As a Physiotherapist I treat many horses for back pain due to poor fitting saddles. Many riders do not use a saddle pad because they think it is not necessary. The withers are often crushed and the gullet is often too narrow. Pressure is constant for the poor horse. Bad behavior is the result. The horse is so often blamed and punished. Look at your saddle and fit a good absorbing saddle pad every ride you ride.
With so many saddle pads on the market it is difficult to choose a product that is what you want.
As a Physiotherapist and an elite horse rider I look for the following in a saddle pad
- Function, it must reduce pressure areas under the saddle and lift the gullet off the horses back.
- It must absorb pressure to reduce the horses back pain
- Non slip, it must not slide out the back of the saddle, or slip sideways
- Size, it must fit under the seat and the front or the saddle evenly
- Weight, not too heavy
- Material, vinyl is my favorite
- Ease to put on,
- Ease to store, tolerates dust and damp,
- Ease to clean, a must
- Price, who wants to pay a fortune
- It must last and not wear out with use (At least a few years)
The Air step saddle pad it the choice for me and my horses. I have been using this saddle pad for a few years now and it fulfills all of the above features.
This saddle pad can be ordered to be made to size or ordered as a standard size.
Check it out at Horse riding equipment, specialists in braces for riders and horses.
