Advise of bareback riding pads

[littlenordic]

Hi there, I have a 22 year old TB who I have just had to buy a new saddle for. He is naturally sensitive in his back and is always a bit sensative when tacking up. I purposely went for Thorowgood T6 as it is light weight and adjustable. I was happy with it at time of fitting and the saddler had picked up on the fact that he had some muscle wastage on one side but said the saddle would alow for the this and that the saddle would allow for any muscular changes . I rode a few times just in walk as I had not long had my boy back in work but he was still being sensative when being tacked up. Thought it best to get his back checked again so had a lovely lady come out yesterday who is a Mc Timmony Chriropractor. She did not find much wrong with him other than that he does have muscle wastage in the middle of his back on one side meaning that the saddle sits on his back behind the shoulder and again at the back but there is a gap in between where there is no contact. This can also be seen on his nunmah as it clearly shows the area where there is no contact. She seems to think this is causing him an issue and is his fault not the saddle. She has recommended not riding for a few weeks but just lunging long and low to try and improve his back muscles. Then we can see if the saddle is better on him. One suggestion she did have was to try riding in bareback pad such as the Christ Lammefelle one. Has any one had expereinces with these or other similar bareback pads?? I have seen the Libra pad used with good results also. Otherwise is there a pad on the market that could fit to help alleviate this contact issue under his saddle?? Any suggestions most welcome!!! Thanks!

 

[DifficultMare]

I have recently borrowed one a couple of times and have to say it's been really good. I'm not entirely sure of the make but having had a quick look online it seems to be the Christ Lammfelle basic/standard bareback pad. It's a sheepskin top with long girth straps. It does seem to be rather expensive but I think - for me anyway, it might be worth saving the pennies and investing in one.

 

[Tinypony]

Have a look at the Best Friend pad, much cheaper and very popular.

 

[BlackRider]

I've just ordered a suede one from american ebay (loads of them over there!) it does some with stirrups but will def be detaching those!

as an interim, I'm using the stephens gel eze sheepskin half pad with a surcingle.

 

[Brightbay]

The Christ Lamfelle pad is beautiful I have one that I love using, it is just lovely to ride on. I have a BestFriend pad too - it's fine, although not as forgiving for a horse with withers, I find (the standard "bareback pads" that often have western style girths are similar, IMO - they are cut for flat backed horses and tend to press on the withers if the horse doesn't have a flat broad back... and muscle wastage would make this even more pronounced, I think).

HOwever, I would question that the saddle "bridging" is the horse's fault It could be that the tree is not the right shape for the horse., There is a lot of variation in tree shape, a Bates tree for example would be far too curved for my horse! It could also be that the saddle needs shims to help compensate for the muscle wastage until the muscle can rebuild... shims are like soft pads that help "fill in" the areas where the muscle has wasted away, but soft enough so that it can fill out again. I would consider getting a second opinion on the saddle, tbh - I would like to know that the saddle I was using fitted my horse today - because if the saddle fits, then I can work the horse to rebuild the missing muscle. A good saddle fitter can do this.

ETA - there are definitely pads that will help improve saddle fit. Prolite, for example, do one with three shims on each side, that can be added or removed depending on what's needed. I think there's a Stephens one similar. But the rule is, the saddle fits the horse, not that you make the horse fit the saddle

 

[ewf]

Our saddle fitter advised using gamgees(or whatever they're called) and cutting them up/folding them to fill spots of muscle wastage or places that were bridging where the horse needed to fill out... has worked REALLY well on 2 horse, one in a t6 and the other in a fairfax(just like a t6)

 

[JenHunt]

have you got a good thick numnah and a sircingle or overgirth, and a breastplate?

if so then you've got what you need to improvise a bareback pad! use the sircingle to secure the numnah and the breastplate to help keep it forwards and to give you a neckstrap! job done, expense minimal!

 

[littlenordic]

The Christ Lamfelle pad is beautiful I have one that I love using, it is just lovely to ride on. I have a BestFriend pad too - it's fine, although not as forgiving for a horse with withers, I find (the standard "bareback pads" that often have western style girths are similar, IMO - they are cut for flat backed horses and tend to press on the withers if the horse doesn't have a flat broad back... and muscle wastage would make this even more pronounced, I think).

HOwever, I would question that the saddle "bridging" is the horse's fault It could be that the tree is not the right shape for the horse., There is a lot of variation in tree shape, a Bates tree for example would be far too curved for my horse! It could also be that the saddle needs shims to help compensate for the muscle wastage until the muscle can rebuild... shims are like soft pads that help "fill in" the areas where the muscle has wasted away, but soft enough so that it can fill out again. I would consider getting a second opinion on the saddle, tbh - I would like to know that the saddle I was using fitted my horse today - because if the saddle fits, then I can work the horse to rebuild the missing muscle. A good saddle fitter can do this.

ETA - there are definitely pads that will help improve saddle fit. Prolite, for example, do one with three shims on each side, that can be added or removed depending on what's needed. I think there's a Stephens one similar. But the rule is, the saddle fits the horse, not that you make the horse fit the saddle

I absolutely agree Brightbay! What I meant to say was that on the right hand side the saddle fits perfectly, it just the side that he has this muscle wastage on that the fit is not so good and it is only a small gap. I have called my saddler and explained the situation and she is coming out again on Saturday to see what we can do to elevaite the problem. It may be we can fill it with a shim of sorts! Thanks for the feedback!

 

[claribella]

I have the best friend on and we get on with it! Fairly good price, doesn't move around and comfy on a bony horse.

 

[ameeyal]

I ride in a cashel soft saddle, which is a gloryfied saddle pad, LOVE IT.