Shock Absorbing half pads

[CanteringCarrot]

Just to check I’m thinking right. You would put the sheepskin pad straight on the horses back, then a thin pad on top?

It’s to try and stop the slight lift behind (right side) while she builds her back up. She alsocsaid she doesn’t really want to flock it unevenly. Although we didn’t try a half pad during the fitting, she advised after.

That's what I did, but it's not what a majority of people do.

There are a few reasons as to why the saddle might lift on one side, and you've got to sort that out. Usually something is going on with the horses body making them that way. Sure it can be from the way the horse is ridden too. Many pads, including Mattes, can be shimmed in certain places (only the back righthand portion of the pad, for example).

 

[Pinkvboots]

Just to check I’m thinking right. You would put the sheepskin pad straight on the horses back, then a thin pad on top?

It’s to try and stop the slight lift behind (right side) while she builds her back up. She alsocsaid she doesn’t really want to flock it unevenly. Although we didn’t try a half pad during the fitting, she advised after.

It's not really recommended to just shim one side and sometimes shimming the front and middle can help and affect the back of the saddle, get a shim numnah with 3 inserts on each side and have a play around with the shims in it and see if you can correct it.

 

[sbloom]

It's not really recommended to just shim one side and sometimes shimming the front and middle can help and affect the back of the saddle, get a shim numnah with 3 inserts on each side and have a play around with the shims in it and see if you can correct it.

I often shim just one corner, depends on the issue you're solving. Again, the answer is nearly always "it depends". I can also shim for bridging with a 2/4 pocket pad, ie 4 pockets in total. Mattes don't make pads with 3/6 pockets. Just need to get busy with scissors.

Sheepskin is great, d3o with sheepskin is probably a waste as it performs best as close as possible to what you're trying to protect ie the horse.

I prefer half lined numnahs and squares etc to half pads, Mattes offer half pad set ups to go either way around, you just need to spec them right.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I often shim just one corner, depends on the issue you're solving. Again, the answer is nearly always "it depends". I can also shim for bridging with a 2/4 pocket pad, ie 4 pockets in total. Mattes don't make pads with 3/6 pockets. Just need to get busy with scissors.

Sheepskin is great, d3o with sheepskin is probably a waste as it performs best as close as possible to what you're trying to protect ie the horse.

I prefer half lined numnahs and squares etc to half pads, Mattes offer half pad set ups to go either way around, you just need to spec them right.

I was told to try and avoid doing one side probably because of the issues I had but I'm sure it has its purpose, I just prefer the 3 pockets for 1 of my horses as he has a slight dipped back but his a bit croup high, I have 2 pocket ones as well which I use on the flat backed one and they do the job fine for him.

I actually prefer the half lined to half pads as well I just think they look more comfortable for the horse.

 

[fr234]

Yes a flat pad made from one of these high tech foams will never work, putting it into a pocket pad is a much better idea. I am sort of working with a company called Microperformance on numnahs with a d3o insert which will be easy to use and wash, it just needs improvement to the design. Don't worry about how hard they feel, although a softer surface on the underside for the horse is ideal - sheepskin or other fleece or, as with the Invictus, spacer foam - but as long as its an even layer many horses will be fine with only a cotton pad under/behind the layer of foam.

Hi!
Have these numnahs been released?

 

[sbloom]

Hi!
Have these numnahs been released?

No, he didn't have time to work on the design in the end, not heard from him since.

 

[fr234]

No, he didn't have time to work on the design in the end, not heard from him since.

Ahh right. My saddle fits but looking for something that adds another layer of protection. More for prevention than anything else. What do you recommend?

 

[sbloom]

I love the Invictus but they're not being made right now, in theory the Winderen pads would do a similar job but I'm not sure they're quite as good. Good sheepskin, I like Mattes, is great but it does "bottom out" in canter apparently as its shock absorbency is a fair bit lower (in my basic tests same as Prolite so one does wonder about Polite....). I see it as just one of the qualities of sheepskin as it's also wicking etc.

 

[fr234]

I love the Invictus but they're not being made right now, in theory the Winderen pads would do a similar job but I'm not sure they're quite as good. Good sheepskin, I like Mattes, is great but it does "bottom out" in canter apparently as its shock absorbency is a fair bit lower (in my basic tests same as Prolite so one does wonder about Polite....). I see it as just one of the qualities of sheepskin as it's also wicking etc.

Ahh that’s a shame they’re not making them.
Would something like this not do a very good job? Too cheap to work?
It says shock absorption in the description

 

[sbloom]

Unless it's an actual named material in the pad that you can look up, take it with a pinch of salt. Thinking is pretty good, Poron XRD and d3o, but they need to be the right version of the material too - breathable and the right thickness and density. It's why I trust Invictus, I've spoken at length with the former owner, just a shame she sadly passed away at the beginning of this year and it seems the company will take a little while to be back up and running, if indeed it happens at all.

 

[fr234]

Unless it's an actual named material in the pad that you can look up, take it with a pinch of salt. Thinking is pretty good, Poron XRD and d3o, but they need to be the right version of the material too - breathable and the right thickness and density. It's why I trust Invictus, I've spoken at length with the former owner, just a shame she sadly passed away at the beginning of this year and it seems the company will take a little while to be back up and running, if indeed it happens at all.

Yes there’s so many things you need to consider it seems. That’s very sad, I might have to see if there’s any second hand.

 

[fr234]

Unless it's an actual named material in the pad that you can look up, take it with a pinch of salt. Thinking is pretty good, Poron XRD and d3o, but they need to be the right version of the material too - breathable and the right thickness and density. It's why I trust Invictus, I've spoken at length with the former owner, just a shame she sadly passed away at the beginning of this year and it seems the company will take a little while to be back up and running, if indeed it happens at all.

The website says this, “Shock absorber chloroprene rubber pad with touch tape pocket to add interchangeable pads”
Chloroprene rubber? Is that too little info

 

[sbloom]

It's like neoprene I expect, never designed for the job. Cheap is never high performance in this sort of stuff.

 

[fr234]

It's like neoprene I expect, never designed for the job. Cheap is never high performance in this sort of stuff.

Is it better than no shock absorption until I can somehow find an invictus or if there’s no issues with saddle fit should I leave it?

 

[sbloom]

The wrong material can cause problems, for instance neoprene isn't very breathable. Prevention of what I guess is what you need to decide. Saddles cause forces on the horse's back but how your saddle fits, what the panels are made of and how deep they are, how much muscle and fat your horse has under the saddle and whether you're feeling back issues would.all be factors in deciding whether you need a pad and if so what kind.