Mattes Halfpad

[directpressure]

Looking into buying the “Mattes Gold Wool Half Pad”. What do you guys think about it? Have any of you had this brand/kind before? https://www.doversaddlery.com/mattes-gold-wool-all-purpose-half-pad/p/X1-19978/

I have a 17 in saddle, not sure about the sizing, thought Medium would be fine but I am seeing many have a Large sized one with theirs.

Is this half pad good? The quality, and works of it and does it support? Thanks for the help, the specific one I am looking into is https://www.doversaddlery.com/mattes-gold-wool-all-purpose-half-pad/p/X1-19978/

[Melissa.Van_Doren]

I like Mattes pads, in general. They’re well-made from premium materials and last a long time if you take care of them. But I do prefer sheepskin over the Gold Wool (wool attached to a fabric backing). The sheepskin is more fluffy and dense, so doesn’t compact with use as much. But… if your saddle is a close fit, less fluffy will be good.

[directpressure]

@Melissa.Van.Doren What do you mean by closer fit and compact with use as much? And yes, sheepskin is much more fluffier than wool, what do you mean by wool attached to a fabric backing? I apologize for the question bombard haha, the wool is the cheapest I am able to find and has a good review, and I cannot afford a hugely expensive one, but I do not want to get something cheap. Lmk! Thanks!

[Melissa.Van_Doren]

Most companies that offer wool half pads have two varieties: the most expensive are the sheepskin versions, where the entire skin + wool is used (just like the sheep used to wear it). The less expensive versions use a very good wool that has been sheared from the skin and then reattached to another material/backing. That means the fibers are shorter and not as close together, so they don’t offer the same thickness as sheepskin.

I have both types of Mattes pad… the sheepskin stays thicker/fluffier, so takes up more room under the saddle. The wool on fabric backing is still very nice (good heat dispersion, decent cushion), but is a lot less thick to begin with and does flatten out more under saddle. But I use them for different horses… the sheepskin goes on a TB with hollows behind the shoulders, so the thickness helps to cushion that area and let his shoulders move more freely under the tree points. The wool pad I typically use on my two broad horses who don’t have any saddle fit issues.

It’s not about cheap vs not cheap (nothing Mattes makes is cheap, LOL), but about what you’re trying to do with your pad. If you don’t need the thickness of the sheepskin, you’re lucky!

ETA: If you get a sheepskin pad, buy some Melp to wash it with. It’ll keep the sheepskin from drying out. And don’t wash it often.

[directpressure]

@Melissa.Van.Doren Thank you so much for the feedback! I am looking into buying the half pad to use on a variety of horses that I lesson on. I have a Mattes half pad that was given to me, I am not sure of the kind, but it isn’t very soft so I am almost sure it is the wool. It works great! I use it on my mare that doesn’t have a saddle fitting issue, but I use it for mainly extra support from the saddle on her back. I am now taking lessons on more horses besides my mare, who is off for the winter, so for the remaining winter time I am riding a variety of horses. I was looking for a half pad to accompany my saddle when I am riding, would the wool or sheepskin be better for a variety? What do you think?

[Melissa.Van_Doren]

If you’re riding a variety of horses, the sheepskin correction half pad would be most useful.

https://www.worldequestrianbrands.com/product/platinum-jump-correction-half-pad-with-pockets-for-shims/

[Madison]

If you don’t need the extra thickness of the sheepskin, Mattes also makes a quilted correction pad with pockets for the shims so that you can adjust the thickness with the felt inserts, and not have to account for the extra thickness of the sheepskin. The Mattes pads are going to help with saddle fit if you have a gap to fill, but I don’t really think of them as “supportive” in terms of shock absorption, so it depends on what you mean by “support.” They hold up well and are very useful for tweaking saddle fit if you are riding multiple horses.

[directpressure]

@Melissa.Van.Doren Okay thank you, I understand how, I can adjust thickness and everything for different horses. When it arrives (if you know this) does it come with all shims in it? When all are in is it very thick or reasonable? Are the shims easy to take in and out? Thank you for sticking with me through this!

[directpressure]

@Madison Great, thank you for the feedback! I have noticed the sheepskin is very thick, more then the wool. The one I have is not a correction pad, for it has no pockets to insert and take from. Since I ride a variety with the same saddle (mine) I think like you are saying, a correction pad would be good since it’ll help with not the 100% best fit considering my saddle isn’t for one specific horse yet and is on a variety, it’ll help and provide less of a gap for different backed horses, correct me if I’m wrong. By supportive, I don’t mean by shock absorption, just that it provides a bit more cushion from the saddle and rider weight, thats what I use the wool (I believe it is wool lol) Mattes half pad I have already on my mare for. The half pad I am looking to buy, which is the one you guys are telling me about seems better for a variety, thats why I am not going to use the one I have on the variety. The correction one seems more helpful for a magnitude of horses and seems it would have the best comfortability for horse and rider. Let me know if I am wrong about anything above! Thank you!

[directpressure]

For everyone responding, I am not very I guess you could say acknowledged/smart (?) on changing shims around for the 100% best fit, this would be my first half pad with interchangeable shims. This is why I am asking this now and again, does the half pad come with all shims in? Is this too thick or reasonable? I guess the main question is: How many shims in would you say is a comfortable and reasonable pressure relieving fit for a variety of horses, like as an overall?

Thank you so much for staying with my noobness, I know I am basically a baby to things like this, but I promise I am here for good reasons.

[halt]

I have an older medium and it is almost too small for my 17.5 Stubben. If I got a new one, I’d compare my medium with the current mediums - I think mine might max have a 17.5" spine.

I love my Mattes pad. It is at least 10 years old, probably older, and is still thick, plush and would look brand new if it hadn’t of been put in the wash by a well-meaning person and had the color bled from it. I lightly brush it with a hard brush after each ride. It has been pretty abused and still looks very nice.

I put it directly on the horse for the most benefit. Unfortunately it does not see much use these days since I’ve found Thinline does the job I need better (impact/concussion absorption for a horse with kissing spine) but on extra cold days when I am just walking, I will use the Mattes. I do think my horse prefers the feel of wool on his back to just a saddle pad.

[directpressure]

@halt Thank you! For a 17in saddle what size do you think would fit best? Medium or large? I have heard from many that it holds up amazing and lasts a long time. It is a bit pricey, but I have also been told the price is worth every penny, and it is better then getting a cheaper one and having it wear down and having to buy another. Why not just get the one with the highest quality? For a variety (none with kissing spine) I am sure a Mattes would probably work better then a ThinLine for what I am looking for, but ThinLine pads are amazing as well. Thank you for the feedback!

[directpressure]

Or do you all think a regular Mattes halfpad would work? Or is the correction one really the one I should buy. (?)

[Madison]

It really depends on what the real goal of using a halfpad is. If it is to absorb impact/provide shock absorption, then the thinline trifecta pad would be a great choice because it gives you the shock absorption without being really thick, but also has pockets to add shims to adjust saddle fit. I have a Mattes quilted pad and a Thinline trifecta and they are roughly the same thickness before shims are added. If the saddle fits the horse perfectly, you don’t need a half-pad, unless it is for something like a horse with a sensitive back that needs the shock absorption help. Otherwise, the half pads really are helping fill gaps in saddle fit, which in turn makes the horse more comfortable. If you put a too-thick halfpad under a saddle that otherwise fits, then you are making the saddle tighter rather than providing cushion. So, what you need depends on how much adjustment you need to fix the saddle fit. A sheepskin or wool backed one is going to be thicker, a quilted one thinner. And sheepskin is beautiful and soft, but also requires more care. So, there is a component of personal preference, and a component of what fits your need – for example if you only needed a minor adjustment in saddle fit, something like an Ogilvy would be too thick. So, that’s why having the option of shims (which most of the Mattes pads come with) is helpful for riding multiple horses. The Farm House (where @Melissa.Van Doren works) is a great resource - you could always call them to discuss the options because they carry lots of options and ship quickly when you are ready to buy.

[Small_Change]

Without any disrespect, do you feel that you can safely use a shimmed pad to adjust the saddle fit for each horse? I only ask based on some of the questions you’ve brought forward. If you don’t feel knowledgeable enough (or have someone who can do it for you each time you switch to a different horse), then a cushy pad without shims might be best. You can cause more issues than you solve by shimming improperly.

Good for you for wanting to make your saddle as comfortable as possible for each horse you ride, and for asking the questions rather than “winging it.” All the best.

[directpressure]

@Madison Thank you!

[directpressure]

@Small Change Yes, I am agreeing with you, I feel a cushy pad w/o shims may be best for what knowledge I have acquired currently. The shims pad is beautiful and amazingly helpful, but I don’t have access to someone who can help me adjust and I don’t know enough about it for it to work to its best ability. I feel a cushy, not too thick, not too thin pad that just helps with a gap and not 100% fitting saddle (since again, there is variety) would work best for my needs. I am just out here to buy the best I can for the most comfortable ride and feel in the back of my mind shims may not work as well as I am able to know how to use them. Let me know from you, and others please!

[Melissa.Van_Doren]

The Mattes correction pad pricing includes a full set of shims.

I started answering about Mattes because that’s the question you asked, but I most often recommend ThinLine Trifecta 1/2 pads. They have a quilted underside with ThinLine panels sewn onto the top side. Cut to allow for wither relief, easy to wash, and easy to add shims to. About $138. I like them because ThinLine is an excellent shock absorbing material, for the horse’s back AND for the rider’s back. And, without shims, they don’t alter your saddle fit.

With shims added, you can slightly lift the front of the saddle (or fill slight hollows behind the shoulders), fill in a slight bridge gap in the center, or slightly lift the back of the saddle. I’m emphasizing slight because the ThinLine material is, well, thin… so it’s best used for minor corrections. And, frankly, if you need major corrections you really need a different saddle instead of a half pad. If your saddle is a pretty generic shape that tends to fit a lot of different back types without much issue, the ThinLine Trifecta could be a better use of your $$ than a Mattes.

But if your saddle has a particularly wide tree, very little wither clearance, or a very straight tree/long panel, the thickness of the sheepskin Mattes will help it adapt to more horses than the ThinLine (because the thickness will fill in deeper gaps, and lift the entire saddle up higher away from the back, which can be key in dealing with fit issues like high withers or a particularly curvy back under a flat tree/panels).

So, to echo what others have said… Which pad you need depends on which pad you need!

I have four horses and ride many others using close contact, dressage, treeless dressage, and endurance saddles, so my half pad collection is pretty extensive… ThinLine Trifecta, ThinLine Comfort Saddle Fit (sheepskin underside with shim pockets), Fleeceworks Balance with front shims, Fleeceworks Sheepskin FXK, Cavallo All Purpose, and a Toklat Matrix Sheepskin with Extreme Pro-Impact inserts. What combination I use depends on the horse and saddle.

Sorry it’s not easier to just say, “buy this one,” but the text in red is the best advice I can give without seeing your saddle and the horses you’re putting it on.

[directpressure]

@Melissa.Van.Doren Got it, thank you, I have a medium tree saddle, 17 inches. Do you think a ThinLine may work for it? I can’t provide pictures of the horses I ride because they are honestly always changing, but I do ride variety, some with high withers, some with a bit of a rounded back, some slimmer, some wider. I don’t want something too thin, and not something too thick, a good middle. Would ThinLine help with that? Don’t worry about money and pretend it isn’t a problem here, what would you recommend? If able, please provide links to all you recommend.

[Melissa.Van_Doren]

With a medium tree, your best bet is a ThinLine Trifecta, without shims.
When you ride a variety of horses, a wider tree is always going to fit more backs. That’s because you can pad it with a thick half pad to suit a more narrow horse. You cannot, however, use padding to make a saddle that’s too narrow fit a wider back.

The pad set up in your photo is making the saddle too narrow for the horse it’s on. Not only uncomfy for the horse, but also puts you in a poor balance. If you take the half pad out, it will fit better.