The perfect saddle pad - what should it be like?
The Winderen Anatomic Top Line saddle pad was, in fact, designed at your request. We heard it hundreds of times: “Make a durable, decent and well-fitting saddle pad”, so eventually we decided to do just that. However, we knew that it couldn’t be an ordinary, average saddle pad… we wouldn’t be living up to our own standards if it didn’t meet our philosophy, which is finding solutions to real problems encountered by horses and riders.
When we started designing, we knew that this needed to be a high-quality product. Appearance was also important, naturally, but we focused on making the saddle pad fulfil its original purpose – to protect both the horse’s back against chafing, and the saddle against contact with horse sweat. The Winderen saddle pad also needed to be extremely practical and rugged.
We consulted and tested the idea with our rider friends, their grooms and with fellow vets – and together we soon developed a concept for the perfect saddle pad. Riders mainly focused on classic look and shape. In their opinion, the perfect saddle pad should have a special anatomical shape, not only at the sensitive withers, but also along the entire length of the spine. It also needed to maintain its position during riding, without the need for the rider to be constantly adjusting and fastening billet straps.
Grooms naturally wanted ease of use for saddling. A common problem with saddle pads is that they sometimes move under the saddle and press against the withers, even when correctly positioned. Once placed on the horse’s back, the perfect saddle pad should need no further adjustments to its position. Ideally, it should also repel dirt, keep sweat off the saddle, dry quickly and not fade after repeated washings. Vets mainly paid attention to the materials used for the padding and the underside. In the past, saddle pads were made of felt – for many years, this was a perfect solution for the cavalry and for sport and recreational riders. In addition to its excellent heat-regulating qualities, natural felt also has hygroscopic properties. It absorbs sweat quite well and provides excellent insulation between saddle and horse.
Another significant factor was the material used for the underside, because this material comes in direct contact with the horse’s back. The vets we contacted pointed out that the pads needed to wick away sweat quickly. Horses sweat during training – this is a natural mechanism to lower body temperature and prevent overheating. That’s why the use of felt in combination with thick, embossed natural cotton wicks away sweat effectively. The body is able to cool down, which makes the horse more comfortable during the ride. This is especially important on hot days or during hard workouts, as such a pad will help avoid damage or soreness to the skin.
Saddle pad design
Relying on our own experience and collected opinions, we started the process of designing and testing the "perfect saddle pad”. It needed to fulfil all the above conditions and, moreover, perfectly fit with our Back Protect Solution half pads. Together, these two products are designed to keep the pressure off the withers and spine as well as provide maximum comfort for both horse and rider.
Our saddle pad had to conform to the natural curves of a horse's back, keep pressure off sensitive areas at the withers and spine and also be stiff enough to create a tunnel along the spine. The materials needed to be top quality, breathable and ultra-comfortable for the horse as well as protect the leather saddle from the adverse effects of horse sweat.
Why is breathable material so important?
For our Anatomic Top Line saddle pads we paid special attention to the materials used for the inner padding and the underside. Despite of the fact that we mainly use technologically innovative materials for our other products, it quickly became clear during the development of this project that, in this case, natural materials known to the world for centuries would work better than anything else. We eschewed synthetic materials for soft, natural felt padding, which allowed for extremely high sweat absorption and very good heat regulation properties. Comfortable, embossed and breathable 100% cotton effectively wicks moisture away from the horse’s skin. We also focused a lot of attention on the upper material, which is durable, breathable, resistant to dirt and abrasion, and also maintains its look and colour even after repeated washings.
After many months of trial and error we came up with an excellent set of materials, after which we got to work on the design and testing. Our rider friends tested our saddle pads, which allowed us to add final touches later and decide on its ultimate appearance. The saddle pad’s anatomical profile adapts to the natural curve of the horse's back and does not apply pressure to sensitive areas at the withers and spine. It lays perfectly on the horse’s back and keeps in place under the saddle during riding. It’s also very resistant to dirt and maintains its colour and shape even after repeated washings.
A - Durable upper material
B - Felt fill
C - Embossed 100% cotton
Many people think this is indeed the perfect saddle pad. What about you? What do you think about our saddle pad?
Knowledge Zone
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