Fitted No-slip Saddle Pad Suggestions

[Merry_Fox]

I have a horse with a well fitting saddle that requires a low profile saddle pad to be comfortable. I’ve found that the waffle weave/air flow square pads work well for schooling/eventing but I cannot find a shaped saddle pad for hunting.

Here are the restrictions: I cannot use a sheepskin pad–too slippery and I have a an 18-inch saddle with a longer/forward flap that most standard saddles. I would also prefer not to spend a huge amount of money but can be flexible if the quality is excellent.

Could anyone offer suggestions?

Thanks!

[gypsymare]

I’m curious about this, too. One of my friends has a fitted waffle weave pad but it’s brown. After pulling off a SOPPING wet sheepskin today, I’m looking for an alternative!

[Merry_Fox]

A fitted waffle weave?

A fitted waffle weave pad? Do you happen to know who made the pad or where she purchased it? If I had no other choice I could use that in the field since it would, in theory, blend in a bit better. Right now I’m stuck with my one big white square pad which simply doesn’t make the traditional aesthetic cut.

[PRS]

I have a very nice contoured Roma pad that is everything I want it to be except fitted. I will be cutting it down myself. I plan to un-sew the edge, cut the pad and re-sew the edge to the new configuration. It should look perfect when I’m done.

Just an idea if you can’t find one

[Merry_Fox]

DIY

Bless you PRS for thinking that I have the creative skills to trace, cut, and restitch anything! :lol:

No, I’m afraid I fall into the “needle and thread” helpless group and must buy or beg others to assist. It’s a great idea but I would need to find a crafty person to help me out.

I would like to see pictures of your “new” pad when it’s complete. Will you rebind the edges or just leave them stitched?

[PRS]

[QUOTE=Merry Fox;4738149]
Bless you PRS for thinking that I have the creative skills to trace, cut, and restitch anything! :lol:

No, I’m afraid I fall into the “needle and thread” helpless group and must buy or beg others to assist. It’s a great idea but I would need to find a crafty person to help me out.

I would like to see pictures of your “new” pad when it’s complete. Will you rebind the edges or just leave them stitched?[/QUOTE]

I will simply remove the binding, cut and resew the binding. I hope to get a chance to work on it this weekend. I’ll try to remember to send pics. If it works out you should be able to get a seamstress (think someone who alters dresses) to do it for a nominal fee. It shouldn’t take long and it will be a fairly easy project.

[gypsymare]

I’ll ask her… I’ve also seen someone in a fitted quilted pad like this but in white.

http://www.tennesseehorsetack.com/Saddle%20Pads/30990.jpg

Here’s a waffle weave one… no white though.

http://www.montgomerysaddlesandtack.net/waffleperforatedenglishsaddlepad-assortedcolors.aspx

[NCdressage]

Okay I’ve gotten all my saddle pads from seams right. She custom makes them and they are FABULOUS. The don’t MOVE and she can pretty much do anything you want. Granted I do dressage - but I know she does other styles (and dog beds). My training saddle pad I’ve had now for two or three years and I use it every day and it is just now showing the use and I would be thinking of a new one maybe at the end of this year. So needless to say they last a long time.

Here is her website. Good luck.

http://www.seamsright.com/

[NCdressage]

Oh and I forgot to add that for how long they last they are seriously reasonably priced, IMO.

[Merry_Fox]

Good website suggestions

Gypsymare, the waffle weave pad in your second link…is this the type that you have? Is it actually a synthetic pad? There is no description (gotta love sites like that) and the picture is grainy on my monitor.

I also really like the cotton pad from the top link but no white. Why not? Sigh. Whyyyyy? “Everyone” needs a white fitted pad…don’t they? :yes:

[kellyb]

I think PRS is on to something. Why don’t you put your normal pad on with your saddle, and trace with black marker where you would want it ‘cut’ into a fitted pad. Take that to a seamstress or a dry cleaning/alteration place in town - I would bet they could knock that out really easy and I can’t see it costing more than $20 or so…I basically did that with my horse’s neck cover - it was wayy too big for him. I chalked off where I needed it trimmed and a local woman took care of it for me…looks like it was factory!

[gypsymare]

[QUOTE=Merry Fox;4738654]
Gypsymare, the waffle weave pad in your second link…is this the type that you have? Is it actually a synthetic pad? There is no description (gotta love sites like that) and the picture is grainy on my monitor.

I also really like the cotton pad from the top link but no white. Why not? Sigh. Whyyyyy? “Everyone” needs a white fitted pad…don’t they? :yes:[/QUOTE]

The cotton one does come in white, they just happened to have the green shown. I don’t own the waffle one, my friend does… I should hear from her soon where she got it! Her waffle pad is brown. I just found that one through a web search. She also has a very thin synthetic fleece pad.

Cotton fitted pad:

http://i41.tinypic.com/xprbrc.jpg

[Merry_Fox]

Gypsymare, when you talk to your friend would you ask her if it does a good job of wicking moisture? I’ve always been a natural fiber girl myself (or at least a soft fiber fan) so I’m curious to know if these synthetic pads are too rough or unyielding.

I’m thinking soft and squishy makes for a happier horse but I’m happy to be corrected.

[Madeline]

I’m out of the loop, but I think I’ve heard that, while non-slip pads are effective in applications where the rider is on the horse for a short period of time, you do not want non-slip when you’re going to be riding for a long time. Has to do with the need for the skin to move under the saddle pad. With a non-slip pad, the top layer of the skin moves on lower layers of skin, creating blistering. With that in mind I don’t think you want a non-slip pad for actual hunting.

[Romany]

Nuu-Med make what you’re looking for…

There’s a British saddle-pad maker who produce an assortment of numnahs (shaped pads), with wool collars, woven wool innards of different densities, etc. They wash and wear extremely well and are great value for money.

http://www.nuumed.com/index.html

[gypsymare]

Her pad is not exactly non-slip, it’s just the waffle weave synthetic stuff. The bottom side of my endurance saddle and pad are the same material called Sympanova or sometimes Sympatex.

OOohhhh look what I just found. http://www.hafequitation.com/eng/prodotti_jump.html

They have a fitted model that can be had with a white Dry Tec top. This is the same company that made my endurance pad and that thing is AWESOME. It never smells, does not absorb moisture, cleans with a hose and dries in a snap. It might be too thick for the OP but I think I’m going to get one for an alternative to the sheepskin in hot weather.

[Merry_Fox]

Clarification

Perhaps I shoud clarify. I’m less concerned with a pad that’s labled “non-slip” since I now have a newly fitted saddle that fits really well and with my sturdy breast collar should keep everything in place. What I need is a shaped pad that’s on the thinner side that I can use for hunting. Sheepskin is always my first choice but in this case it really does slide too much and some of the fluffy fleece show pads (i.e. Dover Saddlery) don’t fit my saddle size.

I’m a skeptic when it comes to come of the synthetic pads (the ones that feel like plastic) because they tend to trap heat and I’m not sure how comfy they are. So ideally I can find an oversize fitted pad that is cushioned “just enough” and fits my saddle flaps.

I also want to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. :winkgrin:

[Romany]

[QUOTE=Merry Fox;4740081]
Perhaps I shoud clarify. I’m less concerned with a pad that’s labled “non-slip” since I now have a newly fitted saddle that fits really well and with my sturdy breast collar should keep everything in place. What I need is a shaped pad that’s on the thinner side that I can use for hunting. Sheepskin is always my first choice but in this case it really does slide too much and some of the fluffy fleece show pads (i.e. Dover Saddlery) don’t fit my saddle size.

I’m a skeptic when it comes to come of the synthetic pads (the ones that feel like plastic) because they tend to trap heat and I’m not sure how comfy they are. So ideally I can find an oversize fitted pad that is cushioned “just enough” and fits my saddle flaps.

I also want to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. :winkgrin:[/QUOTE]

Merry Fox - did you look at the Nuu-Meds yet? They are not synthetic; they’re made from real wool woven, not sheepSKIN, and the non-wool parts are cotton. And the wool comes in different thicknesses; some are very thin indeed.

I have exactly what you describe, and I use it for hunting twice a week under a well-fitting saddle on a horse that sweats copiously, and wash or rinse the numnah every time, and it has stood up really well.

[gypsymare]

As for the brown waffle pad my friend has, “special order, just call dover, custom but not expensive at all.”
I didn’t find anything like it on their site and I don’t shop Dover so if you’re interested I’d give them a call.

[xeroxchick]

Have you tried a damp chamoix under the saddle pad? Fake fleece slips the very worst - never use that. I use a Fritz Theideman (Sp?) non slip contour pad and love it, but my saddles fit rather well and tend not to slip too much.