My experience is that my Skito pad gets
damp, but not dirty, from a hot sweaty ride using my DM vent
pad. If I'm going to ride again before the fleece is dry, I alternate my
two Skito pads, figuring that this will extend the life of the pads. I
hose off the DM pad after each ride. A few times each year, I wash
the Skito pad covers (be sure to get ALL of the soap rinsed out) and
rinse the foam inserts in a water-vinegar solution.
This is a huge improvement over having a filthy
Skito pad after **every** hot weather ride. Especially since the
Skito pads designed for treeless saddles have smaller (that is, more difficult
to deal with) openings for removing the foam pieces. [Do not use a Skito
pad that has the velcro openings along with spine under a treeless
saddle!] Using a DM vent pad saves lots of wear and tear on me and on my
Skito pads.
Since I don't have a device for measuring my
horse's skin temp, I can't say if the DM pad actually keeps the
horse's back cooler.
As far as rubbing, my experience is that the DM pad
will not cause rubs, but it will irritate a pre-existing area of broken
skin.
My guess is that the benefits of using the DM pad
will vary, perhaps according to how much humidity you get in your
area.
Cindy
Does anyone have experience using this pad? Does it work and prevent
your top pad from getting sweaty? Do you think it irritates the horse's
back? Lastly, do you think it allows the back to breathe properly?
Thanks in advance!
If you don't use this pad how often do you
wash your Skito, Toklat, etc? I was thinking that if I had a different
skito pad for each time I rode I would go broke fast!
LOL
