From: Kim Hedrich
Hi Jessica I am enjoying reading your answers to questions, but I have one of my own that I haven't seen listed yet.
Could you please outline what to look for in a saddle blanket? Brand names are not much good to me because they may not be available where I am. What I need is any tests you can do to see if a saddle blanket is suitable for my needs.
I will be using a synthetic saddle. I have heard (and read) that saddle blankets with padding will absorb sweat and then squeeze it back onto the horse's back. Is this true?
Do you have suggestions for alternative saddle blankets, instead of commercial brands? For example, cotton blankets? Woollen blankets? Home made saddle blanket?
Thanks for any help you can give me.
Kim National Library of Australia
First, for all those readers who are wondering about the difference between a saddle PAD and a saddle BLANKET, here's the explanation:
A saddle PAD is usually made of several layers, either of the same fabric or of different ones, sometimes several different ones.
A saddle BLANKET is a single piece of material.
And just to confuse the issue, there are special-purpose pads designed to raise the back of the saddle or the entire saddle, and these are generally made from open- or closed-cell foam... not fabric at all, and not layered -- and pommel pads are traditionally knitted (fabric)!
People buy saddle pads for three reasons: to keep their saddles clean, to protect their horses' backs, and to look good at competitions.
A truly well-fitting saddle doesn't need a pad -- the pad is for the convenience of the person who cleans the saddle! If a pad is there only to keep the underside of the saddle clean, anything will do, even an inexpensive or home-made thin cotton pad -- as long as it stays in place and doesn't wrinkle.
Whatever pad you buy, you will want it to stay in place, either because of its shape or material, or because it has billet and girth straps, or perhaps pockets to hold the saddle flaps. A pad that shifts and wrinkles is worse than no pad at all.
Pads can help protect a horse's back, but there are two things you should know about your SADDLE before you buy a new pad.
1) If your saddle fits, you should use the minimum amount of padding that will keep your saddle clean. A saddle that fits well is like a shoe that fits well -- if your shoes are comfortable, you can quickly make them UNCOMFORTABLE by wearing them with too-thick socks, or with several pairs of socks. A stack of pads -- and you see this quite often: a square pad, a fleece pad, a gel or closed-cell foam pad, and then the saddle! -- can make a comfortable saddle too tight, at which point it will become VERY uncomfortable for the horse.
2) If your saddle does NOT fit, you can SOMETIMES make temporary adjustments by using pads, but it's not a long-term solution. If the saddle is too wide for the horse, you can sometimes improve the saddle fit by adding a thick pad. But if the saddle is too narrow, or if it rubs the horse's withers, the answer is a different saddle.
Bump pads, riser pads:
If the back of your saddle is too low, and you find yourself sitting on the cantle, you won't be able to ride correctly -- you will always be behind your leg. Also, your horse will be very uncomfortable, since this position puts all of your weight onto a small area at the back of the saddle. There are some things you can do about this problem:
1) Check the saddle position! When the saddle is in the correct position, the lowest part should be in the middle of the saddle, not the back. But if your saddle is too far forward, it will tilt backward and the cantle will be the lowest part. Moving the saddle back to where it ought to sit is a simple change -- and it's free! Check your saddle from the side before you mount.
2) If the saddle is a new one, the pommel will be a little high at first, until the saddle is broken in and the panels settle and conform to the horse. When it's broken in, the pommel will be about an inch lower than the cantle. But if the pommel is higher than the cantle, or level with the cantle, and the saddle is NOT new, then it doesn't fit or isn't adjusted correctly (see above).
3) Bump pads and riser pads, any sort of pad designed to lift the cantle, do NOT solve any problems, and they can cause serious problems of their own. If you lift the rear of a saddle, the front of the saddle comes down, and can put pressure on the horse's withers and possibly even his spine (if the channel is a little, or a lot, too wide for the horse). If you use a bump pad while you are breaking in a new saddle, that's a suitable, temporary use for this sort of pad. If you use it to try to bring up the back of a saddle that is too wide for the horse, or that really needs re-stuffing, you will hurt your horse.
Pad Materials:
Many people prefer to use pads made from natural fibers (cotton, hair, and wool). Sheepskin is a traditional material for pads, and for good reason -- hair and wool pads are generally springy, absorb sweat, and allow the horse's back to breathe. Denser pads will generally absorb more, and slip less. The traditional cowboy Navajo blanket, made from woven wool, protects the horse's back and absorbs sweat.
Cotton pads are usually quilted. Quilting helps cotton pads retain their shape -- this is why cotton pads with MORE quilting (smaller squares or diamonds) tend to be more expensive than those with less quilting.
Synthetic fleece -- imitation skeepskin made from acrylic or polyester -- is easily washed and dried, and quite durable, but doesn't absorb moisture. Pads made from "fake fleece" can make a horse's back hot. They also tend to mat, although "hospital fleece" is more springy and less likely to mat than other types.
Foam pads are popular, either as slabs of foam with detachable cloth covers, or as foam centers between layers of fabric in layered pads. These are perhaps the least comfortable for the horse, as they make the horse's back hot and absorb but don't dissipate sweat -- this creates a hot, heavy, wet layer against the horse's back.
Some combination pads can be useful and comfortable -- a fabric top with an underlayer of wool or felt, for instance, can be comfortable for the horse as it both absorbs and breathes. Some combination pads can minimize the disadvantages of foam by providing a lining to wick the moisture away from the horse, a foam center for cushioning, and a top layer made of felt, which pulls the moisture from the foam and allows it to dissipate into the air.
Two recent developments are interesting: in addition to the conventional, heavy gel pads, there are now new versions made from gel-latex foam. These cushion the horse's back and absorb concussion as well as the heavier pads, but they also breathe well and are very light. I know I haven't mentioned brands, but the Weaver Leather Co. makes a truly excellent pad called Weaver-Lite -- it offers all the protection of heavy gel, but for only 20% of the weight in a machine-washable shaped pad that stays off the horse's spine!
The other recent development is the use of polarfleece as material for saddle pads and saddle blankets. It's absorbent, wicks well, and is comfortable and springy even when wet, so if it proves to be durable as well, this may be the new trend in pads.
Pads for Showing
If you show in hunter classes, you'll want a fleecy pad that outlines your saddle. If you ride Western, the Navajo blanket is always in style. If your preference is for dressage or eventing, the currently fashionable items are larger, square pads. For eventing, these pads are often trimmed or piped with "your" colors -- which coordinate with your horse's boots, your shirt and body protector, and your helmet cover. You'll need to distinguish between fashion and utility -- one is fun, the other can affect your horse's comfort and your own. Your horse will appreciate it if you purchase a shaped pad that follows the contours of his back, especially if he has high withers. Beware of large square pads that aren't shaped -- a horse's back rises sharply before the saddle, less sharply behind it, and a good pad should reflect this configuration. Such pads require more material and workmanship, and will cost more, but they are worth it. A pad cut from a square of material will be less expensive, but will be likely to work down and rub your horse's withers. And don't forget that you CAN layer pads -- that thin, pretty "show" pad can be placed OVER an absorbent, non-slip pad that goes directly on the horse's back. Your horse will be more comfortable and your show pad will stay cleaner.
Many saddle pads are a triumph of marketing over common sense! If you want a velvet pad with your monogram on it, you can get it. If you want colorful schooling pads or eventing pads, you can get them. If you want a gel pad, or a sheepskin pad, or seven pads with the days of the week embroidered on them, you can get them. As long as the pad you buy keeps your saddle clean and doesn't make your horse uncomfortable, you should be able to get whatever strikes your fancy. Buy what you please, spend what you can afford, but always bear in mind that the saddle is designed to fit the horse without a lot of wobbling padding in between, and that saddle-fit problems must be solved by changing saddles or restuffing the one you have, not by "padding up."
When you DO shop for pads, think about protection, absorbency, ventilation, quality of construction, and durability. Whether the pad is made from cotton, wool, or manmade fibers, look for smooth material with no puckers or lumps or hard spots. When you've selected the pad that suits your horse and saddle and your style of riding, don't forget to pull it well up into the saddle gullet -- you want the pad to "breathe", and you don't want the horse's spine to have any pressure from the saddle pushing the down.
And one more thing before you buy a pad -- don't forget to find out how easy it will be to clean! Machine-washable pads and pad covers are a great convenience. ;-)
Jessica
Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE is a free, subscriber-supported electronic Q&A email newsletter which deals with all aspects of horses, their management, riding, and training. For more information, please visit www.horse-sense.org
Please visit Jessica Jahiel: Holistic Horsemanship® [www.jessicajahiel.com] for more information on Jessica Jahiel's clinics, video lessons, phone consultations, books, articles, columns, and expert witness and litigation consultant services.