Numnah suggestions please

[Meredith]

Saddler came recently and reflocked and balanced my saddle.
I was told that my numnahs are far to thick, even the Griffin quilt which is donkeys years old. Also not to buy Le Mieux ( definitely ) or Rhinegold. (I think, well it began with R) and suggested something like an old fashioned Cottage Craft.
I can only buy online as local shops are agri with a small horse department.
Please HHO brain where can I find a numnah, not saddle cloth, for a 17 1/2” saddle that fits a Griffin large ProPad that will not break the bank and is thin enough to be acceptable?
Thanks in advance

 

[Boulty]

Nuumed are nice & thin whilst being good quality & have a nice high withered cut. They come in a range of colours but no fancy patterns. Would expect their full size would fit

 

[Meredith]

Nuumed are nice & thin whilst being good quality & have a nice high withered cut. They come in a range of colours but no fancy patterns. Would expect their full size would fit

Thank you.
Nuumed and Griffin are the same I think. I like the high withered ones too. The Nuumed ProPad is too thick but the large size fits perfectly. Do you mean the Everyday Numnah?

 

[Boulty]

Thank you.
Nuumed and Griffin are the same I think. I like the high withered ones too. The Nuumed ProPad is too thick but the large size fits perfectly. Do you mean the Everyday Numnah?

Yes I was meaning the everyday one. Have got a few of the saddlepad version of it (I have a weird aversion to numnahs) & they're the thinner than any of the others I've got

 

[AdorableAlice]

RaceTec Ultra Light Mesh Non Slip Pad | White Rose Saddlery Shop

I use these and cut to size. If the saddle is bespoke and fitted my saddler tells me nothing is needed under it other than a very thin cotton sheet to keep the saddle clean. Obviously if the horse changes shape it might need help.

None of us wear thick socks in our shoes as the shoe would be too tight, so why ram great wedges of padding under a fitted saddle ? The fashion for massive pads in lurid colours never ceases to amaze me.

Courtlea is a brand that do very thin sheepskin numnahs, not cheap but if you look after them they will last for decades.

 

[Meredith]

RaceTec Ultra Light Mesh Non Slip Pad | White Rose Saddlery Shop

I use these and cut to size. If the saddle is bespoke and fitted my saddler tells me nothing is needed under it other than a very thin cotton sheet to keep the saddle clean. Obviously if the horse changes shape it might need help.

None of us wear thick socks in our shoes as the shoe would be too tight, so why ram great wedges of padding under a fitted saddle ? The fashion for massive pads in lurid colours never ceases to amaze me.

Courtlea is a brand that do very thin sheepskin numnahs, not cheap but if you look after them they will last for decades.

Thanks AA. I will look that up.
The saddler said no padding of any kind and suggested an old cotton numnah. I do understand the thick ones make the saddle tighter. I am not keen on sheepskin as I have found that it makes lumps when hair rubs into it in spite of brushing. My pony seems to shed all the time which makes that worse. I only have Nuumed ProPads without sheepskin which were suitable for my previous horse, hence my question.

 

[ihatework]

NuuMed everyday numnahs would probably be the best that fit your description

 

[Surbie]

I really like the Griffin Nuumed high wither everyday ones. They are thin but not flimsy, they wash well - and the extra large are great if you have a biggun like I have.

Plus they come in loads of colours.

https://nuumed.com/25-hiwither-ever...0-binding_colour-green/19-colour-bottle_green

 

[AdorableAlice]

Thanks AA. I will look that up.
The saddler said no padding of any kind and suggested an old cotton numnah. I do understand the thick ones make the saddle tighter. I am not keen on sheepskin as I have found that it makes lumps when hair rubs into it in spite of brushing. My pony seems to shed all the time which makes that worse. I only have Nuumed ProPads without sheepskin which were suitable for my previous horse, hence my question.

I have some thin ancient cotton numnah's with brand name of 'bridleway' no idea if they are still trading, but mine have washed and worn to the point they are grey, they started off black. Still use them now for Ted as he gets very hot, they would be a cm thick, no padding just cotton fabric and no binding.

 

[Meredith]

I have some thin ancient cotton numnah's with brand name of 'bridleway' no idea if they are still trading, but mine have washed and worn to the point they are grey, they started off black. Still use them now for Ted as he gets very hot, they would be a cm thick, no padding just cotton fabric and no binding.

Thanks again.
I will investigate.
The local shops do not have anything suitable and I am reluctant to trust web photos.

 

[Meredith]

Yes I was meaning the everyday one. Have got a few of the saddlepad version of it (I have a weird aversion to numnahs) & they're the thinner than any of the others I've got

NuuMed everyday numnahs would probably be the best that fit your description

I really like the Griffin Nuumed high wither everyday ones. They are thin but not flimsy, they wash well - and the extra large are great if you have a biggun like I have.

Plus they come in loads of colours.

https://nuumed.com/25-hiwither-ever...0-binding_colour-green/19-colour-bottle_green

Thanks all. Obviously a popular choice

 

[Regandal]

I also use Bridleway saddle cloths, they are the thinnest ones I could find. They’re getting harder to find though.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/273399958370

 

[Annagain]

Griffin Nuumed high-wither everyday for me too. Saddler insists that’s all I should use as anything else is too thick and affects fit. They’re good quality and last forever. I’ve just thrown one out after 15 years as it’s starting to go threadbare. I only have two numnahs so it’s had a lot of wear in those 15 years!

 

[onemoretime]

Agree, I have used Nuumed saddle cloths for years and they wash and wear for ever, fit well and are not thick to spoil the fit of the saddle.

 

[sbloom]

Thanks AA. I will look that up.
The saddler said no padding of any kind and suggested an old cotton numnah. I do understand the thick ones make the saddle tighter. I am not keen on sheepskin as I have found that it makes lumps when hair rubs into it in spite of brushing. My pony seems to shed all the time which makes that worse. I only have Nuumed ProPads without sheepskin which were suitable for my previous horse, hence my question.

If you need really thin then Nuumed are a decent way to go, personally I prefer something with more body. Also note they only make wool lined pads, sewn into a knitted backing, entirely different from sheepskin. Good quality sheepskin pads, correctly cared for, shouldn't get lumps, pure and simple (I've been selling them and using them for remedial saddle fittings for nearly 10 years).

None of us wear thick socks in our shoes as the shoe would be too tight, so why ram great wedges of padding under a fitted saddle ? The fashion for massive pads in lurid colours never ceases to amaze me.
.

I know it's a comparison that even saddle fitters make but a shoe is closed, and fixed, around your foot, it can't expand much at all. A saddle can be lifted with a pad, or not, it's not a closed system in the same way.

It WILL affect balance and in some cases contact so must always be checked and if necessary adjusted to accommodate a thick pad. A thick pad, sheepskin or hi tech, offers lots of benefits.

 

[Meredith]

If you need really thin then Nuumed are a decent way to go, personally I prefer something with more body. Also note they only make wool lined pads, sewn into a knitted backing, entirely different from sheepskin. Good quality sheepskin pads, correctly cared for, shouldn't get lumps, pure and simple (I've been selling them and using them for remedial saddle fittings for nearly 10 years).



I know it's a comparison that even saddle fitters make but a shoe is closed, and fixed, around your foot, it can't expand much at all. A saddle can be lifted with a pad, or not, it's not a closed system in the same way.

It WILL affect balance and in some cases contact so must always be checked and if necessary adjusted to accommodate a thick pad. A thick pad, sheepskin or hi tech, offers lots of benefits.

Thanks sbloom
If Nuumed are thin but have insufficient ‘body’. Can anyone suggest which brand / model to look for?

 

[sbloom]

Each brand has pros and cons, plenty have a thin felt lining that is nice and stable, Le Mieux, HKM etc, but have shape issues (topline or flap shape) for me, or have been notorious for rubbing etc. Because I stock the remedial shim pads I love Mattes, and they come in a massive range of colours so you can have your own fully custom colour combo.

 

[Meredith]

Each brand has pros and cons, plenty have a thin felt lining that is nice and stable, Le Mieux, HKM etc, but have shape issues (topline or flap shape) for me, or have been notorious for rubbing etc. Because I stock the remedial shim pads I love Mattes, and they come in a massive range of colours so you can have your own fully custom colour combo.

Thanks again, sbloom
I agree about shape. For years I have made my own numnahs because either the front curve was wrong, the seat shape or spine too narrow or the wither cut too low.Also the positioning of the fastening tapes caused problems. I stopped because of difficulty finding suitable quilt.
I will look again at Mattes but the last time I searched their website wasn’t functioning and the site of a UK supplier was confusing.

 

[Kat]

If you need something thin then definitely Nuumed Everyday or Everyday Hiwither. The numnah is a great fit and stays in place well, I find the squares can ruck up a bit as they are quite soft whereas something like le mieux is a bit firmer.

Cottage craft would fit the bill too, and Jumpers Horse Line.

 

[sbloom]

Thanks again, sbloom
I agree about shape. For years I have made my own numnahs because either the front curve was wrong, the seat shape or spine too narrow or the wither cut too low.Also the positioning of the fastening tapes caused problems. I stopped because of difficulty finding suitable quilt.
I will look again at Mattes but the last time I searched their website wasn’t functioning and the site of a UK supplier was confusing.

e-a-mattes.com. The cuts at the front are far nicer than almost anything else - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1663867183920475&type=3, channels are decent width, the wither height is only moderate but they stay up, the velcro is 100% velcro and no webbing so dead easy to get to sit snug around whichever girth straps you're using.

 

[Sealine]

Another vote from me for Nuumed everyday high wither numnahs.