what do people use under their saddle and why?

[nikkimariet]

Mostly thin quilted, my saddles are fitted this way. Nova has a half pad too as he is growing and using Figs saddle for now.

I love matchy so I have rather a few. They're £ but I love the PS of Sweden stuff, the pads just don't move (plus wear well and don't rub). And with a sharp horse and a sometimes sharp 3yo it's important that nothing slips!!!

 

[Asha]

Mostly thin quilted, my saddles are fitted this way. Nova has a half pad too as he is growing and using Figs saddle for now.

I love matchy so I have rather a few. They're £ but I love the PS of Sweden stuff, the pads just don't move (plus wear well and don't rub). And with a sharp horse and a sometimes sharp 3yo it's important that nothing slips!!!

I have a PS of Sweden pad , most expensive one I’ve bought , but it gets used the most and washes so well. Gorgeous pad .

 

[Ceriann]

I'm currently usinga PE half lined square pad - she doesn't sweat in it and I like the idea of the additional weight dispersion. In summer I tend to use the thinner square pads - my Lemieux GP pad moves which is annoying! I have a Lemieux sheepskin half pad which I have to tide us over if needed before saddler comes but have t used it to date!

 

[Alibear]

And now I'm confused as I've just ordered what's advertised as a medical grade lamb skin pad? CHRIST Lammfelle is the make.

 

[pansymouse]

Merino lambskin is shorter and a finer staple than proper sheepskin from a grown sheep, it will wick less (ie the volume of water it can hold, possibly even the rate at which is can absorb) and spread pressure less because of that. Lambskin is not used medically.
.

Merino is a long wool sheep so would clearly have to be trimmed for pad use. I'm still not convinced on the superior wicking qualities of lambskin; I will consult my fellow spinners and sheep experts to see what they think.

 

[amandaco2]

Not read all responses but I usually use a horse under my saddle (sorry too tempting!!)

 

[SpottyMare]

It's probably lambskin which won't wick in the same way as sheepskin, but it may say more about the construction of the pad overall, I have no idea. But medical grade sheepskin is successful in preventing bedsores in big part because it draws heat away. The Mattes pads that I stock will show less sweat under them than a cotton pad.

I bought a western saddle off ebay and when I went to pick it up the seller very kindly decided to include her mattes pad. I'd never heard of them, but am now a convert as the horse seems to love it. It does seem to wick away sweat much better than any of the pads I use under english saddles (thin cotton quilted), but the saddles fit too well to put anything thicker underneath...

 

[sbloom]

And now I'm confused as I've just ordered what's advertised as a medical grade lamb skin pad? CHRIST Lammfelle is the make.

If it's medical grade then you're all good, the Germans use the lammfell which seems to be interchangeable between sheep and lambskin.

 

[ycbm]

ON another note what I didn't say is that you should always make sure that your sheepskin pad is not only made in one piece (some have seams in which you do not want as you can imagine) and also it should really be made symmetrically from the sheep, with each panel cut from either side of the centre line, so they match as closely as possible in structure, direction of hair growth etc. Cheaper ones will be cut with more than two panels coming from each sheepskin and not be symmetrical, and you can see why a good sheepskin pad is expensive.

I took a cheap half pad apart once and it was made up of at least seventy tiny pieces sewn together.

I'm with the Nuumed half wool people. I started using them because some horses can feel the airbag overlap in WOW saddles, and I like the sweat absorption properties.

I hate the amount of hair that gets into the washing machine and having to bag them to wash them. But I think I have found a cure after a friend recommended me to use a Velcro brush after every use.

 

[catkin]

I took a cheap half pad apart once and it was made up of at least seventy tiny pieces sewn together.

I had a not-so-cheap brand-name one with seams!!!! Not good.

I use either a plain old sheepskin or a mattes pad if I want a thin one.
IIRC the mattes pads have a thin layer of felt rather than foam in the quilting?

 

[claracanter]

I use one of these

https://www.amirashop.co.uk/acatalo...-Lambskin-Underlay-AE561821.html#.WfrbWa2cbVo

with a light numnah over the top.

Why do half pads go between saddle and saddle cloth, surely horse doesn't get the benefit of the lambskin or sheepskin that way?

 

[sbloom]

I had a not-so-cheap brand-name one with seams!!!! Not good.

I use either a plain old sheepskin or a mattes pad if I want a thin one.
IIRC the mattes pads have a thin layer of felt rather than foam in the quilting?

IMO all the best numnahs have a thin layer of felt, I think I probably already said (as I am want to do ) that they should almost be able to stand up on their own.

And I agree with you claracanter, sheepskin only has limited shock absorption qualities, it does spread pressure, but a huge amount of the benefit is the heat dissipation, including sweat. So yes, having a cotton pad under is a complete waste and seems to simply mean people can use more matchy matchy and not have the hassle of washing a sheepskin (by the way, use leather wash people, sheepskin is leather, not just wool).

Mattes make a complete system - half pad with no upper trim, and a square to go over the top that has the trim around the saddle, they can be clipped together AND attached to the saddle, so very stable. Personally I recommend half lined pads and numnahs, or the use of a half pad alone.

 

[catkin]

IMO all the best numnahs have a thin layer of felt, I think I probably already said (as I am want to do ) that they should almost be able to stand up on their own.

Which ones are made with felt? - how do we find out? (I'm already the customer-from-hell as I ask so many questions........). I'm happy with the ones I've got but they will wear out and be nice to have some ideas when I get round to replacing them.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

As a child most of our numnahs were made of felt. Similar to the kind that go under western saddles but in a numnah shape rather than a square pad. I have a friend who still uses them on her horses as she prefers them to modern fabrics.

 

[Alibear]

If it's medical grade then you're all good, the Germans use the lammfell which seems to be interchangeable between sheep and lambskin.

Phew thanks for answering, hopefully it will work out OK then.

 

[DD]

a cheapo cotton numnah coz its easier to chuck that in the washing machine than keep cleaning the underneath of my saddle.
#

 

[pansymouse]

My saddle fitter recommends natural fibres and as thin as possible; I use cotton just to protect the underside of my saddle which is wool serge from sweat.

Just a note on felt - it must be wool felt which is not cheap and is hard to get hold of. I'm going to make myself a felt numnah this winter (as well as a bespoke hackamore bridle...) - good job it's too dark to ride in the evening or I won't have time to sleep

 

[sbloom]

Which ones are made with felt? - how do we find out? (I'm already the customer-from-hell as I ask so many questions........). I'm happy with the ones I've got but they will wear out and be nice to have some ideas when I get round to replacing them.

If they have felt inside then they are stiff...hence the stand up on their own comments. I stock Mattes, I think HKM are stiff, Keiffer always used to be, there will be others.

Again I'd recommend any of you looking at materials for shock absorption under saddles, which after all is the main reason we'd use something other than just a thin cotton numnah, to look at The Truth Tack Review on YouTube.

 

[MuffettMischief]

I really like the look on the new Husk saddle pads. My mare gets really hot very quickly (hot headed!) and she lathers up under her poly pad on a warm day!

 

[Reacher]

I have a Nuumed half lined wool and also a full lined. On the basis they are wicking without adding bulk and wash easily.
Also have Nuumed wool girth cover, horse is starting to look like Del Boy !

 

[nikkimariet]

I have a PS of Sweden pad , most expensive one I’ve bought , but it gets used the most and washes so well. Gorgeous pad .

Same! Out of all my matchy I would always keep my PS pads