Saddle blanket

Saddle blanket
A traditionally styled western saddle blanket
A western saddle placed over a saddle blanket.
A modern western saddle pad, with blanket design on top, fleece underneath, and felt or foam padding on the inside


The terms saddle blanket, saddle pad (numnah) and saddle cloth refer to blankets, pads or fabrics inserted under a saddle. These are usually used to absorb sweat, cushion the saddle, and protect the horse's back. Saddle blankets have been used for many centuries with all types of saddles. Some are a single thickness, others are made to be folded and used with a double thickness. While a pad or blanket cannot take the place of a properly fitted saddle, pads with shims or blankets with a special design can partially compensate for minor fitting problems.

The most blanket-like style is associated with the American-style western saddle. It is usually made of wool, cotton, or synthetic fabrics with similar characteristics. When fitted under the saddle, they are approximately 35 inches (0.89 m) square, although designs vary to fit horses of different sizes.

A modern style English square pad.

A saddle pad or numnah is thicker, usually with layers of felt, foam or other modern material sandwiched between a tough outer cover on top and a soft cover on the side in contact with the horse. The best designs absorb shock and minimize fatigue for the horse's back muscles. Saddle pads of various styles or shapes are used with any type of saddle. Sheepskin numnahs that are shaped to fit around a saddle are popular in some disciplines.

The term "saddle cloth" has two meanings. In Australian English, a saddle cloth is usually a square pad worn under the saddle. In the United States, the term refers to a very thin, lightweight blanket placed over a pad or heavier blanket for purely decorative or identification purposes, such as the square cloths used under the saddles of race horses.

Contents

Designs for Stock saddles

Both blankets and pads are used with western saddles, the Australian Stock Saddle and other saddle designs with a solid tree that covers many square inches of a horse's back. The standard stock pad is square or slightly rectangular, and is designed to show under the saddle, providing both protection and style. These pads come in many colors and designs, and at horse shows may be color-coordinated to the rider's attire.

Designs for English riding

A traditional English saddle pad is cut to conform to the shape of the saddle.

English saddles typically use a shaped pad, called a "numnah" in British English. The original purpose of the English saddle pad was simply to protect the saddle from dirt and sweat, as the panels of the English saddle provided the necessary padding and protection for the horse. It was a simple pad, either a neutral shade designed to be nearly invisible under the saddle, or, more recently, white, and shaped to fit the outline of the saddle. Today, English style pads are also used to alter the balance of a saddle and to compensate for fit problems. In addition, square pads, called saddlecloths in the UK and Australia, have become a popular style for eventing, show jumping and dressage, in part because of the ability to add insignia to the corners. They are also popular with children and casual riders because they are available in a wide range of bright colors.

There are additional new types of English saddle pads such as the "riser" pad, which is thicker in the back than the front. Other pads are made with an opening to allow extra room for the withers of the horse, some are shaped to compensate for lordosis or swayback, and many modern "space age" materials are used, such as gel or memory foam to absorb shock, and modern synthetic materials with wicking properties to absorb moisture.

Other designs

A hybrid design that is a cross between a saddle blanket and a horse blanket, called a quarter sheet, is a larger blanket placed under the saddle but which covers the horse from shoulder to hip while riding. Quarter sheets are sometimes used in cold weather to keep a horse's muscles loosened up when warming up for competition, or on horses that may have to stand around when under saddle and run the risk of stiffening up if their muscles get chilled.

History

Historic Navajo single saddle blanket, circa 1870.

When the horse was first domesticated, the saddle blanket was the first and only piece of equipment placed on a horse's back, attached with a strap or rope, used primarily to protect the rider. Over time, the blanket developed into a pad, and later the pad or blanket became a buffer and support for a saddle.

See also

References

External links

Media related to Saddle blankets at Wikimedia Commons


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • saddle blanket — noun stable gear consisting of a blanket placed under the saddle • Syn: ↑saddlecloth, ↑horse blanket • Hypernyms: ↑stable gear, ↑saddlery, ↑tack • Hyponyms: ↑apishamore …   Useful english dictionary

  • saddle blanket — noun A blanket that is placed under a saddle; a numnah See Also: saddlecloth, saddle pad …   Wiktionary

  • saddle blanket — noun Date: 1737 a folded blanket or pad under a saddle to prevent galling the horse …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • saddle blanket — a saddle shaped pad, as of felt or sheepskin, placed beneath the saddle to prevent it from irritating the horse s skin. [1730 40, Amer.] * * * …   Universalium

  • saddle blanket —   Pale lio …   English-Hawaiian dictionary

  • Saddle — A saddle is a supportive structure for a rider or other load, fastened to an animal s back by a girth. The most common type is the equestrian saddle designed for a horse, but specialized saddles have been created for camels and other creatures.… …   Wikipedia

  • Blanket — For other uses, see Blanket (disambiguation). The Bed by Henri de Toulouse Lautrec depicts two people under a blanket A blanket is a type of bedding, generally speaking, a large piece of cloth, intended to keep the user warm, especially while… …   Wikipedia

  • Blanket (disambiguation) — A blanket is a large, usually rectangular piece of thick bedding materialTypes of blanket* Afghan blanket, colored wool knitted or crocheted in geometric shapes * Blanket capote, blanket used as a coat, as by frontiersmen and mountaineers *… …   Wikipedia

  • Saddle (disambiguation) — A saddle may be: Animal Riding Saddle* A riding saddle, a seat for a rider fastened to an animal s back: ** English Saddle ** Western Saddle ** Sidesaddle ** McClellan Saddle, designed for cavalry units ** Saddle blanket, placed under a… …   Wikipedia

  • blanket —   Kapa moe, huluhulu, kapa huluhulu.    ♦ Saddle blanket, pale lio.    ♦ To cover with a blanket, a ahu …   English-Hawaiian dictionary

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