Saddle pad texture for a sensitive mare

[Audderball]

My new 4 yr old mare seems to be opinionated about saddle pads.
: short story - she seems to hate the plain cotton pad and prefers the silicony grippy texture of the a bareback pad. Any suggestions for saddle pads like this??

This spring when I first got her she was fine for the first few weeks with tacking up and then idk if the pad shocked her or what but suddenly she was terrified of the saddle pad ( plain white cotton pad) this continued for weeks. Over the summer I rode her in the best friends bareback pad that has more of a silicone-y texture on her back and she was completely fine. We go back to the cotton saddle pad, at first it’s ok, and suddenly she’s freaking out about the saddle pad again. Does she hate the material? Any suggestions for saddle pads that might have more of a silicone-y texture?

I’ve never had a mare this opinionated, thanks in advance.

[luvmyhackney]

Try sheepskin directly on the back.

But if set on silicone feel, maybe this one? https://www.sstack.com/dura-tech-anti-slip-support-gel-half-pad-with-synthetic-fleece/p/21547/

Or this one : https://www.oldmillsaddlery.com/Mobile/en/us/Acavallo-Anti-Slip-Lightweight-Gel-Pad---Black/m-s-42070-63980.aspx?

[Alterwho]

Are you sure it’s the pad and not the saddle causing the problems?

[Mouse_amp_Bay]

Agree to check the saddle fit!

My horses love the ecogold saddle pads (more of tech material on the inside, not normal cotton) and the back on track saddle pads (their we’ll text material but slightly stiffer/thicker than normal cotton pads). Might be worth trying one of these??

[fivestrideline]

It’s MUCH more likely to be your saddle vs the pad since she was happy in the bareback setup. She sees the saddle pad coming and knows what’s up. She’s at an age where I get that horse’s saddle checked every 3-4 months usually - wool flocked saddles make this MUCH easier.

That said, EcoGold and sheepskin would be my first options once the saddle has been addressed -I have seen a few horses go much better with sheepskin directly on their back.

[Audderball]

Thanks for the suggestions, will check them out! I’ve heard good things about ecogold especially. Appreciate the concern on fit but she doesn’t seem to mind the saddle going on, with or without the pad, but the saddle fitter was out yesterday anyway and is going to make a few adjustments.
Thanks for the help!

[Against_All_Odds2]

You can also check out the LeMieux X-grip twin sided pads. I just got the half pad for my sensitive guy and am extremely happy.

[Texarkana]

You have a princess and the pea horse, too? My horse will try to end your ride quickly with you in the dirt if you put anything fuzzy on her back.

These non-slip saddle towels are super handy and might replicate the silcone sensation:

No Slip Saddle Towel

They are made of the grippy waffle stuff similar to what you use for lining cabinets, drying mats, etc. You put them under whatever pad you want so they are what’s in contact with the horse.

You can find them for $10-15.

[Bluey]

Also check girths.
We had a very sweet, quiet mare just off the track that we by chance used a mohair string cinch on, was hanging there handy.
After about ten minutes, she was very uncomfortable and even laid down and tried to rub her cinch off on the ground.
Took it off, rode her back to the barn without a cinch and put a cotton one and she was fine, so was she with a leather one, never again had a problem.

I don’t blame sensitive horses if something scratches or itches, it needs off.
I have same problem with some materials, can’t wait to take them off!

[beowulf]

@Bluey

Also check girths.
We had a very sweet, quiet mare just off the track that we by chance used a mohair string cinch on, was hanging there handy.
After about ten minutes, she was very uncomfortable and even laid down and tried to rub her cinch off on the ground.
Took it off, rode her back to the barn without a cinch and put a cotton one and she was fine, so was she with a leather one, never again had a problem.

This happened to me with my own filly. My gelding seems to do better with mohair, one day I rode her in that mohair girth and she refused to move! I really thought she was colicking until I realized she was very pointedly biting at exactly where the mohair strings were. I think the cords getting between her hair irritated her something fierce. She’s certainly never put up a fuss like that before.

[Jealoushe]

Ecogold might work?

[Audderball]

That’s genius! And looks like a very similar texture to the bareback pad that she likes.