Padded Numnah for Spanish Saddle

FASTENING THE SWEATSHIRT
There are several ways of attaching the sweatshirt to the saddle, but the most common is by means of a strap with a loop at the end, through which one or all of the straps are passed. The strap must be above the buckles so that it does not slip down.
Many sew a strap to the underside of the saddle cloth, through which the webbing is passed.
But there are other attachment systems in addition to this:

• By means of straps that pass over the saddle flap and are closed with Velcro
• With straps and buckles
• With straps that close on themselves
• By means of pockets located in the lower part of the saddlebag, where the saddle flap is inserted by passing the girth over it or, in some cases, by making a slot

FITTING THE SWEATER
When choosing your sweatshirt you must take into account that it must be large enough so that there are 2-3 cm around the saddle and it must fit snugly so that it does not move backwards when it is used.
It is important that it fits snugly into the saddle bridge and should not be tight at the withers as this is the main cause of chafing.
Please note that before tightening the cinch, you must tuck the saddle pad into the saddle bridge.
It is essential that it lies flat and wrinkle free.
Follow these steps for the correct fitting of your saddle pad:

1. The front loop will be attached to one of the cinch loops to hold it in place
2. The cinch can go through the bottom loop for added security
3. Push the saddle pad up and toward the center of the upper arch that forms the front buckle to avoid pressure on the withers
4. The saddle cloth should be attached to the saddle before cinching

The saddle pad is a piece that we place between the horse's back and the saddle to absorb the animal's sweat and prevent it from getting through the saddle, as well as to protect the horse from possible chafing or damage to the saddle leather.
The usual saddle pads are rectangular in shape and are very easy to use since they only have to be folded before being placed. The pad type saddle pads are thicker and are composed of two layers with internal padding adapting to the shape of the saddle.
CHARACTERISTICS

• They are usually made of 100% natural fibers but can also be synthetic. The preferred materials are usually cotton, sheep wool, felt, neoprene, gel or even foam.
• They should not wear on the grommet side.
• It should not move when we are riding.
• It should fit our horse well and should not bend at the front.
• It must be an excellent item to absorb the horse's humidity and sweat.
• It must adapt perfectly to the horse so that it does not cause chafing.

We should always choose the one that best suits the morphology of our horse and the type of our saddle:

• Saddle pad type
• Discipline saddle pads
• Competition or daily work saddle pads
• Saddle pads with or without technical fabric
• Saddle pads with or without sheepskin
• Padded or non-padded

Although the initial idea for which the saddle pad was developed was to provide greater comfort to the horse, the truth is that today this element (already basic) of the equipment is used mainly for our own comfort.

ADVANTAGES
Undoubtedly the most important advantage that can provide the saddle pad is to avoid or reduce the problems that always gives a saddle not suitable for our horse. Indeed, the most correct thing is that each horse has a saddle that fits him perfectly, but it often happens that this is not the case and several horses (mainly those of walk and school), are forced to share the same saddle.
An inadequate saddle can cause damage to the skin of the horse, as can the bad pressure exerted by novice riders. In this sense, the use of a saddle pad will prevent this damage or, at least, reduce it by a large percentage.
It goes without saying that in order to fulfill this function correctly, saddle pads must be sufficiently thick and that it is advisable to use a clean one for each animal.
But in addition to this undeniable advantage, the saddle pad will help us to keep the saddle flaps clean.

DISADVANTAGES
The use of a saddle cloth can have a number of disadvantages that should be known.
First of all, there is a risk of overheating the animal's back, which can cause minor or major chafing.
We must be aware that saddle cloths are easily soaked with sweat, which, when drying, leaves a layer of dirt in the area in contact with the hair. Hence the origin of chafing and even some skin diseases, so it is essential to keep this element of the equipment always in perfect clean condition.
In this sense, we must be especially careful with sheepskin sweatshirts that, although they may be warmer for the horse, have the disadvantage that tend to form knots when soaked, which end up causing chafing.
Many riders believe that the use of a saddle cloth is unnecessary because there are many different models of saddles available on the market, in all sizes and shapes that fit perfectly on any horse. Some go even further, saying that the saddle pad goes against the main purpose of the saddle, since it means more separation between the rider and the horse.

In short, we must say that the saddle pad helps to reduce and distribute the pressure of the saddle on the horse's back, but should never be used to mitigate the effect of a saddle that does not fit properly.