SADDLE PAD HISTORY, FITTING, MATERIALS AND CARE The saddle pad is a main component of every rider’s tack collection. There are so many materials, cuts and colors to choose from. There are just as many opinions and theories as to what pad to use when, to pad or not to pad, to only use a single pad or sheepskin, etc. A brief history of the saddle pads origins, how a pad should fit, the materials used in present day saddle pads, points to consider when choosing a saddle pad and its care can shed some light into this mainstay of tack. DEFINITION & HISTORY The saddle pad is a piece of material that is placed between the saddle and horse that functions as a means of cushioning, protection of the horse’s back, a barrier for dirt and sweat absorption. The saddle pad was the predecessor to the saddle panel on the modern, treed saddle. This simple pad was attached to the horse with straps or ropes and served as a means of cushion and protection on the horse’s back for the rider. As designs evolved, these pads became a more permanent part of the saddle in the form of panels. These panels are meant to provide the necessary padding needed between horse and rider. The most traditional material used as a saddle pad is sheepskin with the hide still attached. The main advantage of sheepskin is that it is a resilient material with natural moisture wicking properties. A disadvantage to using sheepskin is that it is not easy to clean and difficult to dry. Other traditional materials include cotton, linen, felt and animal hair. More modern pads use a plethora of contemporary materials in their pad construction: memory foam, concussive foam (e.g., ProLite and Thinline), neoprene, and honeycomb thermoplastic (e.g., Supracor). Saddle pads can be called by several different names: pad, blanket, cloth and numnah. (For simplicity sake, I will use the term “pad” for this article.) There are slight differences between each of these terms. “Blanket” refers to a square or rectangular pad made of wool or cotton that is usually folded a certain way and is generally used under a military saddle, pack saddle or Western saddle. The term “blanket” refers to the time when it was used during the day’s march for the saddle and horse and as warmth for the sleeping soldier at night. The advantage of folding a blanket versus using a single layer pad was that it could be made thicker to make up for the body condition horses lost on a march. Thus, the saddle could be kept from dropping onto the withers and spine of the horses as they got skinner. A “cloth” refers to a lighter weight material that is usually elaborated decorated and placed over the top of a pad. Cloths are generally found in the racing world and in medieval times such as jousting. Saddlecloths origins can be traced back to ancient time and were even found in frozen ancient Scythians tombs in the High Altai mountains. A “pad” is constructed of layers of foam or felt encased in another material such as cotton. A “numnah” is a British term that means “saddle pad”. The word “numnah” derives from the Urdu word “numdah” meaning “blanket between saddle and horse”. It is also thought that the numnah has its origins in India or Russia. FITTING Just as saddles have their fundamental fitting criteria, pads do too. It is just as important that the saddle pad fit as the saddle itself. Here is a checklist of important saddle pad fitting points: 1. Make sure that the pad can be pulled high up into the gullet of the saddle to ensure it does not rub or press down on the withers. This action should be done before girthing the saddle. 2. Any seams should be well outside the perimeter of the saddle. If there is a seam along the spine of the pad, make sure that there aren’t any hard edges that could rub on the spine. Seams are of special concern if the pad is shorter than the length of the saddle (which it shouldn’t be). Seams under the cantle of the panel can rub on the horse’s back causing pressure and sores. 3. There should be at least an inch of pad exposed around the perimeter of the saddle. Functionally, this keeps seams out from underneath the saddle. Aesthetically, it makes for a nice, finished look to a horse and rider’s turnout. 4. If a saddle pads has fleece rolls on the front and back, the saddle should not sit on top of either one but down inside the space between these rolls. When a saddle sits on top of these rolls, there is the potential it could cause pressure and disrupt the saddle’s fit. 5. All pads - no matter the material, cut, discipline, English or Western - should have the same shape as the horse’s topline. That is, the spine of the pad should not be straight but cut to follow the natural curve of the withers. Pressure testing has shown that straight cut pads put a lot more pressure over the top of the withers versus pads with the wither shape cut. MATERIALS Saddle pads are not just limited to traditional cotton and sheepskin any more. Highly sophisticated materials used in hospital settings, airlines and other non-equestrian applications are being made into saddle pads. Their basic functions in these non-equestrian settings lend themselves well to equestrian applications. The materials described below are what I feel are the standard materials used in most saddle pads on the market today. Starting with the most traditional material, sheepskin, this material disperses heat, naturally breathes, and eliminates friction and bounce. These same properties are not found in synthetic fleece or fleece bonded to fabric. Only sheepskin still attached to its hide encompasses all these features. Some brands of high quality sheepskin pad products are Mattes, Fleeceworks and HorseDream. Felt has extraordinary wicking properties, superior thermal insulating properties, is highly absorbent, wear resistant and is a renewable and environmentally friendly resource. Most Western saddle pads are made up of single layers of felt up to 1”+ thick or combined with other materials such as shock absorbing foam and cotton top layers for aesthetics. English saddle pads with felt cores are not as common but can absorb some minimal shock and sweat and add a dense layer between horse and saddle. Open celled, honeycombed foams that can absorb shock, and disperse pressure and heat laterally across its surface are becoming more commonplace in the rider’s every day use. Pressure testing has proven that these foams placed between the saddle and horse’s back help to reduce pressure points in many equestrian activities. Brands such as Thinline and ProLite make many shapes and fits for both English and Western riders. A newer material used in saddle pads that is sweeping the equestrian world is ceramic infused polyester fiber fabric. When heated, the ceramic particles radiate heat back to the body. Back on Track is a familiar brand using this textile technology and is great for any horse and rider. This pad has also been combined with a Thinline for the ultimate in thermal retention, shock absorption and pressure point elimination. CHOOSING A SADDLE PAD With so many choices, how can you pick the right pad? The variables are provided by you, your horse, your chosen discipline, the amount of time spent in the saddle, and your type of saddle. We have all been told (myself included!) that if the saddle fits, you should only need one thin pad just to keep dirt and sweat off the saddle’s panel. While there is mostly truth to this statement, this isn’t always the case. Both science and experience has shown that there are horses that prefer a denser pad, fluffier pad or need some type of correction pad between themselves and the saddle. In all cases, the saddle needs to fit properly as pads are not meant to fix saddle fitting problems on a long term basis. Here are some points to consider when choosing a pad: 1. What type of riding do I do? If you fox hunting, run three day events, show jump, competitive trail ride or are an advanced dressage rider, you will putting more stress, shock and pressure on your horse’s back than a more recreational rider. Pads that absorb impact and shock, disperse pressure points and heat laterally across their surface maybe a good choice for these activities. These pads are also good for lesson horses who have many different riders with different ability levels on them, beginner riders who haven’t mastered their balance and stability, riders learning to sit the trot or have back problems of their own. The brand names ProLite and Thinline are pads that use foams with all of these properties. If you ride occasionally for short periods of time and don’t have strenuous workouts, a basic felt core pad or sheepskin backed pad may suffice. 2. Listen to your horse. I have often worked with horses who do not like having just a thin, foam centered pad between the saddle and rider. Depending on the materials the saddle’s panel is constructed with, the rider’s ability to stay balanced and stable, and the activity the horse is asked to perform, a denser, shock absorbing pad may be needed. If a change of pad maybe needed, I suggest borrowing a pad from someone first to try before committing to buy.