Keeping our horses healthy is always a priority especially when competing in equestrian sports. Toklat has created a pad (pictured below) that is designed to help reduce impact on the horses’ back from rider and saddle.

Toklat’s Matrix Shim Pad with OrthoImpact Protection is a pad designed to help in many ways. First it’s a pad that has shims allowing you to get the perfect fit with any saddle you have. There are two shims per pocket that are 1/4″ thick each, allowing you to easily convert the saddle from a build-up pad, to a bridge pad, or by balancing out any area you need.

Second, it’s a pad that has 1/2″ of memory foam that will contour to your horses’ back. The medium-density viscoelastic memory foam holds is shaped with pressure but quickly returns to its original state when not being used. On top of the memory foam sits a 1/4″ thick Poron XRD foam which absorbs up to 90% of impact from rider and saddle.

The great thing about the memory/Poron foam and the shims is they are 100% removable via a Velcro opening that runs the entire length of the spine of the pad (shown above), thus allowing you to wash the saddle pad in the washing machine. Yes, you read that correctly! You can wash this pad in the washing machine. No more dirty or stinky pads.

The pad comes in a couple of different options. We currently carry the square Matrix III OrthoImpact 32 x 32 pad with leather wears and the Barrel Matrix OrthoImpact pad with leather wears. The barrel pad measures 28″ L with a 18″ front drop and a 15″ rear drop. Both are available in black only.