Can half pads alter fit of saddle?

[Red_Barn]

@joiedevie99

I’ve certainly had horses that preferred having a half pad to not having one. One preferred the thinline, the other a Mattes. The rest don’t seem to care. That said, the horses that went in half pads had their saddles fitted with those pads on.

One of mine is like that. His favorite combo is a sheepskin half-pad over an Oglvy non-slip baby pad. No saddle slip at all, and very even pressure and heat. I can see improvement in both ride quality and in the sweat pattern on the pad post-ride when I use it.

My other horse goes best in a non-slip baby pad and nothing else.

I don’t think any of this has much to do with whether a person rides well or badly, since I’m sure I suck pretty much equally on both horses. I think you just have to take it case by case.

And yes: if a bona fide saddle fitter tells you your pad is worsening your saddle’s fit, then yeah, I’d definitely believe her - unless and until our own experience proves her wrong.

[rothmpp]

My horse was very clear on his preference for saddle fit. Under the guidance of a professional saddle fitter, I started with a saddle that by measurement and on horse fit both with and without me on him fit perfectly with just a regular saddle pad underneath. He very clearly showed us that he was not happy with that fit. Went up a tree size and used a sheepskin half pad and he loved it. But my fitter always worked on it with the understanding that I was using a thick half pad underneath it.

I referred to that horse as my boxers and flip flop kinda guy. He liked his junk loose.

[BayBondGirl]

@beowulf

This thread is timely for me, as I’m going through some saddle fit issues and was curious to read responses… but I had to stop at this particular response since it kind of seems insulting to anyone that uses a Thinline or shock-absorbing pad…

I ride with a Thinline in all my horses across the board. I wouldn’t knock it and definitely wouldn’t assume people using it are riding poorly… Edward Gal rides in one… So seeing someone in a Thinline, that’s not the take away I personally arrive at.

They have therapeutic uses as well. My vet suggests Thinline for any horse that is jumping and eventing. I originally bought a Thinline to use for a horse that had KS. I’ve seen enough of a positive reaction that I now make it part of my string for all the horses I ride, not just the horse mentioned above. No matter how good of a rider you are, if you’re on their back, you’re causing some form of pressure and concussion. The Thinline helps with that.

I’ve personally noticed a BIG difference riding with and without the Thinline when you’re doing gallop sets and jumping - especially in drops or going downhill.

YMMV.

@beowulf which Thinline do you use?

[WNT]

I found a happy medium using a plain Thinline. I agree with the poster above who d isn’t a fan of the plain pads for high withered horses, they don’t pull up and stay up well.

What I did was take a saddle pad with individual full length pockets on either side of the spine, got a western Thinline, and cut the pad to fit the pockets. I had my Thinline, I had spine clearance (it is a nice high profile cotton pad), and the whole thing was thin enough to not interfere with my saddle’s fit. It made my high withered, princess-and-the-pea horse quite happy.

[Renn_aissance]

If your fitter says to stop using the Thinline because it will change the fit, stop using the Thinline because it will change the fit. (It’s marginal, but it can make a difference- if you’ve shimmed a saddle to fit before, think how adding one more shim changes the way the saddle sits.)

But maybe you feel that the shock absorption is important for you or for your horse. If you’re using both a shaped pad and a Thinline now, Thinline makes a quilted shaped pad (about as thick as a square pad, so less plush than a fleece or sheepskin) with a Thinline half pad attached. Another option might be to look at Ecogold instead, as they make a fleece-trimmed full pad. (I am a fan of Ecogold products and find that my horse goes as well in Ecogold as he does in the Thinline Trifecta shim pad. His back is happier in either of those than in a fleece shaped pad.) Talk to your fitter before you do either, since saddle fitting is expensive and you don’t want to undo what you just paid for, but those are the options I’d look at in your shoes.

[beowulf]

@BayBondGirl

@beowulf which Thinline do you use?

I have three — the original Thinline (which is the one you can cut) the Trifecta (which is TL and Sheepskin) and the plain black quilted one. I use the plain black quilted one the most as I think it is most versatile.

I use the Trifecta for my KS horse though. It is bulky so something to keep in mind.

[BayBondGirl]

@beowulf Thanks! I have long used the quilted one under my jump saddle and have been considering the plain thin one for my dressage saddle.