg tighter. I guess this is good motivation to fix it all the way, though.

I will try using my boot socks under my breeches and making sure everything is smooth. I do typically ride in breeches instead of jeans...however, I am wondering if this particular pair of breeches is the problem? They a cheaper, thinner pair than my other ones, and perhaps the seams are not as smooth. Of course, I live in Texas, and there is no avoiding super sweaty disgusting riding at this time of year. I do love my tall boots, so going back to riding in them full-time may be the best option.

[Come Shine]

I find that I get horrible rubs from my TS breeches because of where the velcro does up across my shins - what a silly design.

[gasrgoose]

My daugher gets these sometimes when she rides in her Jods at shows. We were at Pony Finals yesterday getting ready for her medal round and she was trying a pony for sale and bled through her sock and pants. We just wrap her leg in vet wrap and keep going. It has happened before, but not everytime she shows. This was her tenth day of riding in Jods so that might be the reason.

[findeight]

I have a couple of pairs of Ariat schooling breeches that are really nice in the heat BUT, guess what? Get some rubs from time to time.

So, for OP, yeah, try another pair of breeches.

And congrats on improving your position...but that has changed where your leg rests and is part of why this has started happening.

[Mimi La Rue]

Boot rubs can be very serious if not attended to. All riders have had one at one point or another and probably shrugged it off. However, after my friend ended up in the hospital with a staph infection and had to have emergency surgery, I am no longer cavalier about them. Please be careful.

I got some horrible shin rubs once and had to go to the doctor because they got infected. I got tested for staph and luckily didn't have that but they did give me a tetanus shot.

I was riding in just normal socks, jeans and half chaps so I am pretty sure it was the socks that were rubbing me. My rubs were right where my socks came up to and the elastic around the top of the socks were pretty thick. I switched to tall boot socks (after not riding for a few days so the rubs could heal) and never got any rubs again. It must have been the socks that did it for me.

[Won For Fun]

I always get blisters if I don't ride with Leg Protectors (Like ace bandges, but all one piece from Dover). I used to wrap my legs with polo wraps and that helped (under custom chaps), but the Leg Protectors are easier.

I get blisters very easily from shoes or whatever. I have told people if you look at my skin long enough, I will get a blister.

[Chylli]

You might be riding on the inside if your leg. Roll your toe out and ride on the ball of your calves. Worth a try. A lot of riders roll there knees into those big cushy knee rolls and don't even realize they are doing it.

Oh and nix the half chaps. I'm not a big fan of those. I know everybody uses them, but your boots are the best to ride in.

[luise]

I find that I get horrible rubs from my TS breeches because of where the velcro does up across my shins - what a silly design.

I get the same thing. right at the bottom where the stirrup leather crosses over. I just stick a bandaid on and problem solved. I have also gotten one from a pair of Kerrits breeches where the seam was hitting.

[Two Black Cats]

My shin is achy as i type from this very thing - due to a new pair of breeches that weren't tight enough around the ankle and rode up! In addition to making sure that your breeches stay put, make sure that your half chaps are nice and snug as well. I used to get rubs all the time from my old pair until I got new ones that are a size smaller around my calf.

In the meantime, a big giant band-aid (get the "extra tough" kind) and a little vet wrap (to make sure the band aid stays in place) does the trick until you're healed...

[Across Sicily]

Had this happen at a show recently - super hot weather combined with jeans (ran out of clean breeches and had to wear jeans one day to school before I got them washed) left my legs in sorry shape. This was probably 4 weeks ago and they are still not healed... but I can ride pretty comfortably again, so not all is lost.

I found my tall boots especially aggravated the situation (it was just in that perfect place) and so I would suggest to you to lose the half chaps/tall boots for awhile and just ride in britches and paddock boots. You might not like it, but it will have the added benefit of making you feel SOOOOO grippy when you do get the half chaps back. The rest of the time, make sure you're giving the area plenty of air to promote healing and using ointment as necessary.

Something else I found helpful was to drop some baby powder down in the hurt area - it seems to act as a sort of lubricant and also helps keep things a bit more dry. (Sweat is my worst enemy when it comes to rubs.)

Good luck, hope it feels better soon!

[forestergirl99]

Your position sounds fine. It sounds like your clothing is the problem. Invest in some riding breeches if you already haven't. If you have, invest in some half chaps. I've never heard of anyone getting rubbed when wearing half chaps.

[Einstein]

Snug breeches and half chaps!:D

[TwoFoxFarm]

Back in the day when we all wore jeans and full chaps, I used to get those same terrible blisters on the inside of my shins. The kind you get from the stirrup leathers. I know I pinch with my knees a bit, and my lower leg gets a little pendelum action going on, but I'm now 41 years old and am probably not going to change anytime soon. :) Anyway... I started wearing trouser socks (the slippery kind) and problem solved. If I went even one day without them, the blister was right back again. You might also consider your stirrup length. Punching a "half hole" might be just enough to have the leather hit your leg in a different spot and alleviate the rubbing.
Now that I've switched to britches and half chaps, I no longer have the problem and can wear regular socks again under my paddock boots (with the old lady orthotics, of course). Best of luck!

[FAW]

Yes, its the sweat on your leg that rubbing against the breech. Cut a pair of pony wraps in half and wrap them around your leg and put your half chap over them. Sweat bands work too.

[babygreenqueen]

i have had these shin blisters randomly my entire life! it has something to do with tired/loose leg during long lesson or show. i dont get them all the time but mostly summer when clothes stick from sweat. leg wear does not make any difference.......for ME anyway.....
they do go away but the worst is getting them day before a show.......ouch
my fast fix is DUCT TAPE directly on the sore.....i know this sounds harsh but it works like a layer of skin and easily comes off with sweat or soak in tub.
the trick is put an entire wrap around your leg, not too tight, a patch will shift and make things worse.
to heal quickly put antibiotic cream at nite.

[LShipley]

Thanks for all the tips, everyone! Once my leg heals up, I will definitely try using my tall boot socks under chaps, and some baby powder, and if I need to wrap my leg every time, or just ride in tall boots, so be it. I do always wear breeches and half chaps, although I will sometimes wear tall boots instead. I don't think I have ever gotten this with my tall boots, so maybe the problem is my half chaps and just a way too hot summer...I will just need to experiment.
My leg is starting to heal, and in the meantime, even with wraps, I am less than excited about stirrups leathers. I had a really fun bareback ride the other day (my horse is always very happy when I ride bareback and it is too hot for a saddle anyway), and I will ask my trainer if I can ride in my lessons without stirrups (which she keeps telling me to do anyway) to hopefully help things heal faster.

[Woodsperson]

I sometimes get rubs even with boots and breeches if the weather is really hot. If I start to get a rub I put vet wrap over the area. Just a couple of wraps around my leg over the outside of my breeches and socks. It seems to take care of the problem.

[Renn/aissance]

Dover sells leg elastics, made of a thick ace bandage material, that are pulled on over your foot and cover your entire calf down to the ankle. These were a godsend for me when my chaps were a little too loose and I was blistering.