Thin Line vs Mattes saddle pad

[Bree]

Hi,

I was wondering what opinions were on a Thin line pad vs a Mattes pad? I ride mostly trails in Wintec dressage saddle with cair panels (I want a flocked but have a hard time finding one). The saddle fitter I work with doesn’t really like the Wintec saddle but honestly I love the dressage saddle. It’s comfortable for long and short rides and has been one of the few saddles that really fits my horse. However, she has a tendency to get back sore if she’s ridden more than 2 days in a row. The saddle fitter really likes the Mattes or even a skitto pad but I did some research and the thin line pads came up frequently.

BTW this horse get sore no matter what saddle I’ve ridden her in (I’ve tried several that were checked for fit prior to the ride). My other horse never gets a sore back so I’m fairly sure it’s not my riding but I try to stay pretty light regardless.

Thanks!

[AKB]

My horse had back soreness when I first got him. It persisted with the Mattes pad and the Thinline, despite a well fitted saddle. I discovered that he is fine with a Fleeceworks pad. His soreness was apparently related to rubs on his skin from seams on the pads. When I tried the Mattes, after using the Fleeceworks, he was immediately sore, and had small bumps in the area of the seams of the Mattes pad.

Keep trying until you find what makes your horse comfortable.

[silverdog]

Maybe back soreness is not related to saddle. If pain is in loin area could be hocks. Good to hear about the fleece works. Just got my horse 2 shaped pads for races.

[csaper58]

Heat build up may be the issue, if saddle fit, and the horse’s fitness have been ruled out.

The Wintec saddle is made of a synthetic material that does not breath, I would not combine that with a pad that does not breath…e.g. the Thinline.

Toklat makes 2 fleece options, the Coolback and the Woolback that could be combined with the Thinline pad to achieve breathability. There are many shapes in each fleece options.

www.ridingwarehouse.com carries most of the Toklat pads, and can order anything they don’t have.

Just for clarity, the Mattes wool pads and the Thinline pads are not really doing the same thing the same way.

[Bree]

Thank you for the replies. I have had her vet checked and had the chiro out with no issues found. I’m going to give the Mattes a try (since I have it on order at the strong recommendation from the saddle fitter). If that doesn’t work then I guess it’s back to the drawing board.

[silverdog]

I have used a thin line forever. Recently got a fleeceworks dressage shaped pad with the therawool against the horse. I really liked the way it kept the horse’s back cooler and drier. I did not like the lack of shape to the topline. I think it bothered me more than the horse because his withers were not sore after 12 miles. The tack store is sending me an endurance shaped one to try that they say is much more contoured over the topline. The therawool is much easier to care for than the regular sheepskin or Mattes pads. I am inclined to leave my thinline at home for endurance as it does hold heat and the saddle is custom fitted for the horse.

[beowulf]

@Bree

…she has a tendency to get back sore if ridden more than two days in a row…

Respectfully, that is very much not normal and no pad or shim will fix that. Especially since you are doing trail work and not collected, extremely arduous work…

Consider the information you have provided us:

1. Saddle fitter does not like the saddle on your horse
2. Horse does not like the saddle on her for more than two days in a row

That to me sounds like a saddle fit issue and I sincerely hope you reinvest in a better fitting saddle over an expensive halfpad that will not address the issue. It might be comfortable for you but remember the horse bears the brunt of the weight and you should find a saddle that is comfortable for your partner.

In my experience Wintecs are okay for some horses but very uncomfortable for others. Just in my experience it seems the tree points have a lot to do with the soreness, for whatever reason the gullet plates seem to not be in a shape that some horses find amenable.

If the reason for pursuing the Wintec is expenses, there are plenty of saddles out there that are the same price or less that offer more comfort to the horse. I would look into Collegiates, Ovations, Ainsleys and Thorogoods.

Don’t waste $150-200 on a half pad. Invest that money into getting a saddle that is comfortable for your horse. If you continue to ride her in a saddle that hurts her eventually she will start to misbehave (including bucking, bolting, rearing, balking, etc) and you will be looking at long-term muscle damage, including SI and other compensational injuries.

BTW Mattes and Thinline address two very different issues. Neither address an improperly fit saddle.

[Bree]

[QUOTE=beowulf;n9867651]

Consider the information you have provided us:

1. Saddle fitter does not like the saddle on your horse
2. Horse does not like the saddle on her for more than two days in a row

Just wanted to clarify a couple of points. The saddle fitter doesn’t like Wintec saddles in general. She checked over the one I have and it fits my horse well. She just doesn’t like Wintec as a brand and she really hates the CAIR panels - she feels they can change with the amount of pressure since they are air filled. Thus the recommendation for the Mattes half pad.

My wintec saddle seems to be my horse’s favorite saddle of the ones I have fitted to her. ALL saddles seem make her sore on the loin area after two continuous days of riding (this includes a butler western saddle, a trail master saddle, a kimberly Australian saddle, a very nice collegiate all purpose saddle as well as the Wintec). They all fit her reasonably well according to the saddle fitter (whom came very highly recommended by several people).

As you can see from the array of saddles I have, I ride a lot of different things - from dressage to cattle sorting, to long distance endurance type trail riding and competitive trail riding.

I MOSTLY trail ride/endurance ride especially in the summer but in the winter I take lessons from a variety of people as I find it interesting.

I really firmly believe this is a particular horse issue since I would not expect so many different saddles to make her sore.
Some of it is a training issue as she really tends to hollow out her back and throw her head to the sky (I’m working on it but she is a particular challenge)

I have had the vet check her but I haven’t had him pay particular attention to her hocks as someone previously discussed so I think I might have some x-rays taken there. She also particularly hates to jump anything (even when being ridden she will avoid it at all costs) so maybe there is really something there that is not super obvious.

The saddle fitter was the one who suggested a Mattes pad as she really likes them. I understand they can address different issues. My original question was geared more toward what people liked or didn’t like about each of them. I feel like I’ve gotten the advice I was looking for.

[silverdog]

My saddle fitter did not think mattes type pads (fleece) were good for major cushioning or correcting saddle fit. I like wool pads for their wicking properties.

[beowulf]

[quote="“Bree,post:8,topic:437012”]

@beowulf

Consider the information you have provided us:

1. Saddle fitter does not like the saddle on your horse
2. Horse does not like the saddle on her for more than two days in a row

Just wanted to clarify a couple of points. The saddle fitter doesn’t like Wintec saddles in general. She checked over the one I have and it fits my horse well. She just doesn’t like Wintec as a brand and she really hates the CAIR panels - she feels they can change with the amount of pressure since they are air filled. Thus the recommendation for the Mattes half pad.

My wintec saddle seems to be my horse’s favorite saddle of the ones I have fitted to her. ALL saddles seem make her sore on the loin area after two continuous days of riding (this includes a butler western saddle, a trail master saddle, a kimberly Australian saddle, a very nice collegiate all purpose saddle as well as the Wintec). They all fit her reasonably well according to the saddle fitter (whom came very highly recommended by several people).

As you can see from the array of saddles I have, I ride a lot of different things - from dressage to cattle sorting, to long distance endurance type trail riding and competitive trail riding.

I MOSTLY trail ride/endurance ride especially in the summer but in the winter I take lessons from a variety of people as I find it interesting.

I really firmly believe this is a particular horse issue since I would not expect so many different saddles to make her sore.
Some of it is a training issue as she really tends to hollow out her back and throw her head to the sky (I’m working on it but she is a particular challenge)

I have had the vet check her but I haven’t had him pay particular attention to her hocks as someone previously discussed so I think I might have some x-rays taken there. She also particularly hates to jump anything (even when being ridden she will avoid it at all costs) so maybe there is really something there that is not super obvious.

The saddle fitter was the one who suggested a Mattes pad as she really likes them. I understand they can address different issues. My original question was geared more toward what people liked or didn’t like about each of them. I feel like I’ve gotten the advice I was looking for.

The array of saddles means very little, as it can take months for residual back pain from an incorrect saddle to dissolve… switching saddles and not seeing a major improvement means very little when you have a horse that is chronically sore, because that soreness doesn’t disappear just because a saddle is swapped. If the inflammation is extreme enough it sometimes needs medical intervention like mesotherapy before it can resolve.

It may be in your best interest to find out why she is sore. It really is not normal for a horse to be sore, especially when the work you’ve described is fairly moderate - trail riding two days in a row should not make a horse sore even when it is in hours range.

It does sound like you need to stop riding her until you figure out why she is sore, JMO.

[keysfins]

OP, have you ever had the horse evaluated for kissing spines? Does she show discomfort after two consecutive days of groundwork?

It seems she is telling you she gets sore, finding the reason for soreness is where I would spend money over pads or shims. YMMV.