Best saddle pad for a high withered horse?!
 

I have been looking for a new saddle pad because a normal one isn't working out for my horse. She has higher withers and a normal pad pushes her withers against the saddle and I think that would be uncomfortable. I found cut out pads, and I also found cut out pads that are built up around the withers and middle of the pad to raise the saddle off the withers. I'll attach links to the two pads I am looking at, feel free to attach different saddle pads that could work. I don't want to purchase a new saddle.

Weaver Bronco Built Up Cut Back Western Saddle Pad and Western Saddle Pads with Fit Adjustments | EQUESTRIAN COLLECTIONS.COM
Neoprene Gel Othopedic Wither Pad - Statelinetack.com

Here is a picture to show that she has high withers, to give an idea of her body figure.

http://i56.tinypic.com/11sgi88.jpg

Subbing. I'm having the same problem with my horse.

I have a high withered horse too. I bought a cheap half pad from smartpak and LOVE it. I bought: Fleece Wither Pad - Half Pads from SmartPak Equine

I use it along with a thin baby bad, and this is my high withered horse :

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...ndthefarm4.jpg

This is it on him :

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...1ridetrot1.jpg

My horse is part draft and has huge withers and a swayback. There just was no good pad solution so the local saddle maker built up under my western saddle with strips of leather and recovered it with the sheepskin. I brought him the horse before and after. It worked VERY well as the saddle was bridging and the horse is much happier. Cost me $100. I now use a normal saddle pad.

I just bought this one, tho I ordered from a dif place and paid more. :( A friend uses it and recommended it. The gullet/wither area is contoured to work with the withers. There are others that you may like better; Cutbacks, contoured, swayback, fleece lined, etc.. It's a good store to buy from.

The rating is good on the neoprene one you linked to.. The other hasn't any reviews..

I am a big fan of my skito pad:

"SADDLE PADS - SKITO EQUALIZER SADDLE PADS - CUSTOM ORTHOPEDIC SADDLE PADS FOR HORSES - Carousel Action Wear"

I had a built up, cut back pad and hated it. The build up part made my saddle too tight and the cut out made the pad slide down on the horse. I like a pad that stays tucked up in my saddle a bit. I have a high withered horse, but just use a really thick pad.

I have a really thick pad right now, it seems like when it is on her withers and tucked up by the saddle its putting a lot of pressure on her back and withers. I was looking for something a little more comfortable for her. If I bought the Neoprene Gel one ( Neoprene Gel Othopedic Wither Pad - Statelinetack.com ) I was going to buy this blanket to cover it because its not very thick. (Mayatex San Juan Western Saddle Blanket - Statelinetack.com). I am only thinking for the best for my horse because I want her to enjoy the ride as much as I do and if the saddle pad is too tight against the saddle and withers I think that would cause discomfort. I don't know what to do.

It is so hard to find what is best for your horse because they are all so different and what works for one horse does not always work for another even with similar confirmation. I just know that I was not at all happy with my cut back pad. I wonder if you put the Mayatex pad UNDER the gel pad, if it would keep the cut back part from sliding down on either side of the withers like mine did. When it did that, I felt like the "U" shaped part of the cut back was digging into the withers.

It is all hit or miss. I hope you find something that you both are comfortable with.

I hope so too. I am lucky enough that my little sister also has a high wither horse she just purchased the cut back built up saddle pad for her horse. Ill just use it and see if I like it and go from there. So basically I have to wait it out for it to get here then make a decision after that. I use there was a place that you could rent saddle pads and try them until you find the right one then purchase it. That would be a nice thing to have around her.