How to know if your riding pain is friction, not posture

When riders feel pain, the first instinct is almost always the same:
I must be sitting wrong.

We blame our position, our balance, our seat. We tell ourselves we need a better posture, a quieter leg, more core strength. And because riders tend to be extreme perfectionists, that explanation feels logical. There’s always something to improve, right?

But what if the pain doesn’t go away — no matter how much you change your position?

That’s often the first sign that posture isn’t the real issue.

Riders are trained to blame themselves first

From my experience, riders automatically assume pain is their fault. If something hurts, the conclusion is usually: I need to sit better.

That’s exactly what I did.

I adjusted my seat again and again. I shifted, corrected, compensated — and the pain never disappeared. It only changed. Sometimes it moved to another place. Sometimes it felt different. But it was always there.

That’s when I realized something important: if posture were the problem, changing it would help. When it doesn’t, you need to look elsewhere.

What friction pain actually feels like

Friction-related pain in riding has a very specific signature.

It often feels like:

• A burning sensation while riding

• Rawness or discomfort after

• A numb feeling the next day

One of the worst parts is what happens on the next ride. When there’s already a sore, getting back in the saddle can feel like reopening the same wound again and again.

This kind of pain is almost always located in the intimate area.

And timing matters.

Friction pain can appear:

• Immediately as a burning stitch

• After riding, especially in the shower, when it burns again

• The next day, as numbness or lingering sensitivity

It almost always gets worse with:

• Long rides

• Heat

• Sweat

• Certain fabrics or seams

These are strong indicators that friction — not posture — is involved.

Why posture corrections don’t fix friction pain

Posture-related pain behaves differently.

When posture is the issue, pain usually:

• Improves when position improves

• Feels muscular or structural

• Is located in areas like the back, hips, shoulders, or knees

With friction pain, correcting posture often just shifts the discomfort. One day it’s here, the next day it’s somewhere else. The sensation changes, but the problem remains.

That’s because friction isn’t about alignment — it’s about repeated rubbing on sensitive tissue.

Small changes that reveal the real cause

For me, clothing was a huge factor.

Bad underwear made everything worse. Underwear that was too big was just as bad — excess fabric increased movement and friction. The difference between one pair and another was dramatic.

Creams helped too. Like many riders, I first tried Vaseline, just to reduce friction. That alone was a clue: if reducing rubbing helps, posture is not the root problem.

Some riders experiment with saddle pads to relieve pressure, and while that can help, it often comes at a cost. Personally, I don’t like it — it blocks my seat and my connection to the leather. And again, that’s telling: if you have to compromise your riding feel to reduce pain, something else is off.

Why friction pain is so often misdiagnosed

There are two main reasons.

First, riders are perfectionists. Everyone is constantly working on a better seat, better leg position, better hands. So posture becomes the default explanation for everything.

Second, there’s silence — especially around intimate discomfort.

The first time you mention it, it feels awkward. But once you do, you realize you’re not alone. Still, there’s always that rider — the one who says she rides in a thong and feels fine. And suddenly, you feel crazy again.

So riders stop talking. And friction pain stays invisible.

When discomfort becomes something you shouldn’t ignore

Pain is information.

The warning signs are often the same ones you recognize in your horse:

• A gut feeling that something isn’t right

• Pain that keeps returning

• Riding becoming something you endure instead of enjoy

When riding is no longer fun, it’s time to listen.

What I wish every rider knew

Pain is not something you should ignore or push through automatically.

If I could correct one belief, it would be this: listening to your body is not weakness — it’s awareness.

The first, simplest thing riders can try is reducing friction. For many, padded riding underwear makes a real difference. It allows riders to stay focused on what matters instead of fighting discomfort every minute in the saddle.

Most importantly, know this:
It’s not “just part of riding.”

Listen to yourself just as much as you try to listen to your horse.

If you’re looking for a way to ride comfortably without distraction, you can learn more about My Riding Underwear here.