Sheepskin half pad - with or without numnah/saddlecoth?

[Sults]

Whenever i see someone riding with a sheepskin half pad they always seem to have a numnah or saddlecloth underneath it. Does this not defeat the purpose of the sheepskin?
Is there any reason why you shouldn't ride with just the half pad between saddle & horse?

 

[Goldenstar]

Keeps the saddle clean a consideration when staff time costs money and although sheepskin works well as padding for saddles in some circumstances some horses dislike the feel of it .
For hunting when horses sweat a lot you find some horses get very irritated skin from sweat soaked sheepskin.

 

[PolarSkye]

Kal always wore his dead sheep half pad with nothing else underneath . . . if it's proper sheepskin, it shouldn't irritate the horse - although I can see why you might not want to wear it hunting ; whole different ballgame - and surely a half pad while hunting is a bad idea anyway as it leaves the leather panels in direct contact with a sweaty horse which can't be comfy?

P

 

[Sults]

I've just bought the Mattes correction pad to go under his dressage saddle, so nothing that will cause him to sweat under it! I don't actually like the look of the sheepskin but just didn't know if there was any reason why not to wear it without anything else. Thanks!

 

[Goldenstar]

Leather straight onto the horses works fine as long as you care for the saddles well .it was normal when I was a nipper.
But me I like cloths ,numahs , pads , skims , gel, memory foam
Tatts is hysterical if you try dead sheep on him it freaks him out he likes best a thin numah cotton and a 1cm memory foam pad .his saddles have to flocked to allow for that.
I have met quite a few horses over the years that are fussy about what's under the saddle it's always worth a few trials to find what they like best.

 

[NativePonyLover]

I've used mine with & without a saddle pad. I try to use it with a thin saddle pad most of the time, as it keeps the pad clean - a thin saddle cloth shouldn't alter the fit of the saddle significantly (my saddle is fitted to be used with a half pad).

 

[Embo]

I've used mine with & without a saddle pad. I try to use it with a thin saddle pad most of the time, as it keeps the pad clean - a thin saddle cloth shouldn't alter the fit of the saddle significantly (my saddle is fitted to be used with a half pad).

This, pretty much. Thin numnah underneath the sheepskin, purely to prolong the life of it. Cost enough! My saddle was also fitted to be used with a half-pad.