No matter how you ride, a CSI Saddlepad makes an AMAZING difference!

Watch this YouTube video for a personal message from owner Donna Helms as well as a detailed presentation on the CSI Flex-Plate.

Every feature of the CSI Saddlepad system is designed with your horse's comfort and performance in mind. The system works with all types of saddles including traditional treed saddles, flex panel and treeless saddles. At the heart of the system is the revolutionary CSI Flex-Plate. First and foremost, this in-pad plate increases the contact area of the bars in a treed saddle. This spreads the pressure of the saddle and the rider's weight out over a larger area which in turn reduces or eliminates pinch and pressure points. (With a treeless saddle, the CSI Flex-Plate actually provides you with a highly flexible weight and pressure distribution system that reduces soreness and fatigue.) But that's not the only benefit of the CSI Flex-plate — it goes beyond just simple weight distribution and can actually can help your horse achieve a greater range of motion increasing their overall performance level.

The CSI Flex-Plate in Detail...

The CSI Flex-Plate is three layers thick where it contacts with the balls (or flares) of the saddle bars both behind the wither and over the loin. A second layer supports the top layer and a bottom layer covers the entire length of the Flex-Plate providing greater surface area for the entire bar including the critical mid-section of the horse's back.

The bottom two layers of the Flex-Plate feature flexible fingers. These fingers correspond to the dynamic areas of your horse's anatomy and allow for greater freedom of motion by "opening" up when your horse strides. This dynamic response not only allows for better forward motion but also better lateral motion. The result is a horse who is able to move more efficiently with less restriction and more comfort whether riding down the trail, turning back a cow, tracking a steer, turning a barrel, trotting down the rail, executing a spin in a reining pattern or working on the ranch.

The dispersing layers of the CSI Flex-Plate are made out of a very flexible high-tech polymer that has a tensile strength of 10,000 psi. This makes the plate very strong. This material has no memory, it won't break down or lose it's protection over time — meaning the outside of your CSI Pad will be with you for a very long time. The Flex-Plate is incased in two layers of high impact vinyl and a layer of shock absorbing foam to provide added comfort and longevity.

The CSI Saddlepad System ...

Supporting the CSI Flex-Plate is a removable and replaceable liner made of 100% All Natural Wool. This provides your horse with additional impact absorption as well as a comfort layer between muscle and saddle. The liner is available in 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch thicknesses. What you choose to use in your pad will depend on your horse's back shape, your saddle fit and the type of riding you do.

CSI liners are eco-friendly — they are made from partially reclaimed wool (meaning a portion of the wool in our liner was wool that was discarded in virgin wool processing — it was not previously used in a product) and 100% Wool (no added synthetic fillers). The liners are created using a needling versus a chemical process assuring no harsh chemicals or synthetic products can leach into your horse's body. Needling also helps add loft to the final product making it able to better absorb shock. The liners are reversible, so you can get more use out of one liner.

On average, a wool CSI liner will last from one to three years depending on care and the amount of use. Most saddle fit experts advise replacement of other wool pads about every eight months — or more often with heavy use.

Horse Friendly Features You'll Love ...

CSI Pads are manufactured by people who ride horses— people who understand the features you need in a saddle pad. Every pad CSI manufactures has a 2 1/2 inch contour. This shape better fits a horse's back than a square pad. When properly saddled with a CSI Pad, your horse should have complete wither clearance (even high withered horses). In addition, the pad is vented down the spine to allow for heat to escape through the gullet the way your saddle manufacturer intended. All CSI Pads also feature a cut out under the rider's leg to help prevent against uncomfortable bunching at the cinch and they are manufactured with durable wear leathers to help aid in usability and longevity. The outer part of the pad is made from marine grade automotive carpeting making it very long lasting and easy to care for -- and the carpet we use is made from post consumer recycled material so, just like our liners, it's ecofriendly.