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PamB
27 Jul 2009 07:20
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Hi, I was wondering if anyone can advise on the best saddle pads/numnahs and where I can purchase them. My horse is quite high witherered but barrel ribbed so I am currently riding him in a treeless dresssage saddle as saddle fitting had become a complete nightmare. My only prob is that my current numnah and saddle pad end up lying flat across his withers and I'm just concerned about pressure in this area. I would idealy like to know where I could get a good quality saddle pad that would offer clearance over the withers. Any help would be great!
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Horse Hero Guru
10 Aug 2009 00:52
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I’m sorry that I cannot recommend a numnah to put under your saddle, and can only suggest that you look at the ones other people are using and, when you see one you like, ask them where they got it.
I would like to ask why do you feel that you need one? The only real reason for using a numnahs is because everyone else does.
The traditional reason for using one is to correct a badly fitting saddle or to protect the saddle lining from getting wet or dirty, particularly if the saddle lining was made of cotton or serge. With a leather saddle lining, cleaning is easy.
If your saddle was fitted to your horse I am sure that the saddle fitter did not fit it with a numnah underneath. By using a saddle pad or numnah you are altering the fit of the saddle and are preventing airflow under the saddle. It is just like putting on a thick pair of socks inside shoes that you tried on with thin socks. The shoes no longer fit and neither does your saddle!
I suggest that you ditch your numnah and then you will not have to worry about it pressing on your horse’s withers (and your washing machine will last longer too!)
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DressageSpain
10 Aug 2009 08:08
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I would never ever use a saddle without a saddlecloth. Very bad form, even if the saddle does fit well, it helps to stop rubbing and gives an extra layer of protection for the back, which in dressage is important.
I do only dressage and have been through - believe me - nearly every make there is. It is a matter of personal taste but for me, the ones I like the best are ones to not lie flat are the ones that are extremely square, and that when lying flat, you can see that there is a raised/shaped part for the withers. This type will have less chance of lying flat against the wither.
Also, make sure that the pad is big enough, some cheaper makes are too small and therefore pull the pad down.
I currently use Isabell Werth and RTS Sportline pads as honest to god you can wash them to death and they last and last!! Mine have been used for about 2 years, and still look great!
Cheap saddlecloths are false economy!
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PamB
16 Aug 2009 09:40
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Thanks for your comments. The reason I always use a pad of some description is that my horse changes shape at least once a year, usually from summer to winter depending on work load and grazing etc. Therefore when I used a saddle with a tree (which I never found one to fit him totally correctly even through a saddle fitter)there were times when it seemed looser/tighter on him. As you can appreciate, short of changing my saddle every 6 months or so, there was no other way around it than to use a pad of some description. I was forced to change saddles again when his saddle became too tight.
I took the option to try a treesless dressage saddle which seems to fit him well and obviously changes with his shape. However, as he is relatively high withered and barrel ribbed, I just want to make sure that I make him as comfortable as possible so as not to create any problems. My tressless saddle, due to the material used to make it, requires that I use a saddle pad/numnah.
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Horse Hero Guru
16 Aug 2009 21:05
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Hi Pam
The best people to recommend a numnah suitable for your treeless saddle are probably the makers of the saddle. They will know from experience which numnahs are least likely to be pushed down on to your horse’s withers and spine when their saddle is being used.
I agree that a numnah is a useful tool if your horse changes shape more often than you are prepared to have your saddle adjusted to him. You are also right to be concerned about the pressure caused by a numnah on your horse’s spine and withers. This is a common cause of back problems.
Obviously since a numnah is only a shaped bit of padding and has nothing holding it in to the gullet of the saddle it is going to be pushed down as your horse and you move. Perhaps it is time for someone to invent a way of fixing a numnah so that it is held up to prevent this problem. Perhaps this is my chance to make a fortune!!
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PamB
18 Aug 2009 16:09
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Thanks again. I agree - what a lucrative business idea - go for it and I will be your first customer!!
I bought a Skito pad as recommended by the saddle makers. It is an excellent pad which isnt quite memory foam but absorbs the weight placed on it without creating pressure points if that makes sense. But again I feel that it sits tight across the withers. I was thinking of trying a high wither numnah which has some stiffness/contouring in that area....???
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Horse Hero Guru
18 Aug 2009 17:17
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But won't that be defeating the whole object - you will be using a treeless saddle with a tree'd numnah!
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DressageSpain
19 Aug 2009 07:56
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Here's a thought, is there no way that you can attach a piece of velcro to the saddle and to the saddlecloth to hold that part up?
Bit of blue peter styling mght work? unless the saddle is made of leather and you can't.
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Louise Bell
19 Aug 2009 09:18
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Hi Pam,I always use a cloth square with a Stephens fluff pad and all my saddles fit my horses it is just comfortable for me and my horses,but I will say if you can go the extra mile try an Amerigo saddle. I have never had any trouble with rubbing or bad fit and the horses movement changes from strength to strength. And I feel for you as you have been sold things that don't fit. Amerigo saddle fitters are mostly riders themselves which makes a huge difference. But try what I use you never know it might help.
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pepper93
02 Sep 2009 16:21
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I think you can get saddle pads to buy separately along with your treeless saddle, but look in catalogues as there is usually high wither saddle cloths in them.
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catrin
03 Sep 2009 11:03
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What type of treeless saddle do you have? Some brands do have their own range which would probably be best.
Otherwise I find the kieffer cloths the best, they are cut very generously over the wither & are a stiff material so stay sat up in the channel of the saddle. Only downside is they are quite expensive (£30-40) & you can only fit 1 in a washing machine at a time.
The HKM dressage cloths are also cut very well & are a lighter weigh cotton. They cost £15-£18 & come in lots of lovely colours with matching polo bandages.
My two hanoverian boys are built very uphill but have a lot of TB blood so are quite narrow as well so I'm a bit obsessive about well cut saddle cloths to give their withers clearance & have tried loads of different brands (my tackroom is better stocked than the average tack shop!) & these two brands are the best in my opinion!
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xxxx
11 Oct 2009 15:26
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We have a very gentle sensitive thoroghbred mare with the most amazing natural paces but she is short in the back, barrel bodied (post operation)and has an incredibly high wither that is also long and disappears under the saddle. After having a saddle made which was useless and trying every highriser and combination of numnahs and sheepskins to protect her wither we finally found a cut back keiffer dressage saddle combined with a Acavallo gel pad from horseheath.co.uk this has worked wonders nothing slips or rubs and she moves like a dream.
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Archierider
25 Oct 2009 23:17
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"Hi
I was wondering if anyone can advise on the best saddle pads/numnahs and where I can purchase them. My horse is quite high witherered but barrel ribbed so I am currently riding him in a treeless dresssage saddle as saddle fitting had become a complete nightmare. My only prob is that my current numnah and saddle pad end up lying flat across his withers and I'm just concerned about pressure in this area.
I would idealy like to know where I could get a good quality saddle pad that would offer clearance over the withers.
Any help would be great!"
I have had just this problem with my horse again a tb with barrel rib cage. After much trial and error with saddles and physio we are now in an Amerigo saddle - the only saddle they had which fitted and underneath I have a sheepskin numnah with a clear channel along the spine - I got it from Robert Lemieux - Horse Health products - seems to do the job really well.
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