Q & A
“ Could a half-pad and shims be good long-term solution for my four-year old ’ s quickly changing shape ?”
In this issue , former Society of Master Saddlers ’ President , Kay Hastilow ( pictured below ) provides advice on the benefits of a half pad and shims .
Question ‘ Could a half pad and shims be a good longterm solution for my four-year old ’ s quickly changing shape ? Is there anything to be aware of when using them .’
Answer Some half pads with shims can be an excellent short- term solution for a horse that is changing shape , but in your situation , with a nice fouryear-old to bring on I would be inclined to look
46 • EVERYTHING HORSE MAGAZINE : MAY 2021 instead for a for a well- designed adjustable saddle , fitted by an SMS qualified saddle fitter rather than relying on pads .
Many horses will continue to change shape for several years , and that ’ s a long time to be using such a pad to achieve a good fit . Better to have regular visits from your saddle fitter , who will be delighted to monitor and adjust the fit as necessary through the horse ’ s development . Also , whilst the pad can adjust the fit if the saddle is a bit wide , it can ’ t do anything if the saddle becomes too narrow for the horse . Choosing a saddle that is too wide to start with and blocking it up with shims may appear to work but the pressures involved won ’ t be so easily distributed , and there is a high risk that the saddle will be less stable , both in movement from side to side and front to back .
If you decide to use a pad ( and these are a very useful piece of kit to have in your tack room anyway ), choose carefully . Look at any research work done on the pad and check on the methods used in the testing . Any claims made about any products should be verified as being based on solid and verifiable research .
Make sure that the pad does not have any filling through the centre seam – there should be a good 4 to 6cm space between the two sides to allow room for the spine . If the filling / fleece or whatever continues over the spine this will exert pressure here and compromise the horse ’ s comfort and ability to move .
For more information , visit www . mastersaddlers . co . uk or contact The Society of Master Saddlers on 01449 711642 .
Image : LeMieux ProSorb Plain Half Pad , visit www . equus . co . uk