Non-slip pads........ so annoying

Baileyboo

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When I first got my roly-poly welsh d mare her saddle kept slipping so i got a thorowgood non-slip pad which was brilliant, she has now lost a lot of weight and I wanted to get her a pad that was still non-slippy but with some padding for longer hacks, ssooo i was in my local tack shop and saw a thorowgood one with padding!! so bought it, tried it and it slips!!! aaarrgghhh!!!
 
Try either a Stephens Gel-eze pad OR a Prolite non slip pad. Both have concussion absorbing qualities.

I own a 14.2 coloured native, who needs both point and balance straps on her saddle to stop it slipping.
 
I use the Polypad Performer with the towel effect inside and it never slips at all on my Welsh D. I do pleasure rides of up to 15 miles in it too.
 
Just a thought - you said that your mare has now lost a lot of weight and the saddle is still slipping? I am sure that you have already thought of this, but I would have a look at how the saddle fits before using a padded non-slip pad just to make sure the slipping isnt due to a saddle that isnt fitting properly.

A properly fitting saddle should be capable of being ridden in without a numnah/saddle cloth to make it fit. Granted in some cases they are needed e.g. remedial but for every day riding I would make sure the saddle fits first before looking at pads to keep it in place.
 
I perhaps should get it checked again now. I had it checked about 3 months ago, he said that he didn't know how the girl I got her off stayed on as the saddle was just at the limit of fitting her then and thats when she'd already lost some weight. What had prompted that check was that the saddle slipped quite badly but the other day it was just slipping a little bit so I don't know really if i'm just blowing it out of proportion and it was normal movement. I do have a tendancy to obsess on a small point and make it into a massive one.......like the other day on a hack when I was obsessed she was lame (she wasn't). I don't know if anyone else has this problem?
 
Me! I am obsessive about their weights (especially the stressy Anglo) their feet (slightest crack and I am sure they will walk out of their foot) etc etc.

It is natural to worry about them because you care and want the best for them. It was worse when I first got my rescue anglo - he was like a vertical toast rack so I used to obsess about his food and would watch him eat to make sure it was all going in.

When you put the sadle on (without the girth) can you move it side to side or back to front? It shouldnt really move - it should rest in a natural position and the girth merely secures it. If you girth up, does the back lift? Do you get a good clearance in the front?

Unfortunately when you have a horse that is constantly changing shape (like my youngster who likes to grow a couple of inches every year) the saddle needs to be checked constantly. Sometimes this means every 3 months. Its especially a problem when your horse changes shape through seasonal changes.

I would be concerned that if the saddle was very tight to begin with, and she has lost weight now, that she might have muscle atrophy at the base of her withers. I have seen this all too often.

And I hate non-slip pads! Especially the limpit style ones!
 
Me too, I don't think that anything should have something "stuck" to its back, thats why I went for the "grippy" sort. (sorry for all the ""!!) I think I will get the saddler out again. I will do what you said tomorrow though when I get her in and tack her up and see if it wiggles. Thank you for your advice, i'm glad somebody else stresses like me. My boyfriend thinks i'm crazy, I went running in the other day and got him and his dad to watch me trot her up, they're just like "for gods sake she's sound as a pound!"
 
I like prolites
laugh.gif
 
The saddle should sit naturally on the horse and not move about too much. Have a look and see if it is drastically moving left to right and up and down.

The flocking may have just gone a bit on the saddle. I tend to flock quite softly for roly poly types - my youngster goes out then goes up, goes out then goes up. You can imagine the saddle fitting joy I have!
 
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