The Best Equipment to Protect Your Horse's Back
Your horse's back is the supporting element for the rib cage, abdominal press, and of course, the rider's weight. Mechanically, it plays an essential role in the horse's locomotion; it is the link between its front and hind limbs. Through the back, the force generated by the hindquarters is transferred to the horse's front end. All of this makes the back a key region and susceptible to ailments.
Caring for a horse's back is crucial for its overall well-being and to improve its athletic performance.
What are the reasons why we should take utmost care of our horse's back?
1. General Health: The back is an essential part of the horse's anatomy, including the spinal column and numerous muscles and ligaments. Any problem in this area can severely affect its general health and mobility.
2. Injury Prevention: A strong and well-muscled back prevents injuries to both the horse and the rider. A horse with back problems can develop lameness, chronic pain, and other complications that may require costly and prolonged veterinary treatment.
3. Athletic Performance: A strong and well-cared-for back is essential for optimal athletic performance. Problems in this area can reduce the horse's ability in various equestrian disciplines such as show jumping, dressage, endurance riding, horseball, etc.
4. Rider Comfort Although it may seem unrelated, a healthy back allows for a more comfortable and secure seat, reducing the possibility of falls or accidents.
5. Problem Identification: Regular back care allows for early identification of problems such as muscle atrophy, spasms, inflammation, or vertebral misalignments.
Tips to Prevent Back Injuries.
- Regular Check-ups: Have regular check-ups with a veterinarian or equine physiotherapist to detect any signs of pain or discomfort.
- Adequate Exercise: Provide a balanced exercise regimen that strengthens the back muscles without overstraining them.
- Massages and Stretches: Incorporate regular massages and stretches to maintain flexibility and muscle health.
- Supplementation and Nutrition: Ensure that the horse's diet is balanced and contains the necessary nutrients for muscle and joint health.
- Adequate Rest: Give the horse enough time to rest and recover after intense activities.
And the most important ones:
- Proper Saddle Fit: Ensure that the saddle is well-fitted to avoid pressure points that can cause damage or pain.
- Use of saddle pads or numnahs that adequately protect the back.
Choose the best for your horse's back
In show jumping, saddle pads are used to protect the horse's back during jumps and quick maneuvers, which occur due to sudden movements and changes of direction. They therefore act as a protective layer between the saddle and the horse's back, minimizing the risk of chafing and discomfort.
Dressage emphasizes precision and harmony between rider and horse; in this discipline, they are called numnahs, which help keep the saddle in place and distribute pressure evenly, which is essential for maintaining the horse's comfort and allowing a more effective connection with the rider.
In disciplines such as endurance riding and equestrian long-distance races, where horses must travel long distances, saddle pads play a crucial role in maintaining the horse's well-being.
We must not forget the rides along the paths around us, because even then we must take care to protect the back, without neglecting the new collections offered by EQUESTRIAN STOCKHOLM, EQUESTRO, and ESKADRON, all of which are available to you at Rincón Del Valle.
The best numnahs and saddle pads to care for your horse's back
At Rincón del Valle, both in our Marineda store and on our website, you will find the new collections of horse numnahs from the best brands. However, in this blog, we will focus on just three of our brands: EQUESTRIAN STOCKHOLM, EQUESTRO, and ESKADRON, so you can choose from a multitude of possibilities, qualities, and color variations.
The numnahs from these brands are specifically designed to protect your horse's back, by being placed under the saddle and providing several benefits for the horse's comfort and well-being:
- Even pressure distribution: Saddle pads provide a smooth and uniform surface under the saddle, distributing the pressure the saddle exerts on the horse's back, minimizing pressure points.
- Protection against rubbing and friction: The soft and breathable material of the saddle pads acts as a barrier between the saddle and the horse's back, preventing rubbing that could cause chafing on the horse's skin.
- Sweat and moisture absorption: Numnahs are designed with materials that absorb sweat and moisture, keeping the horse dry and comfortable during physical activity.
- Customization and fit: We must choose the right size for our saddle pads or numnahs depending on the horse's anatomy and the discipline they practice.
Equestrian Stockholm
In its new collection, EQUESTRIAN STOCKHOLM brings us numnahs for ponies, for dressage, for show jumping, and non-slip numnahs. The pony numnahs are designed to provide maximum comfort and ease without sacrificing the elegance characteristic of the brand. The new collection offers a wide range of colors and styles, highlighting the glitter option, designed to shine in the arena with a variety of colors: black, mahogany, and meadow blue.
It is important to highlight the bamboo lining, a natural hypoallergenic and antibacterial material, which helps regulate temperature and absorb moisture produced after intense training or competitions. The riding numnahs are designed to fit ponies perfectly with a cut that provides extra space for the Withers and a contoured shape that follows the pony's back.
For dressage, EQUESTRIAN STOCKHOLM's horse numnahs are not only functional and practical but also stand out for their durability, comfort, and excellent elegant design. The new collection is full of colors, some with glitter or crystal lining.
If we talk about the material, all of them stand out for their excellent quality that provides "super-fast drying" while repelling dirt, keeping your horse dry and your saddle clean.
At Equestrian Stockholm, they work with two different types of materials when it comes to their dressage numnahs: bamboo lining or High IQ (Quick Dry) technology, which helps dissipate heat and moisture, making them perfect for sweaty training sessions.
For jumpers, Equestrian Stockholm offers saddle pads made with the same materials and with models in a variety of colors from pink, champagne, black, or blue… without forgetting the timeless design for the more classic riders, or the more sporty designs.
Another star product from Equestrian Stockholm is the non-slip numnahs, which are placed between the numnah and your horse's back. It is designed to keep the numnah in its proper place, providing a safe and stable surface for you and your horse. It is made with a high-quality non-slip material that provides exceptional grip and stability, which offers greater safety to protect our horse's back.
Equestro
The EQUESTRO brand brings us a wide collection of jumping and dressage numnahs, all their horse numnahs come in different sizes to perfectly fit your horse, both in the jumping and dressage options.
EQUESTRO's numnahs and saddle pads are made from a breathable fabric to help regulate body temperature and prevent overheating. At the same time, it has an innovative technical fabric for quick drying. Its quadrangular quilting prevents back pain and injuries by absorbing impact.
Jumping Numnahs with Technical Fabric: It is important to highlight the innostrap system for optimal front fastening and a girth with triple fastening possibilities, which prevents displacement of the numnah that can cause chafing affecting our horse's back.
The brand's elegance and minimalism stand out in all its products, with numnahs featuring contrasting borders and the embroidered logo on its products.
Eskadron
We cannot forget a brand like ESKADRON, which, through its experience, presents us with numnahs with an innovative multi-layer mesh whose main purpose is to protect our horse's back, by distributing the weight of our saddle, while offering great breathability for both competition training and country rides in summer.
In terms of aesthetics, ESKADRON presents horse numnahs with large, voluminous cross-quilting and the brand's metallic insignia on both sides, adding elegance to the product.
But most importantly, in our equestrian store, we will always advise you to find products that care for your horse's well-being, as well as your image.
