Speak to me of comfort half pads...thinline, sheepskin, Ecogold...

[Keg-A-Bacchus]

I’ve never used anything but a plain pad and a professionally fit saddle. I used a Mattes correction pad on growing babies but without the sheepskin. I’m currently using a new saddle that is the ONLY one that would stay put and didn’t hurt my downhill short backed pony. Because of her downhill build she, and the other downhill horses I’ve ridden, prefers me sitting a little behind the vertical off her shoulders. I don’t usually like to sit the trot on young horses but she just loves it. She rounds, lifts and stretches when I do. I am wondering about half pads to add just a little extra protection for her. The Kieffer Wien I picked up needs to be reflocked and the channel isn’t as wide as I’d like it to be.

So…what are your opinions of half pads with shock absorbtion? I hear good things about Ecogold Triple Protection pads. I hear mixed reviews of thinline pads. And Sheepskin pads I’m worried will be too bulky and slide around. I would like something I can put under both my jump and dressage saddle. What are your opinions on pads? And what about gel pads? She’s going to be growing and changing and id like something that will make sure she stays comfortable thriugh the changes. Thanks in advance! After her getting so sore from trying all sorts of saddles that didn’t work I want to ensure she has nothing but comfort from now on as she grows and gets going under saddle.

[Equibrit]

Check this thread; http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?t=336756

[2tempe]

I use a thin line, mostly to give my saddle a smidge more lift off the withers. (This is a way-too-long-to-explain saddle fitting issue) Hard to tell re its benefits relating to shock absorbing. Personally I’m not a fan of the mattes sheepskin pads, I find that my saddle slips just a bit side to side and I personally prefer to be not that far up off the back. One thought is to try a basic gel pad; I used one for years on my old schoolmaster, and on my hunters before that. It seems to me that their construction would be the most beneficial in the absorbing catagory.
If there is any way you can try a couple options by borrowing, that’s what I would do!

[TheHorseProblem]

I have one of the Thinline pads that you can shim. I bought it for my dressage saddle, but now use it with a jumping saddle. It truly does what it is advertised to do and absorbs the shock. I am very happy with it, and it is easy to get the shims in and out.

It is a little tricky to wash, as I got the one with sheepskin trim, but as long as I follow directions, I can keep it looking great.

[KateKat]

I have the ultra thinline with the sheepskin and don’t find it bulky at all. Love this pad. Definitely helps absorb shock and makes my back and my horses back more comfortable.

[Keg-A-Bacchus]

This may be a silly question but alot of the sheepskin half pads have the cantle roll as well. If I use sheepskin I would want it directly on her back. Does the cantle roll prevent you from placing a regular saddle pad over it?

[quietann]

Keg, to protect the sheepskin from horse sweat, you want something between the half pad and the horse. Also, most of these half pads have straps that attach to the billets to hold the pad in place, which would not work if you have a pad over the half-pad. If you want sheepskin right on her back, there are (pricey!) full pads which have sheepskin in the same places the half-pad does.

Personally, I’m a fan of Thinline, especially as I do more sitting trot work… I know I bounce, and Thinline seems to keep the mare from complaining too much. My current set-up is an Ultra Thinline Trifecta cotton half-pad with front Thinline shims, over a regular square pad. The sheepskin half-pads are too bulky for my saddle, which has a medium tree, but on a saddle with an MW tree I used the sheepskin.

[esdressage]

A saddle fitter did some pressure scans with and without the Ecogold pads and they’re pretty cool to see: Ecogold pressure scans

Of course when you go back to the detail page she says that a saddle pad can’t make up for poor saddle fit, but she was really impressed with the way the Ecogolds distribute pressure. I ordered one (not to fix saddle fit, just as a good pad) and am really looking forward to trying it out!

[DressageOverFences]

keg: the half pads cannot go under a regular pad, but if you want the sheepskin directly on the horse you can get the full pads which do just that. They are not that hard to keep clean if you brush them out after rides and keep the horse clean-ish.

[betsyk]

As the owner of a whole trunkful of various pads, but never the exact one I want at any given time, I put them in two categories: pads that squish, and pads that don’t squish. Pads that don’t squish (in my mind) are gel or thinline-type, or old-style dense wool felt (which will eventually squish some). They can help narrow a saddle that’s too wide. Because they’re usually uniformly thick, they don’t do much for a horse with a swayback, or positioning problems (in my experience). Pads that squish - like Cachel pads, or fleece/fleecy/soft and fluffy - don’t do much for making a wide saddle narrower, but can help keep a saddle off the shoulders (Mattes or others with a roll in front) or fill in a bit for a dipped back. If you’re not sure if it squishes or not, pinch it between your fingers. If you can make it thinner with your fingers, your weight on a girthed saddle will certainly make it at least that thin.

I have a great old TB whose back doesn’t have much muscle but who’s a saint for kids learning to post. For him, I want a gel pad that will hopefully absorb some kiddy mistakes and create some artificial back muscle under his saddle, which is too wide where he used to have muscle but fits otherwise. My Arab needs something to keep his saddle from crawling onto his shoulders, so he gets a Mattes pad. My twerpy teenager horse is still changing shape on a daily basis, so he gets the thinline sometimes; I could probably use the shimmable Mattes pad (shims are felt = not very squishy) but it’s assigned elsewhere. I think you just have to try a whole bunch of options and see what works for your horse. It helps to have friends who are tack hoarders!

[Carli]

I recently put in an order for one of the Segue Thinline pads that shim and absorb for in-between saddle fittings. I’m hoping all goes well. I believe it will. I’ll let you know if this thread goes well. Schleese has a nice discount on theirs in contrast to what I’ve seen at the saddlery shop in N. IL.

[Keg-A-Bacchus]

Thanks for the replies! So if I want something to make sure no extra pressure is going on her shoulder when I post should I do squishy foam or firm gel? I’m still waiting for my Roma Pro Tek wither riser with front lift. It’s open cell foam so would that be enough? I’m a newbue with pads because i’ve always just had well fit saddles but this growing girl is frustrating us all! But at least she’s happy in her new saddle as long as I don’t post! LOL

[fatappy]

Another nod for thinlines! I bought just the normal thinline half pad and I can tell a huge difference when I ride with it! there’s just less “squish” then I get with a fleece half pad therefore less overall moving when I post/ sit. It stays exactly where I put it when I tack up. The only thing with the normal thinlines is they tend to flatten on the withers. My mare doesn’t seem to noctice, but I can’t keep a nice wither crease in it. When it’s time to replace (ie, when my money tree blossoms), I would get the thinline trifecta. It allows for more wither clearance and it’s shim-able.

Good luck!

[candysgirl]

I LOVE my Thinline pad. I just have one of the basic thin black ones, but it makes a HUGE difference. I’m not entirely sure how it does what it does, but it really does help a lot. I use it for everything now - dressage, jumping and endurance. My horse moves a lot more freely with it and it makes a big difference in keeping me from getting sore no matter how long I’m in the saddle.

[didgery]

I use an untrimmed thinline half pad with a merino sheepskin half pad under that. I don’t notice any sort of benefit for my mule and I regret spending nearly $200 on the setup! (I’ll happily sell either pad, barely used, for $50 each if anyone wants them.)

Fen does fine in a western-style wool felt pad, trimmed to fit my dressage saddle. I’m going back to that system, as it slips less.

[easyrider]

I’m a huge fan of the Prolite pad which most of the horses I’ve ridden seem to prefer to the Mattes or other sheepskin or wool or even the Thinline. I think the old kind of gel pads are too heavy, but maybe there’s a new kind of gel pad now that I’m not familiar with?

[Keg-A-Bacchus]

Didgery that’s exactly what I’m worried about too! And no one at the barn has anything for me to try so I’m going to have to spend the dough to see if it works! Ugh.

Easyrider the Prolite looks really interesting! I like that it’s shimmable…the one thing the Ecogold half pad is missing that I would like! The reviews look good too. Do you know what it’s made of? Is it squishy or firm? And does it slip? Ideally I want a shimmable, non-slip and protective pad for shock absorption and pressure point elimination. Looking very promising!

I would love the Ecogold non-slip pad but it’s got that cheap looking fleece around it so I couldn’t use it on her back under a pad. I’m going to try to find a sheepskin pad to try to see if it makes me feel unstable. I HATE feeling wobbly and live I’m hovering above the horse! Perhaps I could find a Thinline to try as well. I’m in the “how in the world does that tiny little thin pad work?!” boat…but apparently it does! Technology is amazing. LOL

[Katjianna]

I personally dont like the Thinlines that mush although they are wildly popular right now. I much prefer my Mattes and I also have a half pad by a company called Equine Comfort Products". I liked their half pad so much that after my puppy chewed my first one, I spend a ton on a send one. Just really nice think pads. The mattes is my show pad.

[esdressage]

[QUOTE=Keg-A-Bacchus;6075601]
I would love the Ecogold non-slip pad but it’s got that cheap looking fleece around it so I couldn’t use it on her back under a pad.[/QUOTE]

I saw the Ecogold pads on SmartPak with that fleece and saw the complaints about the fleece in the reviews. The one I ordered doesn’t have it though… I ordered the Secure Dressage Pad on this page. They look really nice. It arrives next week so I can let you know what I think when I have it in my hot little hands, if you want

[arabiansrock]

I have a couple of prolite pads and I like them. The shims for them are fairly thick tho, so you don’t get real fine increments of shimming, but it does work. Some pads are full thickness, some are half thickness. Personally I prefer the half thickness as it does not effect saddle fit then, and you can shim for fit modification. They do absorb shock, and are mildly squishy.

Hastilow usa and advanced saddle fit both sell them. Also, they have a “gullet” for over the spine so they don’t pull down like the standard thinline does.