If you've just purchased a treeless saddle, hoping to keep your horse's back happy, then you know the many types of saddle pads available can be overwhelming! I hope the information (based on my own experience) will help you make a wise choice. :-)

When looking for a saddle pad, there are many materials out there that will do the job well. Tacky pads, woven wool, merino wool, felt and neoprene seem to top the list. In my experience, they all will work well, but the neoprene types tend to heat up your horse's back rather than keep it cool. Same with the gel pads. The tacky pads (pebbled types) do a good job of keeping your "other" padding clean (such as the underside of your saddle) and help with side-to-side stability of your saddle, but the most important thing to look for in a saddle pad for a treeless saddle is SPINAL CLEARANCE. I can't stress that enough. Even if your treeless has spinal clearance, you should still use a pad that will give you spinal clearance as well.

You want to have a good feel for your horse's muscles as he moves (giving you the advantage of better contact), so the fewer pads, the better. And you don't want your weight against his/her spine. If you are a heavier rider, this becomes even more important to you and your horse!

Look for a pad that has extra padding on each side of the spinal channel. If it comes with shims, you can adjust these more than ones that are sewn in. If your horse has a wide, flat back, you can probably use a wider channel (about 4"). If your horse has a prominant spine, you will need a narrower channel (about 2-1/2 to 3") and should also make the shimmed area thicker to keep the material off his/her back. Also be sure to get the exact measurement of your treeless saddle from front to back on the UNDERSIDE of your saddle. When shopping for the right saddle pad, the pad should be at least 2" longer than your saddle. If it is the same size (or smaller), then the edges of the saddle pad will constantly rub into your horse's back, taking off the hair and possibly causing even more damage! So be sure to check spinal length of the pad against your saddle's spinal length. Don't be afraid to ask the seller! It's your money!

Since most of the pads that provide all of the above criteria aren't exactly cheap, you will want to protect your investment. This is where a thin wool blanket will come in handy (or a tacky pad). Just be sure they are bigger than the pad to prevent them from causing rubs and irritation. When tacking up, be sure to bring the thin pad as far up into the saddle pad's spinal channel as possible. You should be able (once girthed tightly) to pull a piece of bailing twine with a knot in it all the way through the channel while seated in the saddle. If this can't be done, then more shimming is needed.

Happy riding from a treeless, bitless and shoeless horse loving rider!

Centaura57