High-tech Problem Solvers

A therapeutic pad may be the remedy for your horse’s sore back.

By Joyce Harman, DVM

An Open-cell Foam Pad is similar to a sponge: You can squeeze the air out of it. There are a number of different open-cell foams. Some are very soft, full of air and easily compressed; others are more dense, have less air and do not compress as much. If you squeeze a foam pad between your fingers, you'll see how thin it will become under saddle.
If it compresses to a quarter-inch--regardless of how thick it was to begin with--it will interfere little with saddle fit and may even enhance your horse's comfort. A very thick--two- to three-inch--piece of open-cell foam will compress to about an inch under the saddle, and that's enough to interfere. The gullet is often completely filled by the thick foam, and the saddle is held away from the horse's back until you mount. Then the saddle is unstable and the girth probably will be loose.

Closed-cell foam is the basis for many therapeutic saddle pads. The air in the foam is contained within it so the material does not compress the way that open-cell foam does. The texture of closed-cell foam varies from hard and dense to very soft and supple. The material's thickness varies, too, from about three-eighths to one inch. One inch is too thick for most saddles. Closed-cell foam is advantageous because it retains a certain thickness under your saddle.
On the downside, because there is so little compression, a closed-cell foam pad may be too thick to fit under your saddle. Even if it does fit, it will decrease the gullet width and space available for your horse's spine, so choose one with a foam-free gullet. These pads can leave you feeling unbalanced or perched on your horse, and although some riders like the bounce provided by closed-cell foam, others find it uncomfortable.
This type of pad often claims to absorb and dissipate pressure, but because the air remains in a fixed location, the foam just transmits pressure to a horse's back.

Gel pads are made from semiliquid materials or viscoelastic polymers. Some gels are fairly firm, while others are quite soft. Pads made of gel tend to be heavy, which is not a problem unless you are trying to make a certain weight class in competition. They can be useful if you must add weight.
When there are no specific pressure points in a saddle's panels, gel pads can form a soft interface between the saddle and horse. Their main advantage is that they are not very thick, so they fit under most saddles better than many closed-cell foam pads.
There are, however, some disadvantages to gel pads. They can “bottom out” under pressure because the semiliquid gel moves away from a point or lump and gets thicker in the surrounding area, increasing the size and severity of the pressure point after about 20 minutes of riding.
If a gel pad is not shaped for the withers, it stretches across them, creating another potential pressure point. In addition, the gel fills the gullet space more completely than any other material, adding pressure on the spine.
Gel is best used in a pad constructed with a pocket on each side to hold two separate sheets of gel away from the spine.

Air-filled cells are currently being considered as possible solutions to saddle-fit problems. Air can be useful in a saddle pad because it moves away from pressure. However, air within a single contained cell becomes hard under pressure. If there is a pressure point on the saddle, the air has no place to move except elsewhere on the horse's back.

A pad with a firm outer shell is a recent addition to the market. It is made of fiberglass or another hard plastic imbedded in a soft cushioning material, such as wool felt. This type of pad distributes pressure evenly along the surface and does not let pressure points through. It shows some promise for use with a saddle that does not fit. As long as the pad fits properly, almost any saddle can be put on top of it without causing the horse discomfort. Correct fit is vital, however, and it is not always possible to find a knowledgeable and skilled professional to handle the job.