WHY USE WOOL?
The unique structure of wool fiber allows it to be pressed together with heat and steam to form a dense mat of FLEXIBLE, RESILIENT and elastic fiber, called felt. This ALL-NATURAL material has kinetic properties which enables it to ABSORB MOISTURE and WICKS it to drier areas as the concentrations increase. This wicking is what assists in HEAT REMOVAL.
Research has proven that wool felt pads provide the BEST COMPRESSION PROTECTION for properly or improperly fitted saddles.
IMPROVES SADDLE FIT–NO MORE OVER-CINCHING!
No other saddle pad or saddle blanket is necessary with the 5 Star Contoured Saddle Pad. Double padding creates movement and slippage. This slippage is usually compensated for by over cinching. The contoured fit of our pads means a limited need for cinching with minimal saddle movement. Square cut pads do not follow a horse’s back contour. This can result in unnecessary pressure and improper saddle fit which may cause pain and injury to your horse.
Wool – The High Tech Material
By Mike Easton
Content Review – Dr. Joyce Harmon, DVM
In the equine world it seems that each year we are presented with new ideas about training, health care requirements, and tack. Some of it is a new twist to old ideas or a new twist with a new idea or simply nothing has changed – just a marketing ruse.
Technological advancements in the fields of chemistry and physics created many materials. These materials seem to have endless benefits, so long as the application is correct and does not create harm. Open and closed cell foams are some of the modern space aged materials, but when applied to the equine world are they correct?
The design intent, of foam, was to provide a new source for compression protection using inorganic raw materials. And a high percentage of these foams came as a result of the NASA space program. When various individuals decided that these materials could have beneficial use in the equine industry, product development arose out of an idea, which seemed good in principle only. In reality the new product was developed and marketed without testing by reputable scientific sources to prove whether the product had natural therapeutic benefit and structural fit for the intended activity. Instead these new product developers presented new products to the public based on personal bias and testimonials. And in many instances profit margins and retail cost became the selling points.
One such incidence of product abuse has been in the area of saddle pads. High tech fibers, open and closed cell foams, air filled pockets and layered combinations. These materials could be presented in bright colors, soft to the touch, and have a feel of real comfort. These became instantly popular because individuals involved in the show world could provide additional flash and those not involved could have the same flash at less expense. Companies with access to large sums of marketing dollars could now be a driving force.
But in the age of modern miracle fibers and foams, scientific research supports that the almost forgotten fiber made by God still remains the original high-tech fiber. That material is WOOL.
Today’s sportsman and equine owner are learning what sheep in the hottest and coldest climates of world have known for thousands of years. When it comes to thermoregulation and all-around performance for protection, the original “high-tech fiber,” wool is still unmatched.
The secret to wool lies in its complex cellular structure. Each hollow strand is engineered to trap heat while resisting the buildup of moisture. Every follicle of wool is made up of a hydrophobic (water-hating) exterior shaft and a hydrophilic (water-loving) inner core. This gives wool the unique ability to wick perspiration (sweat) away from the body and at the same time shed moisture. This is why you can’t mop up spilled water with a wool cloth. And at the same time it is why wool can absorb up to 30 percent of its own weight in perspiration/water vapor; cotton can absorb up to only 8 percent of its weight; synthetics usually less than 5 percent of its weight and have very limited wicking ability.
Synthetic materials, fibrous, open and closed cell foams, trap heat and do not wick and increase chances of heat related pressure sores. Also they have limited compression protection. Their strength lies in ease of cleaning, reduced saddle slippage in some cases and colorful patterns.