You wrote:
> Has anyone tried the gel pads that are used in hospital operating rooms for
> positioning patients. I am wondering if they are too hot because of being in
> plastic?
I wondered the same thing, & YES, they were too hot. Certain brands
were too fluid as well. The gel tended to flow away from constant
pressure & motion & bunch up at the margins. The best way to
describe what the horse experienced was a ziplock bag of thick jello
on his back. The heat that built up was tremendous! These problems
are also experienced with the gel pads that are now widely sold in
tack stores/catalogs. They were NOT made w/ the endurance rider in
mind! A thin cotton sleeve or slipping them into a pad pocket does
nothing for the fact that the horse has a hot plastic bag under the
saddle!
HOWEVER, I have worked w/ a medical supply company to produce a gel
pad that had a more viscous gel and a fabric "container" (Rubatex) that
breathes (absorbs moisture & dissipates it as a vapor), dissipates heat
with the moisture, & can be heated or frozen (doesn't become solid)
to be used as a therapeutic aid. I have the exclusive rights to this pad -
The Wolf Pad from Blue Wolf Equestrian supplies. They have been
successfully used on the ROC, Tevis, and Old Dominion! If you are
interested in more info, let me know. I can send info to your US mail
address. We have also developed gel therapeutic cooling wraps for their
legs (no hock wraps yet).
The gel pads are rectangular & come in 2 sizes - one for English/McClellan
style saddles and one for Sharon Saare/Orthoflex/Western style
saddles with more surface area. They are heavy since the gel has a large
component of water. I have had some folks use them to make weight for a
particular division!
These pads dissipate shock and disperse pressure better than ANYTHING
else we've tried. Please remember, though, that a therapeutic pad is
not an answer to a poor fitting saddle!
Linda Flemmer
Blue Wolf Equestrian Supplies/ Blue Wolf Ranch
Chesapeake, VA
"In case of emergency - Fur side up, steel side down!"