Benefits Of A Horse Saddle Pads/Numnah And How To Choose The Right One

If you own a horse or horses, you know how important it is to have a horse paddle or numnah. Unfortunately, many people tend to underestimate the importance of these two. In this article, we take a look at the benefits of horse saddle or horse numnah as well as how to choose the right one for your horse.

Benefits of saddle pads

1. Enhances performance

One of the major benefits of saddle pads is that they improve performance. They help the horse’s body absorb perspiration, which would otherwise cause the saddle to slide, which is the primary reason. Your horse’s performance may also be badly impacted by sweat and unmanaged heat under the saddle.

2. Promotes the health of your horse’s back

Horses are strong creatures, yet they are also quite delicate. They can easily hurt if not properly cared for. If you don’t use a saddle pad or if you use one of low quality, you could injure your horse’s spine. Spread your weight evenly across the horse’s back by using a thick saddle pad. It cushions the impact of your weight as you leap from the horse, reducing the risk of further injury to the animal.

4. Protects your horse’s skin

Saddle pads help lessen the amount of skin-on-saddle contact your horse experiences. You’ll be doing a favor for your horse’s skin, muscles, and back by doing this. If you want your saddle to survive as long as possible, you’ll also need a good saddle. Since there is less contact between the saddle and the back of the horse, less wear and tear occurs.

How to choose the right saddle pad

1. Choose the perfect fit

Finding the perfect saddle pad for your horse begins with the saddle itself. To provide a snug and secure fit, your saddle pad should conform to both the horse’s back and the underside of the saddle. This prevents the saddle pad from putting too much weight on the horse’s withers and spine.

It’s also important to remember that saddle pads aren’t meant to correct a poorly fitting saddle. Even though they help, nothing beats taking the time to track out the perfect saddle pad for your horse.

2. Pay attention to the material used to make the saddle pad

There are several considerations when selecting the ideal saddle pad for your horse. The kind of material used to construct the saddle pad or a stable rug is one of them. Some of the most common materials include:

• Cotton wool
• Fleece
• Felt
• Neoprene

Make sure to complete your research to determine which material is ideal for you because each sort of material has advantages and disadvantages. Be aware that using a bigger saddle pad could alter how your saddle rests on your horse.

3. Consider the shape

Shape is yet another important factor you must consider when choosing the ideal horses saddle for your horse. Horses’ bodies come in various shapes, much like people. This is why it’s important to consider your horse’s back form when choosing a saddle pad. Here are the options you can choose from:

Contour shaped. For horses with a small dip in their back, contour saddle pads are ideal. Additionally, they are beneficial for horses with more pronounced withers.

Straight shaped. These work well on horses that are flat-backed or withered like mutton.

Cutback saddle pads: are made to provide complete wither relief and don’t have material covering the withers.