Gel Pad

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Gel Pad
Has anyone had success with gel pads?

I've never tried one on my horse because every time I see someone else use one it turns into a disaster. Several of my friends tried one and their horses all started moving in that wiggly, trying to move out from under it way. One would even stop and kick out every few strides. They just hated it, even when worn over a bareback pad. So does anyone have any good experiences with them? Does anyone have a horse that likes them?
Wow, lots of good answers guys. Thank you.

We used them on the show jumpers that I worked with. One mare in particular had a VERY sensitive back, and she responded quite well to the gel pad. The pad helps quite a bit to cushion the weight of the rider on the horse's back.

The other advantage of gel is the you can use it therapeutically as well. We would keep one of ours in the freezer so that we had the option of using it as a cold compress. The horses loved it on hot days - you put the cold gel over the pad but under the saddle, and it helped them to stay comfortable in the heat, without it being direct cold over their back.

The other one (plastic-ish outer casing - don't know how the fabric covered ones respond to this!) we would throw in the microwave before throwing it on the mare with the touchy back. She appreciated the heat (again over the pad so it's not directly against her skin).

Although one tidbit of advice - don't throw them in the washing machine! The rider thought she'd help do the laundry one time and took the cloth covered gel pads and threw them in the washing machine - absolutely destroyed them! The spin cycle shoved all the gel into lumps so they could never be used again!

As with anything else, it doesn't solve a poorly fitted saddle. It may be a band-aid solution to make things tolerable until you solve the real problem, but it isn't a fix-all.

It surprises me to hear that several of your friends had such difficulties with the use of gel pads. There is absolutely no reason for a horse to have an adverse reaction to them - it's soft and cushiony, so the pad itself should be causing no pain or discomfort. Incorrect use could be the culprit here, and there is most likely something else that is problematic for the horse going on. Also, if there are any defects in the gel pad it should not be used - horses are all afflicted with the "princess and the pea" syndrome - they're so sensitive that even the slightest wrinkle of bump in the fabric or gel on their back can cause major discomfort. I also don't recommend putting the gel pad directly on the horse without a pad underneath - if it's a plastic-ish one it could feel strange and/or uncomfortable.

Hope that helps!

moon gel practice pad workout