# Bareback pad with stirrups



## ABC (25 October 2011)

Hi, 

Can anyone recommend a bareback pad with stirrups? My lad is as good as gold to be ridden bareback, but throw a saddle into the equation and he plays up. Had saddle checked 3 times, and apparently it fits, but I doubt it. If it does fit then he associates the saddle with pain or something, so thought I'd try a bareback pad, with stirrups as it'll give me a bit more security.

As cheap as possible  

There's some nice ones on ebay from america that are cheap, but postage is £30  

Thanks


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## unbalanced (25 October 2011)

Unless you weigh less than about three stone, I wouldn't touch one with a ten foot barge pole. Bareback pads really shouldn't be used with stirrups as, like when riding bareback, your weight distribution is through your butt and thighs. When you add stirrups in and you put your weight down through the stirrup e.g. in rising trot or having a canter across a field all your weight is concentrated through the point where the stirrups attach. This means that half your bodyweight is pressed down is one point resulting in a lot of pounds per square inch even if you're light. 

Either get a bareback pad made out of grippy suede to stick your bum to with a grab handle to hold onto for more security (with no stirrups) or sort out a saddle which does fit and work on building up his confidence with it in the longer term. The point of having a tree in the saddle is to avoid the kind of pressure spots that putting stirrups on a bareback pad would create.

Sorry if this isn't really what you wanted to hear but I hope it helps anyway and best of luck finding a solution for you and your horse.


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## Spotsrock (25 October 2011)

I have one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180733624819?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I have taken the velcro seat off and my saddler has taken all the knee and thigh padding off, made me a little flat seat for it, basically leather with velcro backing. I have had the thigh rolls put high up on the front where a traditional event knee roll would be as I jump in mine but if you areb't doing that you can take the knee blocks off yourself. Bit of a faf but I LOVE it now I've had it altered. You can find similar cheaper and alter them but I've had 2 and this was by far the better quality. It's like a half way house between treeless saddle and bareback pad which suits me and horse really well.


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## ABC (25 October 2011)

unbalanced said:



			Unless you weigh less than about three stone, I wouldn't touch one with a ten foot barge pole. Bareback pads really shouldn't be used with stirrups as, like when riding bareback, your weight distribution is through your butt and thighs. When you add stirrups in and you put your weight down through the stirrup e.g. in rising trot or having a canter across a field all your weight is concentrated through the point where the stirrups attach. This means that half your bodyweight is pressed down is one point resulting in a lot of pounds per square inch even if you're light. 

Either get a bareback pad made out of grippy suede to stick your bum to with a grab handle to hold onto for more security (with no stirrups) or sort out a saddle which does fit and work on building up his confidence with it in the longer term. The point of having a tree in the saddle is to avoid the kind of pressure spots that putting stirrups on a bareback pad would create.

Sorry if this isn't really what you wanted to hear but I hope it helps anyway and best of luck finding a solution for you and your horse.
		
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Ah thanks, didn't realise that about the pressure, not what I've been told but thanks, will look for a stirrup-less alternative. I have an appointment booked with a good saddle fitter for February but from now until then I wanted to do some work with him and I don't like using the saddle that apparently fits, but doesn't  Thanks


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## ABC (25 October 2011)

Spotsrock said:



			I have one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180733624819?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I have taken the velcro seat off and my saddler has taken all the knee and thigh padding off, made me a little flat seat for it, basically leather with velcro backing. I have had the thigh rolls put high up on the front where a traditional event knee roll would be as I jump in mine but if you areb't doing that you can take the knee blocks off yourself. Bit of a faf but I LOVE it now I've had it altered. You can find similar cheaper and alter them but I've had 2 and this was by far the better quality. It's like a half way house between treeless saddle and bareback pad which suits me and horse really well.
		
Click to expand...

Thanks will take a look


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## Spotsrock (25 October 2011)

unbalanced said:



			Unless you weigh less than about three stone, I wouldn't touch one with a ten foot barge pole. Bareback pads really shouldn't be used with stirrups as, like when riding bareback, your weight distribution is through your butt and thighs. When you add stirrups in and you put your weight down through the stirrup e.g. in rising trot or having a canter across a field all your weight is concentrated through the point where the stirrups attach. This means that half your bodyweight is pressed down is one point resulting in a lot of pounds per square inch even if you're light. 

Either get a bareback pad made out of grippy suede to stick your bum to with a grab handle to hold onto for more security (with no stirrups) or sort out a saddle which does fit and work on building up his confidence with it in the longer term. The point of having a tree in the saddle is to avoid the kind of pressure spots that putting stirrups on a bareback pad would create.

Sorry if this isn't really what you wanted to hear but I hope it helps anyway and best of luck finding a solution for you and your horse.
		
Click to expand...

You don't need a tree!! Treeless saddles (the pricey ones anyway) are designed to properly distribute your weight, both my horse's saddler and physio are happy with my choice of treeless saddles including the one I have had cut about to suit me better as I have done nothing to affect the weight distribution. Agree though that an adjusted treeless is probably better than a bareback pad with stirrups, which is why I bought treeless and had it altered.


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## sbloom (25 October 2011)

If he doesn't like the saddle then it doesn't fit - it might be a "textbook" fit but horses  haven't read the textbook .  I'd get a second opinion and try some other brands.  I agree that stirrups on a bareback pad could be asking for trouble, but I have one client who has a Cashel pad for when her wide flat boys change shape (which when they first had their new saddles, was very often, thank goodness they seem to be stabilising), while she's waiting to have her saddle altered.


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## ABC (25 October 2011)

sbloom said:



			If he doesn't like the saddle then it doesn't fit - it might be a "textbook" fit but horses  haven't read the textbook .  I'd get a second opinion and try some other brands.  I agree that stirrups on a bareback pad could be asking for trouble, but I have one client who has a Cashel pad for when her wide flat boys change shape (which when they first had their new saddles, was very often, thank goodness they seem to be stabilising), while she's waiting to have her saddle altered.
		
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I've had three different opinions  I do have a dressage saddle that fits him well but no dressage girth, and if he's lost confidence in saddles in general then he wont respond any better to a dressage saddle. 

Will google Cashel - Thanks


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