Saddle cloths and numnahs.

[solomon]

Going to get H a new one for Barney as a birthday pressie. Thing is Barney is a very sweaty boy, especially in the summer. She really can only use them once and they have to be washed. Any tips on which ones are best for hot horses or should we just get cheap thin ones!

[jane]

I would say a cheap thin one, if your saddle is a good fit then numnahs can potentially alter the fit.

BUT I do think the Griffin numed Hi wither numnah with the half wool filling - still fairly thin, are brilliant. They also wash beautifully.

www.saddlepadsfromnuumed.com/products2.html

Wool is fantastic on a sweaty horse, as wool absorbs moisture but breathes keeping the horse cooler than even a cotton numnah.

Personally, I like the hi-wither version because it sits nicely in the gullet of the saddle, I am not keen on the collared versions, think this is just for show.

[zara]

I too love Nuumed numnahs and both my boys have them. AJ also has a merino wool, Cottage Craft 1 which isn't too thick so doesn't interfere with saddle fitting Zx

[fimacg]

Fig used to be a very sweaty cob and the nuumed wool ones were great for him so this is another fan.

[duckles]

Never heard of nuumed ones but they sound good. I tend to go for fairly 'ordinary' numnahs but a friend of mine swears by Polypads (her horse is quite sweaty come to think of it)

[jane]

I wouldn't recommend the Merino wool ones, because of the cruelty involved in the production of this wool in Australia.

The numed ones only use British wool.

[racaille]

Well we do hot and sweaty here and I have tried everything ;D

Here is what I do (but bear in mind our saddles are not as well fitted as yours, we don't have saddlers down here ).....

I have a Nummed 'everyday' numnah for my GP saddle. It's not sheepskin but it is wool and it works fine but sorry you still get a sweaty horse. So the Nuumend goes in the washing machine often. I also have a proper sheepskin numnah which is gorgeous but does not wash well (it takes a long time to dry, even here, and then dries a bit lumpy until flattened out in use)

For my preferred Forestier saddle I use a cotton pad underneath a sheepskin 'amortisseur' (half pad?) and to keep that clean I use a cotton saddlecloth underneath. The pad (I have several ) goes in the wash often and the amortisseur has never been washed and is still fat and fluffy.

[duckles]

Well Racaille I think having to have 3 undersaddle garments may be a pain but a small price to pay for hot weather. Good plan to use the cotton underthe sheepskin. Must remember in case the weather ever picks up here.
Sol- I think the majority favour nuumed - will you get it engraved (that's wrong) embroidered? with his name/initial

[ernieburt]

Nuumed for me too high wither half wool. Have a couple I swap around when washing but they come up great, last for years and fit well. Down side is the price though.

[racaille]

Sorry Duckles, it was just a typing error ... I only have two pads, the cotton under the sheepskin LOL ;D

I got my Nuumend on ebay for snip ...... people seem to flog them cheap when they upgrade to proper sheepskin.