Saddle pads to improve saddle fit?

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horsecrazychick

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Dec 23, 2004
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Ok, first off I do realize that the best solution to this is to buy a new saddle that fits perfectly, but I don't have the money to do that. I have an adjustable gullet, so I can alter the fit quite a bit. However my horse is just slightly downhill and the saddle is really tilting down in front, putting more pressure in the front. I need a pad that is really thick in front but not over the withers or in back, and will really absorb shock/distribute the wight evenly. If such a thing exists. :rolleyes: Please help me out here!
 
What about a Suber pad? They are full of little cork bits so I imagine would fluff up where you needed it and even out the saddle. Not seen one but I think there is a thread on here somewhere if you do a search.
 
The only thing I think really works for that is the Korrektor which is filled with air bags you adjust to get a level fit. Reason being that as soon as you get something thick in front but not behind, chances are it will be done in a way that gives you a line where the thick and thin parts meet. And that gives pressure points. With the air bags they overlap and you don't get that line - it ends up being graduated. Very difficult to reproduce by another method without having something specially made. No idea if it's available in the US though.
 
yeah I agree that the korrector pads look like they're really good. But they're $240, and my saddle only cost $300 something... So that won't work unless I can find one that's used or something really similar but cheaper. Looks like most of them are in the UK though. Any opinions on the Mattes correction pads? I bid on one of those but I probably won't get it since I'm bidding $15 and the others are selling for $100. lol.
 
I had a Wintec adjustable on Pink, which's balance was terrible (very down hill). I had to make her a pad to lift it. I got a non-slip pad and chopped off the front half of a normal Wintec schooling pad (even thickness all the way along type) and stuck it too the front of the non-slip pad. I had to very careful about psoitioning it before I stuck it and I had to shave the edge really well so that it had a smooth taper off so it didn't dig in. However, it worked really well and the saddle was very impressed :D . Then I got fed up of the saddle slipping all the time and got a new one :rolleyes:

The problem with putting padding under the saddle to raise it is that you make the gullet narrower and cause it to nip. It's hard to raise the front without doing that and you usually have to put a slightly too wide gullet in to compensate. That applies to a Korrector pad too. The WORSE thing you could ever do to a too narrow saddle is out lots of padding under it. Unfortunaly, it's very common as the owner thinks - 'oo, I'll make it nice and soft for them.
 
The pad you made sounds very creative but... a little too confusing for me. hehe. I found just a plain foam riser on the Mary's site so I'm going to go down to Mary's tomorrow and see if they have it. If not I might order it. It's only $30, and it's made for raising the front of a wintec saddle so I think it might work well. It's thick in front and appears to get thinner gradually towards the back so I don't think it has any edges or anything that will create pressure points. If I find the right pad, do you think that will stop the saddle from sliding forward?
 
reflocking may help with this, i had a similar prob with my gfs show jumper luckily i had another saddle to use in the meantime, it just needed narrowing as shadow had lost weight, perhaps if you get a saddle fitter out he may be able to adjust it or suggest something to help you, the adjustment of my saddle only cost £20 and fits perfect again now!!!
Also prolite front riser would do the job, i have one of them and use it all the time coz u can adjust it!!! also thorowgood to a numnah which is about the pressure points think its the thorowgood conform and you buy the numnah to fit the shape of your horse, eg tb, wb etc!!!
 
get a new saddle (i know you said you don't have the money, but ditch the saddle and ride bareback til you can afford a new one). is it really worth risking damaging your horses back? you will end up paying out more in vet/physio bills than you would on a saddle when its wrecked your horses back.
 
Yeah I'm thinking about selling the saddle. and my western saddle too. Maybe the problem is that I get attached to my tack. Rofl I'm such a loser. Anyway I feel terrible because the chiropractic came out and the horse is really sore, most likely from the saddle. so I'm going to end up broke paying for chiropractic things anyway. Who inveneted saddles?! I need to have a word with them! I most definitely would ride bareback everyday except that I ride in pony club, gymkhanas, shows, etc and can't exactly ride bareback in those I have to get used to a saddle. Anyway, I did buy a wintec riser pad but i might take it back. What if there are no edges, it's all tapered and flatd own the whole spine, but it doesn't go down to the saddle flap(it's like the size of a jump wedge) does that create an edge that hurts the horse? Just where the pad stops on the horse's side? I'm so confused now. Geez and a saddle fitter even told me that if I got an adjustable saddle I'd be able to make it fit.
 
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