Numnahs pulling down on withers? :/

FlyingCircus

FlyingCircus

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Tried various brands now and would like some input to stop me wasting additional ££!!
My gelding doesn't have particularly high withers, but all the pads I've tried on him have pulled down. From good old Cottage Craft to Anky and many in between!!

So does anyone have any experience of this and if so, how did you stop it!? As it drives me crazy.


ETA: Realise now that I put numnahs in the title and pads in the text..but this happens with both
 
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Saddler told me to always use high wither numnahs even if the horse hasn't got high withers. I have a nu-med half wool lined one at the moment and find it very good.
 
spider said:
Saddler told me to always use high wither numnahs even if the horse hasn't got high withers. I have a nu-med half wool lined one at the moment and find it very good.
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I tried a high wither Cottage Craft one as my latest purchase to see if that style would make a difference and it didn't seem to :(
I'll have a look at the nu-med ones, thanks!
 
I've not had a problem with high wither ones. I mainly have Nuumed and even with Prolite on top they are fine. Do you have the straps nice and tight to the girth or D rings?
 
Numed with D tabs.
However if they are pulling down whatever you use have you considered the saddle might be the problem?
 
ihatework said:
Numed with D tabs.
However if they are pulling down whatever you use have you considered the saddle might be the problem?
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Could very well be...but it fits just fine apparently(had it checked last weekend), so what could the problem be?

I tend not to like straps and whatnot which is why I like the Anky pads as they don't seem to slip down as much and also have no straps. I have however tried the typical straps to the girth but never tried out a pad with straps to the d-ring! Something to look for maybe!
 
I mostly use Shires numnahs, they are shaped for withers and I've never had a problem with them moving/pulling tight.
 
I always use high-wither pads even though my horse has no withers. They always stay up in the gullet where I put them. I really would question whether your saddle is moving.
 
I've found the same! The only numnahs and saddle pads I've found to stay put (for hours at a time) are the nuumed high wither ones, have got myself quite a collection now!
 
Are you brave enough to go without? ( I know I am not but posters on here do it )

Otherwise have you tried a poly pad or something thin enough you can tuck right up into the gullet? Nuumed are very good. :)

If all this fails.. There was a poster on here a while back who had the same problem also with saddle slipping and she has an acavallo gel pad with nothing else..?
 
Tern said:
Are you brave enough to go without? ( I know I am not but posters on here do it )

Otherwise have you tried a poly pad or something thin enough you can tuck right up into the gullet? Nuumed are very good. :)

If all this fails.. There was a poster on here a while back who had the same problem also with saddle slipping and she has an acavallo gel pad with nothing else..?
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We ride with out, when we have to have a nummah its a very thin cotton one

Op if you can ride without I would mark with chalk on you horses back to see if the saddle moves
 
Only experience i have ever had with this happening is the saddle not fitting rigth and moving around on the horses back causing the pads to move.

I think i would be looking for a second opinion on the saddle. Did your saddler watch you ride in the saddle and everything or are you feeling one sided whilst riding?
 
I only tend to use the Le Mieux pads now as they seem to stay put with the straps to the d'rings, but also rate the numed high wither. agreed if you've tried all these and they are still pulling down - i dont think your saddle fits, have you had a second opinion on it?
 
le mieux (horse health)are brilliant and I never have this problem as the are cut away..sort of swan -necked..from the withers. Like you I have struggled with various pads and numnahs but love my le mieux ones which also keep well and don't get scruffy after a few uses/washes.
 
I use nuumed numnahs and find the ones that do up on the d ring stay in place better, those that have straps on the girth straps if not done up tight enough will slip back then I suppose would be tight on the wither.
 
Are you making sure that you're pulling the pad right up into the saddle's gullet?

Pull it right up so it looks like this:

fitting_really_well_over_withers.jpg


It should look like a peak.
 
SpringArising said:
Are you making sure that you're pulling the pad right up into the saddle's gullet?

It should look like a peak.
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I was waiting for someone else to say this! Good illustration too!

Make sure it's not just pulled up at the front but the whole way along the spine too as otherwise the part that isn't pulled up will pull the other parts down.
 
FlyingCircus said:
I tend not to like straps and whatnot which is why I like the Anky pads as they don't seem to slip down as much and also have no straps. I have however tried the typical straps to the girth but never tried out a pad with straps to the d-ring! Something to look for maybe!
Click to expand...

This is probably your problem. The saddlepad/numnah has to be anchored to stay in place otherwise it slips around and therefore gets tight over the withers. Try the front straps on either your 2nd or 3rd girth strap so that the numnah is held tight to the front of the saddle.
 
Maesfen said:
I was waiting for someone else to say this! Good illustration too!

Make sure it's not just pulled up at the front but the whole way along the spine too as otherwise the part that isn't pulled up will pull the other parts down.
Click to expand...

So was I! Someone has also already said that it's often seen on saddles that aren't fitting correctly.
 
The only ones I've found this doesn't happen with are the Stubben dressage pads. Super cheap at the moment on equestrian clearance...
 
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