# Best Pad for re-starting a very wide, thick shouldered horse?



## Reiningcatsanddogs (Oct 9, 2014)

This is what I have been using and don't have any complaints. Diamond wool pad. Nothing fancy but wears well.

http://s7d5.scene7.com/is/image/PetsUnited/TE006933_302331?wid=210&hei=242


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

I buy whatever felt pad is available nearby. 3/4 to 1 inch. I also have a couple wool woven pads that I will use singly, if appropriate. The felts last 1 to 2 years. Then they go to the warming room in the calving barn. I even had some half pad configurations that I keep in the trailer to make things work since I ride a fun variety of horses. I ranch, too.

I kind of depends on what your saddle vs horse's back needs.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

BCS4ME said:


> . I'm ready to start him riding again, & I'm wondering what kind of saddle pad would the work best, since he's a Morgan-QH, very wide & muscular, especially through the shoulders & neck, he's just "thick" all over.


I'd say the most important thing is: What saddle are you going to use on him?
And does it fit?

Saddle pads I prefer* 5 Star*. They are expensive but they really hold up to hard use over time. Red's first pad I bought him is 5 years old and has gotten used hard. It is not pilling at all, and still in great condition. When I wash it up, it's just as _soft_ as it was when it was new. I like that they are contoured to the horse's back and have wither cutouts. 

My saddles fit my horses well so I use either a 1/2" or a 3/4" (at the most). If your saddle fits well, less is more.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I have a 1/2" Diamond Wool cowboy contoured pad that I love. Not as pricey as the 5 Star pads, but still nicer than a lot of the stuff out there.

Diamond Wool Contour Cowboy Pad - Horse.com

I do agree with Beau, though. The fit of the actual saddle is far more important than the pad you use.


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## jenkat86 (May 20, 2014)

I have a mare with the same type of conformation. I found pads that were 3/4" and thicker caused my saddle to slip too much. 

I have had good luck with this impact gel pad: Impact Gel Cowtown Wool Contour Felt Pad - Statelinetack.com. I've found the quality to be top notch and it doesn't seem to "overheat" my mare's back like other gel pads out there. 

I've also had good luck with this wool pad: WPC25 Wool Blanket w/ Wool Underpad | Western Horse Company Ltd.. It's just like the Impact Gel, minus the gel and a few $20 bills. I've done a few long trail rides with this one (4+ hours) recently and was very pleased with it.

I would also recommend using a roper type cinch made out of mohair, or something similar. I've found those cinches help to not "cut the horse in half" when trying to keep the saddle secure.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

jenkat86 said:


> I have had good luck with this impact gel pad: Impact Gel Cowtown Wool Contour Felt Pad - Statelinetack.com. I've found the quality to be top notch and it doesn't seem to "overheat" my mare's back like other gel pads out there.


One comment I'll make to the OP in the event that the OP does a lot of winter riding in colder temperatures: I used to have Impact Gel before I switched to 5 Star, and one thing I did not like about the Impact Gel is it would get very_ hard_ in cold temps below 40*F. The gel wouldn't freeze up per se but it would get hard. 

Something to think about.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Another vote for a 5 Star pad here, love them, thickness depending on need, well worth the investment.


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## BCS4ME (Mar 25, 2016)

Thanks for all of the really helpful replies! The saddle I use on all the horses I ride was custom built for me, by Cliff Langerud Saddles, in Minn. It's a working ranch saddle. I don't rope, so it doesn't have a traditional roping saddle fit, its more "close contact", with full QH bars, with a high cantle for hills, & I had it built with short, rounded skirts, to fit (at that time, my 2 yr old Paint QH), & it now fits even our close-coupled, 5 yr old Palomino QH gelding. I've had it fitted on several horses, & I've been told it's very well designed, for a variety of "thicker" horses. We did have an older ranch gelding years ago, with very high withers, & a long, almost sway back, but it was easy to pad up to fit him well. Our ranch has many hills & mountainous areas, & all of our horses seem to really muscle up, within 6 months or so. This Morgan-QH has thicker shoulders & wider withers, than any of the horses I usually ride, but I used to ride him with this saddle, years ago, without any problem, but he's bigger through the shoulder/wither area than he used to be, right now at least... 
We live in Northern Ca., so it tends to be fairly warm here, all year around. 
The gel pad I bought is much thicker than it was supposed to be, its very heavy, & feels very hard & rigid. 
I'm thinking that with thos horse, the thinner, the better. 
I'll look into all of your good suggestions, & I'm sure I'll find one that's just right. thanks again!
DM


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## BCS4ME (Mar 25, 2016)

BTW, I just bought a new "sharkskin" cinch, thats longer than the "rolling buckle ends", with a removable, washable inner lining, that works better than any cinch I've used in the past, since it doesn't catch their hair or winter coats at all, & seems to stay in place really well also.


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## jenkat86 (May 20, 2014)

BCS4ME said:


> I'm thinking that with thos horse, the thinner, the better.
> DM


I think you are right!

A sharkskin cinch. I've never heard of such a thing! I'm going to have to check this out!


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