Watch our latest video! We take a comprehensive look at the issue, exploring the causes and ways to prevent impact.
Some riders think that piling up layers or using thick saddle pads will protect their horses back from impact. Wrong!
When our clients come to us with issues, as textile engineers, we start by trying to find the root cause of the problem. Then, we find solutions that address the cause instead of “patching it up”. The marketplace is filled with all kinds of bad ideas so you will save yourself some money by taking ECOGOLD’s “prevent and reduce” approach!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Showjumper Charlie Jayne rises to the top
Charlie Jayne from Elgin, IL is a rider to watch. At only 23 years-old, he has been earning his place among the top riders in the US since becoming the youngest in history to compete in a AGA Grand Prix at age 13, placing 7th. Last year, he was the 2nd alternate to the United States Showjumping Team for the Olympic Games with Urbanus, his 12-yr old Belgian Warmblood. Earlier this month, he rode Thomas Edison to victory in the $25,000 Charlotte Welcome Stake.
Charlie rides in our Stabilizer halfpad and Frictionless saddle pads: "Urbanus is very sensitive and the ECOGOLD pads keep the saddle from slipping without having to use a breastplate". We were lucky to meet Charlie this winter in Wellington and watch him & Urbanus place 3rd in the Grand Prix. Enjoy watching his ride!
Charlie rides in our Stabilizer halfpad and Frictionless saddle pads: "Urbanus is very sensitive and the ECOGOLD pads keep the saddle from slipping without having to use a breastplate". We were lucky to meet Charlie this winter in Wellington and watch him & Urbanus place 3rd in the Grand Prix. Enjoy watching his ride!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Phillip Dutton at Rolex in ECOGOLD pads!
Here's a video of Phillip Dutton & Connaught riding in ECOGOLD's WitherCare Saddle pad. Warning: this is a professional, don't try this at home. :)
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Exciting Cross-country!
Last weekend, we travelled to the Fair Hill Horse Trials in Maryland and watched cross-country live for the first time. We had the privilege of seeing in action Phillip Dutton, Boyd Martin and Valerie Vizcarrondo, all riding in ECOGOLD saddle pads.
Phillip was kind enough to test some prototypes for a new XC saddle pad during the show. The new pad will be launched later this year.
Enjoy Phillip's and Boyd's Cross-country rides in the Open Preliminary Division. Filming cross-country was a sport in itself...a lot of "where's Waldo" was involved.
here's Phillip:
and here's Boyd:
Phillip was kind enough to test some prototypes for a new XC saddle pad during the show. The new pad will be launched later this year.
Enjoy Phillip's and Boyd's Cross-country rides in the Open Preliminary Division. Filming cross-country was a sport in itself...a lot of "where's Waldo" was involved.
here's Phillip:
and here's Boyd:
WOW! Amazing results for McLain Ward & Ashley Holzer at the World Cup in Las Vegas!
Success for McLain Ward & Sapphire, who ride in ECOGOLD's Forward Flap Hunter pads, finishing 2nd in the Showjumping World Cup Finals and Ashley Holzer & Pop Art, riding in ECOGOLD's Frictionless Dressage saddle pads, get their highest score in history - 79.20 for a 5th place finish. Congratulations!!! - April 18, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Ashley Holzer & Pop Art qualify for World Cup
Ecogold-sponsored three-time Olympian Ashley Holzer and Pop Art secured their place at the FEI World Cup Final with a victory in the WEF Dressage Classic Grand Prix musical freestyle at the Palm Beach Equestrian Center on Saturday March 14. Already leading the North American standings, their results qualified them for the 2009 World Cup in Las Vegas.
We had the chance to travel to Wellington, Florida at the end of January and watch Ashley & Pop Art win both the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Freestyle at the CDI-W Gold Coast Opener. Riding in the Frictionless Dressage saddle pad, they performed their Olympic Grand Prix Freestyle scoring 76.250% for the double victory.
“I wasn't feeling very well but nonetheless Poppy really helped me out and did one of the best freestyles he has ever done,” remarked Holzer, who is one of the top ten riders in the world on the FEI Dressage World Ranking List. “It was clean and expressive. His piaffe and passage were fabulous and without tension. His lack of tension enabled me to have a much better walk tour as well.”
We had the chance to travel to Wellington, Florida at the end of January and watch Ashley & Pop Art win both the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Freestyle at the CDI-W Gold Coast Opener. Riding in the Frictionless Dressage saddle pad, they performed their Olympic Grand Prix Freestyle scoring 76.250% for the double victory.
“I wasn't feeling very well but nonetheless Poppy really helped me out and did one of the best freestyles he has ever done,” remarked Holzer, who is one of the top ten riders in the world on the FEI Dressage World Ranking List. “It was clean and expressive. His piaffe and passage were fabulous and without tension. His lack of tension enabled me to have a much better walk tour as well.”
Sunday, February 22, 2009
How to achieve a perfect fit
We travel from horse show to horse show and see poor-fitting saddle pads all the time. Not enough by itself, some misguided riders often combine a too-short saddle pad with a thick halfpad, creating even more pressure points.
Here is our latest video, showing how to choose a saddle pad that fits your saddle and horse. Some of the recommendations are basic common-sense and should be obvious, but in practice many riders show with pads that don't fit. It's essential to have a perfectly-fitted pad to avoid pressure points.
So, to recap:
1. Buy a saddle pad that fits your saddle.Ideally, bring your saddle along when you go buy a saddle pad. When you put the saddle on top, you should have about 1.5-2 inches all around your saddle.
2. Remember: cotton shrinks!If you use a cotton pad, make sure to buy it a little too big (2 inches rather than 1.5”) to account for shrinkage. High-tech saddle pads like ECOGOLD's do not contain cotton or poly-cotton so they don't shrink.
3. Careful: forward flaps!Check for a forward-shaped saddle pad if you have that type of saddle.
4. High-withered shape? Get a high-withered pad! Sometimes, riders with high-withered horses get a square pad and pull it up at the front to try to make it fit. A better option is to get a saddle pad with a high-withered shape.
Here is our latest video, showing how to choose a saddle pad that fits your saddle and horse. Some of the recommendations are basic common-sense and should be obvious, but in practice many riders show with pads that don't fit. It's essential to have a perfectly-fitted pad to avoid pressure points.
So, to recap:
1. Buy a saddle pad that fits your saddle.Ideally, bring your saddle along when you go buy a saddle pad. When you put the saddle on top, you should have about 1.5-2 inches all around your saddle.
2. Remember: cotton shrinks!If you use a cotton pad, make sure to buy it a little too big (2 inches rather than 1.5”) to account for shrinkage. High-tech saddle pads like ECOGOLD's do not contain cotton or poly-cotton so they don't shrink.
3. Careful: forward flaps!Check for a forward-shaped saddle pad if you have that type of saddle.
4. High-withered shape? Get a high-withered pad! Sometimes, riders with high-withered horses get a square pad and pull it up at the front to try to make it fit. A better option is to get a saddle pad with a high-withered shape.
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