You think you know all that there is to know about saddle pads? Well, think again.
The western saddle pads protect your horse’s back by absorbing and distributing pressure from the weight of you and your saddle. A clean and dry pad disperses heat and wicks moisture during your ride, keeping your horse cool. While fun colors, patterns and certain other trends help you personalize your turnout, it is very important that your pad is properly placed under your saddle and has the ability to protect and cool your horse.
A horse that is comfortable will be willing to do its job, making the experience quite enjoyable for you and your horse. When your horse seems hesitant to ride for no reason, you should know that it isn’t for just no reason, it is trying to tell you something.
A horse that is unhappy loses attention, pins its ears, twitches its tail, and as you tack up the saddle, it tries to bite it off; if you notice this, then you would need to adjust your tack to keep it happy.
Here, we will be talking a bit on how to place your western saddle blanket.
Fit and Placement
To make sure that your horse is properly outfitted, you should consider these factors as you select your western horse.
The saddle fit is the basis to a proper setup. Even with a well-padded, well-fitted blanket that has all the latest features will not be able to do its job if the saddle tree does not fit your horse’s back. Aside the unusual conformation, the horse’s sweat pattern underneath the blanket should be even. If you notice unusual dry spots after you remove the saddle, it is either because your saddle does not properly fit, or your saddle is worn out. You should seek the help of a trusted saddle fitter, or you should start shopping for a new saddle pad.
The thickness of the pad affects how your saddle sits on your horse’s back while you ride. A thick pad on a horse with a round back or mutton withers will make the saddle move when you are in motion because there is no space for your saddle to rest against your horse’s withers.