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

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. I sell more of this pad than any other due to its versatility.

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. This is a brilliant pad and is the most versatile out of all the pads. I have had a lot of success with this pad and also sell a lot of these.

Acavallo Saddle Pads are a non-toxic, anallergic saddle pad made from medical soft gel. The pad is elastic and washable. It does not absorb sweat. The pad can be used directly ont he horses back and works to eliminate slipping and is a shock absorber. This is reputed to be one of the best anti-slip pads on the market.

Professionals Choice Pads are probably the one of the most famous brands.Most have a Navajo blankek top, and a merino wool underside. They are breathable, pressure-distributing and absorb shock well.

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.

5Star Pads are considered to be the world's finest all-natural 100% wool pad. They are designed to fit the shape of the horse (or mule's) back. These are made from top quality 100% wool felt.

Diamond Wool Pads are a good quality wool felt pad. There are many different shapes and designs including show pads.

Cinches

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. The Mattes Equestrian cinches come in different styles to accomodate different shapes of girth groove. They also come in a wide range of colours. Sternum injuries are commonly seen due to overtightening of the cinch. If you do up your cinch tight, Mattes make an asymmetrical cinch that is the best cinch to use as it distributes the pressure over a larger area over the sternum - so will definitiely help reduce the incidence of injury. They can be washed but are not as easy to care for as neoprene. Since I started selling these cinches - they have quickly become the most popular cinch I sell.

Synthetic fleece cinches are the cheapest you can buy and are a good bargain cinch. They don't tend to cause problems 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.

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 has 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.

Neoprene cinches are widely used. They are very easy to keep clean and some 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. Neoprene should only be used for short periods of time due to it restricting the skins breathability. I would use a neoprene cinch as a last resort.