What is the "coolest" saddle pad?

[Kellye]

I’m in the process of conditioning my Appy mare for her very first season and the heat and humidity are going to be here for a while longer in Central Florida, so I’m looking for the “coolest” saddle pad I can get her. I’m riding her in a Tennessean endurance saddle made by Big Horn, so the pad must be a round “western” style, at least 29" in length.

What is your favorite pad for keeping the horses cool. I’ve tried my old Skito and that thing is like FIRE on her back after a ride. I have a synthetic wool felt pad that is OK, but not perfect, and another basic trail pad that has a fleece bottom and a thin wool felt liner. It seems to be the coolest, but I want better!!! I prefer a contoured pad with a spine chanel, so please tell me what pad you like and why.

Any endorsements for the Equipedic? What others? Her saddle fits perfectly, so a thin pad is preferred. I hate tacky pads, so what else is everyone using these days?

Thanks.

[Bank_of_Dad]

What about a Dixie Midnight under a thin pad? The mesh allows sweat to just run down the horse instead of soaking your pad.

[pnalley]

I second the Dixie Midnight (or the knock off version of it). I use it under my Skito. The Skito stays dry, the sweat is allowed to roll of the horses back. It makes a world of difference under your regular pad.

[saratoga]

I third the suggestion- I have a Dixie Midnight knock-off from Country Supply. Only cost around $40 and it is great for keeping backs cooler and saddle pads completely clean and dry. I hate to ride without it.

[katarine]

Dixie Midnight. See my comment’s about it under Daatje’s thread. Mine is 10 yrs old or more, good as new.

[Jess1]

Anyone have a link to the knockoff version? Does it work just as well?

[Bank_of_Dad]

http://www.horse.com/Non-Slip-Breathing-Mesh-Saddle-Pad-WIH10.html

Next request??? It seems to work as well. I have two. One ordered later seems to be a little softer. My friends original DM is blue, thin, fairly soft. Mabybe more quality control on the original ones. I know the longriders group had some big lawsuit going, stating that they were misrepresenting a floor cleaning product.

http://www.thelongridersguild.com/LRG-3M-7November.pdf

http://itsaboutthehorse.myfastforum.org/archive/dixie-midnight-pad-thread-removed__o_t__t_1397.html

[Jess1]

THanks for that link! I’m going to order one.

Wow, that lawsuit with 3M is crazy!

[pnalley]

I have 3, one my husband uses, one I use on my pony and the other is an extra.

Don’t be afraid to trim it to fit. I had to cut off a few inches at the rear and increase the wither relief for it to fit my pony. My husband just increased the wither relief on his. The other one so far had remained untouched.

They are easy to clean, just hose them out. Just be sure as you are saddling to NOT get any lumps under the regular pad (that is why I had to increase wither relief)

[Auventera_Two]

So you guys really put this thing on your horse’s back and you have no problems with it - rubbing, galling, blistering, soreness I cannot even imagine putting a plastic brillo looking pad directly on the horse’s back.

I’ve seen so many references to the Dixie pad over the years, and everytime I look at it, it gives me the geebies.

I’m genuinely interested because I’d be willing to give it a shot if people really like it that much. But is there anybody out there that has had bad experiences with this? It just doesn’t look right.

[katarine]

Never had a horse have a problem with the Dixie Midnight. As you know I’m in the deep south, riding long hours, doing many lonnnnnng trail rides and training sessions. Works slick. Never had an issue. A helluva lot better than a soggy dirty wool pad against his back. The relieved/at ease look on my heavy QH’s face tells me the DM pad works for him especially well- he’s my heaviest horse and would get SO hot. He sweats so much less, gets nowhere near as hot- because there’s sweat pouring out from under that saddle and running down his flanks, so he isn’t having to pour sweat everywhere else to accommodate his flaming hot back.

Look- someone somewhere will hate it. Just like some peeps don’t love treeless saddles, but that opinion is irrelevant to you because it doesn’t jive with your experience.

[pj1]

I Almost bought a Dixie some months back. They Look as if they would be totally slip proof and I would love a pad like that as every single saddle I’ve ever put on my mare will slide forward to some degree when we go straight down. I HATE that!

I’m like A2 though and they looked to me as if they would eat the hide right off a horse so didn’t get one. My mare has thin skin and :lol: I sure don’t want her hideless. Anyhow glad to know that it works for most horses and isn’t eating horses alive as I pictured.

I was thinking while reading this thread…wonder why we don’t have a board that is strictly for tack? Saddles, pads, boots, etc. etc. Wouldn’t it be a neat thing to have all this wonderful information in one place?

[Bank_of_Dad]

I was very skeptical at first. But like Katarine, I have a fat easily overheated QH and the DM works great with him. I started using it under my $$$ 5star wool pad cause I didn’t want it messed up. Then I just used it under his fleece english pad. No slippage, no damage. It gets very soft under the saddle.

However (there is always a however), I have not used it yet on my new arab. He had been used heavily for endurance with numerous riders. He has lots of old scars, lumps, etc on his back from previous ill fitting saddles. He is reallly thin skinned. I’m having my old stubben refitted for him, and at the fitter’s suggestion to use a thin rather than heavy fleece pad, I ordered a Thinline comfort cotton quilted pad. I’m hoping it won’t slip like the thin fleece ones. I don’t know whether to use it alone, or with the DM.

I’m thinking of trying the DM on him when he has his winter coat so there will be more padding.

[pj1]

If you do please let us know how it goes.
My mare has never had a mark on her from saddle or pad :no: and I sure don’t want to start now but a Truely non slip pad would be so wonderful.
Y’all have really got me interested in this pad!!

Now I’m using a Tad Coffin pad which does great in the sweat dept. When I take it off of her her back will appear only slightly damp but the pad will weigh ten pounds I think!!
It just soaks up the sweat. Good good pad but will slip a bit.

[QUOTE=Bank of Dad;4347941]
However (there is always a however), I have not used it yet on my new arab. He had been used heavily for endurance with numerous riders. He has lots of old scars, lumps, etc on his back from previous ill fitting saddles. He is reallly thin skinned. I’m having my old stubben refitted for him, and at the fitter’s suggestion to use a thin rather than heavy fleece pad, I ordered a Thinline comfort cotton quilted pad. I’m hoping it won’t slip like the thin fleece ones. I don’t know whether to use it alone, or with the DM.

I’m thinking of trying the DM on him when he has his winter coat so there will be more padding.[/QUOTE]

[Kellye]

Ok, I’m convinced enough to buy a knock off. I’m with the doubters who have always stayed away from a plastic looking brillo pad thingy on my horse’s back, but if ya’ll say it really works, and I can cut it for wither relief and to fit my saddle, then I’ll give it a try. What the heck, it’s only money and I’ll be stimulating the economy. And I can use it with my Skito? OK, I’m off to horse.com…

Thanks!

[DairyQueen2049]

The DM has worked wonders on our thin skinned TWH. NO more ruffled hairs, NO more issues at all.

I thought the same thing: DM looked like a torture device for backs to me to. But for this TWH it sure works.

On my mare, not so much. Her 100% wool pads work perfect.

[Auventera_Two]

Well, that’s interesting to know. I use a 100% wool pad so they get the benefit of natural fibers right on their back. They seem to love the wool and I don’t care about it getting wet or dirty. That’s what a pad is for. But I’ll keep the DM in mind if the need should ever come up.

[pnalley]

Despite looking like a brillo pad it doesn’t feel like one. I would cut the wither relief,then try it on a short ride, check & recheck it. Of course depending on your horses back, it may not need any relief areas cut

We have used it on 5 different horses riding up to 6 hours at a time with no rub marks. I have used it under a Skito, Grandeur, Professionals Choice and a really old un-named western pad

Just be sure you get it flat under your pad. My was bridging on the pony, until I cut it to fit him specifically. Now I put it on him, put the Skito on, reach my hands up underneath to confirm it is flat, then I saddle him

The pad that rubbed my horses was the tacky too pad. I hated those

[KonaPony]

[QUOTE=Kellye;4349232]
Ok, I’m convinced enough to buy a knock off. I’m with the doubters who have always stayed away from a plastic looking brillo pad thingy on my horse’s back, but if ya’ll say it really works, and I can cut it for wither relief and to fit my saddle, then I’ll give it a try. What the heck, it’s only money and I’ll be stimulating the economy. And I can use it with my Skito? OK, I’m off to horse.com…

Thanks![/QUOTE]

Watch out for the knockoffs. I had one (don’t know what brand, it was a hand-me-down kind of thing) and it was not anywhere near as nice as an actual Dixie Midnight. Very stiff and coarse, didn’t lay well on the horse even with wither relief cut into it. Maybe there are some other knockoffs that are better - but my horse and I didn’t like that one at all. It was horrible.

[katarine]

I wouldn’t buy a knock off. I also wouldn’t count on it for no slip. It’s not nearly as good at that as a Tacky pad is. It is not promoted as a no slip pad. It keeps my cushiony pad, whether it’s my $200 20 year old really nice navajo wool pad, or a Prof Choice pad, or something else entirely…it keeps THAT pad clean and dry-as a result the pad doesn’t weigh a ton at the end of a long hot ride. Why 20 lbs of sweat is desirable on a horse’s back as added weight, I’m not sure

Just buy the real thing. Ebay it if you hate it. done