Saddlepads & Cinches

There is such a variety of saddlepads and cinches available today. Which are good? Which should be avoided? Below I have listed various types of pad and cinches and have tried to describe them in a way which I hope will help you make the right choice.

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Saddlepads

Equi-Pads and Classic Equine ESP Pads contain a high-density, slow recovery foam. They are of a uniform thickness all the way through the pad so are best suited to saddles that fit really well. The Equi-Pad was pressure tested alongside a large number of other types of pad, and came out very well for distributing shock and pressure, as long as the saddle fitted well. The Classic Equine pad also tested well.

Pro-Correction Pad is very useful as a temporary solution to a saddle that is too wide at the shoulder. For example, when fitting a saddle to a young horse that you expect to grow you may use this pad so you can fit a saddle that is a little too wide allowing for growing room over the shoulder. It should not be believed that this pad (or any other pad) can be used to make a truly ill-fitting saddle fit.

Western Suberpad is very useful on certain horses who have muscle atrophy or have a one-sided musculature. The little cork beads will fill in the gaps, whilst stimulating the muscles and therefore encouraging circulation to the back. This in turn should help the atrophied muscles to regenerate and build. The saddle may need to be fitted slightly wider to allow for use of this pad.

Mattes Sheepskin Saddle pad is a fantastic pad for use where subtle shimming is necessary and also for horses that have very sensitive backs.

Navajo Pony Pad is a small pad designed to go with the childs western saddle.

Non-Slip Trainer Pad is useful on the few horses whose conformation is such that every saddle slips. Please note that the majority of treed saddles slip because the bars are not wide enough for the horse, or the horse has another fitting issue, but this is not always the case.

NRHA Reining Pad has been added to give the customer a cheaper alternative. Please note that this pad has a felt filling and therefore is not the best material for long-term shock absorption and weight distribution. If there are any pressure points on the saddle they will cause the felt to become denser in those areas and therefore lose the shock absorbing capabilities. Over time the felt will condense therefore reducing shock absorption. The Equi-Pad is a much better pad, will last much longer and be more comfortable for your horse too.

Cinches

Synthetic fleece cinches are the cheapest you can buy and are a good bargain cinch. They tend o cause few roblems with rubbing, but do not retain their fluffiness for that long. They can be washed but are not as easy to care for as neoprene. If the saddle is at all prone to slipping a fleece cinch will not help with stability.

Genuine sheepskin cinches are the most comfortable you can buy for your horse. They have a very deep pile that stays plush for a long time. They absorb sweat well. Two makes are sold by TWS - they are made by Continental Saddles or Mattes Equestrian (which comes in colour and style choices). The Mattes Equestrian cinches come in different styles to accomodate different shapes of girth groove. They also come in a wide range of colours. They can be washed but are not as easy to care for as neoprene. If the saddle is at all prone to slipping a fleece cinch will not help with stability.

Felt cinches are made from 100% wool felt and are a comfortable cinch. The make I sell is made by Weaver. They are a good mid-range cinch as wool as good natural wicking properties. They can be washed but are not as easy to care for as neoprene.

Mohair string cinches suit some horses, but not all. Some find them very comfortable, some will not. It has been known for string cinches to cause girth galls. The string cinches I sell are 36 string (which is a good, high string count). The more strings there are the more comfortable it is for the horse. They are made by Weaver.

Leather cinches are comfortable for many horses. Leather is easy to clean. The leather cinches I sell are made by Barefoot and are padded.

Neoprene cinches are widely used. They are very easy to keep clean and can offer good grip. If the saddle moves or the horse is sensitive to neoprene it can cause sores. Horses get very hot under neoprene as it does not breathe. I would use a neoprene cinch as a last resort.