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Equimeasure for fitting a saddle. No oven?

Hunter/Jumper
#1

Working on getting a saddle fit to my mare, saddler wants to do an equimeasure kit, no problem right? Well equikit supposedly requires an oven. How many of y’alls barns have ovens accessible to them? Personally the barn owner here doesn’t really interact with the boarders. Asking to use the oven seems like not an option (specifically we are not to bug the barn owner per barn manager.

Anyhow creative solutions? Heating it in the oven and then rewarming after transport with a heat gun or hair dryer? The barn is 20-25 minutes away - tips/suggestions for completing mission impossible? It’s supposed to set after 10 minutes

#2

Havng read the instructions on Equimeasure’s website, I do think you’d have to start the process at home and then move it. My first thought was heating up a pan to the correct temperature then chucking the whole thing (pan + mold) into a big insulated bag to keep it pliable for the drive. Otherwise, I’d suggest a hotplate to rewarm it.

#3

I’m still scheming and I realized I could heat a pizza stone and use that to help retain heat. Still interested in others’ thoughts! The engineer in me says it must be able to be done without an on site oven (I mean really?! A barn oven??) Hot plate is a great idea too!

1 Like
#4

Oh, I believe you could absolutely do it without an oven in the summer in a lot of places. Slap down some aluminum foal in a box, put it in the sun, and boom, cooked. I’m reminded of the solar-powered ovens kids would make for the science fair in grade school.

I could see there being a “barn oven” if someone lived on property and was… immenable to dealing with these sorts of things. Or a barn that had a clubhouse/room or fancy lounge area.

#5

The poor foal.

22 Likes
#6

I am ashamed to say I had to reread my own comment several times to understand this.

14 Likes
#7

:rofl:

3 Likes
#8

There is a local show barn that has an attached observation/meeting room that has an oven. Maybe you could ship in to somewhere like that. Have fitting done in indoor and use the observation/meeting room area’s oven.

#9

I’m not sure I want something thats been on a horse in the barn cooked in my oven.

I mean, I’m not Mrs Clean or anything, but I do draw the line somewhere.

Sounds like the saddle fitter needs to have a dedicated plug in turkey roaster or something to do this.

3 Likes
#10

Other way round, the sheet gets heated up and then placed on the horse while warm and still flexible. Saddle fitter is not local but I agree I wish there was an easy portable contraption

#11

Turkey roaster would probably be the perfect solution. I bet you could find a used one.

#12

I was searching for a turkey roaster (hard to find one big enough) and found a used warming tray for $15 that seems to get to just about 200 degrees and is just as big as the equimeasure sheet. I think you were onto something!

Found a craigslist heat gun that I’m going to get as back up for $10. Worth a shot!

#13

How big is it? Perhaps something that could be coordinated with the farrier visit and their forge?

#14

Those heat guns get REALLY hot, so be careful you don’t incinerste it!

1 Like
#15

I used some thermoplastic beads from amazon that can be melted with hot water. Took a few kettles full (in 25* weather) but it worked!

Making it was not terribly difficult, but a little time consuming because you have to get all the beads melted in roughly the same thickness. I basically made a half-pad shaped pocket with some extra fabric I had laying around, dumped the beads in, flattened it out on my kitchen floor. Then I took my big dutch oven, boiled a good bit of water in it and then set it on top of the half pad to get the beads to melt enough so I could pick it up off the floor without them all pooling.

At the barn, I put it in a tub big enough to hold it folded in half and poured hot water from an electric kettle on it until it softened again and put it on my horse. Even when it’s melted it’s very comfortable to handle.

I’ve never used the Equimeasure, but I wonder if hot water wouldn’t do the trick…

1 Like
#16

Another good suggestion. Per equimeasure it’s acceptable to cut off up to an inch off the sides to fit it in the oven so I’m going to cut off a bit and use that to experiment

#17

Instructions say heat to 200 degrees, an expensive hair dryer might get you there, a heat gun is too much. One thing that is almost exactly 200 degrees is an engine block. Wrap in foil and drive around for a few hours? #GitErDone

3 Likes
#18

My hairdryer indeed registers about 200 degrees on max heat. It says it only needs 10-15 minutes in a 200 deg oven so even setting it on the engine block once I’m out there for a few minutes might get it back up to temp. Or I’ll just set it on the farm truck while I do some chores. I think I’ll need to start it at home, do my best to keep it warm en route, and then do some spot heating once on site. Hair dryer seems like a good option for spot touch ups but I worry about heating it evenly through using the hair dryer.

1 Like
#19

In my above, homemade, solution I found that a heat gun simply was impractical for this reason. You can only heat up a small portion at a time and it really seemed to take an eternity, even with the heat gun cranked up.

#20

I ended up using a portable heat press (Cricut 10" x 12") - I think 2 irons would’ve worked as well but 1 iron wasn’t enough heat or surface area.

1 Like

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