Prolite half pads?

[Draftmare]

I am very fortunate to have a custom fit jump saddle, but I like having a half pad that will help absorb shock as I am still learning and sometimes have very ungraceful moments over fences. Currently riding with an Ogilvy, but my fitter doesn’t like it because it is thick. I personally think that it crushes down enough once I am mounted not to make that much of a difference in regards to fit, but I am also not the professional fitter. Fitter wants me to try the Prolite pads, but I am a bit sceptical since he also sells that brand.

Anybody else have one? Likes and dislikes? They are one of the few brands out there that has science behind them, and are approved by the Society of Master Saddlers…but I am still not sure if I want to jump ship on my Ogilvy.

Another option I might consider is the Acavallo gel pad, but they have such a mind boggling selection I don’t even know which one I would get. I always thought gel was bad news, but this brand seems pretty popular and well liked in the UK. They are mostly appealing because they aren’t that expensive. Anybody have one of those?

[Melissa.Van_Doren]

I think it’s hard to beat ThinLine for impact absorption.

[Bogie]

The Acavallo only comes in one size which might influence your choice. I think it fits up to a 17.5" saddle but I’d double check. ThinLine pads are good for impact absorption and don’t change saddle fit. I like Supracor pads myself. I wouldn’t use an Olgivy pad unless my saddle was fitted with one.

[Dutchmare433]

Pro-lite pads are, IMO, the best. You can get them on a thin or thick base (thin is about the same as a thin-line), and you can get them with all sorts of different shim combinations. They’ve got science behind them, they’ve been around forever, and they’re pretty cheap compared to other half pads, esp. the one you have. They’re excellent for impact absorption.

When I first started working with my saddle fitter, maybe 8 years ago, I was also skeptical and didn’t initially buy the pro-lite, then she gave me one to borrow for like 6 months, I was sold and now almost every horse I ride goes in one. (My fitter is also in agreement with yours, she does not care for the Ogilvy pads.)

I realize this sounds a little sales-reppy…but I just really like the material and my horses seem to agree.

[vxf111]

Have a few and love them. I like the ones with the pockets so you can shim. The thinnest shims are pretty thin (not quite as thin as thinline, but thinner than most foam type half pads and very close to thinline). I think the Ogilvy is thick enough to change saddle fit. So if the saddle fitter thinks it’s too bulky, I would take that seriously. I don’t really care for them much.

[shmon]

I was just in the same boat as you and traded in my shimmable Thinline for an Invictus. My horse loves it and it’s so thin it doesn’t alter the saddle fit. I was a faithful Thinline user for years but I really like how my horse goes in the Invictus. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to see a Prolite in person so I can’t compare it to the others I tried (less than helpful, I know! Sorry!)

[sdlbredfan]

I did some searching, and found an older thread that might be useful reading also:
https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/discussion-forums/eventing/330577-half-pad-for-the-custom-saddle-invictus-v-prolite-v-ecogold-v

[Draftmare]

I had a Thinline before, and I didn’t really care for it. I found it hard to clean and keep clean (I use the same pad to show and school in), it didn’t tent up off the withers very well, and it didn’t stay up off the spine at all. I also felt like it trapped more heat under it. So, I would be looking at something other than a Thinline probably.

The one thing I don’t understand about the Prolite is, does it come with a base thickness, or is it basically an empty shell until you add the shims? If its the second situation, I worry that the shims have pretty large gaps between them…wouldn’t that cause pressure points?

Another option could be the Equifit ImpacTeq half pad, but those are pretty spendy.

[vxf111]

Mine comes with a base thickness but that can be either the thick or thin. The pads with pockets allow you to slip in additional thick/thin shims on top

[Dutchmare433]

@Draftmare

I had a Thinline before, and I didn’t really care for it. I found it hard to clean and keep clean (I use the same pad to show and school in), it didn’t tent up off the withers very well, and it didn’t stay up off the spine at all. I also felt like it trapped more heat under it. So, I would be looking at something other than a Thinline probably.

The one thing I don’t understand about the Prolite is, does it come with a base thickness, or is it basically an empty shell until you add the shims? If its the second situation, I worry that the shims have pretty large gaps between them…wouldn’t that cause pressure points?

Another option could be the Equifit ImpacTeq half pad, but those are pretty spendy.

You can get just a plain flat pad with no pockets or you can get ones with a thin base with shims or a thick base with shims. They have ones with 6 pockets, 4 pockets, and ones with just 2 front or rear pockets. I have a 4-pocket one on the thin base. I’m thinking I’ll get a 2nd one with the 6 pockets (have 2 horses now) so I don’t have to switch shims between rides.

[sheltona01]

Admittedly I do sell them, but I vastly prefer Prolite. I use to have a Thinline and I have a bad back. One time I lent my Prolite out to a barn mate to try and used my Thinline. After 10 mins I got off and stopped riding because my back hurt with the Thinline. I do think Thinline works, but in a different way. They are different types of material and diffuse the force in different ways.