Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

We have always switched saddle blankets at vet checks.  Don't know if a nice 
dry blanket makes the horses feel better, but surely makes me feel better.

I said "saddle Blankets" because we have always used 100% guaranteed to come 
from sheep wool blankets next to the horse.  The old cowboy who taught me to 
saddle horses in '69 claimed that wool prevented saddle sores.  He always 
put a wool blanket, then pad, they saddle.

I have continued this for a number of reasons.
1. While wool is not mystically natural (if you are familiar with my posts 
you know that I am a firm beleiver in "better living through chemistry), it 
does maintain its mechanical and thermal properties much better than cotton 
when wet.  The traditional wool blankets I have are stiff enough not to 
bunch etc.  Cotton fibers immediately become limp when dampened, thus 
changing the pad.  I have never seen a woven polyester, or polypropylene 
from suitable denier (size) fibers that I could try as a substitute. 
Acrylic and Modacrylic, used to be available as a wool substitute.  I 
haven't tried them either.  I suspect they would now be almost as expensive 
as woll if available.  A little bit of nylon (say 15%) in the wool will help 
it last longer.  Be careful if the blanket has a warp (the threads that go 
the long way in the loom) of non wool fiber.  I had short life with such a 
blanket.
2. Wool can be washed when dirty, much easier than most pads.  It does last 
a long time.  One of the blankets I use was purchased about 1978.  Some of 
my blankets are folded, I can get 4 rides between washes, others are not, I 
can only get 2 rides.
3. I have never experienced the "loin rubbing" many complain about from 
Ortho Flex Saddles.

The down side is:
1. If you want one shaped like your English quilted pad you will have to 
modify a saddle blanket.
2. Good western styled tightly woven wool saddle blankets are getting harder 
to find.
3. Some horses, and some saddles or pads will experience slipping.  I have 
found that the rubber, mesh stuff sold to keep things from sliding around in 
drawers stops the slippage.  The best seems to be the variety sold by auto 
supply stores for tool chests.  It is a bit thicker than that sold by big 
box stores for kitchen drawers.

My bottom line is:
If your current pads are working, continue with what you are doing.  Having 
enough pads that you can always use clean dry pads when saddling is a good 
thing.  If you do decide to look into wool, use it for enough training rides 
that you are sure that there  will not be a surprise 40 miles into an 
Endurance ride.

Ed
Ed & Wendy Hauser
2994 Mittower Road
Victor, MT 59875

(406) 642-9640

ranch(at)sisuwest(dot)us 


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=