Has anyone used...??

beakysian

beakysian

New Member
Mar 26, 2008
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Durham, UK
...an inflatable saddle pad?

I'm curious because having seen one in action I gather that as you let some air out it should deflate where needed and retain air to support elsewhere BUT (a) it makes the saddle seem very perched (b) it isn't secured in any way so can slide.

Any thoughts??
 
Archie had thoughts on it for sure!! He hated it with a passion and bucked until I hit the deck.....

Others might have had better experiences though!
 
I checked out that link and found this very worrying...

Therefore a saddle that originally fitted well may no longer fit the horse. Many people find it difficult to get a saddle fitter to visit to re-flock or adjust the saddle and need to resort to saddle pads to take up the difference.

Really? Not my experience. I have an inflatable Welsh Section 'D' and have no trouble getting my saddle adjusted.

Regards to all,

Jane
 
I too think it is a fantastic way to get money out of people - a saddle that didnt fit is not going to suddenly fit because you have put a bag of air between it and the horse. It seems like a bit of a "I couldnt afford a saddle fitter/new saddle, so I bought this" and will leave owners with a feeling of never needing to get their saddle fitted - much like the misconstrusion (?) that has happened with treeless saddles that they "fit all" when actually they dont and they too need careful fitting.
 
^

True and see where you are coming from but in my case, a so called saddle fitting expert suggested we try this as we were having real problems fitting a saddle to Archie

In the end we went and paid for a M2M saddle for him as this seemed the best course of action.
 
I think the issue in this instance is also long-standing saddle fitting difficulties. The saddler has adjusted the saddle and suggested the air pad as the horse in question has one shoulder "more built up" than the other so is a final touch to try and find a comfortable fit all round. They are of the view that a different saddle won't necessarily be any easier to fit correctly.

I hadn't thought of the dangers of them being mis-sold to people unwilling to get the saddler out and it's interesting that nobody [yet!] Has a good story to tell!
 
The idea just scares me full stop. I think it would require very careful fitting and adjustment and without a port lewis pad or similar I think it would be very likely to cause a hell of a lot more damage than solving it.

I can't fathom how it can be any better on pressure - say there is pressure when the rider lands in trot at the cantle. Said rider lands, and the air goes from under the back of the saddle - so it has to go forwards, making a high pressure bit elsewhere.

That high pressure would prevent muscle developing, where as a foam pad does not compress in the same way, So whilst you may solve a problem, you will just be transferring it elsewhere I suspect.

I quite like this one
http://www.equipedic.com/faqs.htm
I think I will buy one for my 10hh welsh table, as it will mean that as a 30stone rider I can rider in a 18" saddle on him with no pressure points as it "eliminates all pressure points". I think it is ridiculous as people will buy into the spiel and all it will do is cause more damamge and ignorance because "it makes anything fit any horse"
 
I don't think I've explained myself very well. As far as I understand it, the pad goes on fully inflated, then a little air is let out once the saddle is on. When the rider is mounted the air is, again, let out so that where there is more pressure, the air escapes. It isn't a case that the air is knocked back and forth in the pad which I agree must be extremely uncomfortable, not to say injurious, to the horse.

in this case, as a saddle is padded evenly and the horse is uneven in the shoulder, more air will escape on one side hopefully customising the fit on each side. I hope that makes sense - I'm struggling to put it in words :redface:
 
newrider.com
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