Anti Slip numnah/saddle pad.

[mandy4727]

I've got a round Section D with big shoulders. On a serious diet as vet, physio and saddler all say she is carrying too many lock down pounds. Saddle is 16.5 inch extra wide GP. It's slipping to the left all the time. Tried a variety of girth fastening. Currently 1st and 4th strap. Plain numnah. Saddler came on Thursday and tried a couple of her saddles. All slipped left. Some worse than mine. So staying with my saddle. Saddler recommend Premier Equine Anti Slip pad. Looks fantastic but obviously can't see it much under saddle and it's nearly £70. Been googling and looking on eBay. SeenAcavallo Thin Gel Pad which are a lot cheaper. And saddler recommend Le Mieux anti slip and Prolite stay pad a lot cheaper than the PE one. Any recommendations please for a similar shaped horse. Thanks for reading.

 

[Kaylum]

You might be better shimming one side up. I don't think an anti slip pad would help tobehonest as it's probably your horse is more developed on one side than the other. Also don't use an elasticated girth. Get the longest girth you can that can be comfortably done up both sides. So it is level both sides. Has your saddler checked the flocking?

 

[View]

Firstly, well done for taking action and recognising two problems.

The saddle slipping to one side may be a result of horse not moving evenly and throwing the saddle - or it might be you that is wonky. Worth getting yourself checked out!

 

[sbloom]

If every saddle moves to one side look to the horse and rider, you both probably have significantly asymmetric movement patterns. Not just a bodyworker to make adjustments but learning new movement patterns - biomechanics rider coach, and addressing the horse with ideally in hand work, or at least some ridden work to straighten him.

Do get the weight off though, overweight horses tend to need flatter trees, not just wider at the front, so it will be making your fitter's job hard.

Edited to add - I'm no great fan of anti slip pads, best as a VERY short term emergency measure only, but some are way too tacky and can cause great discomfort hence your fitter's recommendation. I would not use a properly tacky numnah against the skin - links to it don't work but find the video on this topic on this lady's page: https://www.facebook.com/equinemanipulationandmassage

 

[White Horse2]

What view said, also had similar problem, caused by fat, fabric softener, and to my delight not just me but another ride as well! As we are dismounted rather hilariously. Horse is definitely chucking us around, now using acavello thin anti slip pad, keeps us on the horse and can now also feels the imbalances before we used to slip and hopefully correct

 

[Nari]

If every saddle moves to one side look to the horse and rider, you both probably have significantly asymmetric movement patterns. Not just a bodyworker to make adjustments but learning new movement patterns - biomechanics rider coach, and addressing the horse with ideally in hand work, or at least some ridden work to straighten him.

Do get the weight off though, overweight horses tend to need flatter trees, not just wider at the front, so it will be making your fitter's job hard.

Edited to add - I'm no great fan of anti slip pads, best as a VERY short term emergency measure only, but some are way too tacky and can cause great discomfort hence your fitter's recommendation. I would not use a properly tacky numnah against the skin - links to it don't work but find the video on this topic on this lady's page: https://www.facebook.com/equinemanipulationandmassage

While like you I don't like anti slip pads I've just bought a cob who badly needs to shed a few pounds. Saddler has been and fitted his saddle (serge panels if that makes a difference) and I'm using a Fairfax girth, but when I got on at the mounting block yesterday (something that needs work on, he's not used to them) my saddle slipped very badly to one side despite the girth being tight enough. I'm going to try a Stubben cord girth nstead of the Fairfax to see if the wider surface area helps, but until he's lost weight I think safety says I need a bit of extra help. Which anti slip numnahs or pads would you recommend, and are they still effective if fitted on top of a cotton saddle cloth to stop too much pull on the hair or do I need to use directly onto his back? Sorry to ask!

 

[sbloom]

I've had people go from that happening with a non-elasticated girth to being fine with an elasticated one, so the girth may be enough to fix the issue. The LImpet is probably the least bad if you have to use it against the skin but sometimes using even a cheap non-slip pad like the Shires one between saddle and numnah can help.

However....did you know Centaur have researched mounting blocks and have almost dismissed one 22" high (iirc) as not being helpful enough! We all need a helpful handyman to build us RDA type ones. I'm not a big fan of the wooden ones advertised everywhere online, once they're tall I think they also need to be big on the top, then they're also good for people with hip and knee issues etc to dismount onto, and a lot safer for mounting.

 

[Nari]

Thank you.

Our mounting block is big enough to swing a leg over, but new horse is very unconvinced about mounting blocks at the moment although getting better. Interesting that some people find less problem with an elasticated one,. sounds like I've got some playing around to do.

 

[Coblette]

I’m having the same problem due to my overweight pony! I have found the professionals choice girth helped quite a bit. It’s elasticated at both ends so not uneven one side

 

[sbloom]

Thank you.

Our mounting block is big enough to swing a leg over, but new horse is very unconvinced about mounting blocks at the moment although getting better. Interesting that some people find less problem with an elasticated one,. sounds like I've got some playing around to do.

It depends on the overall saddle fitting, the way I work there needs to be give in the girth - strong elastic both ends, or the Stubben cord girth. For others it may not work.

I’m having the same problem due to my overweight pony! I have found the professionals choice girth helped quite a bit. It’s elasticated at both ends so not uneven one side

To me the elastic often isn't strong enough, though plenty of people find they work. Had one the other day where the Stubben cord girth worked better.

 

[mandy4727]

You might be better shimming one side up. I don't think an anti slip pad would help tobehonest as it's probably your horse is more developed on one side than the other. Also don't use an elasticated girth. Get the longest girth you can that can be comfortably done up both sides. So it is level both sides. Has your saddler checked the flocking?

Shimming one side up. Can you please explain. Saddler been and checked saddle. Flocking is fine. Horse has huge shoulders and walks a bit odd at back end. Not lame or any thing. But saddler thinks this might be not help throwing saddle out. Got a non elastic girth to use.

 

[sbloom]

Shimming one side up. Can you please explain. Saddler been and checked saddle. Flocking is fine. Horse has huge shoulders and walks a bit odd at back end. Not lame or any thing. But saddler thinks this might be not help throwing saddle out. Got a non elastic girth to use.

Your saddle is slipping either because the fit isn't quite right (and I hear you, I know you said you had it checked) or the horse is asymmetric, and you have said he is indeed asymmetric. One shoulder larger than the other is seldom conformational but is postural - best to fix the straightness/posture from the ground but when you have to ride then using a shim on one side, not necessarily at the front, can help correct slip in the saddle.

I would personally ask the fitter what they recommend you use, and ask about the asymmetry, why do they think it's slipping and what else could you do about it - bodywork for the horse, in hand work as I suggested (and you would need an online or in person course in most cases to get the right programme, simply lunging or long lining as usual wouldn't do the trick).