Thorn or Equi pad for LW adult on welsh B?

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Hallo2012

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Just after some general experiences and idea please :)

I am 5'7 and 7 stone 10 atm. i am trying to get down to 7'8 in time for backing.

Pony is 13hh welsh B, expected to mature at 13.2hh and he is old fashioned and wide, leg at each corner bulldozer, not a show pony.

he will be 3 in 2018 but i am thinking ahead and plotting what i can spend xmas and birthday money on!

I expect him to change shape dramatically between backing and being ready to compete (dressage will be his game!) but with him being short and me being tall, our saddle options are limited.

thus i am considering either a thorn or equi pad for backing and the light hacking (mostly walk) he will do in 2018.............which will allow me to build him up a little and then get a nice M2M monoflap LW dressage saddle.

he is not wintec shape and TG dressage dont go small enough (i need 15.5 or 16)

im aware the pad saddles dont offer massive amounts of support but i would go for the one with knee thigh and bum cheek rolls! i dont imagine he will be a git to back as i have leant over him and flailed around and otched my crotch on to him from the block also whilst flailing and he was not bovvered in the slightest! he has had a roller and pad saddle on and didnt even notice :)


would use a thickish gel pad under it for comfort and support, something like the acavallo air release gel pad.

what says HHO? reasonable plan? anyone it has or hasnt worked for?

other option is a show saddle, i school 12hh-13.2hh for other people in black country show saddles from 15-16.5 inch so i know i CAN ride in them if that works better either short term or long term.
 
Backed our Exmoor in a thorn pad and she's still in it now, as she's extremely wide and flat and 'normal' saddles just lift at the back and move forwards. Works well for us. Will just add, I don't think you need to worry about dropping weight for backing!
 
Just use a thin neoprene pad, as everything else makes it slip forwards. You might not have the same issue though as she has zero withers and a back as flat as a pancake. Use a wide waffle girth, tried a stubben as I have one on my highland, but it just bunched up on her.
 
You will need something under the pad to keep it clean. I just use normal numnahs under my Milner /Snape pads.

You need to be very well balanced and have a good seat and legs to be able to ride in these types of saddles. They give you no support what so ever. It's basically like riding bareback with stirrups.

I personally love my pads on my Shetlands. My dartmoor prefers them too.
 
thank you both :)

EKW....i am no carl hester but have competed up to inter 1 and re schooled some right idiots, think vertical rearing and bunny leap launching so i will be ok for initial work i think, appreciate as the pony schools up the levels i might need more help and he might need a treed saddle when i want to do sitting trot :) but i suppose by then he will be at his *mature shape* and i wont mind busting some ££££££ on M2M knowing it will last his lifetime.
 
Ive just bought an Equi pad for my 5yo son and his Dartmoor. Havent had a change to use it yet though other than simply to try it on as I need to get some Wintec Webbers as I feel his normal stirrup buckles will stick into his legs and give him something to moan about. I worry slightly about the total lack of clearance over the wither, she is flat backed but still has a slight wither. So Im planning to use a thickish pad underneath just to help pad that area slightly.

Going by comments on here, sounds like it'll really help give my son some serious balance if he can learn to ride in this (from his usual treed saddle!)...!
 
I find kids adapt really well to them. When they realise they have to learn to ride and not bob about. For a kid learning I would defos put a thick pad underneath just to help the pony out!
 
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