Your Horse's Back Changed — But Your Saddle Didn't
Every conditioning season, every winter layup, every year past ten — your horse's topline shifts. The saddle that fit perfectly in April bridges by August, and your horse is telling you about it every single ride.
The Dura-Tech® Memory Foam Removable Shim Saddle Pad lets you dial in a precise, pressure-free fit in minutes — no saddle fitter appointment, no custom tree, no guesswork.
Ill-Fitting Saddles Create Problems You Blame on Training
When a saddle bridges or rocks, it creates hot spots and pressure points that build over every ride. Your horse starts pinning ears at the mounting block, rushing through transitions, refusing to round through his back — and you spend months working on training fixes for a tack problem.
Most riders never see it coming because the fit changes gradually. The saddle that passed a vet check in spring is creating chronic back soreness by fall.
Custom Saddle Fitting Costs $200+ Per Visit — and Seasonal Changes Demand It Twice a Year
Professional saddle fitters charge $150 to $300 per appointment, and if your horse's back changes significantly between visits — through conditioning, weight fluctuation, or age — those sessions stack up fast. Meanwhile, your horse works through discomfort every time you tack up, and the behavioral issues compound.
- ✗Saddle bridges over horse's midback as topline muscles atrophy with age
- ✗Seasonal conditioning changes leave saddle fit off by an inch or more within months
- ✗Back soreness from pressure points mimics lameness, leading to expensive vet workups
- ✗Ordering custom shims from a saddler takes weeks and costs more than the pad itself
Dial In Perfect Pressure Relief in Under Five Minutes — No Saddle Fitter Required
The Dura-Tech® Removable Shim Pad gives you full-length pockets on each side of the spine that hold interchangeable memory foam and Poron foam panels. Add shims at the front to address bridging, at the rear for a high-withered horse, or both for a horse with an irregular topline. The foam compresses under load and rebounds completely — no dead spots, no bottoming out — and you can swap the configuration between horses or between seasons in minutes.
Tunable Fit, Any Horse
Full-length shim pockets let you place foam panels exactly where your horse needs lift or relief.
Memory Foam Rebound
Combined memory foam and Poron® panels absorb concussion and return to full thickness after every ride.
Topline-Friendly Design
Center channel runs the full length of the spine, keeping direct pressure off the vertebrae at any gait.
One Pad, Multiple Horses
Reconfigure shim placement between different horses without purchasing a separate pad for each.
Set Up and Care for the Removable Shim System
- Evaluate where added support is needed
- Open the hook-and-loop access at the spine
- Arrange shims in the front, middle, or rear sections
- Keep inserts contained inside the internal pockets
- Reassess placement as topline and conditioning change
- Remove inserts and shims before hosing the pad
- Return dry components to the desired configuration
How We Stack Up
| Feature | Schneiders Dura-Tech® Shim Pad | Classic Equine | Professional's Choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Removable shim pockets | yes | no | partial |
| Memory foam + Poron® combo | yes | no | no |
| Full-length spine channel | yes | partial | yes |
| Shims repositionable without tools | yes | no | no |
| Works for multiple horse sizes | yes | partial | partial |
| Suitable for senior horses | yes | partial | partial |
| No saddle fitter required | yes | no | partial |
| Under $220 | yes | no | no |
| Shock absorption rating | yes | partial | yes |
| Schneiders 78-yr warranty support | yes | no | no |
Built for Horses Whose Fit Requirements Change
Most saddle pads are static — you buy them for a horse at one point in time and hope the fit holds. The Dura-Tech® Removable Shim Pad is engineered for real horses with real fluctuations: the senior horse losing topline, the young horse building muscle, the performance horse whose conditioning shifts between show seasons. The full-length internal pockets accept foam panels in any combination, and the Poron foam component provides measurably better shock absorption than standard memory foam alone.
- ✓Full-length internal shim pockets on both sides of spine
- ✓Memory foam + Poron® foam panels reduce impact and concussion
- ✓Spine channel eliminates direct vertebral pressure
- ✓Shims are removable and repositionable without tools
- ✓Compatible with most western saddles and tree widths
A Complete Adjustable Pad With Removable Internal Components
Adjust Padding by Area Instead of Adding Bulk Everywhere
Segmented pockets, removable shims, cushioning foam, and a durable outer give Western riders a controlled way to refine padding as a horse’s topline changes.
Build a More Deliberate Padding Setup for Your Horse
Choose the Dura-Tech® Memory Foam Western Removable Shim Saddle Pad to adjust support within the front, middle, or rear sections beneath your Western saddle.