With a mind-boggling array of saddle pads on the market, it’s difficult to know which pads to use and why, especially when it comes to corrective padding.  Every discipline seems to have its own trend in padding: fleece half pads for dressage, leather pads and “bump” pads for hunter/jumpers, etc., but it seems that few people have a good reason for why those pads are necessary.  Unfortunately, Americans have the reputation of haphazardly fitting saddles, “padding them to fit” with a cavalier attitude that is often to the detriment of the horse’s well-being.  While many modern riders have begun to take greater interest in how the saddle fits the horse, there are a surprising number of people who still merit the stereotype.

The fact is, if you have to “pad up” your saddle, your saddle DOES NOT fit your horse. As I mentioned in an earlier post, if your saddle does not fit your horse, he cannot perform the tasks you ask of him to the best of his ability, and over time, his discomfort could evolve into severe and debilitating lamenesses and a sea of vet bills.

Ideally, your saddle should fit your horse with the least amount of padding possible. Fleece pads, leather pads, and rear or front riser “bump” pads alter the saddle fit in some way and should NOT be used with a saddle that fits the horse well.    Adding excess bulk means the addition of pressure points that can lead to back soreness, muscle atrophy, and other lameness issues.  Furthermore, adding bulk between the rider and the horse can alter the rider’s center of gravity, causing enough of an imbalance that can ultimately lead to the horse’s discomfort.  It’s therefore essential to ask yourself why you need the newest rage in saddle pads before you go to the store.

Rear riser or “bump” pads (unless used very carefully for a very specific body type) cram extra weight onto the withers, causing a great deal of discomfort for the horse that could result in a myriad of lameness issues.  Unless the horse is built extremely uphill or has a sway back, the need for a rear riser pad indicates that your saddle is too narrow. If not used with extreme caution, rear riser pads can cause bridging.  “Lollipop” pads add the extra insult of increasing pressure along the spine, and thankfully have largely gone out of fashion.

Fleece pads can alter the fit of the entire saddle by adding bulk down the length of the panels.  Oftentimes, riders use this pad to offer the horse some extra padding, thinking that it will be more comfortable.  Adding this extra “cushion” may actually make it uncomfortable for the horse, as it may make the well-fitting saddle feel “tighter” along the shoulder which can cause pressure in the cantle area as the saddle tilts rearwards.

Pommel pads and “wither relief” pads are often extremely bulky and will change the way a saddle fits, often for the worse.  Both pads have the potential of causing pressure points where the edge of the pad rests on the horse, and ironically, both tend to compress upon the withers, completely undermining their intended use.

Leather Pads, all the rage in the hunter/jumper world, are bulky, and are marketed for the express purpose of “padding a saddle to fit.”  These pads are designed to go with one saddle brand or another, because said saddle is designed to have a “generic” fit and MUST be ridden with corrective padding to make it fit “properly.”  These saddles typically have only one tree and one paneling option, leaving it up to the rider to figure out the rest.   Not only is this approach to saddlery dangerous if the tree doesn’t fit well, if the panels do not lay flush against the horse’s back, you’re bound to have pressure points and the vast array of problems associated with them.

There are, of course, situations where one needs a temporary “fix” and corrective padding is the only solution.  I have to stress the word “temporary” here, though, as padding can only do so much to alleviate a horse’s discomfort before the fundamental problems of an ill-fitting saddle begin to arise.   The money spent investing in a properly fitting saddle is well worth it when faced with the high price of vet bills.

In the grand scheme of things, if you want to make your horse more comfortable, make sure your saddle fits well! If you want to make your horse more comfortable with padding, opt for pads that do not change your saddle’s fit while absorbing shock.  My personal pick?  ThinLine half pads, or better yet, ThinLine Contender pads – a two-in-one pad that incorporates Back on Track technology with ThinLine to deliver the ultimate in comfort and performance without adding extra bulk.  They’re the only pads I recommend riding in, because they actually make a difference in the horse’s comfort and performance.