I'm currently dealing with what I hope is a
"pad/ rigging/too much riding" sore/balding loin issue with my horse, so
I'm considering buying a new pad for my SportsSaddle.
For the last
six years, I've been using either a Skito (100% wool, bought new) or a
Toklat Woolbak (100% wool, bought used) under my saddle with
no discernable problems. However, now we're getting ready for Tevis, so
riding a whole lot more than usual, and I'm starting to need all the
cushioning/ shock absorption I can get.
Recently I started using my
husband's new 3/4 wool/ poly fleece Skito, complete with the "special
SS shims" that create the extra gullet along the spine and taper off
either side. This doesn't seem to have been a great success.
The
horse now has a balding loin and is sore. Hmm.
(oh, and btw, this isn't
due to shedding out his winter coat - he's been wearing his summer
coat for a good 6 weeks now - so much so that someone at a ride two
weeks ago asked if we were from Southern California
<g>).
Going back to my existing old pads:
The old Skito
fleece looks pretty good underneath, but it probably much thinner than new,
so I worry about it's cushioning abilities.
The Toklat Woolback
fleece is very bobbly. This may be related to care however, since we bought
it used and I've no idea how it was cared for before us.
The foam
inserts in both pads were starting to look a little worn, particularly
around the shoulders, plus the cats scratching their claws on them
didn't help <g>, plus a couple of them are torn and held together
with duct tape.
Part of the rubbing is probably due to using
the "center fire" type rigging described elsewhere (using the back cinch
ring as well as the front) as this causes the saddle to be much snugger
over the loin.
And this is a horse with a *lot* of hip movement - he
will walk any pad right out the back of the saddle unless it's tied on
securely at the front.
I've just re-rigged the saddle back to
normal.
I ride with a fairly loose cinch (loose enough that I can't
mount from the ground without the saddle turning) and a breast collar (we
do *lots* of up and downs).
Another contributing factor is doing
much more riding than usual (as well as too much speed + distance added
at the same time (slap that girl)), but part may be pad
related.
Anyway. Enough background. I'm thinking about treating us
to a brand new pad, but can't decide what to get.
Skito: Pros:
contoured to fit back shape, pretty colour Cons: expensiver
Toklat
Woolbak: Pros: slightly cheaper, reversible Cons: the fleece on our used
one has pilled into bobbles much more than the fleece wool.
I
see you have the option to get "Triple Thick Fleece - $25" with the Toklat.
Is that total overkill, or is that a nice cushiony/avoid-loin- rub
idea?
Or I could opt for 1" thick foam inserts instead of 3/4".
Again? Good idea? or overkill? I have ridden with shoulder shims in the
pad, with no (discernable) ill effects on this horse, so I don't think
the extra thickness would cause any tightness. I just want to cushion his
loin from any more abuse.
============================================================ There
are 2 ways to win at this sport. You take a horse and race him for a short
time and then find a new horse or you can take one horse , do the homework
and spend many miles and years enjoying that horse. ~ Paddi
Sprecher
