One of the boarders at my old barn had one. It held up great and you can fold it to add thickness (more instability). I think I will get one of these when my Surefoot pads are done for.
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I’ve had SF pads for about three years. I don’t use them as much as I used to, but they do have a variety of uses.
There is a SF YouTube channel with lots of videos that would probably be more helpful than the website. Felicitas Van Neumann-Cosel uses them pre-riding in her training program.
The mare I sold last winter really seemed to like them. She would go almost to sleep and sway a lot, then sigh and lick and chew, so I’d use them as part of bodywork. I’ve also used them as part of in-hand work, as it can help with proprioception. The slants, I use if I feel there is a hoof imbalance - e.g. stand a low-heel foot on the pad with the thicker part to the back. I’ve also stacked them as FVNC often does, to give the horse a more uphill feeling in front. Once the horse is used to the pads, there isn’t necessarily an order to using them, and the horse will let you know if they do or don’t like it (don’t force them to stay on a pad). Previous mare actually got to the point where she would nose the pad she wanted, and I also saw her stand happily on stacked pads, and then very deliberately push off the top pad and put her foot back on the bottom pad, and start licking and chewing.
The physio pad is thinner, and is useful for looking at the hoof imprint for checking how the horse is loading their foot, and can give some relief to sore-footed horses during hoof care.
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I have had the same surefoot pads for 8 yrs. After 6 yrs, I used duct tape to stop the top thin layer from cracking off. I used them for rehabbing a tendon injury and general balance/use of stabilizing muscles for posture. I would say all my horses benefited from their use. I have also lent them to a number of riders rehabbing their horses. Less is more when using them. I started out with 30 seconds on and built up to 5 minutes/ per arrangement of the pads. Single pad/one feet at a time. Single pad under both front feet. Single pad under back feet. Single pad under diagonal front/back feet. Single pad under same side front/back feet. Then you can start stacking the pads in a variety of ways to increase the challenge and workout. I was very skeptical at first, but I’ve seen positive changes in all my horses’ balance/posture. I agree they are expensive. Everything horse related is expensive.
As Outerbanks77 mentioned there is a SF YouTube channel and Felicitas Van Neumann-Cosel uses them.
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Thank you, @outerbanks77and @Horsecrazy3! I will check out the YouTube channel.
ETA Just watched this video and I can see how they could be a good warmup/stretch system. (Maybe because my back has been bothering me this week, but…) Very interesting idea. Might be something fun to play with over the winter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYXTUA1EfqE
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Yes, warmup was a big part of how I used them. Got out of the habit when I moved to a new barn. I also meant to mention that my WB mare really likes the SF pods. She is about 1500# and I’ve been surprised that they have not popped. I think she enjoys the feeling of the nubs on her frogs? I’m moving her to a new stall that will be more amenable to popping her on a pad or pod before our ride, so I’ll have to get back in the habit. It doesn’t add much time if done while grooming and tacking up.
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My mare loves the SF pads. I will try the duct tape to salvage them.
She will park on them for 5-10 minutes. often she will kick off 2 of them diagonally and stand on the remaining two. When she is off…she is done.
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Update with my guys!
I finally brought the balance pad to the barn to try.
Older horse stood on them fine on front, a little tougher to get both back and he wouldn’t stay on them with both back legs for long. When both front feet were on it he did lick and chew a little.
The younger horse would not go anywhere near it. I left it in the stall with him in hopes he’d just start stepping all over it and absolutely not. He’s the one I’d really like to get on it so I’m pondering how to get him used to it.
Charlie is a fan! I’ve been folding it different ways. I’ll prob pick up a pair of the smaller ones too. Like a horsey bosu ball!
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Do you have a link for this pad?? I’m thinking a larger one may be good for my squirrelly guy-then it’s easier to make him walk over it until he’s less frightened of it lol.
Here ya go! I snagged it during the Prime Days they just did so it was a little less expensive but I’m happy with the quality. https://a.co/d/4PnKjL3
Love it, thank you! Just ordered it. Worst case scenario, if my younger guy won’t get on it then my older guy will anyways!
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You bet!!
Thank you for sharing this! I snagged it when you shared the link earlier in the thread and have already used it several times. I’m really pleased with the response it’s getting and how much easier it is to use than my jerry-rigged setup of garden knee pads from Home Depot 
I’ve been much more consistent with my Jec Ballou exercises on this since getting it. I may eventually get another one so I can increase the difficulty over time by having them stand on it folded over once and ultimately all three stacked together, but we’re a long way off from that.
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Revisiting this.
I’ve been using my homemade balance pads with my mare on and off. (Forgive her condition, I am pulling my hair out over her weight loss)
She could not care less about standing on them. Stands like a statue. Would stand there all day.
My question: what data can I infer from that? I hear so many horses have trouble or are resistant to remain on them. She has no issue.
Just looking to spit ball ideas.
Just tossing out some very random thoughts:
She’s a super good girl and very willing despite the crazy things we people do.
Or
She’s not normal from a proprioceptive sense so just can’t really feel that anything is different.
Or
Using them on bedding is just adding a squish layer to an already squishy, uneven surface, so it’s just not that different. Does anything change using them on a level, firm surface?
Or
They’re too squishy and she’s just squishing through them down to solidness.
What happens if you rock her from the wither or tailhead? Anything?
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I’ve noticed that my older gelding when he has both hind feet on my thicker squishier balance pad, he rocks back and forth a lot on it and licks and chews-some days, he won’t put two feet on at once at all. With my firmer bigger trifold pad, he will put both hind feet on and won’t sway at all-stands totally still.
His front feet he’ll gladly put on either pad and doesn’t sway much at all either-some licking and chewing, he snoozes a bit, but he stands pretty still on it. I’ve assumed it’s a combo of strength and pad firmness.
(Ignore the clip job as he was a test dummy for a vetpd course on back ultrasounds at a nearby clinic)
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For anyone interested in balance pads - I follow Springhill Equine out of Florida - they have a big social medial presence and they recently did a Facebook post or YouTube video (I can’t remember which) about using balance pads. I ordered the same pads they used (Amazon) and it’s been really interesting. My 24 y/o gelding LOVES the pads. He will happily stand on them (I do just fronts or just backs) and does a lot of licking and chewing while he sways gently back and forth. Not sure what that means but he really gets very zoned out while he does it. He looks like he’s stoned, actually.
My 10 y/o gelding is not as much of a fan, and he’s much more solid when he stands on the pads. I see no discernible swaying when he is on them.
I’m not sure what this all means but I do think it may end up being good for my older guy - if only for the fact that he enjoys it so much.
I have also been frustrated by the Surefoot website. I have been interested in trying the pads for a while but the website really doesn’t explain exactly what the pads do - which made it hard to spend the money on the pads. I think I paid $25.00 for each of my Amazon pads and so far they are holding up well, so I’m happy with them.
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This is branching out the topic a bit, but does anyone have any further suggestions for things like this to try for similar effects?
My older gelding is coming off a lease soon, so I am going to be back to riding him full time. He is pretty chronically back sore. His saddles have been fitted many many times, we do all sorts of carrot stretches and handwalking hills, we’ve had acupuncture and meso done, given him methocarb, etc and while some have short-term positive effects, none last. Before you encourage vet work, he has a bone spur in his neck and thus OA, as well as a cribber with headshakers and fusing hocks. I just keep him in light work to keep him moving around-no expectations of intense dressage or jumping.
But, given his willingness to stand on these pads and do stretches with me, i’m curious if there are other things I could try too. He has back on track blankets and saddle pads. I’m certainly not going to invest in a bemer set of magnawave-but anything else?? I’d love to keep adding things like this that clearly do help him a bit.
My husband has bone spurs in his knees and has noticed a big decrease in inflammation and pain using red light therapy. It’s not crazy expensive and easy to throw for 10-15 minutes.
Plus go see the posture prep thread.
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Definitely not the latter two; the bedding is barely enough to cover the floor and my knock off foam pads are very dense. Possibly too dense?
I pulled her tail and rocked her all about and she was fine. 
