Equitex - does the benefit last?

[MissP]

I'm interested to hear from people who have been using an Equitex pad for a while now how their horse seems to be doing in it?

I got a dressage one 18 months ago, and 6 months ago got a jump too. Horse seemed to go better at first. However, the physio pointed out that my horse has some slightly grizzly feeling tissue below the withers and, looking at him today, I feel like he's lost a bit of muscle there too. It could be totally unrelated to the pads of course - it could be the saddle, or the combination of the two, or a difference in how he using himself. He also lost some weight over winter so the damage could have been hiding under there a while (in summer he tends to be chunkier than ideal, despite me limiting his intake every way possible!).

As the saddles are not new and regularly checked, it is playing on my mind. I do have saddler coming again this week.

Anyone else had a similar experience or an I barking up the wrong tree? X

 

[Fieldlife]

Did you get the pads on the advice of your saddler in first place? Were your saddles fitted to allow for the pads?

 

[Chiffy]

We use Equitex on a highly sensitive thoroughbred mare. She has one for her GP saddle and a dressage one for obviously her dressage saddle. Absolutely wonderful, have made a huge difference to her. Can’t remember how long they have been in use but definitely into their second year.

 

[sbloom]

I think until you've had the saddles checked, and even then, it's hard to say, which is the challenge with getting kit right for horses, there are so many subtle interplays between horse-tack-rider, plus external influences.

I'm not convinced by these pads, certainly not for the universal raving that seems to be going on. The VIP attracted similar levels of praise when it first came out, but at least that's a proven, look-uppable material. Memory foam covers a multitude of sins, and when you think that saddles almost certainly need something with fast recovery under them (because the horse's shape changes super fast as it moves), plus something that has very low rebound, any memory foam likely fails on the first factor. The pad has been around over 20 years I believe but has become fashionable as someone in the UK started importing them and put a ton of effort into the marketing.

They seem to work very well for some, clearly. I'd absolutely recommend NOT buying ones that have bulk under the leg unless your leg shoots backwards underneath you without it, and at that price to borrow one first if you can. I think there are better pads for the money, in most cases.

 

[maya2008]

It’s just a pad. A lovely, pressure equalising pad, but a pad nonetheless. Use as any other pad - with common sense, an understanding that the thick pad will affect saddle fit, and that if your horse changes shape, it cannot magically make a too tight or wrong shaped saddle fit again.

I have used one under a treeless saddle since 2004 and under my kids’ treed saddles to adjust fit for the last couple of years. They are really bulky and absolutely do change the fit of a treed saddle.

Do I rate them? My ponies love them and prefer a saddle fitted a little wide to allow one underneath.

For you?
I suspect your saddle doesn’t fit, sorry. I am sure your fitter would happily show you how to roughly check fit yourself so you know when to call. I check mine every time I ride for fit, and taught my sharers when I had them, and my kids now to do the same. Horses can change so fast and a saddle that fitted last week can be unrideable in a week later, especially if there have been weight changes.

 

[Fieldlife]

I think until you've had the saddles checked, and even then, it's hard to say, which is the challenge with getting kit right for horses, there are so many subtle interplays between horse-tack-rider, plus external influences.

I'm not convinced by these pads, certainly not for the universal raving that seems to be going on. The VIP attracted similar levels of praise when it first came out, but at least that's a proven, look-uppable material. Memory foam covers a multitude of sins, and when you think that saddles almost certainly need something with fast recovery under them (because the horse's shape changes super fast as it moves), plus something that has very low rebound, any memory foam likely fails on the first factor. The pad has been around over 20 years I believe but has become fashionable as someone in the UK started importing them and put a ton of effort into the marketing.

They seem to work very well for some, clearly. I'd absolutely recommend NOT buying ones that have bulk under the leg unless your leg shoots backwards underneath you without it, and at that price to borrow one first if you can. I think there are better pads for the money, in most cases.

I am having a bit of challenge with Equitex half pads at the moment. I have three half pads, 3cm x 2 (but one is thinner lift than other) and a 4cm lift. I think is 2cm at back.

My horse has hollows behind shoulders but likes saddle fitted wider, so need to pad / shim to lift front of saddle. Horse through testing and saddler recommendation seemed 6-9 months ago to strongly prefer Equitex front riser over mattes with shims / prolite with shims / thinline with shims.

A number of saddle fits in last 6-9 months.

Saddle was fitted with 4cm front riser equitex last wednesday. Was okay at weekend. Today riding this morning, that is too much lift and saddle is riding uphill, even after 20 minutes of warm up.

I will go back to 3cm tomorrow! Feels like horse varies a lot, big range of movement in his back. I think he was more filled out behind the shoulders / wither area this morning.

Anyone find over months of regular use the equitex half riser pads thin out and reduce in the front lift? As I am wondering if this has been happening.

Any thoughts welcomed!

 

[MissP]

Did you get the pads on the advice of your saddler in first place? Were your saddles fitted to allow for the pads?

I used to use a fluffy/VIP beneath which the saddles were fitted to allow had space for. X

 

[MissP]

It’s just a pad. A lovely, pressure equalising pad, but a pad nonetheless. Use as any other pad - with common sense, an understanding that the thick pad will affect saddle fit, and that if your horse changes shape, it cannot magically make a too tight or wrong shaped saddle fit again.

I have used one under a treeless saddle since 2004 and under my kids’ treed saddles to adjust fit for the last couple of years. They are really bulky and absolutely do change the fit of a treed saddle.

Do I rate them? My ponies love them and prefer a saddle fitted a little wide to allow one underneath.

For you?
I suspect your saddle doesn’t fit, sorry. I am sure your fitter would happily show you how to roughly check fit yourself so you know when to call. I check mine every time I ride for fit, and taught my sharers when I had them, and my kids now to do the same. Horses can change so fast and a saddle that fitted last week can be unrideable in a week later, especially if there have been weight changes.

Thank you. I think you might be right.

 

[MissP]

I think until you've had the saddles checked, and even then, it's hard to say, which is the challenge with getting kit right for horses, there are so many subtle interplays between horse-tack-rider, plus external influences.

I'm not convinced by these pads, certainly not for the universal raving that seems to be going on. The VIP attracted similar levels of praise when it first came out, but at least that's a proven, look-uppable material. Memory foam covers a multitude of sins, and when you think that saddles almost certainly need something with fast recovery under them (because the horse's shape changes super fast as it moves), plus something that has very low rebound, any memory foam likely fails on the first factor. The pad has been around over 20 years I believe but has become fashionable as someone in the UK started importing them and put a ton of effort into the marketing.

They seem to work very well for some, clearly. I'd absolutely recommend NOT buying ones that have bulk under the leg unless your leg shoots backwards underneath you without it, and at that price to borrow one first if you can. I think there are better pads for the money, in most cases.

Useful insight thanks! I didn't think the Equitex was memory foam though? If you press it, it doesn't retain an indent at all, it springs straight back immediately.

It's so tricky though to assess them isn't it. Studies have been done that show it has better cushioning ability then other pads on a lab bench, but no research has been done into how well they work between a saddle and horse's back I don't think? Stability and saddle balance might be more important than pressure relief for example

 

[HopOnTrot]

I thought I read something somewhere that lamb/sheepskin was the best pad(ing) for under a saddle for shock absorption but a quick google just comes up with a million adverts!

 

[sbloom]

Useful insight thanks! I didn't think the Equitex was memory foam though? If you press it, it doesn't retain an indent at all, it springs straight back immediately.

It's so tricky though to assess them isn't it. Studies have been done that show it has better cushioning ability then other pads on a lab bench, but no research has been done into how well they work between a saddle and horse's back I don't think? Stability and saddle balance might be more important than pressure relief for example

This is the issue, memory foam has a different meaning with the general public than with the industry (my OH was a foams specialist in a former life). Memory foam is simply a foam that regains its original shape over and over and suffers little compression over repeated use. Which pads was it compared to I wonder...

I thought I read something somewhere that lamb/sheepskin was the best pad(ing) for under a saddle for shock absorption but a quick google just comes up with a million adverts!

It performs okay, I'm a big fan, but there are MUCH more shock absorbing pads/materials such as d3o, Poron XRD.

We don't understand forces and materials enough. We don't understand the performance of the saddle itself, especially what's in the panel. French saddles mostly have cheap low performance foams for example, and flocking varies hugely in how it performs. We don't understand why we might choose one over the other for a particular horse, so we're heavily influenced by marketing. Some saddle professionals are trying to change this - Bradley Whale, Maria Hallring - and are starting to talk about it, and trying to utilise what IS known to their own designs.

For instance, I have no problem with sheepskin pads being part of many SJ set ups - with a forward cut saddle a half pad can offer shoulder space....however canter causes the rider to cause I think about 3 times the forces that are caused in walk, jumping even more, and sheepkin cannot resist/absorb forces at this level.

I am having a bit of challenge with Equitex half pads at the moment. I have three half pads, 3cm x 2 (but one is thinner lift than other) and a 4cm lift. I think is 2cm at back.

My horse has hollows behind shoulders but likes saddle fitted wider, so need to pad / shim to lift front of saddle. Horse through testing and saddler recommendation seemed 6-9 months ago to strongly prefer Equitex front riser over mattes with shims / prolite with shims / thinline with shims.

A number of saddle fits in last 6-9 months.

Saddle was fitted with 4cm front riser equitex last wednesday. Was okay at weekend. Today riding this morning, that is too much lift and saddle is riding uphill, even after 20 minutes of warm up.

I will go back to 3cm tomorrow! Feels like horse varies a lot, big range of movement in his back. I think he was more filled out behind the shoulders / wither area this morning.

Anyone find over months of regular use the equitex half riser pads thin out and reduce in the front lift? As I am wondering if this has been happening.

Any thoughts welcomed!

I can't answer but if it does then it's not a great memory foam, performance will be declining too. As far as I know it is from the sofa industry, it might be suitable for its use under saddles but without knowing exactly what the material is it's impossible to know things like compression sets which IS a measure of how many times it should bounce back. It's why some of the very best materials for shock absorption are quite solid.

And yes, horses vary within a schooling session, from morning to night, and with turnout etc. It makes saddle fitting extremely tricky and it really IS best that you are aware in this way, as no-one else can plot/feel these changes and adapt for them, congrats (meant genuinely)!

 

[Fieldlife]

It performs okay, I'm a big fan, but there are MUCH more shock absorbing pads/materials such as d3o, Poron XRD

What half pads / half pads and shims do you recommend (for a horse with atrophy behind the wither that like tree slightly wider than ideal)?

I havent found anything great on the market. Must be high wither friendly and the half pad must be a good size and shape to fit saddles?

Love to know what you recommend. I have tried mattes and thinline and prolite and probably others.

 

[Fieldlife]

This is the issue, memory foam has a different meaning with the general public than with the industry (my OH was a foams specialist in a former life). Memory foam is simply a foam that regains its original shape over and over and suffers little compression over repeated use. Which pads was it compared to I wonder...

I can't answer but if it does then it's not a great memory foam, performance will be declining too. As far as I know it is from the sofa industry, it might be suitable for its use under saddles but without knowing exactly what the material is it's impossible to know things like compression sets which IS a measure of how many times it should bounce back. It's why some of the very best materials for shock absorption are quite solid.

And yes, horses vary within a schooling session, from morning to night, and with turnout etc. It makes saddle fitting extremely tricky and it really IS best that you are aware in this way, as no-one else can plot/feel these changes and adapt for them, congrats (meant genuinely)!

Slightly confused - I thought Equitex was not made from memory foam but something more sophisticated and firmer, as memory foam is useless for saddle pads, as it deforms too easily under pressure. Equitex performs pretty well under pressure testing.

My saddler strongly rates equitex and has had a number of clients horses refuse to go forwards without them, after being ridden in them, and /or show dramatic improvement with one in use.
Though others it doesnt help with saddle balance / not suit very high wither etc, she not dogmatic about them. My saddler started off not rating equitex pads (thought a new gimmick) but now does. She doesnt sell them and has no vested interest.

My horse's variation is challenging, he seems to have a huge range of motion in his back (though his default is probably to not lift his back under saddle, even when he has the ability and strength to do so) which makes fitting challenging.

He was having particularly not lifting day when I recently had saddles checked and adjusted. A week later, different horse and much happier to lift, and now saddles are all set up too uphill. Will resent padding arrangements, and try and be more observant to the ongoing changes.

 

[MissP]

Update from saddle fitting... both saddles had compressed by right shoulder and needed that area flocking. Saddler happy with the fit of both saddles with the equitexs

I cut back my schooling with this horse over winter as neither of us were enjoying it much, so think that's affected his topline a bit too. Lesson learned!

 

[Fieldlife]

This is the issue, memory foam has a different meaning with the general public than with the industry (my OH was a foams specialist in a former life). Memory foam is simply a foam that regains its original shape over and over and suffers little compression over repeated use. Which pads was it compared to I wonder...



It performs okay, I'm a big fan, but there are MUCH more shock absorbing pads/materials such as d3o, Poron XRD.

I'd really love to know what current half pads / half pads and shims do you recommend (for a horse with atrophy behind the wither that like tree slightly wider than ideal)?

I havent found anything great on the market. Must be high wither friendly and the half pad must be a good size and shape to fit saddles?

Love to know what you recommend. I have tried mattes and thinline and prolite and probably others.

 

[Fieldlife]

This is the issue, memory foam has a different meaning with the general public than with the industry (my OH was a foams specialist in a former life). Memory foam is simply a foam that regains its original shape over and over and suffers little compression over repeated use. Which pads was it compared to I wonder...



It performs okay, I'm a big fan, but there are MUCH more shock absorbing pads/materials such as d3o, Poron XRD.

I'd really love to know what current half pads / half pads and shims do you recommend (for a horse with atrophy behind the wither that like tree slightly wider than ideal)?

I havent found anything great on the market. Must be high wither friendly and the half pad must be a good size and shape to fit saddles?

Love to know what you recommend. I have tried mattes and thinline and prolite and probably others.

 

[sbloom]

Slightly confused - I thought Equitex was not made from memory foam but something more sophisticated and firmer, as memory foam is useless for saddle pads, as it deforms too easily under pressure. Equitex performs pretty well under pressure testing.

My saddler strongly rates equitex and has had a number of clients horses refuse to go forwards without them, after being ridden in them, and /or show dramatic improvement with one in use.
Though others it doesnt help with saddle balance / not suit very high wither etc, she not dogmatic about them. My saddler started off not rating equitex pads (thought a new gimmick) but now does. She doesnt sell them and has no vested interest.

My horse's variation is challenging, he seems to have a huge range of motion in his back (though his default is probably to not lift his back under saddle, even when he has the ability and strength to do so) which makes fitting challenging.

He was having particularly not lifting day when I recently had saddles checked and adjusted. A week later, different horse and much happier to lift, and now saddles are all set up too uphill. Will resent padding arrangements, and try and be more observant to the ongoing changes.

It is memory foam, it returns to its original shape, that is the industry definition of memory foam. My partner was a foams expert in a former life. There are myriad different forms of memory foam, some will be slow rebound, some faster, some will compress more than others. This is why knowing what the material is, and being able to look it up, is important to me if I'm recommending people spend hard earned money on a pad.

All saddle fitters have different experiences which can often relate to the way they were trained, and then which saddles they choose to fit.

Why can't saddle fitters agree?!

Isn't there great comfort in a set of rules? For my job, a universal truths of saddle fitting, so you can assess saddles and fitters against each other? If only. Did you know there are many, many ways to fit a saddle? The series of debates hosted by the Professional Saddle Fitter's Association...

stephaniebloomsaddlefitter.co.uk

I cannot give you a specific recommendation without knowing much much more, beyond the scope of an answer on this forum and even then, the best person to ask is your own fitter, which you clearly have. For MY customers, the way I fit, then it's Invictus or Mattes sheepskin, depending on their horse and set up, and the shims should be contoured to deal in an appropriate way with the fat the tree points will be coming off the horse, not just using them to rebalance the saddle.

Glad the pad works for you. I will still say to anyone, get the half pad or the one that is thin under the flaps, if you really want one.

 

[Stenners]

My friend has used one on her mare for the last couple of years and wouldnt have anything else. She won't use any other numnah.