polypads that slip

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Bubblegum

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My saddler suggested that with my two TBs I should use a nice thick numnah under their saddles as they are so thin skinned and kept fit for eventing. So off I trotted and bought a nice thick polypad. It is supposed to be great... non slip with no bulky straps....
But it DOES slip. On both horses with both XC and dressage saddles...
Any suggestions or comments? Thanks.......
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we stitched on girth straps so they were exactly where we wanted. used velco strips so its nice and easy and adds no weight
 
I have never recommended a polypad (or any "nice thick numnah") for such a purpose - it affects the fit of the saddle too much.

I would use a sheepskin (real wool not cotton/polyester) but ensure that my saddle has been fitted with this in mind. I use one on my anglo who is incredibly thin skinned but I always make sure his saddle is that much wider to ensure that the fit is not affected. I also change it after a couple of hours use (I have about 100!)
 
The thin poly pads are not that thick but id neevr use a thick one as like said it affects the fit of the saddle.

I got the universal one in the thinnest possible design they do just to use for jumping as my saddle was new and bedding down but it slipped so badly on the flat so i put on some girth straps and it still did it so i sold it and gave up and stick with my grieen high wither thin ones.
 
i have never had a problem with polypads slipping, but have only ever used the thinest ones.
i find the thin ones do not alter saddle fit, as they are not bulky, and squash down to normal numnah thickness.
maybe as the others have suggested, sheepskin would be the best. nuumeds are good, and i have a mattes 1/2 pad (not sure this is really what u want though) which is lovely
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I have bought the thinest polypad, but it still seems quite thick!!! But maybe I will carry on with it at home and see if it 'beds down' a bit. Sewing on tape is a good idea....
Not ready to trust it for fast work yet...or competing think I will stick to tried and tested sheepskin!!!
Thanks all.
 
strangley, I found the shaped polypad ones dont slip as much as the square ones - but I tihnk there are better things on the market now - nice one with sheepskin half-pad, or a griffin shaped one if your horse had a high wither
 
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but I always make sure his saddle is that much wider to ensure that the fit is not affected.

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting ..
I was at a talk a month or so ago and the saddler said the same thing. She was advising that , in general, saddles are fitted far too narrow.
 
Yes - most of the saddles I see are fitted far too narrow - seems to be a catch-22 for most people as it causes muscle atrophy hence why the saddle is fitted narrow to "fit" the horse.

I mostly only fit remedial horses it seems where it takes 3 or 4 fittings over a 12 month period to get them right. Mostly I am told on the phone that their horse has "huge withers" then I turn up and the horse is perfectly normal it just has severe muscle wastage.

As an aside, I would never fit a horse in something less than a medium (funnily enough the standard wintec is a medium - any narrower or wider gullet means the thing will never fit) but I often see 16.2hh warmbloods fitted with a narrow saddle.

There is one particular MS that I know that has caused so many problems - I can spot his handiwork a mile away. Just look for the horse with two white patches below his withers and severe muscle atrophy and back pain where the saddle has pinched. really is sad.
 
My thoroughbred is the exact same and I was recommended a prolite gel pad by the specialist dealing with her weak back and my saddler. Never had any problems with it.
 
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