Saddle pad - ever made one?

[Riverotter]

Talking to another mom at DD’s 4H meeting, she mentioned making a western saddle pad out of an “egg crate” style mattress pad. The person said they were cool and comfortable for the horse, but didn’t have any with her to show me.

She might bring one to next month’s meeting, but in the meantime - has anyone here done this? Did you just cut a square a bit bigger then your saddle or did you go all out and use the pad as a core and sew up layers? Did you and your horse like it?

If it really works well I’d like to try it. Hubby decided after 2 weeks he hated our mattress pad so it’s been stuffed in the top of the closet waiting for me to get around to making dog beds or something out of it. I’d rather have saddle pads, the dogs sleep on our bed anyway :lol:

[pook]

there is no way that foam can be cool, once it gets between the saddle and the horse. It creates friction and heat.Do your horse a favor and get a saddle blanket that is all wool or alpaca fiber.

[Bluey]

When foam was starting to be sold in places like Walmart, many horse trainers were buying some pads and using them for shims here and there, generally between a double navajo blanket or on top of a felt pad, between the felt and saddle.

When you train horses, their backs keep changing and a bit of extra padding here and there gets them more comfortable, without needing to change other.

Today’s pads are already made with all kinds of foam between wool or felt that does the same, equalizes the pressure better than a pad alone used to.

We have come a long way, no need to use our horse’s backs for guinea pigs quite so much any more.

If you are careful, there is no harm in making your own pads.
Those kinds of foam eggcrate products compress quickly, don’t last long used as saddle shims or pads.

[Riverotter]

[QUOTE=pook;6444848]
there is no way that foam can be cool, once it gets between the saddle and the horse. It creates friction and heat.Do your horse a favor and get a saddle blanket that is all wool or alpaca fiber.[/QUOTE]
Oh, I’ve got saddle pads, just could always use another, and wondering if anyone had any first hand experience.

[sk_pacer]

A better idea if you really want to make your own is the old burlap and raw wool pad/blanket. Used to see a lot of those. Instructions here: http://www.ehow.com/how_6677619_make-wool-saddle-pads.html

[Narleta]

A friend made one from heavy fleece that she layered 3 or 4 times and sewed up. It’s still going after 10 years.

[Foxtrot_s]

So - years ago, I read how to make a saddle blanket. You get horsehair, lots of mane and tail hair, put it in a burlap sack and ride on it until it is all matted!
Can’t vouch for the system, however, but old timers made do.