By Cindy Walters

Our paneled saddle is designed so that the Our Easy Slide Delrin panels will overlap the horse’s scapula by 1 to 3 inches. On some horses, with very long backs, the saddle does not overlap the scapula at all when you place your saddle in the saddling "sweet spot" you may be an inch or so behind the scapula. This is normal; the soft flexible front edges of our Amera-Flex panel will allow your horse’s shoulder to move under the panel without injury. You will need to adjust the saddle rigging so your girth falls into your horse’s heart girth area. The horse’s shoulders can now move freely under the panels. The System 9 Easy Slide panel allows a softer fit in the shoulder area, however you can achieve even a softer fit by tightening up the saddle’s rear rigging. These panels provide the "flex" needed for free shoulder movement, and they also "twist" from the horse’s withers area to the flat of its back, yet still have the ability to flex down into the horse’s back. Depending on the horse’s shape these panels form to your horses back, and distribute the rider’s weight evenly across the horses back.

Choosing a Saddle Sleeve (Synthetic vs. Merino – REAL Wool)
Wool - The High Tech Material

In the equine world it seems that each year we are presented with new ideas about training, health care requirements, and tack. Some of it is a new twist to old ideas or a new twist with a new idea or simply nothing has changed-just a marketing ruse.

The almost forgotten fiber made by God still remains the original high-tech fiber. That material is WOOL, today's sportsman and equine owner are learning what sheep in the hottest and coldest climates of world have known for thousands of years. When it comes to thermoregulation and all-around performance for protection, the original "high-tech fiber," wool is still unmatched.

The secret to wool lies in its complex cellular structure. Each hollow strand is engineered to trap heat while resisting the buildup of moisture. Every follicle of wool is made up of a hydrophobic (water-hating) exterior shaft and a hydrophilic (water-loving) inner core. This gives wool the unique ability to wick perspiration (sweat) away from the body and at the same time shed moisture. This is why you can't mop up spilled water with a wool cloth. And at the same time it is why wool can absorb up to 30 percent of its own weight in perspiration/water vapor; cotton can absorb up to only 8 percent of its weight; synthetics usually less than 5 percent of its weight and have very limited wicking ability.

A contradiction certainly seems apparent with wool not being able to mop up spilled water and yet is still able to absorb 30% of its weight in perspiration/water vapor. Moisture transport in textile materials is the same as wicking in capillaries. Capillary wicking is determined by two fundamental properties of the capillary: its effective diameter and the surface energy of its inside face (such as the inner core of a wool fiber-see diagram above). The smaller the diameter or the higher the surface energy, the more readily water moves up the capillary
This combination of both diameter and surface energy differences results in a strong wicking gradient between the inside and outside of the felt. Thus allowing for sweat to pick up from the skin and be pulled to the outside face of the wicking gradient (outer edge and surface of the pad).

Because of the structural nature of wool, the surface energy (measure of attraction between water and the internal surface of the capillary) is very high. This hydrophilic-"water -loving" component is the aspect that delivers sweat and heat away from horses back and through the pad.

The activity of the horse and rider produces "sweat". The sweat is the horse's means of eliminating heat. The sweat is transferred away from the skin as a result of the contact with the wool pad. The capillary action of an individual wool fiber, plus the compacted density of wool then distributes the moisture throughout the pad. Open and closed cell foams have no wicking ability and simply TRAP MOISTURE AND HEAT.

Wool's unique ability to deal with perspiration is ONE OF THE IMPORTANT components of limiting sores or the severity of a sore from a pressure point of an improperly fitted saddle or piece of tack. Wool's ability to wick sweat away from the body leaves the skin dryer and cooler than other materials. Under a saddle, the primary problem is one of constant pressure in areas where the saddle fits poorly. Pads of a variety of materials are often used to try and alleviate these pressure points with no thought given to heat removal. The problem with most materials is that pressure is transferred through the pad to the horse's back and is often made worse after adding the pad.

So how can you tell what is going on with your pad and saddle? Saddle up your animal with its new pad, making sure to seat the pad by pulling it up into the saddle gullet. Next take a 20-30 minute ride, which allows the animal to heat up. Now stop and check to see how well the saddle and pad have stayed in place. Remove the saddle and pad checking the sweat marks on the underside of the pad. What you would like to see is a fairly even sweat pattern across the entire pad.