Low Back, Saddle Pad Recommendations?

[Lv2rid3]

So my fav guy has always had a LONG/weak back/topline. He is 15 this year and hasn’t been in regular work for a good few months. It DOES get better when he is worked but there is only so much I can do to help that dachshund build, lol. I noticed there is a lot of ‘lift’ while I was lunging him in the rear of his saddle now that I am back to working him and it got me thinking. Should I think of getting a shimmable pad? A riser pad? While I’m riding I feel more of a ‘sliding backward into a hole’ kind of thing, if that makes sense lol. Mainly in my huntseat saddle which is flatter.

I really like what I have on there now under the saddle (its an ovation half pad) but if I can switch to a riser if it would would be better? He has no back pain and gets regular massages from a certified equine massage therapist.

Here are a few pics to help and a short trot vid from the other day. The first pic is to show he CAN lift that back and reach, lol, with lots of encouragement.

Vid link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/DeX9e7npaqWZHwJ98

Thanks guys! Looking forward to opinions and what has worked for yall.

[Jackie_Cochran]

I was riding a QH with a simply horrible sway back, decent withers, a small “flat” space for the saddle, then the back swoops up to a high croup.

I used a Contender II BOT/ThinLine saddle pad with two “bridging” shims on each side (a thicker shim and the thinner shim.)

We did not have any back soreness from this set up.

[Lv2rid3]

Lol, that describes him very closely! I’ll look into that pad thanks!

[Scribbler]

You can get shim pads with 4 slots or 6 slots.

The 6 slot pads are best for horses that have a sway back as you can build up the middle section where the saddle bridges.

I would suggest two things. Get a good saddle fitter out to assess overall fit and to stuff up the panels as much as possible to fit him.

Then make up the difference with a 6 pocket shim pad. I have a Total Saddle Fit 6 pocket shim sheepskin pad; Lemieux and Thinline make these as well. Mattes does not. In general there are more options for 4 pocket shim pads but you need a 6 pocket one.

I’ve been using my 6 pocket shim on an older mare whose back is sagging a bit. It works really well.

[Lv2rid3]

Thanks Scribbler! I didn’t know they had 6 slot pads. I’ll have to try and hit the used tack FB pages and see if I can find one, Lord knows I can’t afford a new one of these pads. :no:

[walktrot]

We had Susan Harris at our barn for a clinic last fall. My gelding is 26 now and his back has dropped. I’m not a good enough rider to work him to raise his back and my barn-rat riders have grown up and gone to college. Susan put a rear riser pad on him, which made a tremendous difference. I did a couple of private lessons with her and it was like owning a younger horse. I use a Supracor dressage pad. The front of the saddle was fine and didn’t need changes. I splurged on an Acavallo rear riser which is made from a gel-type material rather than cheap foam. I sent the saddle to the fitter who had replaced the flocking 3 years ago. We posted a video on You Tube. She doesn’t usually have a chance to check flocking after a few years. It settled evenly. She raised the cantle about 3/4" by adjusting the back two-thirds.

There a few gel riser pads out there, but the Acavallo works best. I like the resilience of gel pads rather than the foam.

[JB]

Can you post a (larger) conformation type picture? What I see is a higher wither, not a lower back. I do see a longer loin, but that’s not the back.

It will also help to see a good pic of him saddled, no pad. I see a lot of people putting the saddle too far forward, making it sit low in the back, and if that’s the case, a rear riser is the wrong thing to do.

[Lv2rid3]

@JB

Can you post a (larger) conformation type picture? What I see is a higher wither, not a lower back. I do see a longer loin, but that’s not the back.

It will also help to see a good pic of him saddled, no pad. I see a lot of people putting the saddle too far forward, making it sit low in the back, and if that’s the case, a rear riser is the wrong thing to do.

I will try and do that! I have been looking for a good level pic of him and with all the hills around me I can’t find a single one, lol. I’ll see if I can set him up somewhere on purpose soon.