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Member
Posts: 18
Location: Texas | Just curious why all the calf ropers seem to use blankets under their pads. Does anyone know?
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 Transplant Okie
Posts: 1206
 
Location: Always on call..... | Well first of all it's a roper thing to have as many saddle pads as possible on your horse...but for me I do it to keep my nice pad clean. Navajos are easy to wash, I'm OCD about clean saddle pads, and then my expensive pads stay in great shape because they don't get sweaty and hairy.
I've roped long before I started running barrels and its just kind of a roper thing to put a blanket under your pad. I started it because its what all the ropers did. I'm trying to bring the style to barrel races! |
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Member
Posts: 18
Location: Texas | Thanks so much for the reply. I've wondered about it for a long time. Fresh on my mind after watching the NFR all week. Sounds like a good idea. Let me be the first to follow your example! |
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 Veteran
Posts: 222
Location: Texas | We use Navajos under our pads to cushion the horses back when they take a jerk or pull a steer. Navajos are softer and conform to their backs better then the stiffer wool. Expecially on our head horses they need the cushion when they are pulling steers. Also keeps the expensive wool pads clean! |
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Location: in the ozone | I guess I've never understood the reasoning for multiple pads or blankets - unless a person is not using good ones. Seems to me it would make more sense to get a good pad, with the protection that is high (like 5 Star) instead of adding thickness and probably making your saddle & pad combination too tight on the horse. ???? 
but you are right - every roper I've seen has at least 2 layers on his horse.  |
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 Expert
Posts: 2041
Location: home for the winter...what a dumb idea | I use a blanket under my pad because its cheaper then buy a whole buch of expensive pads for each horse I ride.... I have a 3/4 inch wool pad and it works on most every hrse but for the occasions where I have a very narrow horse I just add a nice blanket. |
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 ...Dot Dot Dot...
Posts: 2062
Location: SW New Mexico | Married2Rodeo - 2013-12-17 7:44 AM
We use Navajos under our pads to cushion the horses back when they take a jerk or pull a steer. Navajos are softer and conform to their backs better then the stiffer wool. Expecially on our head horses they need the cushion when they are pulling steers. Also keeps the expensive wool pads clean!
And those good ropers know a real Navajo made double weave saddle blanket under a 5 Star or other pad, really does help with cushioning the jerk of the steers..
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Veteran
Posts: 139
Location: Abbotsford B.C. Canada | I think this is a very smart girl. I tried a good quality 1 inch pad alone and it tended to rub a little so I am back to a a real good quality wool navaho blanket and my old shock pad. The wool pad was just too stiff and did not conform well even though it had insert panels along the sides.
I did team rope with this and a professional's choice pad and it worked well.
The pure wool blamket seems to be easy on the skin. I know the purests for saddle fit say do not pad up but for roping it is essential, and I think a barrel horse would appreciate the better feel and padding because when he is going around a barrel and you try and stay in the middle he could feel a lot of saddle pressure which a a horse going staight ahead may not.
Just my experience.
Cheers,
Coastal rider |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 629
Location: Roping pen | Besides keeping the pad clean, it allows one to switch out the wet, sweated blanket out for a new dry one and reuse the pad on other horses. The blanket dries out much quicker than a wet pad.
We always travel with 2x as many blankets than pads. If you go to several events in a day or over a few days, you just switch blankets and use the same pad. |
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  Ms. Marine
Posts: 4627
Location: Texas | It keeps the pad clean. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | I use a Tod Slone wool pad with a little navajo blanket underneath. My sister used the exact same pad, with no blanket underneath. Her pad became hard as a rock along the withers after some time, it was so bad she eventually had to cut inserts out in that area, I suppose from the sweat/hair build up. Mine is still soft and supple, good as new.
The navajo blankets are much easier to wash/replace than the wool pads. |
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Member
Posts: 18
Location: Texas | Thanks everybody. Makes sense. I'm all for anything that will make my good pads last longer! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 806
| I'm married to a roper that has also worked on some ranches. He has always put a good navajo blanket under a good felt pad (thickness of the pad depends on horse and saddle, We keep 3 sizes) He has several blankets and lets them dry out between riding. That is why he does it. Working on a ranch in North Texas in summer would soak a saddle blanket. You can hang it up and let it dry for a couple of days and use a different one. They are also easy to wash. He has never galled or sored a horse in the 35 years I've known him. |
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