By Sonja Eschenburg
With customers from all over the country, many who order pads online as opposed to buying them in person, it is the job of Best Ever employees to help these horse owners design and order a saddle pad that correctly fits their horse’s back. Obviously every horse is a little different and requires a little different needs, but with their guidance and 30 years of experience as horsemen, Best Ever employees are able to tell their customers what works best for them and the company.
Every horse is built different, but no matter their structure, it is important to always make sure your saddle and pad fit their backs correctly. Ryan White, one of the owners of Best Ever Saddle Pads, is here today to give a few need-to-know pointers when it comes to finding the right pad.
Today Ryan is saddling up another family horse, his dad’s horse Uku. Uku is about twenty years old and although he is still one of Ryan’s favorite horses to head on, it is easy to see the little bit of age. With quite a bit of higher withers and low shoulder area, he requires a saddle pad that naturally provides more support in those area. The extra support is to alleviate unnecessary pressure and pinching. The Cadillac pad, similar to the BHS, has full support and structure along the top. This extra backup is there to protect the withers and the area behind Uku’s shoulders by raising the bars of the saddle a little more up and off. Like the BHS pad, the Cadillac has the option of adding an extra fleece layer. When warming up your horse it allows for a quick sweat, but simultaneously absorbs well, also.
It’s important to remember that no matter the saddle, whether it’s special or basic, it needs to sit centered with your pad and horse. Everything should be lined up and down the spine of the horse’s back, giving both the horse and rider a better sense of balance.
After throwing on a correctly fitting saddle tighten the cinch just enough to see that this pad also doesn’t push down on the withers of the horse, allows plenty of space in between the gullet to run your hand, or at least three fingers, through, and is big enough to still have an extra inch of room both in front of and behind the saddle.