To Pad Or Not To Pad

Hi all, I just wanted to drop a quick post about my saddle pads since I received some very thoughtful and good suggestions in my last post when I mentioned my saddles no longer fit.

I am a big believer in getting a saddle to fit as closely as possible without padding, but pads are really useful to assuage a situation like a changing back between fittings. Here is the situation on my two saddles.

My jumping saddle was custom made for Brego, so it used to fit perfectly. I used a plain, quilted jumping pad under it with great success. Over time, however, I noticed that Brego was a prolific sweater and after a big workout, I could literally wring out the pad. The moisture was seeping into the underside panels of my saddle and molding the leather. My saddle was getting ruined, and I couldn't keep up with cleaning it after ever ride. So I ordered a Thinline pad which acts as a moisture barrier. It sits neatly under my saddle, with very little outline, and adds virtually no bulk. It has worked really well. Now, however, that the saddle is too big, I have started using my Mattes pad under the jumping saddle in lieu of the thinline to bring up the pommel. This has alleviated my "issues", made Brego more comfortable, and protected the saddle. Once the saddle fitter fixes the saddle, I am going to go back to the thinline and plain jumping pad.

As for my dressage saddle, it was purchased used. I had my saddler look at the tracings of the original horse and see how closely they matched Brego. They were very close so I bought the saddle. However, I always ride with my Mattes pad under my dressage because the saddle is a fraction too big. Now that Brego has lost the weight, even the Mattes pad cannot lift the pommel enough and I am still having "personal issues". So the saddle fitter will adjust the dressage saddle to work with the Mattes pad again. The Mattes pad does a fine job as a moisture barrier as well, so I have no need for the thinline and my dressage saddle stays nice and dry.

So that's the current set up. Everyone who recommended a lift pad were spot on, and it is working for one of my saddles. The other saddle will have to wait until it is properly fitted, hopefully in a couple of days. What a brilliant readership I have!!