High Tech Saddle Pads
In the June 2009 issue of Horse & Rider magazine's Horse Gear (page 74), we showed you some hard-working saddle pads for training, trail riding or otherwise getting the job done. Here’s a more detailed look at high-tech saddle pads from our August 2005 issue. (To order a copy of this issue, call 940-497-4600.)
Shopping for a saddle pad used to be a simple matter of choosing a color or pattern. Not anymore. Tack shops and catalogs are crammed with a wide array of high-performance (and often high-priced) options. There are pads that are purported to absorb shock, relieve pressure, prevent saddle slip, cool or warm your horse’s back, improve his performance--everything, it seems.
What can these rad pads really do for you? If you need to correct a poorly fitting saddle, you’re out of luck--no pad can do that. But performance pads can anchor your saddle, ease minor fit problems, and protect your horse’s back from the effects of long trail rides and the jarring and twisting of performance events such as roping. A pad’s materials and construction will determine its effectiveness in these areas. Do you want open-cell foam, closed-cell foam, or memory foam? Gel or elastomer? In this article we’ll sort through the tech talk and explain what these materials are, and how they perform.
Performance pads use a range of synthetic materials to absorb shock and distribute pressure. Each material has its own characteristics.
article continues below|
|
Open-Cell Foam
Open-cell foam is basically the same flexible foam used in chairs to mattresses. It’s a soft synthetic material full of tiny air bubbles, or cells. The surfaces of the cells are broken, so air is pushed out when the foam is under pressure and rushes back in when the pressure is released.
What it does: Under your saddle, open-cell foam conforms to the shape of your horse’s back, providing a cushion that gives to pressure and bounces back. The thickness and density of the pad determine how much cushion it provides and how easily it “bottoms out”--compresses to the point that it no longer provides much shock absorption. It’s breathable, but it tends to hold heat (insulator) and soak up sweat.
Good for: Adding cushioning and helping with minor saddle-fit problems.
Memory Foam
Memory foam, also called slow-recovery or visco-elastic foam is like open-cell foam in slow motion, sinking slowly under pressure and returning gradually to its original shape. It also responds to temperature, becoming softer when warm.
What it does: Memory foam molds to the contours of your horse’s back, providing a stable base for your saddle while it distributes weight. It reduces shock and relieves pressure points, but like other open-cell foams it can bottom out and soak up sweat. The foam’s sensitivity to temperature causes the pad to be softer in hot weather or during a ride, as it absorbs heat from your horse’s back.
Good for: Adding cushion, stabilizing the saddle, and helping with minor fit problems.
Closed-Cell Foam
The bubbles in closed-cell foam aren’t broken like in open-cell foam. When they’re squeezed, they immediately bounce back--because the air can’t get out. This foam can be squishy or firm, depending on its density. Its structure makes it impervious to water.
What it does: Under your saddle, closed-cell foam resists pressure and helps distribute weight. Unlike open-cell foam, it doesn’t breathe or absorb sweat. It also doesn’t compress as easily. Closed-cell foam is usually used in thin layers (3/4 inch or less).
Good for: Deflecting shock in roping and other performance events and adding comfort to everyday rides.
Gel
Gels (such as polyurethane or silicone) are squishy materials that behave like liquids in some ways and like solids in others. Under pressure, the pad’s polymers give and the droplets squish; when pressure is removed, the gel returns to its original shape.
What it does: Under your saddle, gel deflects shock, resists twisting forces, and helps distribute weight. It conforms to the horse’s back and does not absorb sweat. Gel does not breathe, but it’s less likely to trap heat than foam. Gel pads weigh more than foam pads.
Good for: Deflecting shock in performance events, adding comfort in everyday rides, and helping with minor saddle-fit problems.
"Light" Gels
These materials--solid gels, visco-elastic polymers and elastomers--are lighter and springier than gels. Like gels, they’re made from cross-linked polymers; but they’re less jelly-like because they don’t hold fluid. They squish under pressure without bottoming out, and then return to their original shape.
What they do: These materials distribute weight, relieve pressure points, and deflect shock and twisting forces. Although somewhat firmer than gels, they still conform to the horse’s back.
Good for: Deflecting shock in performance events, adding comfort in everyday rides, and helping with minor saddle-fit problems.
  |
