prolite riser pad - and a thin numnah question

[Orchardbeck]

Hi, after a few saddle issues which we seem to have reached a solution to, I invested in the new prolite tri pad which has 6 adjustable pads rather than the usual 4. The pad itself is great, really thin, and I have a thin shim inthe middle, and a thick shim inthe back so it gives a more gradual lift rather than an abrupt jump to a thick shim.

Anyway, my saddle is a Thorowgood t4 cob, with a17 inch seat. I usually have a Nuumed everyday hiwither numnah under it, which is a neat fit, but i'm a bit worried as the prolite pad extends over the back of the numnah - what worries me is that this will cause some pressure on to the numnah binding. Should I be worried or is this normal with other half pads?

The other issue I have is that I took my mare out for anhour long hack in this combination and when I removed the saddle, she had a diamond print from the quilt all over her back. I have never noticed this onher before, but then we have never been out in this saddle that long before now due to the fitting issues. Again, should this worry me?

I have a Nuumed half wool hiwither numnah I could use instead, but then it is the same size as the thin one so my prolite pad would still extend over the back.

My other alternative is a polypad but i'm worried about changing the fit too much with the prolite pad under there too.

What would you do -or am I going to have to invest in a bigger numnah/saddlecloth? Or just use the prolite pad with nothing else under the saddle?

 

[dilbert]

Hiya
Can I ask what problems youve had with the saddle? Its just that I've had issues with my T4 cob plus....used a prolite frontriser, then a normal prolite and Ive now got the multiriser but I'm still having fit issues so will be looking for a new saddle i think

I've used the prolite with no numnah which seemed fine, I quite often found that numnahs seemed to slip about abit so gave up.

 

[Orchardbeck]

Hi dilbert, its a bit of a long story but the short version is I need a back riser as the panels aren't giving enough clearance to her spine; my saddler fitted shimz to push the panel down which has made a difference. She developed a high wither but has a broad back/ribs, hence the cob saddle, but we changed from a wxw gullet to a medium to suit her wither. The cob version is a better length on her too- the standard Thorowgood gpd was too long even in the same size (17inch) - I think the cob panels extend out rather than back. She has a big Arab shoulder too, hence the lean towards a straighter cut.

Anyway the saddle still lifts at the back, which is why i'm using the riser.

 

[dilbert]

I'm not really sure what would help you , have you tried other saddles? my cob was in the cob plus wxw gullet but lost a lot of weight and muscle so my then saddle fitter recommended a different saddle ( can't remember if it was the t4 cob or the GP) but my boy hated it.

Different saddle fitter recommended stay with the wxw and shim to allow him to build up muscle. I've had lots of difficulties with the saddle lifting at the back, periodically dropping at the front and no amount of shimming really helps. My boy is quite an awkward fit , short backed and slightly bum high.

I know sbloom on here recommends the mattes correction pads with shims and my friend has used one of these with success, I don't know whether they might be helpful?

Good luck, saddles are the bane of my life

 

[AprilBlossom]

Surely the pro lite has been fitted to your saddle so should be of a similar size to the saddle itself, in which case your numnahs are all too small??

I use a prolite with a thin saddlecloth, picked a couple of big square ones up from a local tack sale, they won't break the bank.

 

[sbloom]

It doesn't matter whether the bindings line up or not, as long as none of them are under the saddle.

I do indeed prefer Mattes pads - the foam shims are much more stable, and don't bottom out, than foam. I would also say that a saddle lifting at the back is usually too wide or too curvy in the tree - the former can be corrected, the latter can't and means the tree and/or panel is wrong. You could shim at the front to correct the width if you can't change the tree itself (though obviously with the TG you can) and adding a little triangular wedge at the back can help correct a too-curvy tree but this is far from ideal. If the horse has muscle damage and that is why the saddle is sitting low at the back this will also cause it to bounce at the cantle and this IS corrected with a shim pad. If you put on a deeper rear panel then once the back has regenerated you could be left with too deep a panel - some flocking can be removed but only to a certain extent.