[idlewild]

Which do you perfer, a gel pad or a fleece pad (like a mattes or fleeceworks half-back pad).

I need to get my own, I've been using my trainer's gel pad, but I've always wanted to try a fleece pad. I just need it for extra padding and cushion for Buddy, he still has almost no topline so he needs a little extra under the saddle to make up for that until he builds the correct muscling.

Any thoughts are appreciated!
Also, what do ya'll think of those fleece pads with the little gel inserts? To bulky or great?

[Lindsayanne]

Personally, I'd pick a thinline pad or actual wool felt over gel or sheepskin.

Gel pads don't make a saddle more comfortable, they displace around a pressure point, IMO they don't actually help anything. The ooziness of them can also cause a loss of contact, I think.

I owned a mattes correction pad for a few months and sold it because it didn't seem to do anything. The fleece they use is so light and fluffy and thin that it doesn't support anything. It's just slightly better than a gel pad, IMO.

I actually sold my mattes pad and cut up an old western wool felt pad to use instead- and with that thick wool pad my horse was more willing to lift his back up and go forward!

I transitioned to a Thinline this spring and LOVE it. I think it does the job of a thick wool pad in a much thinner package, so I feel closer to my horse.

[idlewild]

You know, I actually did cut up a western felt pad awhile back and make a half back pad and I have used that. I may try doing that again and just make a thinner version (I doubled it up to make it 1" thick as at the time he really really needed the extra padding, now it's too thick).

I've been using the gel pad simply because my jumping saddle is a mite too wide at the withers for my horse, so I've been using the gel pad (it's one of those gel-tec pads, I rather like it) along with a folded up towel over the withers to fill in that space. That's been working rather nicely.

I just need to get my own pad and I'd like to explore any other possible options that might work better or not.

[Heavenly Jumper]

I found this one...



It is made to go with an aussie saddle though...

[idlewild]

Now if I could find one of those in a close contact make I might go for it.

[luvs2ride79]

Sheepskin provides a little cushion, but no real shock absorbtion for a horse that really needs it. Gel doesn't do that great of a job either, and can make the horse's back really hot.

I really like my ThinLine pad. It's made of open cell foam, so it breathes, it absorbs up to 90% of the impact to your horse's back, and it eliminates pressure points because it distributes pressure laterally within the pad. Plus it's thin (3/8th" for Ultra and 1/4" for standard), so it doesn't change the fit of your saddle. They're expensive, but definitely worth it IMO! My mare really seems to go better with hers. Plus it is really non-slip, so I don't have to girth up so tight (my mare is very round, LOL). I use it over a thin quilted pad.

About ThinLine Pads.

Oh, and ThinLine guarantees their pads, so if you don't like it, you can get a refund within 30 days of your purchase.

[ARMwins]

or like this one, fleece and felt
Therapeutic Wool Felt Wither Back Pad - Dover Saddlery

[ThePerfectFit]

Originally Posted by ARMwins

or like this one, fleece and felt
Therapeutic Wool Felt Wither Back Pad - Dover Saddlery

Now this is what I'm talking about. Its an immitation of Beval's Therapeutic Pad. I would NEVER ride without my Beval pad. Everyone I know, and at the barn I work at, they all use these pads.

The only thing to consider with this is, this one from dover is much cheaper, but it does not hold up as long/well. It gets flat in about a year (if you're riding about 5 days a week). It happened to my friends.

I've had the Beval pad ($160) and its lasted me at least 3 1/2 years, and it still looks beautiful. So I guess you get what you pay for? But either one is an AWESOME pad. Beval Therapeutic Pad

[idlewild]

I kinda like the Beval pad. How thick is it?

Thinline, I like what they have to say about it but it's just too thin for what I need right now.

My horse just needs a little extra help to fill out the saddle. Like I said, right now he has almost NO muscle over his back. It's coming, oh so slowly, but he needs extra padding between his back and the saddle, otherwise the saddle sits down on his withers to much for my liking. So until he builds enough muscle I need a pad to help him out in the saddle fit department.

[luvs2ride79]

Hmm, you might try a Skito pad then. That's what I use for my Treeless saddle. I actually have one that has a black lycra cover with 3/4" foam. It's an AP half pad. I bought it for my daughter, but it was too thick to use with her saddle (which was on the narrow side for my mare). It's brand new, only tried on the horse. I'd take $60 for it plus shipping.

THIS ONE is the one I have. The foam is an open cell dense memory foam that absorbs impact very well and really breathes well! It keeps the horse's back very cool. It won't bottom out, even with years of use (I have one that's 6 years old and still doing great!). If you use this over a nice quilted pad, you should have plenty of padding. It sounds like it would work perfect for your boy! Normally, there is a 3-5 week wait on these pads as they are custom made for each order. You can also buy tapered shims (made of the same foam) to slide in the pad to correct minor issues like lift front or deep hollows behind the withers. I have shims I use when I ride my treeless on my VERY high withered gelding. They are very handy and stay in place well.

Good luck with your pad search! I have done the pad dance myself and have about 10 saddle pads in my current collection. I have to say, between the sheepskin, ThineLines, felt pads, and Skitos, we have almost every issue covered now, lol. I gave away/sold a large selection of pads over the years. So far, these have worked the best and the way the manufacturers' claim.