Opinions on Thinline Pad Variations

[theresak]

My Thinline pad (I think it’s a Contour) has a split in it and I’d like to replace it with a similar pad.

My questions are: [LIST=1]

Does anyone use the Thinline Half Pad or Ultra Thinline Half Pad under their dressage saddle? Does the half pad have enough coverage under the panels and in the shoulder area? Or should I stick to the Contour for the extra coverage (I'm in a 16.5" County Fusion with short flaps)?

Has anyone noticed a difference between the regular Thinline and the Ultra Thinline? The website description says it's a difference in thickness of the pad. ([B]Ultra ThinLine[/B] 3/16″ (the thinnest) is designed for skilled riders or riders with sore backs. [B]ThinLine[/B] 1/4 inch thick – is designed for beginning riders, horses in high impact situations, or horses with sore backs.)

Any other comparable options/brands? I really, really like my Thinline and am unlikely to switch brands - it's not so thick it will mess with fit of my saddle, no sheepskin to care for, not too expensive...but make a compelling case for something else and I'll check it out. I have a Mattes with sheepskin and pockets for shims and a cotton Thinline Trifecta with pockets for cases where I need options to add shims. I could just use the Trifecta but it's not quite as discreet as the Contour. [/LIST] I have a fitter coming for a regular check in a few weeks and will ask her opinion too...

TIA

[Magicboy]

I use the ultra on every horse I ride. My saddle fitter --custom saddle–likes it, too. I use a shim over the front shoulder pockets since our horses are all in their teens ,

[Libby2563]

I use Trifectas on two of my horses. One of them, who is sensitive to saddle fit/padding, is extremely partial to it! I like that they don’t compress and wear out over time like fleece pads, and that they are so thin they don’t alter saddle fit much.

I will pass along what my saddle fitter told me about the untrimmed ThinLine pads, including the Contour. She said that she has had issues with those causing pain/soreness because they are fairly stiff and bind around the withers (i.e., it’s hard to pull them up into the gullet of the saddle and keep them there). She sells the Trifecta and others that have a channel along the spine. My horse who likes the Trifecta also liked the untrimmed one that I tried though, so my mileage did vary and yours might too. The price and subtlety of the untrimmed ones is definitely attractive!

My fitter recently recommended the Acavallo massage gel pad, which is also thin and could suit your purposes. It has much more give so it won’t bind the withers, and it’s designed so that you can put it directly on the horse’s back, under your regular pad, so that’s pretty discreet! VTO Saddlery carries them for $90-100 depending on color, so the price is good, and care is easy because you can just wash it off.

[Jarpur]

I use the Cotton Fitted Dressage Ultra Thinline saddle pad, which is shimmable if need be, and I’m quite happy with it. It’s not overwhelming for my small horse, which is an added bonus.

[tbchick84]

I have the contour and the trifecta. Between the shape of the two pads, I prefer the contour for my dressage saddle and the trifecta for the jumping saddle. I’m not sure which contour I have. I think it’s the thicker one, but it still takes up less space than my trifecta in terms of affecting saddle fit. I keep meaning to sell my contour, but I still have it, so I guess I still feel it’s a necessity for keeping my horse comfy.

[RedHorses]

I have an Ultra contour and I just bought a Thinline halfpad. I have found the Ultra contour does tend to slip down, so I have sewn some rubbery mesh onto the front so it will stick to the saddle better. The Ultra pad has a textured top surface which makes it less sticky than the regular Thinline I just got.

I have only had the halfpad for a week or two. So far I haven’t had any problem pulling it up into the gullet or persuading it to stay there. I did flip it upside down a couple of time as the underside is stickier and that dressage saddle is very slick. My plan is to sew sheepskin to the halfpad to make a nice cushion for my Cushings horse. I tried riding with and without the sheepskin and the combination is working better for him. I just have to decide which way up to put the Thinline.