Winters Distributing

Price Increase

2011-06-28T22:21:00.000-06:00

Hello, 5 Star fans!

I realize that this is not a lot of warning, but there will be a price increase going into effect this weekend. You can blame the rising demand for high-quality wool on the world market for this second price increase this year.

Also, since I am planning to move this weekend if all goes well (it's a long story), I will be closing my store on Wednesday night. Please have your orders in by that time.

Thanks!

Thank you, eBay Canada!

2010-10-27T22:48:00.000-06:00

Although I don't normally blow my own horn, I thought that this type of thing might be worth a blog post. Last month, eBay Canada named me the National Finalist in its 2010 eBay.ca Entrepreneur of the Year contest. Out of over 300 entrants, I was very honoured that they chose me as a close second to the winner.

This week, my local paper published an article on it, thanks to a tipoff from Nazia at eBay.ca head office.

Thank you, eBay Canada, for the recognition and award. Thank you to all of my customers, for allowing me to continue to help support my family from home. I consistently get to deal with wonderful group of people, and it makes my job a pleasure.

Movin' Back

2009-10-08T11:52:00.003-06:00

Hello, folks. I just realized that I have not updated my customers and readers in quite some time about what is happening in our lives, and the tumultuous changes that have occurred during the past year.

Things didn't work out in Arkansas quite the way all of us [Mike and Laurel, as well as ourselves] had hoped. Our family arrived at 5 Star in October--just in time for the economy to take a steep downhill rush. During those uncertain times, no one was sure how long we should try and hold on, but finally, around New Year's Eve, the decision was made that our family's trial-run was over, and we would be moving back to Canada.

We didn't all come back at the same time--my husband made it up at the end of January, still in time for plenty of deep-freeze-like weather. Our children and I came up in the spring, finally arriving back in Peace River by mid-April. During this summer, we have lived with a couple of different families as we were putting a mobile home and utilities onto some bare land we own, moving in to an uncompleted site in August. All of our utilities were put in before the temperatures dropped too much, thankfully. As I type, the snow has officially flown here, and my husband is putting the last bit of skirting on our trailer! We will be glad to have that project off of our list!

We are excited to finally be living on our own property in the country. I am looking forward to getting some chickens next year. (I'm hoping for a milk cow by next year, too, but we'd have to put up a fence and a shelter to accomplish that one--we'll see how it goes!) Eventually, we are looking forward to finally having horses of our own. My oldest son has been asking when we will get a horse since he was three--and he turns seven in two weeks!

I thank you all for being patient with me over this past year, as I have been moving, and pioneering, and home schooling, and trying to run a business at the same time!

Blessings!

A Peek Inside of 5 Star

2009-10-08T11:49:00.001-06:00

Check out this 30-second "commercial" for 5 Star, to give you a sneak peek at what it looks like. Debbie is the one making cinchas, and Laurel (the President!) is lovingly hand-sewing pads.

Happy riding!

New Colours for Wear Leathers

2009-05-31T10:57:00.003-06:00

5 Star has just brought in two new options for wear leathers:

Black Patent Leather

Pink

Now you can really add punch to your pad! These add-on options cost $10 over the regular cost of the pad. Look for these soon in the "accessories" section of my store!

5 Star makes Saddle Pad for George W. Bush

2008-10-03T13:53:00.005-06:00

Yesterday, I visited the 5 Star shop for the first time since arriving in Arkansas. When I arrived, Mike Easton was being interviewed by the Mena Star, because 5 Star had been commissioned to make a vaquero cinch and custom-made pad for President George W. Bush!

What a prestigious honour for this company! They were commissioned to make a quality pad and cinch by the American Bison Grower's Association, who had been commissioned, in turn, to make a custom saddle for the president. The leather is all bison leather, and there was a thin layer of ultra-soft bison fabric laminated to the top of 5 Star's regular felt for the pad.

The cinch is the handiwork of 5 Star employee Debbie Owens.

Movin' On

2008-09-04T22:07:00.004-06:00

For three and a half years, now, I have enjoyed providing 5 Star Equine Products to people all over the world. Thanks to the industry I am in, my customers, almost exclusively, have been easy to work with and a joy to serve. And I have managed to do all this from my home in Alberta, Canada.

Now, my relationship with 5 Star Equine products is being taken to the next level. You see, not many of you know that the founder and President of the company is my mother, Laurel Easton. (Here she is pictured with my grandmother in a photo I took last week on Mom's visit to Alberta.) Also, for several years now, Laurel and her husband, Mike, have been looking to move on to bigger and better things... like retirement!

So, over the course of this year, my husband and I--after much prayer and thought--have decided to move down to Arkansas to work with, and eventually take over, 5 Star. My role in this, at least for a while, will continue to be pretty much the same as it is right now--stay home and raise my three boys and run my eBay business. Jason will be the one that will be immediately involved in several aspects of 5 Star's business when we get down there.

Never fear--other than a few weeks window, between September 18 to about October 5, my service to you will go uninterrupted. In fact, I may now be able to offer more items in my "bargain basement" as I will be able to go and photograph them personally, moving some extra stock out of the shop. Oh, and when they are behind, I might occasionally get to sew your pads or make your cinchas myself! :-)

Please be patient as we enter this new chapter of our lives. I apologize in advance for the communications blackout that is about to ensue. I thank you for all of your support over the last three years, and look forward to serving you for a while to come.

Upcoming Price Increase, Good-bye Pendletons

2007-11-29T23:36:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let my customers know that there will be a major price increase coming into effect as of February 1, 2008. The reason is that the wool supplier for 5 Star's felt supplier is Canadian, and with the falling US dollar, the prices are soon going to be reflected in the retail price of these pads.

The price is going to jump approximately 10%. However, for my customers they can add another $6 onto this, as there was a price increase in June that I simply never had time to implement in my store. You have all been reaping the benefits of my tardiness up until now, but I will be rolling out all new pad listings in February that will reflect the new price jump, and finally finish updating the template (and some policy infringements) in my many, many store listings.

They say bad news comes in threes, but I hope for all of our sakes that this second item is the end of it:

5 Star is phasing out the Pendleton Pads. The price for laminating the Pendleton fabric onto 5 Star felt kept increasing to a point where they did not feel, in good conscience, that they could continue to manufacture these and pass along those increases to their customers. So, what is in stock is all there is. If you have had your eye on one of these, now is the time to buy it, before they are gone forever! (I try to keep my Pendleton store listings current with what is still remaining in 5 Star's shop, but it is a good idea to e-mail me before purchasing to be sure that the design you have your heart set on is still available.)

So, that is all for now. I will be spending the next two weeks before going on holidays catching up on my books and performing blog and store maintenance, so hopefully I will be able to streamline the purchasing process for you soon. If you have any suggestions, please e-mail them to me. I love hearing from my customers any time!

Happy Winter, everyone!

Trail/Endurance Pads are in the store

2007-08-09T23:04:00.000-06:00

Hey, everyone! Well, after so many people kept asking me about them, I finally got the Trail/Endurance pads listed in my store. You can find them by going to my store at www.wintersdistributing.ca, clicking on "Western Saddle Pads" in the left side-bar, then "Trail/Endurance Pads."

With these pads, I began the switch over to the new listing format that I am going to be phasing in over the next month or so. Since each pad thickness has only two price tiers--undyed, and dyed--I will be grouping all the dyed colour pads together in one listing for each style and thickness. You will just have to specify colour when you order.

This saves me having to revise 100+ listings every time felt prices go up. This saves you time sifting through hundreds of listings to find the pad you want. I think it's win-win. (Oh, and you're going to see me phasing the latest change in price in at the same time, too--I have been eating the difference myself since June 1, since I simply haven't had time to go through and change everything!)

Anyway, back to the Endurance pads. These were originally designed to complement the High Plains and Trooper saddles that Tucker puts out. Now they are known as the square-skirted and round-skirted Endurance pads.

Round

Square

Aren't they purty?

Just makes you want to run out and buy a saddle to match, doesn't it? ;-)

Happy weekend, everyone!

When Horses Dance...

2007-04-24T10:22:00.000-06:00

Here is a video of the amazing dressage performance of Andreas Helgstrand. Very enjoyable!

Check out Kim's Crystal Creations

2007-02-24T00:16:00.000-07:00

This talented lady has made some gorgeous tack, with plenty of bling for your horse! If you want a little more glitter and flash in the ring, you may want to check out Kim's Crystal Creations.

All I can say is: Beautiful!

From her home page:

"My horse Charlie is the inspiration for my crystal creations. His glistening coat needed tack that was equally as beautiful to match his stunning personality. Nothing on the market proved to be unique or brilliant enough to stand out in a crowd. I also noticed that with most of the crystal tack products available, the crystals fell off after a short period of use. They just didn't stand up to the grueling challenges of horse back riders.

I decided to make my own crystal tack and after many different creations, people started asking me where I "bought" my tack. I just grinned and said "I made this" and that's all she wrote. Now I make durable crystal tack for other people who want brilliant glitz on their horses or even on their own clothes!"

Introducing Contoured Blankets with Wool Felt Liner

2007-02-22T11:43:00.000-07:00

You will now see a new section on the left navigation bar of my store called "Contoured Blankets." These wool/mohair-blend hand-woven Navajo blankets are contoured with the same curve as the western pads. In addition, a 1/2" wool felt underpad is attached to the blanket along the spine's wear leathers, giving you the beauty of a blanket, the compression and protection of a wool felt saddlepad, without the slippage and overcinching which usually accompanies the use of both.

The blankets come in seven gorgeous solid colours: black, white, red, navy, hunter green, copper, and chocolate brown.

Also, I just listed the 30-strand Woven Roper cinch, selling at $87.95. The design of this cinch incorporates two colours for a beautiful pin-stripe effect. Check it out!

Valentine's Sale!

2007-01-26T01:12:00.000-07:00

If you've had your eye on a red or a burgundy pad, now is the time to grab one! All red or burgundy pads are going on a 10% off sale first thing Friday morning. You can find them in the Bargain Basement by clicking on the link at the top of this blog.

This sale will continue for at least one week. (We'll see how it goes.) Ordering your pad now will give you plenty of time for it to arrive and surprise your sweetie (whether human or equine.)

Happy Heart Month!

Check out the Flying French Man

2007-01-10T21:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I know the updates over on this blog have been a little slack. Sorry about that. I have two western magazines sitting on my desk, right in front of me, waiting for me to peruse them for gems--but that will have to wait until I am caught up on my office work! (It is tax season now, after all.)

However, in the meantime, check out what this Lorenzo guy has done with his horses! Enjoy!

Lorenzo
Uploaded by Quimerica

Pendleton Pads are Here!

2006-10-16T21:16:00.000-06:00

I FINALLY got these posted to my store.

You can click on any image to see it larger.

"Brown" Nez Perce

"Earth" Rockart

"Red" Aztec

"Terra Cotta" Saguaro

The full selection is available in the Pendleton Western Pads section of my store.

Sale extended

2006-08-18T07:48:00.000-06:00

I have extended the sale on last week's items until the 22nd. You can reach them through the links in the "Bargain Basement" section, above.

Sale Items: Until Aug. 15

2006-08-08T22:05:00.000-06:00

Here are the sale items listed in auction format for this week. Remember, you can find all of my sale items at any time in the Bargain Basement section of my store.

5 Star Elite 100% Mohair Roper Cincha, any color (except natural) - Reg. $79.95, on sale for $71.95

1" Western Horse Contoured Black Saddle Pad, Reg. Skirt - Reg. $199.95, on sale for $179.95

7/8" Western Horse Contoured Natural Saddle Pad, Full Skirt - Reg. $159.95, on sale for $144.95

Also, coming soon (still): The new 5 Star Pendleton Pad! A little something to whet your appetite:

This is one of the sample pictures that 5 Star sent me during the testing process, but I believe it is one of the fabric patterns in the final collection. Isn't it purty? I believe this is a regular-skirt pad.

I'll let you know as soon as I get these posted in the store!

5 Star Elite is here!

2006-07-31T23:26:00.000-06:00

Well, after some serious re-vamping of my template and store, I was finally ready to list the new 5 Star Elite cinchas! You can check them out in the Cinch section of my store. Let me know what you think!

I will be changing the pictures on the coloured cinchas and the diamond embellishment upgrades as soon as I get them zapped to me from 5 Star. Laurel is pretty busy right now--they are finally caught up on the backlog of orders that had them running behind for most of July, but she and Mike are planning to go on a missions trip to Mexico in a couple of weeks--so there's lots of excitement in Arkyland! (I had to put that in here, because that's what Laurel called the blog that she has as-yet to post to! Hee!)

Time for bed for little ol' me!

New Look for Winters Distributing.ca

2006-07-20T00:19:00.000-06:00

I've been busy as a bee the last couple of evenings, working on a new look for my eBay store. In addition, I have also been working on the listings for the new 5 Star Elite cinchas.

Here's a teaser for the cinchas:

Aren't they pretty? And the best part--they are 100% pure mohair, even the coloured parts and the trim. Most other manufacturers will make the coloured sections out of rayon.

Gee, it's just so much easier to put that picture up here than to create the new listings for my store--but don't worry, I'll get 'er done.

If you like the new look, let me know what you think. Leave a comment here, or e-mail me.

One more thing, to all of my American customers (since you make up the majority of my business):

You may have noticed a disparity in my spelling, namely on the word "colour". I am Canadian. That's how we spell it. In my listings, I spell it the American way since I list on eBay.com, and most of my customers are American. But, there's only so much patronizing I can do... ;-)

So really, I do know how to spell. (Most of the time. Keep in mind that when I am posting here, it is usually long after my carriage has turned back into a pumpkin, so errors have been known to happen. But I am usually more careful with my listings. I hope.)

Coming soon...

2006-07-11T20:26:00.000-06:00

In a few short weeks, I will have the new specialty 5 Star Pendleton pads available in my store. These are exclusive pads using a special laminating process to adhere Pendleton Woolen Mills' designer fabrics to the fabulous 5 Star pads, for a look that's good for you AND good for your horse!

I'll keep you posted!

Working on a New Look

2006-06-08T02:36:00.000-06:00

Hi! I'm in the middle of changing this template, as you can tell. Please bear with me while I am "under construction!"

I must take a break to sleep! More improvements coming soon!

From a Chat with Laurel Easton

2006-05-30T21:13:00.000-06:00

Oh, my poor, neglected business blog! Have you missed me? Has anyone been checking you at all?

I have here, in this very room with me, one of the co-founders of Wells 5 Star Equine Products.

So, Laurel, how did 5 Star get started?

Laurel: Ever since I've been a girl, I've always been interested in what was the best for my horse, and back then I made pure wool saddle pads, similar to latch-hook rugs. Then I tried making saddle pads out of 100% wool blankets with high-density foam in the middle, but I didn't like the synthetic attributes of the foam.

My current pad endeavors got started with the help of my late husband, Vern Wells. He and some friends had designed a contoured wool pad many years ago that had never been marketed. After helping Todd Slone get started making contoured wool felt saddle pads, Vern and I continued to refine the design of the pad, and started our own company, insisting on only using the best quality of wool felt available.

Talena: What obstacles have you had to overcome to help your company grow?

Laurel: Getting consistent felt of the quality we want is probably the thing we fight the most. Our felt manufacturer always tells us that "making felt is an art, not a science."

Talena: You mentioned "late" husband?

Laurel: Shortly after we started the company, and were in the process of moving to Arkansas [from Texas], Vern had a massive heart attack and passed away.

Talena: So when did you and Mike start collaborating?

Laurel: After Vern passed away, leaving me with a fledgling saddle pad company, and massive debt, I was selling horses, trucks, and whatever else I could sell to try and get the debt cleared. A gentleman named Mike Easton happened to be in the market for a brood mare with Leo bloodlines. He went to Texas horse-shopping, and visited with a friend of mine who happened to know that I had a mare like that for sale. So Mike got my phone number from him and went back to Montana, and about a week later he phoned this "old widow lady from Arkansas" and asked about my mare for sale.

Being the friendly sort that he is, we chatted about many things besides horses, and he learned about my little saddle pad company. He was at a point in his life that he was looking for something different to do than construction, and a warmer place to live than Montana, so he volunteered to help me with marketing my saddle pads. I gratefully accepted his offer, since I make a great saddle pad, but I didn't know anything about marketing.

Talena: Obviously, he eventually became more than your marketing manager.

Laurel: Yes! He bought my horse, and after we had been chatting on the phone for several months, I delivered his horse to him on my way to my daughter's wedding in Canada, and after having met in person, the business relationship became more personal, and we are now married.

Talena: What has Mike contributed to 5 Star?

Laurel: Mike was the driving force behind new colours, new styles and new thicknesses of pads.

Talena: What did product line consist of before that?

Laurel: I had two colours: natural and black; two thicknesses: 3/4" and 7/8"; and two sizes: standard and full skirt. Also, one style: Horse!

We now have seven colours, three English styles and five Western styles for both horses and mules available in five thicknesses.

Talena: I remember when your goal was to ship fifty pads a month, and this was a really big achievement when you accomplished this. How has your business grown since then?

Laurel: We now ship an average of over one hundred pads a week!

Talena: That's amazing!

Laurel: In the beginning, I did everything: glued, sewed, laced, packed, shipped, answered phones, did all the paperwork. Since then, the Lord has blessed us with several excellent staff as we grew, and for a little over a year now, I have only sewn when one of the staff is sick, and the rest of my time is taken up with doing the paperwork. Our company has consistently grown about 30% a year since 2000. The Lord has blessed us with "a better mousetrap."

Talena: Can you explain that?

Laurel: Well, there have been saddle pads around forever, made out of all different kinds of things. Our saddle pads have had such phenomenal reception because of their design and quality materials, making them the best pad for your horse in both comfort and durability.

Talena: You now carry more than just saddle pads, as well. What else does 5 Star carry, and which of those products do you manufacture yourselves?

Laurel: Our newest endeavour that is only a few months old is creating 5 Star Elite Cinchas. They are made from 100% mohair, even the colours, whereas most cinchas out there that say they are 100% mohair use rayon for their colours.

Another new product that Mike has developed is a contoured wool/mohair blanket with a felt liner. It is contoured the same as our pads, so it has the same great attributes for keeping the saddle in place, but has the blanket look that some horsemen prefer.

Another new product that is still in its infancy is our 5 Star Pendleton Pads. This is our great quality 5 Star pad combined with the classic designs of Pendleton woolen fabrics. The fabric is laminated to the wool felt. This will be hitting the market in a major way on June 22nd.

We also have limited availability of some good-quality leather headstalls and braided leather reins.

Talena: Sounds like you have a lot to keep you busy! What are 5 Star's plans for the future?

Laurel: To continue providing the best quality products for your horses and mules that we can make available.

-------------

So there you have it, folks. A history of 5 Star in brief--straight from the horse's mouth! :-)

On Sale: May 18 to 25

2006-05-17T20:22:00.000-06:00

I am extending the sale on last week's pads for one more week:

3/4" 30"x30" Black Horse Contoured Saddle Pad: $143.95
1" 30"x30" Natural Mule Contoured Saddle Pad: $152.95

These are in addition to the limited-time sale offerings in the left sidebar of this page.

Weekend Sale on Bridles!

2006-05-12T00:14:00.000-06:00

On sale for this weekend only! 2 of my Windmill Tack Headstall/Bridles!

Showy Brown Browband, 5/8", Reg. $139.95: $125.95

Dark Brown Browband with Chevron detail, Reg. $84.95: $76.45

Also, a 16"x20" print by Janet Griffin-Scott! Following are a couple of samples of what you have to choose from. Go to the listing to see the full range of prints available:

Hurry! This sale ends on Sunday Night!

Happy Shopping!

On Sale: May 10 to 17

2006-05-11T00:54:00.000-06:00

This week the following pads are on sale:

3/4" 30"x30" Black Horse Contoured Saddle Pad: $143.95
1" 30"x30" Natural Mule Contoured Saddle Pad: $152.95

These are in addition to the limited-time sale offerings in the left sidebar of this page.

Also, this week, watch for more colors and sizes of mule pads to become available in my store.

On a side note, I just found this article about Ray Hunt:

Ray Hunt - A Legend In His Own Time

From the article:

--------------------
"The horse - he's is a living, feeling, decision-making animal. He's willing to learn, but you've got to show him. So you make the wrong thing difficult and the right thing easy. You just fix it up, and let him find it. Notice the smallest change and the slightest try." These words would echo again each time I met Ray, and yet each time they would bring a new and deeper meaning...

What was most compelling about Ray was the easy relationship he had with his horse. He called it respect, but when Ray spoke of respect, it brought a new dimension to the word -- an awareness that the human was no better than the horse, just different. And the horse was no better than the human. Like apples and tomatoes -- you can't really say one is more important than the other. If you're a hamburger, you may like tomatoes better, or if you're a fruit salad, you may like apples better. But that doesn't mean that one is better than the other. Each one is just uniquely what it is. What he was getting at, I knew was true, but did I really believe it? Did I really believe that I was no better than the horse?
-------------------

Correction about Ray Hunt seminar; Madonna in W

2006-05-10T00:09:00.000-06:00

Mike Easton kindly corrected my misunderstanding: Mike and Laurel actually hosted the Ray Hunt seminar last weekend. That post from Laurel should be up soon.

Just a reminder that this week's sale is ending tomorrow. (Well, technically, I guess that would be today, since it is now into the wee hours of the morning.)

I was surprised to learn that W magazine is devoting 58 pages to Madonna in riding crop and fishnet stockings. What magazine devotes 58 pages to anything?! What a choice in topics!

Of course, it surprised me to learn that Madonna is actually a big riding buff, which I found out after her recent riding accident hit the news.

The things you don't know, but didn't really need to, right? ;-)

New Sale Items; Introducing 5 Star ELITE cinchas

2006-05-04T23:23:00.000-06:00

Hey, everyone, sorry for not posting for so long. I have been struggling to figure out exactly what approach I should take to this blog. I have not had much experience with blogs, especially business blogs. Also, I have been insanely busy with a renovation project that got out of hand (see my personal blog), and have barely had time to screw my head on in the morning, let alone do anything else!

Last weekend, Mike and Laurel Easton from 5 Star Equine Products attended a Ray Hunt seminar. When Laurel has half a minute to call her own, she is going to send me some gems that they took away from the weekend for me to post.

There are some new items on sale for the week in my Bargain Basement:

1" Natural Mule Saddle Pad, Regular Skirt (30"x30"): $152.95
1" Black Horse Saddle Pad, Full Skirt (32"x32"): $188.95
7/8" Brown Horse Saddle Pad, Regular Skirt: $152.95

These are all 10% off until May 10. In addition, there are still the other limited-time sale offerings on (see sidebar.)

I learned something today about cinchas that I thought I would share with you:

The reason that mohair is used for cinchas instead of regular sheep's wool is two-fold:

The tensile strength of mohair is much greater, and
The fibers of mohair bond together much better than wool.

On the subject of cinchas, I would like to take a minute to let you know that soon you will see 5 Star's new brand of cinchas in my store. 5 Star Elite Cinchas were developed by fiber artist Darin Alexander, exclusively for Wells 5 Star Equine Products. Darin was mentored by Steve Bork, and his creations are in line with 5 Star's philosophy of what is best for your horse.

What am I waiting for? Well, I find it best to have individual photos of cinchas to post on my listings, which Darin has not had time to provide me with, yet. However, if you want to take a sneak peek, check out their online brochure. Then, if you are "chomping at the bit" and want to get one right away, e-mail me and I will post a listing to my store JUST FOR YOU!! Not just anyone would do that for you, but I would! *wink*

If you have any other comments or questions you would like to share with me, feel free to leave them in the comments section, or e-mail me directly. I love hearing from you!

Talena

SALE from April 20 to 27!

2006-04-26T21:10:00.000-06:00

For the next week, the 7/8" thick 30"x30" black pad pictured in the previous listing is on sale for 10% off. This brings it down to $152.95 from $169.95.

I am trying something new. For a limited time, I will have select pads on sale for 10% off in the Bargain Basement section of my store:

Black Barrel Horse Pad: 3/4" thick, $143.95
Black Mule Pad: 7/8" thick, 30"x30" skirt, $152.95
Black Horse Pad: 1" thick, 32"x32" skirt, $188.95

Just click on the links to be taken directly to the listing.

Picture of a saddle pad

2006-04-20T00:02:00.000-06:00

Here is a photo of one of my best-selling Contoured Wool Saddle Pads from Wells 5 Star Equine Products. It is a Regular Skirt (30"x30") Contoured Wool Saddle Pad. Black is the ever-popular colour, due to its class and versatility.

And, of course, it is made from 100% Wool Felt.

Wool: The High-Tech Material

2006-04-19T22:21:00.000-06:00

Written by Mike Easton;
Edited by Talena Winters
Content Review – Dr. Joyce Harmon, DVM
©2006 All rights reserved.

In the equine world, it seems that each year we are presented with new theories about training, health care requirements, and tack. Technological advancements in the fields of chemistry and physics have created many new materials with seemingly endless benefits. Open- and closed-cell foams are some of these. However, before getting carried away with applications for such materials, one must examine their proper use. Are they really beneficial when applied to the equine world?

The design intent of foam was to provide a new source for compression protection using inorganic, raw materials. A high percentage of these foams came as a result of the NASA space program. When these materials started being used in the equine industry, the idea seemed good, in principle. In reality, the new product was developed and marketed without testing by reputable scientific sources, with no proof whether or not the product had natural therapeutic benefit and structural fit for the intended activity. Instead, product developers presented new products to the public based on personal bias and testimonials—and in many instances profit margins and retail cost became the selling points.

One such incidence of product abuse has been in the area of saddle pads. High-tech fibers, open- and closed-cell foams, air-filled pockets and layered combinations are some of the newest items on the saddle pad block these days. These materials could be presented in bright colors, soft to the touch, and have the feel of real comfort. They gained instant popularity, for obvious reasons: individuals involved in the show world could provide additional flash, and those not involved could have the same flash, at less expense. Companies with the best marketing program were driving saddle pad sales, rather than what is best for the horse.

However, in the age of modern miracle fibers and foams, scientific research supports that almost-forgotten, original high-tech fiber: WOOL.

The Original High-Tech Fiber
Today’s sportsman and equine owner are learning what experienced tack men, as well as sheep in the hottest and coldest climates of world, have known for thousands of years: when it comes to thermo-regulation and all-around protection performance, wool is still unmatched.

The secret to wool lies in its complex cellular structure. Each hollow strand is engineered to trap heat while resisting the buildup of moisture. Every follicle of wool is made up of a hydrophobic (water-hating) exterior shaft and a hydrophilic (water-loving) inner core. This gives wool the unique ability to wick perspiration (sweat) away from the body and at the same time shed moisture. This is why you can’t mop up spilled water with a wool cloth. And at the same time it is why wool can absorb up to 30 percent of its own weight in water vapor. In comparison, cotton can only absorb up to 8 percent of its weight, while synthetic material usually absorbs less than 5 percent of its weight and has very limited wicking ability.

So, how does this “miracle fiber” work?

Moisture transport in textile materials works on the same principle as wicking in capillaries. Capillary wicking is determined by two fundamental properties of the capillary: its diameter, and the surface energy of its inside face (such as the inner core of a wool fiber – see diagram above). The smaller the diameter or the higher the surface energy (measure of the attraction between water and the internal surface of the capillary), the more readily water moves up the capillary.

When textile materials are woven together the spaces between fibers create a pattern that functions like capillaries. The tighter that fibers are packed together in fabric, yarn or felt, the smaller the apparent capillary diameter, and the more readily wicking can occur. Other fiber properties that play a supporting role in wicking action are fiber diameter, cross-section structure, crimp and stiffness.

Wool and Your Horse
Because of the structural nature of wool, the surface energy is very high. This hydrophilic (water-loving) component is the aspect that delivers sweat and heat away from the horses back and through a wool saddle pad.

The activity of the horse and rider produces “sweat”, which is the horse’s means of eliminating heat. The sweat is transferred away from the skin as a result of the contact with the wool pad. The capillary action of an individual wool fiber, plus the compacted density of wool then distributes the moisture throughout the pad. Wool’s ability to wick sweat away from the body leaves the skin dryer and cooler than other materials. Unlike wool, open- and closed-cell foams have no wicking ability and simply trap moisture and heat.

Take The Pressure Off
Wool’s unique ability to deal with perspiration is just one of the important components of limiting sores, or their severity, from pressure points created by an improperly-fitting saddle or piece of tack.

Another important aspect is the ability of a one-inch thick piece of wool felt to contain and limit pressure points. Under a saddle, the primary problem is one of constant pressure in areas where the saddle fits poorly. Pads of a variety of materials are often used to try and alleviate these pressure points, with no thought given to heat removal. The problem with most materials is that pressure is transferred through the pad to the horse’s back—and is often made worse after adding the pad.

A pressure point causes damage to the underlying skin and muscle through bruising. Bruising causes fluid to leak out of the cells, leading to swelling of the skin and edema (fluid under the skin or in the muscle). When you eliminate bruising, you eliminate the swelling and pain that goes along with it.

In humans, wool has been long known for its ability to prevent blisters. Blisters are formed from friction or sometimes from pressure and friction together. During blister formation, heat can build up, and it is known that wool reduces the severity of blisters by dissipating heat and pressure.

In other words, wool socks cannot eliminate the blister, but they can reduce the initial impact and severity of the injury before one decides to do something about it. Nothing replaces a shoe that is correctly fitted, but we cannot always afford to replace shoes once the mistake has been made. Therefore, we must do the next best thing—pad our feet correctly.

By the same token, NOTHING replaces a correctly fitted saddle!

What About Foam?
Synthetic materials and fibrous, open- and closed-cell foams trap heat, do not wick and increase the chances of heat-related pressure sores. Also, they have limited compression protection. Their strength lies in ease of cleaning, reduced saddle slippage (in some cases) and colorful patterns.

Unlike synthetic materials, wool fiber contains hundreds of tiny waves, called crimp, creating the millions of air pockets that give the fabric its insulating properties and ability to breath. It is this same component that allows wool to stretch up to 50 percent when wet and 30 percent when dry—and still bounce back to its original shape. This natural physical property is what makes wool such a beneficial compression protector.

If open- and closed-cell foams are stretched in a similar fashion, they begin to break down immediately. Their molecular structure has memory constraints of less than 5% before they begin to break down and tear apart. Synthetics also break down much quicker than wool when subjected to heat, sweat salts and pressure. Despite the influx of new fibers and foams being introduced into the equine world, wool continues to hold its own, and be a mainstay for top saddle makers, equine professionals, and anyone that cares about animal wellbeing.

Show Me The Proof
How do we know that this “miracle fiber” is what we claim it is? Dr. Joyce Harmon, DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine), noted Washington, Virginia equine specialist, tested saddles for correct fit and pad materials. Dr. Harmon’s research used testing procedures similar to those used by Dr. Michael Collier, DVM, from Oklahoma State University, when he was hired by Professional Choice to develop their Air Ride pad. Her conclusions for pad material use, saddle fit, and placement that provides complete equine protection came only from a desire to benefit the animals.

In researching this issue, Dr. Harmon used the Forced Sensory Array machine, just as Dr. Collier had. They found pressed wool felt with high virgin wool content provided the best compression, wicking ability and heat protection (reduction) of all the materials on the market today.

Dr. Harmon’s original research stemmed from years of studying the correct mechanics of saddle fitting and the biomechanics of saddle placement. In a nutshell, what they found was a “Shoe is to sock as saddle is to pad” analogy. Without putting a correctly fitted saddle with the correct type of pad, no horse, mule or donkey is free from compression-related (pressure point) injury.

The saddle must still fit the horse after the pad is added. If a saddle basically fits without the pad, then a pad can enhance the situation. If the saddle is too narrow, no pad will solve your problem, any more than a thick sock will correct the fit of those dress boots you have in the back of your closet. If the saddle is a bit too wide, a thick pad can really help the situation if it is made from material that will not compress much (wool and some dense types of foam). However, if a saddle is very much too wide, it will continue to tip forward through any pad.

Socks and Saddle Pads
So how can you tell what is going on with your pad and saddle? Saddle up your animal with its new pad, making sure to seat the pad by pulling it up into the saddle gullet. Next take a 20-30 minute ride, which allows the animal to heat up. Now stop and check to see how well the saddle and pad have stayed in place. Remove the saddle and pad, checking the sweat marks on the underside of the pad. What you would like to see is a fairly even sweat pattern across the entire pad.

If your saddle fits worse after adding a pad, then it means the pad is incorrect for your saddle—usually it is too thick. However, wool felt can require at least one hour of heated riding to seat and form to a saddle and animal conformation correctly. So many riders today insist on double padding, but if one remembers the “shoe-sock” concept, two socks in a shoe is just like two pads under a saddle. Some aspect of the sock or pad is always slipping or moving
around. This creates and exacerbates pressure point problems, and diminishes the likelihood of achieving the close contact needed for a good saddle fit, for both horse and rider comfort.

Even if your horse feels great with the new pad, you must still be alert for old behavior issues for the next six months. A new pad may feel great initially, but pads have been known to “cure” a problem while simply transferring it to a new area on your horse’s back! This new area can take a while to show sore spots.

The Bottom Line
The cure for all of these problems is quite simple. Noted horseman, Ray Hunt says, “It’s what happened before that you didn’t want to have happen.”

Use common sense: don’t get caught up in every new gimmick without checking out the background from several sources. Endorsements don’t make a product, because most endorsers are paid for their association.

Use a good reputable saddle maker that knows and understands correct saddle fit. Check their background and whom they trained under. Find a time of year that your horse is in good using condition so that the saddle maker can fit your animal when it is not over-fat or too thin!

Lastly, when considering pads, consider seriously the question, “Would I wear it as a sock or underwear?”

If not, then why in the world would you put it on your horse?

Mike Easton is co-owner with Laurel Easton of Wells 5 Star Equine Products, which produces high-quality wool felt saddle pads and other therapeutic equine products. The couple lives in Arkansas with their numerous cats, dogs, horses, and mules!

Dr. Joyce Harmon has written several books on equine health, including Western Saddles-How To Fit: Pain-Free, and English Saddles-How To Fit: Pain-Free. She is renowned in the equine world for her holistic approach to equine health.

Talena Winters is the owner of Winters Distributing, one of 5 Star Equine Products top retailers on the web.

Welcome to Winters Distributing's Weblog!

2006-04-19T21:51:00.000-06:00

Hi, my name is Talena Winters, owner of Winters Distributing. This weblog is to keep you updated about what's happening with Winters Distributing, Wells 5 Star Equine Products, and the equine industry.

We believe in using natural products and fibers to protect your horse. That is why Wells 5 Star Equine Products saddle pads are made out of 90% virgin wool, with only 10% reworked wool--a higher-quality wool than any other saddle pad manufacturer.

I am proud to be one Wells 5 Star Equine Products best retailers on the web. My actual office is located in the small town of Peace River, Alberta, but I have sold saddle pads and cinchas to people all over the world. I strive to give the best customer service possible--this, combined with the way folks at 5 Star stand behind their pad, have been the key factors to my fabulous feedback rating in my eBay business.

Please bookmark this blog and check regularly for updates and info on what's new.

I look forward to serving you!