I have a 19 year old jumper, and she is in great health, but still older. We have a custom Voltaire saddle fit to her and me, but my trainer and I still want to find some sort of half pad that can help her absorb shock as we continue to jump up to keep her back happier. My trainer recommended a SaddleRight, but I also have lots of friends with Ogilvys. However my trainer has no experience with them so we are not sure. My question is, do Ogilvys really help absorb shock for the horse? Or do they just compress and loose their padding? Are there any other brands or specific pads anyone has had luck with? Please help:)
If your saddle fits properly, you shouldn’t need one of those crazy thick pads.
I have no personal experience with Ogilvy pads, but IMO, if your saddle fits correctly and then you put a wicked thick half pad under it, you’re probably doing more harm than good.
Keep your horse really fit and well-muscled. That will help you much more in the long run.
If the saddle fits well, try a Thinline because that isn’t as bulky.
A big inch or more thick pad is going to alter saddle fit.
As far as I know, there’s only been one study done on this, and that compared gel, leather, foam and - of all things! - reindeer skin:
http://www.livestock-supplies.info/saddle-pads/saddle-pads-best-shock-absorber-identified-in-study/
Reindeer skin came in way ahead of the others, but there aren’t any reindeer in my neighborhood, so I go with sheepskin. My horses are 10 and 18, with very different back conformation, and both seem very comfy in sheepskin with a shaped baby pad underneath.
I do include the extra thickness of the fleece pad in calculating tree size, though, and I agree that slapping on a lot of extra thickness won’t do you any good if it messes up your saddle fit.
I have an ultra thinline and I definitely notice an improvement in the way my horse goes AND in my lower back pain. Agree with the folks who said if you are investing in a custom fit saddle, don’t ruin the fit with a super thick half pad. A regular saddle pad and a thinline will absorb shock and shouldn’t significantly change the fit of your saddle.
love thinline…and with a few exceptions, hate fleece. My opinion, and its worth exactly what you paid for it 
I prefer sheepskin.
Got rid of my thinline. I also have the Lamicell half pad but my horse didn’t go well in it.
Sheepskin is the gold standard-- but if the saddle fits perfectly, adding thick sheepskin may narrow the fit too much. I agree, for shock aobsortion it’s the best-- but it needs to go under a saddle that can accomodate some extra thickness because it can add bulk.
I also love thine line. Both my horses round up and move much better in it.
I’ve had sheepskin pads and now a Thinline (without sheepskin). I really liked both. Sheepskin is too bulky for my current horse, so we use the Thinline half pad without sheepskin.
But they make a version that combines Thinline and sheepskin:
https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/pt/ultra-thinline-sheepskin-comfort-half-pad-6794
I use a Ogilvy Gummy half pad with my custom saddle. You get the shock absorbing qualities without altering saddle fit because it compresses to 1/8 of an inch. You also do NOT get that cloud like feeling from the normal thickness Ogilvy’s. Instead there is an extremely close feel, no extra bulk.
If price is an issue, Lettia makes a memory foam half pad that squishes down pretty thin. They are in the $150 range so less than an Ogilvy. I like the gummy pad, and the Lettia pad reminds me of that. That being said, my favorite will always be an ECOGOLD pad!
If you want a shock absorbing half pad, you want a Prolite. Prolite underwent pressure mapping testing using the Society of Master Saddler’s Pliance system.
The results were very impressive and on all the different saddles tested, Prolite reduced the peak pressure (psi) by at least 25% on a well fitting saddle and over 30% on a badly fitting saddle.
I also have a white cover if you want one for the show ring.
My saddle fitter recommends a sheepskin half pad for older horses that need a bit more cushioning. It’s important to get your saddle fitted to accommodate the pad.
I often use a thinline ultra pad when I’m out hunting because I think it does absorb shock and when we’re hunting we could be out for awhile.
I also use a Supracor half pad a lot of the time. My horses like them and they are supposed to not only absorb shock, but help keep your horse’s back cooler. I like that you just hose them off!
[QUOTE=mroades;8202398]
love thinline…and with a few exceptions, hate fleece. My opinion, and its worth exactly what you paid for it :-D[/QUOTE]
Why the hate-on for fleece? Just curious. And you mean the real stuff from sheep is no good? Or the fake stuff is no good?
I like half pads but depending on which saddle or horse I use several that I really like.
I love the Ogelvy for my sensitive back horse. It has made a big difference for him. I also like the Saddleright leather half pad if you need a thinner pad… The thin line pad is nice too. I found it really helpful with a horse that the saddle lifted on him. I had a big horse that the plain sheep skin half pad is perfect.
And since I love to collect tack; I have many 
It sounds to me that if you are looking for back protection and cushion the Ogelvy would be nice.
But it does depend, like others have said since it’s a custom saddle for her you may just not use a half pad to see how she does… That’s probably where to start.
[QUOTE=supershorty628;8202251]
If your saddle fits properly, you shouldn’t need one of those crazy thick pads.
I have no personal experience with Ogilvy pads, but IMO, if your saddle fits correctly and then you put a wicked thick half pad under it, you’re probably doing more harm than good.
Keep your horse really fit and well-muscled. That will help you much more in the long run.[/QUOTE]
My saddle fits fine and is not hurting my horse in any way, and my horse is very fit and muscular. No matter what saddle I use, the fit will not change absorbing shock. But my question was about if the thicker pads actually make a difference, or if the thin saddlright is the better choice.
Have you noticed your horses back improving? My horse carries a lot of stress in her back and just needs a little bit of help.
[QUOTE=genuineequestrian;8203379]
My saddle fits fine and is not hurting my horse in any way, and my horse is very fit and muscular. No matter what saddle I use, the fit will not change absorbing shock. But my question was about if the thicker pads actually make a difference, or if the thin saddlright is the better choice.[/QUOTE]
You’re better off with something thin. The point is that if your saddle fits your horse very well, a thick half pad will affect the fit and your saddle won’t fit your horse perfectly anymore and may be too tight. To avoid that, when you get a custom saddle, you’re supposed to get it fit with the pad you’re planning on using.
[QUOTE=genuineequestrian;8203380]
Have you noticed your horses back improving? My horse carries a lot of stress in her back and just needs a little bit of help.[/QUOTE]
I have seen a horse’s back improve with a well fitting saddle and a sheepskin pad. She was an older horse and she just needed more padding.
FWIW, I owned a Saddleright pad too. It was a bit too much pad for my saddle/horse combo. If you want one, check out eBay as you can get them for less there. They last forever and they are very well made.
If your horse is carrying tension in its back, also consider learning some massage techniques as padding won’t necessarily fix tension. I’m a big fan of Jim Masterson’s techniques and he has some excellent CDs that teach you how to do them. You can get a taste of what he does on his YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/mastersonmethod
