Treeless pony pad - our new arrival

newforest

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Mar 15, 2008
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I have known about these for a few years and have kept my eye on prices occasionally-I could never decide whether to avoid or try and see.

Anyway I think this an Equicraft Eqi Pad. My ideas are to try it as a bareback pad, if I get on with it, I can shift a few things and just use this.
I might add stirrups, though that wasnt the original thinking.

My first impression is that it's heavier than I expected.
It's 100% suede, knee roll, thigh roll and cantle.
I think it's meant to be for the show ring and those hard to fit ponies etc.
She's not hard to fit, we've got a nice saddle, this is just something to pass by her.

I need to work out the girth, as it's short billet and I need to find a pad. My Griffin could go under temp, but it will be too big.

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I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts on this, I’ve wondered about similar for Jess just for the occasional waddle out she might be able to do,
 
This is just a quick throw together.

The numnah is too big, but it's given me an idea on what I need. It doesn't sit right, I actually want a pad style.
I was able to lift the front and give myself clearance, I know I am not sat on it yet, but it's so flexible, I can't see that being an issue.

It has decent thigh rolls, so, eh, what's are these for?

Very stingy on the girth billets!
But that could just be because I am used to long or this model is short.
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That looks elegant, but I'm not sure my bum would fit in it
The sizing is interesting with these.

I think (and I am not familiar with these) , it's equivalent to a 17" treed.
I ride in 17"/17.5" so it may be fine or it may not be.
 
Is it meant to be used with a treeless pad to give spinal clearance?

I’ve never understood the point of thigh rolls, if you can’t stop your leg from swinging back there you probably need to develop your strength rather than get bigger rolls. I’m not very keen on knee rolls either though.
 
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These aren't designed to be used with a treeless pad.
Looking at the options that other companies offer, you can get a pad that will sit underneath.
All treeless pads are going to be to big as the whole saddle is made to distribute your weight over a large area.
These are for the show ring, so perhaps half an hour of ridden with your weight in seat?

I do like knee rolls now I am up and down hills and varied terrain. But I still can't see why they've put a large thigh roll on.
I will possibly find out when I get on 😂 🤣
 
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Updated post.

I was able to jump on briefly today, rode down to the gate
Hopped off, she got on with munching- well trained 😂
I undid it all as the pad was wrong, did back up, took some photos, then she lined up nicely so I could hop back on.
Much better. Think she would have set off out for a ride, so it passes her initial wear out test.

As it is, it's going to do the job I bought it for, I can hop on to ride to the lunging spot if I feel like it.
Bareback pad can go as that isn't being used. This will be.

I got lucky with a girth and guess the size off ebay. She's never had a long girth before. Though no clue how snug should be on these.
 
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She's so wide at the moment I am surprised we don't need a table cloth and two chairs!! But first ride out on it today.
It doesn't have a pommel so you can sit as far forward as you like. I would say I fill the seat, and maybe the thigh rolls are too stop the thigh rolling off completely 😂 🤣

I didn't have it central or I wasn't central, the left girth billet was irritating my left leg.
Tried to move the pad over a bit and it wouldn't.
Girth guards were then on my list.

Jumped off to lunge. It didn't move. I did try and pull it over a bit as I could tell the pad was ever so slightly off centre, it wouldn't move.
It did go up a girth hole, which will resolve my billet issue.

I still can't decide about the pad underneath, placement wise. It is a high wither design. It was slightly further forward than in the above photo.

But so far so good, it might sound a faff riding to the place we lunge, but but it saves walking as no consistency at the yard.

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It's taken almost a month to source this pad to fit underneath. Rocking horse poo would be easier.

Finding something that would sit as near right as I could get it and two, the worst problem, one she would wear!!
They have some stunning numnahs out there with lush lush wool.
Nope, we don't wear wool.

Haven't tried her yet, just pleased to find it. And hoping she likes it.
I know it's brown, but hey, who cares.
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Updating this as we have hacked out now.
It appears to have settled where it wants to sit on her, and adding a ride for an hour has moulded it from storage to body.
My stirrups were too long as I was stepping into them in walk, so will pop up a few holes so my feet can rest on something.
The plan wasn't to put stirrups on, I was concerned about creating pressure. However will try the "where does my foot hang, rest on these idea"

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@Jessey it's seems better than a bareback pad because it's got more of a structure to it than a pad.
It almost feels like a treeless saddle in that respect.
Saying that it's not comfy without stirrups because if I sit where I would with a bareback pad my legs hang onto that dip, This sits further back and hence my legs hanging free is a no go due to her overall bulk.

@Jane&Ziggy it will be comfy once I have stopped fighting with it. I am trying to sit and ride bareback because there isn't a pommel and the overall look is a pad.
However it's designed to be ridden in a classical seat looking at the show ring photos. (I am doomed, a good position isn't necessarily something)

I don't know how secure I feel on it hacking round the roads, she must have heard my internal conversation as she put in a 180 spin and a shoot forward startle further on. Just checking the stability 😂 🤣
I think a bareback pad would have gone and taken me with it. So that's another plus on this so far.
 
Not much of an update because I think I have ridden maybe twice since the last post.
Walk and trot are fine
Stirrup length fine
But oh boy oh boy do my thighs ache!
This is either because I haven't ridden for ages or I am in such close contact with her, her width is too much. 🤣

What you might notice is we've changed pads.

I know @Jessey said is it meant to be used with a treeless pad and the answer is no it's not - but nobody has told the cob that. We are back using the Barefoot pad which has its own in built half pad.
I sourced what would fit, but it actually looked pretty stupid based on her overall size 😂 🤣

She dropped hints on my temporary girth, not a happy cob. So I changed that to an anatomical. So far she's happy again.

It needs a bit of adjusting, but she's happy with this set up. It seems to want to sit where it wants to sit.

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@Jessey I don't know if you are still touring with something like we have for yours.
There is a Cashel G1 on ebay and it looks to have the girth converters and weaver girth included.
I have had one of these on J years ago, but the stirrup position was wrong for us.
They are comfy and easy clean.
 
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Thank you, I’m not massively hopeful I’d be able to use it, it seems she comes sound for a few months then does something silly and is a little off again for a few, so I think it’s wishful thinking really 😏
 
This is now being moved on.
I lent it to a friend to play with so she could take it showing with her daughter, it then really showed up the fact it doesn't suit us 😂
It looks much better being used on something less like the hulk and with someone with shorter legs. My friend is only 5"2 and it seemed to make a big difference due to the short flaps.

So in between the yuk showers I have managed to get photos. I will try and behave and not replace with a bigger size because I think I will also stumble upon the closed ring.
 
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