Numnah AND saddle pad?

[chasingmytail]

How many people use both of the above or just a numnah? Just interested in your thoughts and reasoning. Thanks.

 

[Mrs B]

I just use a polo blanket under a synthetic dressage saddle (classy eh?!).

Seriously - it stay in position beautifully, doesn't rub, is woven wool so it breathes and washes like a rag.

 

[soloequestrian]

I use BALANCE saddles and the system, which is designed to allow room for the horses back muscles to work properly and the shoulder blade to have full movement, is such that you always have a numnah and then some form of (usually prolite) padding. They are brilliant saddles - everyone should have one!

 

[dibbin]

Just a numnah or saddlecloth for me

 

[spaniel]

Thin cotton numnahs....my saddles fit properly.

 

[soloequestrian]

Thin cotton numnahs....my saddles fit properly.

You should have a look at the BALANCE International website!

 

[Sol]

Another for just thin, boring cotton numnahs! I like my saddles to fit my horse - not the horse AND extra! It's my horse I want to ride after all, not the layers of padding between me and it
I honestly can't stand half pads/thick saddle cloths etc as I feel so disconnected from the horse, it's awful! Rode with a roma pad for ages on recommendation from a saddle fitter, used a thin numnah one day and what a difference! Had new saddle fitter come and check saddle fit so I could confidently use just a numnah YAY!

 

[lmsh]

We have both saddlecloth/numnah and a half pad on the jumpers, they all have close contact saddles, and it provides extra comfort and acts like a "shock absorber" to the horses back as it is landing from a fence and the riders weight is coming back

 

[ThePony]

just a thin cotton saddle cloth for me, I like to feel what's going on when I'm riding and with a thick pad I feel so disconnected. If we are going on a long hack (upwards of 2hrs) then I sometimes use the thinnest nuumed saddle cloth with thin wool just on the top part. But tbh since I have my new saddle that fits my mare just fab, I have just stuck to the thinnest cotton saddle cloth I can find.

 

[Natpillai]

Interesting to hear some people sounding a little critical of people who use half pads - I used to be of that mindset, thinking they were just for 'flashy' people or those who couldn't be bothered to find a saddle that fits properly, but the current younger horse I have is still developing and has made me change my opinion.

I have his back and saddle checked regularly (and would trust my saddler with my life) but currently use a half pad made of thick sheepskin, reason being that the horse is still developing muscle and topline so rather than have this saddle, then have to buy another when he changes shape, then another etc. the saddle he has will fit perfectly (maybe with a little adjustment but, as I said, saddler checks it regularly) when he has filled out into it. In the meantime, as he changes we can adjust padding accordingly.

Also, said horse has a tendency to lose condition in winter and to see us through the winter months it makes sense to pad the saddle with something while he's lost a bit of muscle and weight (and belileve me I do everything in my power to keep weight and muscle on, he's just a poor doer!)

 

[stacey_lou]

We have both saddlecloth/numnah and a half pad on the jumpers, they all have close contact saddles, and it provides extra comfort and acts like a "shock absorber" to the horses back as it is landing from a fence and the riders weight is coming back

Ditto I use a half pad and Sadddle pad for jumping and just a saddle pad/numnah for flat work/Dressage

 

[HBII]

I prefer a thin cotton numnah.

Maybe I should try a balance saddle?!

 

[alesea]

I use BALANCE saddles and the system, which is designed to allow room for the horses back muscles to work properly and the shoulder blade to have full movement, is such that you always have a numnah and then some form of (usually prolite) padding. They are brilliant saddles - everyone should have one!

We have the same- use the sheepskin lined numnah that we bought with the saddle, plus the JB pads (we have the serious remedial ones for my Dad's ex-racer!).

 

[PennyJ]

We have both saddlecloth/numnah and a half pad on the jumpers, they all have close contact saddles, and it provides extra comfort and acts like a "shock absorber" to the horses back as it is landing from a fence and the riders weight is coming back

We use a sheepskin half pad on saddlers recommendation after the last saddle check (it fits him perfectly she says) to help spread the load even more and for extra comfort. All for his benefit, not for ours... We've always used a saddle cloth, and continue to do so with this half pad. He has a standard issue Ideal Working Hunter saddle

 

[BeckyX]

i tend to use a saddle pad with extra padding where the saddle goes and also a sheepskin pad but i know people who use both together.