Thinline all the way. I have a trifecta that I use with my jump saddle, and a plain black ultra thin line for my dressage. I use the trifecta with the jump saddle because it needs just a teensy bit in the back, and the half pad plus one set of shims is perfect. The dressage fits great so I use the regular ultra thin line under it. With it being an older saddle I feel like it is only fair to my pony to have a bit of shock absorption.
I am a heavier rider with some physical issues that sometimes lead to me being a bit unsteady, especially jumping, so I use a shock absorbing pad to hopefully make it a bit easier on the pony.
I have ridden in one of the equifit pads and it helped a bit, but not as much as the thinline.
I really dislike memory foam. I find it makes me sit above the horse rather than on and around the horse. And combined with the horse’s foam flocked saddle I felt like I was riding a trampoline. Thinline + wool flocking = happy CS!
The only downside to the thinline is if you have an air flocked saddle. It really doesn’t make a difference with the air panels. Works equally well with wool or foam though, and I find it takes a lot of the bounce out of a foam flocked saddle.
I used to have a gel pad similar to the one you posted, and I hated it. It was gummy and sticky and I couldn’t pull it up into the channel properly so it put pressure on the horse’s withers. It also didn’t seem to make much of a difference in bounce. I gave it to a girl at the barn to use on her gelding, and they seem happy enough with it.
I would like to invest in a back on track back warmer at some point. Both to use on my pony’s back before and after a ride, but also to use folded in half over where his driving collar sits. After using the back on track ankle brace on myself and having noticeable improvement because of it (even my physiotherapist was impressed) i am a big believer in its benefits!
