If you didn’t look closely at that person’s saddle to make sure it fit your horse, I’d tend to agree with you.
Good luck in finding the answer.
So earlier I mentioned that I ordered the ThinLine sheepskin comfort pad. Anddd it came in the mail today and when I opened the package I about drooled it was so lovely. But yes, I will provide feedback on how much I and the horse like it. And good luck with your saddle fittings and getting to the root of the problem as well.
Oooh, you’re making me jealous! Definitely keep me updated. If my saddle’s not the problem, that sounds like a nice little luxury item for the best horse ever 
“Weighing in” here
As a formerly very obese foxhunter; I can testify that the white hairs are from pressure areas over time. Fought them for years and they’d appear during the spring shed from a season of long hours in the saddle. What finally did away with them were high density foam cushions added above the fleece pad. Because of my weight; I used 3/4 inch thick ones and had super success with Cashel cushions. Still use them, will always use them. Don’t heat up under them. Couldn’t afford to have multiple saddles when the horse changed wither configurations during a year of varied exercise & muscle development so…it worked for me. I have draft crosses, wide tree saddles and haven’t found the pads problematic. I acknowledge what you all have shared about the conventional wisdom about foam pads but the high density ones don’t have to be thick and change fit THAT much. Irregardless, it worked for me=the ultimate high pressure situation. Added bonus with Cashels were that they absorbed shock for my various decrepitudes like back,knees, brain!!! :winkgrin:
Well now have to wait another extra week or so because my thinline pad is far too large. It says that the regular is made for 16 inch saddle and up but it does not fit my 17.5 saddle. Although it is close contact. Oh well. I was thrilled with the quality of that pad though. Made well. Good customer service and return policy too.
One tiny hijack of this thread, I too have heard great things about wool/felt saddle pads and I plan on getting one of these http://www.5starequineproducts.com/saddle_pads.html (Scroll down the page for the english and hunt style pads) after my bank account has recovered from Chirstmas spending.
Once you get the fit of the saddle remedied, I recommend the Barnsby Grip Pad - you mentioned very hilly hunting terrain; they’re fantastic. Also wash and wear very well
As for putting more and more saddle pads on, that is akin to wearing more socks :no:
Wateryglen - which high-density pads?
Wateryglen - you mention you like the high-density foam pads - do you mean the Prolite ones like these - http://www.prolitepads.com/products/reliefpads/reliefpads.htm ?
If so, I agree - they do a fantastic job of providing decent protection and shock absorption - too bad they don’t come with fluffy woolly trim (or maybe just as well, as far as my pocket book is concerned!).
The Thinline ones are supposed to be amazing, although their “tests” smell slightly - verrrry slightly - of snake oil - do those tests on a wadge of carpet and you’ll get the same results…
I came across this by accident just surfing…
http://www.davidahnequine.co.uk/index.htm
Anyone heard of a Suber pad? It’s a new one on me.
I’ve got a Memory Foam bed pillow & Memory Foam house slippers and both items are super comfortable. There is a part of me that thinks using this type of foam between the saddle & the horses back would be so comfortable for the horse. Nothing replaces correct saddle fit but I’m always curious to learn of documented things that provide better comfort. The Thinline pads are nice loolking and make me wonder…
Interesting you mention that. I have a Memory Foam topper on my bed and it makes a tremendous difference on pressure points.
Of course, it’s still a bit different than the forces on a horse’s back, but it makes enough difference in my back pain that it makes me wonder.
The reverse wedge pad seems to have worked on my hard to fit guy. But it’s not a prolite.
I’m not drinking anything but coffee so bear with me 
…if I liken my feet to my horses back and the floor is the force of my body, the comfort of the slippers between the two is fabulous. Does that make sense or do I need to ditch the coffee and switch to beer to make the point better?
Again, I’m all about quality felt for the textile next to my horses back- this comes from years of fitting western saddles on my daughters rodeo horses and riding a little LD/CTR. We used Classic Equine pads for her mares and never had problems.
It makes perfect sense - but I bet if you switched to beer it would be really funny!
I didn’t make it through all the posts, but have you tried a Limpet pad? The 10mm is great for horses that are developed, but need the bit of shock absorbtion. They’re absolutely amazing pads and increase the amount of blood flow through the back, keeping the horse moving better. They also keep the back warmer and you don’t need another pad with it. They can be hosed off (although they say not to), and they’re super nice to use with different horses. http://www.limpetsaddlepad.com/ I bought a large to fit my 18" monoflap and it was simply too large… so I’d guess they run big. Very classy looking AND functional. Hard to beat! Good luck!
JMHO!
I like the Cashel Cushions. They are Black foam. I use a fleece or wool pad under them of course. Come in varied thicknesses & lengths. I’ve used their extra long for my 19inch trailriding saddle. And they come with available slot pads you can buy if you’re inclined to. Personally, I think they take concussion right outa the equation for both horsie & me. Have used for hunting for years.
They have a website but I like their catalogs better. In Middleburg, the Tack Box used to sell them/can order for you etc.
Saddle doesn’t fit (at least this point in the hunting season)…I had a TB where I needed 2 saddles for him, the one at the beginning of the season was too wide for him at the end when he was really a greyhound TB.
Please don’t pile up the pads. Seeing people out with banjo pads, bump pads, pommel pads etc. trying to make their favourite saddle fit is pretty sad. I actually like the Tacky pads, they’re a lot like the old Hampa/Ulster pads, they’re not fat, keep their shape and are amazingly cheap.
Good luck, different saddle.
Wow, it sounds like I have some pads to add to my list of possibilities. I will definitely look into those.
I want to address the “piling on the pads” issue. Maybe people just haven’t read my first post closely or I did a bad job of getting my point across, but I’m a little confused as to how one Thinline comfort sheepskin pad OR one Fleeceworks pad OR one Thinline pad on top of a normal pad (pretty sure Thinline pads aren’t supposed to be used by themselves) is considered “piling on the pads”. I’m not looking to put all of these pads on top of what I have now. These are instead of what I am using now. All of these seem less thick than what I am currently using, just better shock absorbtion, which is what I was looking for in the first place.
On a better note, the hair growing back in (already!) since his clipping last week is coming in his normal color, not white. Still trying to get a saddle fitter out there (no luck yet), but the exerciser got a new saddle for Christmas that is supposed to be good on all different body types. We’ll see. Thanks again!
[QUOTE=ab06;2907030]
I want to address the “piling on the pads” issue![/QUOTE]
I was just saying don’t consider using multiple pads, not accusing you of doing it.
When I showed hunters in the turn-out classes (and for the regular classes too!), we didn’t even use saddle pads…the saddle had to fit. Of course, I’m geezing, we used sewn-in bridles in the ring and the field.
Passier suggests when you break in their saddles, you don’t use pads for a month or so to enable the saddle to fit your horse.
There is a wealth of information on pads, foams, inserts etc. on the yahoo treeless forum. Much of this info would translate toward treed saddles as well. As for memory foam, there is a huge spectrum of density and other factors. What we use on beds would do little if nothing under our saddles, but the memory foams used by reputable saddle pad companies like Skito are much denser. In fact, check that brand out. They will custom make any pad and I have NEVER heard a complaint about them!
Does anyone know if you can still find the old Ulster pads anywhere? Have been looking in catalogs without any luck.
