Grey hairs next to spine

[Diane Smith]

I would have thought that the hairs dropping out would simply be due to moulting at this time of year, 

I hope you get something sorted out soon 


What numnah/cloth have you been using?


For a fster reply PM Heather 

[dalesponyrider]

I have been using a simple nu med cotton hi wither numnah. Gill has loaned me a cork ergo pad but that sits me quite high off his back and the saddle becomes quite unstable! If he spooks at anything I'm likely to slide off! I also worry as it isn't cut high over the withers.

[Diane Smith]

I tend to use stephens sheepskin half pads under mine, or a sheepskin half lined cloth, they seem to work well. 

[Heather]

Sorry not to reply again sooner- have been away taking clinics, and then my stepmum was rushed into hospital again in the middlle of the night. Just trying to catch up with all of this.

I can see that it is the edge of the panels that is causing this. I can only remember having this with one other horse in 7 years of making the saddle. It is because there is too much contact on the inside edge of the gullet. It is very strange, as Saturn hasnt a prominent spine, which the other horse had.

The Ergopad is just a shaped Suberpad, and is not suitable to replace the panels. With the Smartpanel, it is cork filled in the same way, but is shaped over the wither and especially made for our saddles alone. You need to take the panels out completely, and make sure the pockets lie flat, velcroed closed as with the panels in. Then the Smartpanel is attached by two straps at the front onto the saddle D's. Run the panel through the washing machine on a cold cycle and use it damp- I know it sounds bizarre but it really helps the cork mould. Make sure that it is evenly distributed throughout the panel. I find that the cork panel grips better than any, especially when used damp.

Pm me with your address, and I will get Debbie to send you one to test.

Heather

[dalesponyrider]

Don't worry about not replying sooner Heather, we all get busy and this summer I know only too well what it is like not to get to things!

Saturn was quite slim when I was riding him lots and his withers are far more prominent that D's! (I thought withers and ribs were a myth where Dales ponies were concerned!)

I will PM you my address and look forward to trying this pad.

Many many thanks.

[Heather]

Debbie has your address now Linda, so will send you one to try.

[dalesponyrider]

Thank you so much. I received my Smart Panel a few days ago but only just had time to try it out today as I have been looking after my elderly parents to allow my brother to go away again.

I also had a couple of treed saddles to try on him.

One treed saddle didn't fit at all. The other one I felt pinched his shoulders. He has never been ridden in a treed saddle and although I felt he was trying, I also felt he wasn't as free as usual.

Then I tried the Smart Panel. He certainly moved better in it and there was nothing to stop his shoulders moving. I really can't tell if it is going to relieve the pressure he has been suffering from until I ride him regularly and he has a new coat come through though as he didn't actually complain before! When I took the old blue panels out I noticed they were quite compressed and the Smart Panel will surely give him more padding.

I have a question though. The Smart Panel has brilliant wither clearance due to the improved design compared to the suberpanel. Why, if we need to have the material clear of the wither, do we have material over the spine? Will this put pressure in the spine?

Had quite a few amusing moments as we tried to work out where the pressure was today. I tried riding bare back. Easy, but boy could I feel how my weight put pressure on his spine. Then I tried riding with JUST the Smart Panel. Boy did I laugh! I was so wobbly! Definitely kept my weight either side of his spine on the cork filled channels. Took me a while to get used to it.

Anyway, when the pad is under the saddle, the saddle spreads the weight all over the pad in a way that just me sitting on it didn't. If the saddle spreads the weight all over, does it matter if there is weight on the spine? If not, why not?

Sorry, I don't mean to sound negative, just trying to understand what is going on.

[Heather]

There is no pressure over the spine- the riders seatbones sit well either side of the spine and that is where pressure is concentrated, under the seatbones. The worst pressure readings by far, when we did the Pliance pressure testing were bareback!!

Because the Smartpanel is divided into two halves down the middle, the material forms a V shape under the saddle and creates its own slight gullet. We didnt design it to do this, but it does anyway! But the Suberpanel did this on my horses too. The only thing I didnt like about the Suber was the fact that it pulled down over the wither as David Ahn wouldnt make a hi cut version, wouldnt make any version in the end and is why we had to go to Cashel to make the Smartpanel.

[Appy2quarter]

Hi there

I hope the smartpanel is working out well for you?  I had the same problem as you with the white hairs when using the standard saddle and at the time the only other option was the suberpanel which we had already tried but was unsuitable due to wither clearance.

I have to say that I loved the suber, and am sure that if the smartpanel had been around, it would have been the solution for us.

Hope this helps