How It Works

The Product

Amahashe Saddle Pads are a range of light weight saddle pads. The combination of the contour/profile fit and the stretch material used make Amahashe Saddle Pads uniquely suited for the use on the equine athlete.

Amahashe Saddle Pads are made from high-density close-cell foam, which reduces impact and pressure points from the saddle. Essentially, they form a shock absorber between the saddle and the horse. Although the pads cannot correct an ill-fitting saddle, they spread the pressure over a larger area, thus alleviating discomfort.

Amahashe Saddle Pads have been tested against numerous other products. Thermographic imaging has shown that with the use of Amahashe Saddle Pads, normal blood flow and skin temperatures in pressure areas are restored more quickly. Further temperature testing has been done using temperature strips on the neck and quarters of the horse and under the saddle. These tests found that whilst skin temperatures in all three areas were similar after a hard work out, the use of some products results in vast temperature spikes under the saddle almost immediately. The holes in Amahashe Saddle Pads prevent such temperature spikes by allowing heat and sweat to escape.

Further testing of the longevity and the strength of Amahashe Saddle Pads has shown that they last longer than similar products. They are also tear resistant. Binding has been tested on the pads, but thermography images often showed chaffing. The pads are resistant to most dilute alkalis and acids, and they are anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. During development different densities of the material now used were tested. We were therefore confident that the current design of Amahashe Saddle Pads is the best-performing configuration.

The benefits of using Amahashe Saddle Pads

Wherever possible, Amahashe Saddle Pads are shaped to cover a reduced skin area, whilst still allowing sufficient coverage to avoid saddle overlap and buckle points. In relation to body mass, a horse’s skin is a third of that of humans. Horses therefore sweat more over a smaller skin area. When more heat is generated through exercise, more blood is sent to the skin to cool the horse. This results in a reduction of essential blood flow to supply the muscles with haemoglobin and oxygen, which can lead to premature muscle fatigue. Amahashe Saddle Pads do not stop blood flow to the skin but they cover less skin area to allow for better natural evaporation.

Amahashe Saddles Pads are bad heat conductors. They will not rise to a temperature above that of the surface with which they are in contact. They therefore do not cause a shock effect of hot or cold resulting from extreme temperature disparities when saddling up. They are soft yet dense, providing maximum compression and deflection properties. They reduce impact and pressure points. Although a wide range of horse builds and saddle shapes exist and it is not feasible to make a pad to fit every available saddle, Amahashe Saddle Pads will aid in almost all cases.

An especially beneficial aspect of Amahashe Saddle Pads is the contour created by their shape and stretch, which allows the pad to fit perfectly to the horse’s back and withers. The pads are anti-slip in relation to both horse and saddle. This allows girth tension to be eased.

Take an Amahashe Saddle Pad and place it on your forearm. Apply a little pressure and rub it back and forth. You will feel it move with the skin. Because the pads move with the skin, they allow for less muscle interference. This also negates the “dead weight” theory often associated with weight or lead bag usage in racing. Amahashe Saddle Pads are light weight. This is especially beneficial in some disciplines, such as endurance riding. In these cases heavier riders benefit by being as close as possible to the required weight, and this allows them to spend less time in the steam box.

Considering the protection they offer, Amahashe Saddle Pads are relatively thin. This gives the rider closer contact with the horse. Importantly, thicker padding can cause more pommel and panel pressure on the sides of the wither. ”Sandwiching” the wither in this way is undesirable and is avoided with the use of Amahashe Saddle Pads. Amahashe Saddle Pads are non-absorbent, and will therefore not gain weight during competition. Following use, they can be hosed or washed and dab-dried, and are thus ready for re-use immediately.

Amahashe Saddle Pads are anti-slip, and no traction is lost when the pad is wet from sweat or water. They allow for better muscle recovery and thus aid in preventing muscle problems. When using Amahashe Saddle Pads, return to normal blood flow and temperature is much improved. The pads pliancy allows them to fit almost any horse, and their foam memory enables them to return to shape if not bent excessively. Difficult horses can be saddled up significantly faster by placing the pad on a pole or on the floor, adding other equipment such a saddle cloth and saddle, and then placing the whole bundle on the horse at once and girthing up.

Comparisons to other existing products

Numerous saddle pads, patches, numnahs, saddle cloths and packing are available on the market. All of these products have their own advantages and disadvantages. They range from natural fibres to synthetic fibres to space-age material; from thickness to thinness, from softness to hardness; from fashionable to practical; and so forth. Many share certain features with Amahashe Saddle Pads. Some are made from similar materials, some are moulded or shaped, and some are breathable. However, no product on the market has all the benefits or the specific fit of Amahashe Saddle Pads. Comparative testing has been done on other products specifically to investigate muscle, temperature and circulation recovery. Overall results have proven our product to be superior. We encourage comparison to other products, and accept there will be cases in which an alternative pad will be better suited. However, we welcome any challenges as an all-round saddle pad. With this assertion we do not intend to disparage or to highlight the disadvantages of other saddle pads, rather, we seek to promote the advantages of Amahashe Saddle Pads for the ultimate welfare of the horse. It is our belief that although horsemen will have preferences based on experience or what is available to them, no other saddle pad offers all the benefits of Amahashe Saddle Pads.

Fitting an Amahashe Saddle Pad

The saddle pad should be placed in front of the wither and slid back into a comfortable position covering the wither. Always move the pad in the direction in which the hair lies; that is from front to back. Next place the saddle slightly forward and, whilst holding the saddle pad, slide the saddle backwards to where it best fits the horse. Take care that the saddle is neither too far forward nor too far back. Ensure that the spinal cover strip is centred on the spine. Saddles should not overlap the saddle pad and the saddle pad should protrude at least 20mm around the saddle. More pad should be visible in the pommel area than the cantle area.