Please note: That from October 2023, all of the BALANCE-designed products are no longer available from The BALANCE SAddle Company Ltd. and this website. The production and sales of the full BALANCE range of saddles, saddle pads and harness/training equipment is now being managed by THV Saddling. The products themselves and the manufacturers are the same as under BALANCE, but will now show the THV Saddling Logo. Please go to the THV Saddling website and order via their online shop, or email them to ask about availability.
This Saddle Square is a more recent addition to the BALANCE range and caters to riders who want a neat and professional look to their saddle and pads for competition and showing, but where the horse needs and wants more cushioning/thickness in the saddle panel area, than our standard quilt Saddle Square (GSQ) provides.
Our Double-Quilt, Square Shaped Pad with Wool-Fleece-Lining for the Xtreme Dressage Saddle.
We usually solve this problem, by suggesting the thicker version of our Wool-Fleece Saddle Square (GXSQ). But although the duvet-style Cushion-Quilt is loved by many horses, it does not provide the look that some riders want to have when competing.
This GDRXSQQ pad and indeed any of the BALANCE pads that show QQ in the code, have been made with an extra layer of quilt, just in the area of the pad that sits under the saddle panels. This provides more lift and cushioning in the areas that need it and allows us to use the more traditional 5oz quilt you see in the image.
It is also cut straighter down the front edge and is therefore, a better match for any of the BALANCE Dressage Saddles than the more versatile shape of our other Saddle Squares.
Please be aware that the feel that the double quilt provides for the horse is a little firmer than provided by the GXSQ (duvet quilt) pads.
Many horses will be OK with this, but if your horse is going through a Remedial Saddling programme to recover atrophied/weak muscle from previous saddle damage, enforced rest etc., he or she may be better off in one of our 12 oz Duvet Quilt pads for every day work. Please contact us if you need help to decide on which pad is likely to be more appropriate.
Colour Options.
For colour options, please look at the image above and the drop down menu for colours. We try to keep standard black pads in stock, but many colours have to be ordered for you. If the pad is not normally held in stock you will see a star * next to the colour in the drop down list. Since Covid, the lead time on any pads that we have to order for you, has extended to 6 weeks or more.
Length Options
The pads are available in 1 Regular length, suitable for BALANCE dressage saddles of B,C and D seat lengths. If you want a shorter (A -- B length), please contact us through our 'Contact Us' page.
If you have a non-BALANCE saddle and want to know if this pad would be the right size to use with it, please see the dimensions shown below. As a rough guide, the Standard length is suitable for most saddles between 17" and 18" in length, but please use the measurements below to check the length against the length of the panels on your own saddle.
Standard Length
A -- B = 25" (63.5m)
C -- D = 22" (56cm)
Wither Contour Options.
Correct Contour (standard BALANCE shape)
All BALANCE pads are made with what we call a ‘Correct Contour’ shape along the spine. as standard. This shape respects the increase in height that you see in the horse’s back at the front of the saddle area. Our ‘Correct Contour’ pads are suitable for most healthy horses. The difference between the level of the horse’s back (where the saddle sits) and the withers, should not be pronounced.
However, if the horse has underdeveloped or wasted muscle from any number of reasons including: saddle related damage; unbalanced riding; pain in the feet; pain in the mouth, ill health etc., the spineous processes in the wither area will appear to be more prominent. In these cases our Correct Contour pads may not have enough lift at the front and the Extra Hi-Wither Option would be more suitable.
Extra Hi-Wither Contour
A ‘High Wither’ should not be assumed to be a horse’s natural shape no matter what the breed! It is often a symptom of something that is not supporting the horse’s well-being. However, there are times when our standard Correct Contour shape does not provide enough lift and clearance over a prominent wither, and then the Extra Hi-Wither option can work well.
The difference in height between a 'Correct Contour' pad and an Extra Hi-Wither pad is 1" (2.4cm).
Low-Wither Contour.
We can also supply this pad in an Low- Wither contour , for horses who are 'mutton withered', to avoid having too much unnecessary pad material under the front of the saddle.
Alternative Fleece Option. If you have always used the original version of this pad, which was made with a fleece with a longer fibre length and not as dense as the current pads, we can still get them made with the original fleece.
No-Fleece Option. If you know your horse is allergic to, or dislikes the feel of wool against their skin, we can supply a version of this pad without the wool fleece.
Ordering Non-Standard Options.
If you want a non-standard colour, length, wither contour etc. you will need to order that item from THVSaddling.com (see note at the top of this page)
