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Discussion on Using Neoprene: Whats Your Opinion?
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Member:
Penner
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Posted on Saturday, May 24, 2003 - 4:03 pm:
I am in the process of needing to purchase a new felt Western saddle pad. It seems like nowadays, everything has neoprene contacting the surface of the horse & the "trendy" thing to do is buy it.
Altho I use those Classic Equine Sports Med Boots (when doing fast work only, in the arena) - but the constant thoughts of the heat buildup from the neoprene is making me cringe, & I'm even thinking of going back to using polo wraps instead - more time to put on, but I do know how to do it.
Now I need a new pad & they all have neoprene touching the back. Even sandwiching the neoprene pad in a wool Navajo blanket still makes me think that won't help, as the heat loss & wicking action of wool stops when it gets to the neoprene layer.
I understand that its easier to clean, probably slips less, but I would think a horses back needs to breathe & try to stay cooler, even tho its entirely wet under the pad(s).
The thought of (for ex) my wearing a neoprene hat on my head seems so hot & unhealthy! Its summer here & the temps may stay over 90 degrees F at night even (very lo humidity tho).
I keep thinking, if neoprene was so healthy, human Olympic athletes would be using it.
I'm not looking for product suggestions, just your opinion on neoprene in general.
What do you think too, Dr O?
Thank you all for your thoughts.
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Member:
Leilani
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Posted on Saturday, May 24, 2003 - 8:58 pm:
I purchased a nice felt pad from Country Supply (they do have a website). I, too, don't like the idea of my mare in a wetsuit.
Also, I think Dr. O wrote that neoprene boots are better for support than polo wraps.
Leilani
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Member:
Suzym
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Posted on Saturday, May 24, 2003 - 11:11 pm:
I too would like an opinion about neoprene saddle pads. I love my neoprene girth, and it was the ONLY one I ever had that didn't give DJ heat/pressure swellings. But, an entire pad? Thoughts, DrO?
Suzy
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Member:
Leilani
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Posted on Sunday, May 25, 2003 - 1:01 am:
I use a 100% mohair girth and breast collar. In Hawaii it can be very humid during certain times of the year, and neoprene is not an option for us, although I have seen people at rodeos using neoprene.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Sunday, May 25, 2003 - 8:33 am:
I too would be concerned about the heat and sweat build up under a solid neoprene pad.
DrO
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Member:
Juliem
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Posted on Sunday, May 25, 2003 - 4:01 pm:
I've used a neoprene saddle pad for many years because it prevents saddle slippage on my "mutton shouldered" horse. I ride all summer in temps from 80 to 100 degrees. Many times I've ridden 8 hours a day climbing hills, descending steeps, rugged terrain, etc. The pad enables me to keep the cinch looser and the saddle stays in place. While it does produce a large amount of sweat under the pad I think the moisture keeps the horses back from becoming sore. I've had friends using wool felt come back from rides with me with rubbed spots while my guy with his badly conformed back is fine to go again the next day. I've had endurance riders tell me that if they have a gall pop up on a multi day event, a switch to a neoprene pad will enable them to continue without worsening the gall, and one even said her horses gall started to heal while still competing in a neoprene pad. My horse also has a neoprene cinch. He has two growths that look like warts only larger right under the cinch area. My vet wants to remove them after the riding season slows down, but they exhibit no tenderness after a ride even though they are right under the edge of the cinch. The material self lubricates (with sweat) and causes no irritation, which is why the vet says wait until you're not riding, cause the removal will take time to heal. The bottom line is I've had no problems with the pads. The saddle is much more stable, causing less friction on the horses back, they do not cause galls or sores, are easily hosed off and dry in minutes. They do creat a large clean up on your horse due to the sweat under the pad--but that's the lubricant that makes them so comfortable to the horse.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Sunday, May 25, 2003 - 11:50 pm:
I must bow to Julie's post never having used one: she says the heat and the sweat is good.
DrO
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Member:
Suzym
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Posted on Sunday, May 25, 2003 - 11:54 pm:
Hmmmm.... Very interesting, Julie.  I knew that was the claim for the neoprene pads, and, as I posted, the neoprene girth was the only one that really worked for DJ.
What I'm most interested in is the non-slip aspect. Indy doesn't really like the cinching up part, so I want something that will allow me to leave the girth as loose as possible. It really makes a difference, huh? And no problems with excess heat build up on the back?
Suzy
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Member:
Juliem
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Posted on Monday, May 26, 2003 - 1:07 am:
Suzy, in my experience heat build up has not been a problem or even an issue. The pad prevents the saddle from rolling even with a very loose cinch, once the horse has sweat even a small amount. That moisture is what creates a sort of bond preventing friction and movement as well as providing lubrication. Based on my positive experience with neoporene, most of the people I ride with on a regular basis have also switched to neoprene and none have had any problems or gone back to wool. I suppose if I had a horse with nice high whithers, I would consider wool because when it's hot, a lot of sweat leaves me with a bigger clean up job on my horses back, but not having a dirty pad to power wash and somehow get dry for the next ride sort of balances that issue.
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Member:
Juliem
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Posted on Monday, May 26, 2003 - 1:11 am:
Dr. O, thanks for the tip of the hat! I know everyone understands that this is only my personal experience and not a peer reviewed, double blind, controled study! Also, while we have very high temps in Idaho, our humidity is typically not high. My horse is abour 1500 pounds though, and generates a fair amount of heat himself!
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Member:
Suzym
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Posted on Monday, May 26, 2003 - 12:12 pm:
Thanks for the info, Julie! I think my next pad will be neoprene. It's worth a try for the non-slip aspect. If it doesn't work for Indy, I can always go back to wool! 
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Member:
Goolsby
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Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2003 - 8:19 am:
I have never used the neoprene pad but for slipping I purchased those things you put under throw rugs on wood floors to prevent slipping. They are light and webbed, they dont cause a lot of sweating but keep the saddle from slipping. Of course I put a regular saddle pad on top. I live in a humid area and the horses (and people) sweat alot in the summer. I have never had a problem with sores using the rug things, but I have used neoprene a girth that always left sores and rub places in the summer, so I threw it away.
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Member:
Sparky
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Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2003 - 3:20 pm:
I don't have any experience with neoprene but the one statement you made Julie I must make a comment on, or ask a question. The horse you refered to coming back sore - could that be from a poor fitting saddle? or can you directly blame it on the Pad? just a thought. Thanks Janet
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Member:
Juliem
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Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2003 - 9:38 pm:
Janet, we attributed it to the pad for a couple of reasons. The sore spot wasn't under the saddle, it occured toward the back of the pad and the hair was rubbed very short. Secondly, we were on a three day camping trip, the rubbed spot appeared on the first day with some tenderness, but by switching pads the horse was able to continue for the remaining two days and exhibited no tenderness and no further rubbing. I think it's important to keep cinches and pads scruptulously clean, whatever material you're using. With neoprene, it's as simple as hosing it off. They dry in minutes.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2003 - 10:33 pm:
Hello All,
I too endorse a neoprene girth for it's nonslipping. Being a big guy who climbs up on the back of a big horse it is the only way for me to keep the saddle in place mounting. But I too have had swelling and tenderness following several days of long rides. I think my problems would have been equal or worse with other materials however. I thought about this discussion today as I was talking to someone about their problems with a chronic girth sore (a cold scar at this time). LaCarla says she had more problems with neoprene and mohair was the only girth that consistantly did not irritate their horse.
DrO
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Member:
Suzym
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Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2003 - 11:24 pm:
It's so strange how different horses respond in different ways. As I stated above, neoprene was the ONLY type of girth that really worked for DJ - and I spent some 15 years trying various materials, including mohair. Go figure.
Suzy
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Member:
Leilani
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Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2003 - 11:30 pm:
Agreed. Just like people. My mare will tolerate just about anything, but I have friends whose horses flinch at a rubber curry comb. Ya just gotta love um.
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Member:
Penner
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Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2003 - 7:03 pm:
Check this out!
I think I found what I was looking for.
I have been wondering with all the high tech fabrics in human clothing (I go hiking/fishing a lot), why wasn't it being used in horses? Since tho, those clothes can be pricy, for my own edification I have at least read about why the fabrics do what they do. 1 fabric is called ComforTemp (apparently developed with NASA, used by the Navy Seals, BMW motorcycles, Campagnolo bike shorts etc):
https://www.comfortemp.com/xnet/Store.asp
On that webpage was a company that makes saddle pads with it. To make a long story short, a company is using it in horse items finally, EquiPedic:
https://www.equipedic.com/ (in fact, they have added other things to the pad to relieve pressure, increase blood flow, decrease temperatures etc. The studies were done at Loyola Univ Med Ctr - of which I am very familiar with - my old home town).
So I read the website then called. Turns out the Endurance Team for the Pan Am games is using it this year. In fact they have been running behind in production for the other things they want to make (Equine Sports Med Boots etc) because of supplying the Endurance Team.
So, I ordered the Western Saddle pad (& will post my findings with it when I use it).
Also, when the "boots" come out (they said June or July), I am going to get those too.
Hope this helps some of you as an alternative to neoprene. Sorry for the long story, but I didn't want Dr O to think I was a distributor or rep or something!
PS: I am not endorsing this!!! I don't even know if it works yet, it just sounded good & some effort appears to be put into research on it at a reputable institution. I haven't read the study, either - but I'm going to try to find that too
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Member:
Hwood
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Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2003 - 7:23 pm:
Thanks, Penner. I am going to put those pages in my favorites . . . .
. . . .and that was a wise call at the end :-)
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Member:
Suzym
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Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2003 - 10:54 pm:
Gonna check those links right NOW! Thanks, Penner!
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Member:
Penner
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 22, 2003 - 2:01 pm:
Hi, Back again with my results on that EquiPedic pad.
I 1st used it on my 45# roping saddle (with a 6-8# wool Navajo blanket over it). The Equipedic pad compressed too much under that type of saddle.
So the I tried it under my Wintec western saddle (without any other pads). It worked well (it didn't compress much under a lightweight saddle).
So then I did a "Under the Saddle" temperature comparison between using the Wintec saddle with:
1. a Wrangler 20X felt/neoprene combination felt pad & ...
2. The Equipedic pad.
I used a Sears Craftsman Non-contact Infrared Thermometer with Laser Pointer 82288 to immediately scan surface temperature after the saddle was immediately pulled off after working the horse for ~ 1 hr. I did this test a few times.
I found that the horse's back temperature was less (it varied from 5-10 degrees less) with the Equipedic pad.
Now, this is not a scientific study, & there could be all kinds of confounders (ie: the outdoor temperature could be different on different days (altho, boy its been hot here !)
I did not run any statistics to find out if my results were statistically significant
(I'm lazy  ).
But, I thought I'd let you know & draw your own conclusions.
For me, I am happy with it. I just wish it would have worked for my roping saddle as thats when the horses really get worked - as opposed to even a 5 hour trail ride.
Hope this helps.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 22, 2003 - 10:42 pm:
Love it Penner. What is an Equipedic pad made of?
DrO
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Member:
Penner
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 24, 2003 - 12:22 pm:
Its made of 2 generic materials called Tempur & Comfortemp that are used in a lot of different applications. Equipedic decided to use them in horse equipment.
Anyway, Tempur is a pressure relieving material. It becomes softer where theres more body contact (= more pressure), & remains firmer where theres less pressure points. & it really did, you could feel the difference in the pad from when you put it 1st on (firmer), to when you took it off (softer). Ever see that TV commercial for a mattress where a person puts their hand on the mattress & the imprint of the hand is on the mattress when the hand is removed? This is the same material.
Comfortemp is a material that can be preset (at the factory) to become active at a certain temperature. For the horse they told me 97 degrees, as thats supposed to be the general basal resting skin surface temperature of a horse. So, when the skin temperature goes above 97, the material absorbs the heat. When it is below 97, it releases heat back to the horse.
My pad only had these 2 compounds in it. They are supposed to add a 3rd called Holofiber. This is supposed to aid circulation in areas that are subject to a lot of pressure. I suppose surface circulation could be temporarily theoretically impaired under pressure. I have no idea if this works, however. & of course it will be more money, 
The whole pad is encased in Cordura, so at least it breathes too.
Anyway FMI: https://www.equipedic.com/
Tempur: www.tempurpedic.com
Comfortemp: www.comfortemp.com
For me, this just seemed to make sense. I also did some basic materials research reading on neoprene since I 1st posted this, & I have found that neoprene reflects shock (& right into the thing thats next to it - the horse). I have a simple .pdf that explains this, don't know if .pdfs can be uploaded however.
Hope this was informative (& not boring!!)
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Member:
Sbawer1
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Posted on Friday, Jul 9, 2004 - 7:09 pm:
Regarding neoprene girths. I was just out at my barn and both my horses have girth gall. I have been using a neoprene girth I bought a couple of weeks ago. I am in a hot and humid climate and can only think that the neoprene caused these sores as it is the only change I have implemented.
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Member:
Goolsby
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Posted on Monday, Jul 12, 2004 - 12:45 pm:
Susan
I threw mine away. I loved it when I first got it during cool weather, but when It began getting hot and humid it consistantly caused problems.
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Member:
Cowgrl
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Posted on Monday, Jul 12, 2004 - 1:30 pm:
Same here. I used two diffent ones - a regular western girth and a Pro Choice. The Pro Choice sored my gelding so bad in one day I couldn't ride him for a week. It had the waffle weave on the side against the horse and irritated him way too much.
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Member:
Sunny66
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Posted on Tuesday, Jul 13, 2004 - 10:16 am:
I agree....I put a sheepskin cover on my pro choice neoprine and he's MUCH happier.
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