Back on Track Back Pad - how do you keep it from shifting?

[BatCoach]

Rather than springing for the BoT mesh sheet, I got this https://backontrackproducts.com/product/therapeutic-horse-back-pad/

3x4 size pad. I took it to a horse blanket repair shop to install the LONG strip of Velcro along the spine which would connect the top of the pad to the bottom my horses’s regular Mio sheet, effectively making the pad a light weight sheet liner for chilly, but not too cold nights. Great plan right? Wrong.

The pad will not stay in place overnight! My horse is stalled, and generally quite easy on his wardrobe. But without fail, every morning, the pad has folded over and is doubled over on one side, twisting the sheet with it. Not a comfy situation. Its worth noting that the velcro is super strong and is completely intact. Its not pulling apart, its just sliding around too much.

Has anyone else dealt with this? The pad has a loop for a surcingle, as well as 2 d-rings but I’m not sure how to utilize these - they seem to be pretty high up on the body to be useful… My current thought is to take it to a seamstress and add velcro on the sides of the pad/sheet, but I’d rather not spend more money on this if I can avoid it.

Any ideas?

[trubandloki]

Would something like This surcingle work?

[BatCoach]

Interesting! It looks like it could be an option. Although I do wonder about chaffing/rubbing. I think the main issue is that the pad is not contoured at all, so its not pairing well with my super high withered horse. For $16 this might be worth a try to see if it can withstand an overnight wear with the horse laying down/getting up.

[theresak]

I have this exact BOT back pad and surcingle setup and found it all slipped back on my horse with or without a sheet over the top. My horse has huge withers that slope very slow, so even with a forward girth groove, the surcingle slips back. I just throw the pad on in the cross ties under a blanket to warm up before tacking up.

[babyeventer]

I old school it with a leather and webbing flat-wither surcingle and an elastic jumper breastgirth. Horse only wears it stalled under a nice loose-cut amigo 100g stable blanket and no complaints. It’s kind of a setup, ya know, and my horse lives at home, but it really seems to keep his back relaxed and ready to ride. I only use it during the cold months- he’s out full-time, during longer days.

[BatCoach]

UPDATE - I bit the bullet and paid $45 for a local cobbler to add 2 more wide velcro strips along the side of the pad in addition to the velcro that runs along the spine. Its only been one night, but the sheet +pad combo stayed in place! no shifting or flopping over to one side. It doesn’t look pretty, since you can see the stitches holding the velcro in place along my horse’s barrel, but at least it is functional.

At this rate, the cost of the pad + 2 separate trips to a seamstress to get velcro added I might as well have purchased the mesh sheet, but YLYL.

[halt]

This may or may not be helping… but a blanket (and BOT under) shifting to the side was a very early sign of cervical arthritis for my horse. He was not ataxic outside in the paddock, but overnight I expect he would “let his guard down” since he was in a stall.

I didn’t realize the pattern until I had another horse with a neurological issue, and same thing. Blanket shifting even though it was a different blanket. If you are using a BOT I assume you know something is wrong. It might be worth looking into if there’s any neurologic issues.

EDIT: I pressed reply too early, sorry.

[Hayburner]

I buy the BOT with Thinline or should I say Thinline with BOT. My saddle stays in place

[BatCoach]

oh this isn’t a saddle pad - its a thicker pad designed to be used under a blanket or surcingle, but the fabric would not hold up to riding.