Anti-slip / grip numnah advice

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HelenBack

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I have a slightly weird situation in that when I ride my horse with just the saddle with no numnah underneath the saddle fits really well and doesn't move at all. As soon as I put a numnah on though I get movement. I can't actually feel the movement but when I untack his fur is all ruffled. This has happened with a variety of both numnahs and saddlecloths. Strangely it's on his sides whereas the saddler reckons usually you'd see this sort of thing across their backs and round their withers. The saddler is a bit of a loss and suggested trying anti-slip or grip type numnahs.

I don't really know whether the issue caused by movement between the numnah and the saddle, movement between the numnah and the horse or both. And I've never used these types of numnahs before so am after some ideas really. Does anybody have any suggestions of what they think might help me?

Thanks.
 
Just ride without a numnah. You'll have a bit more tack cleaning, but on the other hand, you won't have a washing machine full of hairy numnahs!
 
I thought of that and he's grey so I can really do without his hair everywhere! Saddler said she thought it'd be too sweaty for him without though and that did make me think of bare legs on leather sofas in the summer...
 
Have you tried a high wither numnah so that you can really put it up into the gullet of the saddle? Saddles seem to slip more when the numnah works down so that it's flat on the back beneath the seat.
 
Yeah I usually always use the Nuumed high wither ones and I'm very thorough about pulling them up properly. I've just tried a Roma high wither saddlecloth as well as a variety of non-high wither ones. It's a bit weird really. I've actually had the saddle since last summer and it's only just started doing it. The saddle needed reflocking so I could understand it before but now it's been done I don't get it. The only thing I can think is that because of a variety of issues I've barely been able to ride him since Christmas and he's lost muscle tone and is just a bit soft really. So although the saddle fits I wondered if maybe this was what's making the numnah suddenly move around. Or maybe once the saddle settles a bit after the reflock it'll stop. I dunno really.
 
I used to have a problem with certain saddle pads slipping underneath the saddle. The best thing I found to solve this without affecting the fit of the saddle or breaking the bank was the non slip matting you can buy to go on shelves etc... this normally just costs a couple of pounds from shops like Wilko's or pound shops.
 
Acavallo double gel sided saddle cloths. Expensive but very good quality. Can't tell if it would solve your problem or not though.
 
daisydennis said:
I used to have a problem with certain saddle pads slipping underneath the saddle. The best thing I found to solve this without affecting the fit of the saddle or breaking the bank was the non slip matting you can buy to go on shelves etc... this normally just costs a couple of pounds from shops like Wilko's or pound shops.
Click to expand...

I will second this. It really works a treat.
 
Thanks everyone. This is all really helpful. We have some of that matting stuff in the garage so I'll definitely give that a try. At the risk of sounding stupid I presume I put it between numnah and saddle and not between numnah and horse? I can't imagine it being very comfortable against the horse's skin.

I like the look of the Acavallo saddlecloths too and a lady at my previous yard had one of the gels and it felt really nice. I shied away from them because I thought they might come up a bit big as my horse is only 15hh and I also thought they might be a bit thick. I looked at your video though Jessica and Oscar didn't look that different in shape and size to mine and the pad looks fine on him so that's reassured me. I also looked on their website and they've started to do them in a numnah shape too so that could be an option as well.

Let's hope one of these works...
 
I'm looking for something anti-slip as well OP, but I want to compete in it (and event etc.) so needs to absorb sweat too, I use a Limpet pad at home but hate it as it gets really damp underneath with sweat just sitting on it which must be really uncomfy for her. I also have a Acavallo gel 1/2 thing which is very good but again, it can't feel that nice for her and doesn't look very nice for competing in (I don't use it over the top of a simple saddlecloth or else its pointless - has to be direct contact with the pad and the saddle/her back). I'm thinking of trying the Shires anti-slip one or the Premier Equine one which has cotton elsewhere but anti-slip stuff just under the seat area.
 
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