Those that use a Sheepskin half pad AND saddlecloth..

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Winklepoker

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Why would you use both? I am not slating it, I am considering whether my reasons for doing it are valid. Is it recommended by your saddler or a choice you have mad based on cushioning/sensitive horse/fashion?

Thanks
 
As extra padding mainly

He needs to build up muscle on his shoulders so padding it out fills in the gap!
He is quite sensitive and prefers lots of padding
 
so you are saying that your saddle is too wide for the horse? And you are making allowances for filling out and muscling up? Thanks :)
 
I use both to help compensate for high withers and small back muscle that is work in progress. The saddler can get close with the fit if the saddle but my boy is a little un-even so this allow him to be comfortable and his shape to change over time
 
Half pad to pad the saddle out for the time being (4yo) and the saddlecloth is just there to keep the saddle clean, it's only thin :)

Ideally, I'd get a perfectly fitting saddle, but I don't want to go through loads, nor can I afford to, so it's slightly too wide and has the sheepskin, in recommendation from saddler :)

J&C
 
Kirsty+Java said:
As extra padding mainly

He needs to build up muscle on his shoulders so padding it out fills in the gap!
He is quite sensitive and prefers lots of padding
Click to expand...

Im quite happy that this post was put on actully as im buying one at hickstead at the end of the month for exactly this reason.

My saddler reccomended a poly pad underneath until she puts on more muscle, but she sweats a lot and the poly pads are a pain to wash as most of the padding in the poly pad goes to one side of the poly pad and just ruins it basicly .. so im going to get a sheepskin half pad to help fill out the saddle a bit but use a saddle cloth underneath as I have plenty of these and there much easier to wash!

I also have a 6year old tb and shes very fine.

I cant afford to keep spending £30+ on more poly pads whilst the others are in the wash etc so if I buy a sheepskin itl be better as I have lots of saddle cloths!
 
The woman i had out to check my horses bac said when a horse is still growing and changing shape your better off with a slightly wider saddle with more padding as it allows the muscles to grow underneath the saddle because a narrower saddle would restrict the muscles from growing
 
Oooo I've just put one on under my new saddle :).
Jaes got a bit of muscle wastage behind his right shoulder from his old saddle so it just helps to fill the gap in a bit.
Tbh my saddler said if a saddle fits well it shouldn't need anything under it other then a thin cotton pad to protect the leather but he was happy for me to use the sheepskin if I want as it's not a very thick one and it absorbs sweat :).
I would never have used one under my old saddle as it was too narrow as it is! I think the worst thing to do is put a thick pad under a well fitting saddle. If a saddle is slightly too wide however a thick pad can be used untill the horse has filled out.
Jae doesn't really need his sheepskin but I may keep it on untill his shoulder is a bit bigger, it's also comfy and looks nice. Like I said it's not a thick one.

Showjumpers use them under CC saddles because often the CC saddles aren't flocked and are filled with foam instead. Foam isn't as comfortable or moulding as wool flocking so it just protects the horses back and gives a layer of cushioning. SJ's often use the same saddle on different horses as well :).
 
i used to ride my mare with just a sheepskin half pad - she was awkward shaped and the halfpad gave some support under the saddle but left the flaps free to allow better contact with her (helped prevent it going forward to).

I use a Nuumed HiWither Pro Plus numnah now - it has the extra padding under the saddle 'built in' and they wash like a dream!
http://www.nuumed.com/products3.html
 
My saddler tells me the best thing is to only ride with a very thin saddlecloth/numnah, but I have my saddles fitted to each specific horse. I would only use a sheepskin if the saddle was too wide for a certain horse or if the saddle had been fitted with it.

When/if mine start jumping beefy fences I will ask him to fit my saddles with them under as I prefer the extra padding under the horses back when jumping just to stop and bruising/bangs etc.
 
My saddle fits perfectly without it, but just as well with both underneath as it is synthetic. The numnah is against his skin to keep the irritation away from the saddle and the sheepskin, because the sheepskin rubs on him and irritates him. He looks fashionable and comfortable at the same time.
 
I have used them both for the same reason as some of you....on a young horse without much muscle. Then he started playing up and I realised he had muscled up without me noticing:o

He's down to plain old numnah now but I'll hang onto the pads in case he loses some over winter etc.

( I have in the past got a horse from a narrow to a wide fitting using slightly too wide saddles and padding out until they develop- he wasn't a youngster but an oldie with muscle wastage)
 
I got a new saddle as previous was badly fitting and has caused muscle wastage either side if his withers

But if I got a saddle that fitted closely then, in 3 months I would need to change again as he would have built up muscle

So put a sheepskin underneath it now it fits fine but horse prefers his sheepskin as he is sensitive and saddler says it's ok
 
I used to like having a sheepskin under my saddle as I thought it would be more comfy for the horse. However, my saddler pointed out that a well fitted and properly flocked saddle should be comfortable for the horse in it's own right.

She was happy for me to use a thin saddle cloth (just to keep saddle clean), but banned the sheepskin as she said it was like having handmade shoes, and then wearing extra thick socks! ie the sheepskin would make the saddle too tight for him.
 
Paint Me Proud said:
i used to ride my mare with just a sheepskin half pad - she was awkward shaped and the halfpad gave some support under the saddle but left the flaps free to allow better contact with her (helped prevent it going forward to).

I use a Nuumed HiWither Pro Plus numnah now - it has the extra padding under the saddle 'built in' and they wash like a dream!
http://www.nuumed.com/products3.html
Click to expand...

Ditto the Nuumed ... I looked into alot of options for my boy after 2years off after Pelvic fracture and not much topline , the numnah with half wool is fantastic , expensive , but it does the job brill. and washes and washes and washes . Sheep "skin" I found got soggy and didnt wash well and was never quite right . Im sure the old sheep"skins" were great but I havent found a new good one yet . Have a look at the Nuumed website and you'll see why they are so good .
 
deicinmerlyn said:
Similar topic; why do people not put the sheepskin next to the horses skin but have a saddlecloth on first?
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A lot of horses don't like the sheepskin next to their skin and the same with wool. I recently rode my horse in a wool one for the first time and its the first and only time she has bronced with me. I put it on as the saddle is slightly too wide, but as soon as I changed it back to her cotton one she was absolutely fine.
 
nuumed are brilliant. We have a sheepskin we use everyday (fitted with the saddle as his back is sensitive) and in the summer it gets washed at least once a week and it looks no different apart from maybe slight fading. Fully recommend them!
 
Right.... I am a total convert now!! I have gone from having a horse that would step away when he saw the saddle coming and flinch on doing the girth (having to adjust one hole at a time) to this morning, happily standing to have his pinky pad and Mr.Fluffy half pad on under the new Jessica :)

Thanks for all the replies.. as always HHO providing excellent advice!
 
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