Sheila Merrill Belzil
equinesolutions@canada.com
Merrill Equine Solutions
Saddle Fitting Articles
Saddle Pad versus Saddle Blanket
A Saddle Pad can be and is usually made in layers.
Sometimes the same material is used throughout...
the entire construction of the pad.
Sometimes different materials are used
in the construction of the pad.
A Saddle Blanket on the other hand, is a simple piece of material.
Now that we understand the most basic difference between...
Pads and Blankets,
let me add that...
a perfectly fitted saddle does not require a pad or a blanket.
Unfortunately many of us do not have a perfectly fitted saddle.
And with that said, even if the saddle fits perfectly in the summer,
it may not by mid-winter...
because our horses and we are often changing shape...
according to the regularity and degree of our activity sessions...
according to diet and also according to age.
It only makes sense.
We have all experienced such changes in body shape...
and you may draw on your personal wardrobe dilemma as a good example.
The Saddle Pad was originally designed to help keep a saddle clean.
People now buy pads for protection to their horse’s back
or to adjusting fit...
Pads are also used...
to keep their saddle clean or for appeal in competitions.
If you are purchasing a pad
solely for keeping your saddle clean
and your saddle has been recently tested
and has been proven to fit perfectly...
there are a couple of things you need to consider.
First, make sure it is indeed a thin protective pad;
because if your saddle is already a perfect fit...
and you add thick or multiple pads between your horse and your saddle
you only achieve to make the fit tighter.
Result: your perfect fit is terminated.
Don’t allow your pad to wrinkle under the saddle,
as this brings much discomfort to your partner.
Purchase a pad that has billet and girth straps,
as they are great for keeping the saddle pad from wrinkling
and in its proper place.
Make sure that the quality of the material used in construction is...
absorbent,durable, non-shrinking and ‘machine washable’.
Always purchase a pad that has incorporated the
rise of the horse’s withers into its design.
If you purchase a Saddle Pad for protection…because of a poorly fitted saddle.
You need to really understand...
EXACTLY where the saddle is not fitting.
Merely eyeing it up, or trying to feel for yourself when you ride,
Will Give No Conclusive Answer.
A horse utilizes different muscles on different maneuvers.
A horse changes shape season to season
and according to training or feeding programs.
I can’t stress enough that fit changes often,
and that it cannot be determined...
WITHOUT THE RIDER, AND WITHOUT THE HORSE IN MOTION
So, your responsibility becomes determining what truly needs correcting.
A misjudgment can lead to many behavioral and physical problems
for the horse and possibly for you.
Merrill Equine Solutions