CSI Saddle Pads F.A.Q.S
ORDER INFORMATION
Do you ship Internationally and to Canada?
If you are an International or Canadian customer, check out our International Orders section on our Shipping Page or call us at 660.638.4CSI (4274).
How do I order a replacement liner?
Order online right now by visiting our Online Store, call us at 1-660-638-4CSI (4274), visit us at a show or expo or speak with one of our dealers.
My CSI Saddle Pad has 5 vent holes along the spine, but the new CSI line I got only has 3 holes. Did I get the wrong thing?
We now make all saddle pads and liners with 3 vent holes. The liner with 3 holes fits exactly the same way into pads with 5 holes so there is nothing to worry about! Always make sure you put your liner in starting at the back – it is much easier to line it up this way.
I want to return my saddle pad, how do I do this?
Download our Return Form and fill it out. It has detailed instructions on how and where to return the pad.
Just a tip: if you’re in the Continental US, UPS will be less expensive than the US Postal Service for return shipping.
If you have any questions, feel free to call us 1-660-638-4CSI (4274).
Please allow 2 to 4 weeks for your refund to be processed.
ABOUT CSI SADDLE PADS
There appears to be hay or stuff in my line, why is this?
Our 100% all natural wool liners are just that — 100% all natural and the bits of vegetative matter in the material are what was on the sheep when it was sheared of it’s fleece. Since we used needled wool instead of pressed wool, the wool never goes through harsh cleaning processes, so the vegetative matter remains in the finished product. Simply pluck it out.
What are the exact dimensions of your saddle pads?
Please see our Find the Right Saddle Pad page, and scroll down to the “Choose Your Length” section, you can find our exact dimensions there.
Why don’t you make foam liners any more?
CSI Saddle Pad proudly switched from PVC foam liners to 100% all-natural wool felt liners in 2009.
Why the change? Over the years we had many of our customers request an all natural product. We actually began researching all-natural wool felt substitutes to our foam from the beginning. Then when our foam supplier informed us they were no longer able to produce the PVC foam (used in our foam inserts) to our specifications. Unfortunately, there is only one manufacturer for the foam we used and because of the economy (they have changed formulation to cut costs) they were unwilling to comply to our formulation requirements. This news, combined with customer requests, meant it only made good sense for CSI Saddle Pads to discontinue all foam liners and move to using a 100% wool liners.
We are very pleased with the performance of the wool we’ve chosen. In our testing, the wool has performed amazingly well. It offers very similar shock absorption and pressure distribution as the foam, but is a 100% natural material which makes it very safe even for sensitive horses. It has also demonstrated excellent longevity in our tests.
The CSI Flex-Plate®, which is the true heartbeat of our saddle pad and the thing that sets us apart from the competition, still provides the same protection it always has — that will never change.
GUARANTEES
Does the CSI Saddle Pad come with a guarantee?
Yes, CSI Flex-Plate® Saddle Pads come with a 30 day money back guarantee. And, yes, we’ll take back saddle pads that are dirty or have been used.
Does the CSI have a warranty past the 30 day money back guarantee?
The CSI Flex-Plate® and workmanship are guaranteed for three years. During this time, we will repair or replace your saddle pad for free if you either break the CSI Flex-Plate® (during equine use!) or if the saddle pad comes unstitched due to manufacturer defect.
It’s nearing the end of my 30 day period and I haven’t had a chance to use the saddle pad, what can I do?
Just call our office and ask for an extension, 1-660-638-4CSI (4274). It’s not a problem.
What are the terms of CSI Saddle Pad money back guarantee?
CSI Saddle Pad’s 30-day money-back ride-it and try-it guarantee is a go get it dirty, ride it like you own and return it no matter what the reason within 30 day guarantee. We want you to actually USE the pad because that’s the only way you’re going to know if you like it or not. If you decide to return the pad, you will be refunded the price of the saddle pad (minus shipping). You will be asked to provide a reason as to why you are returning the saddle pad, but this is only so we can determine how to improve our product in the future.
The most common reason people are disappointed in the fit of their CSI Saddle Pad is because they saddle too far forward on the saddle pad for the CSI Flex-Plate® to work at its optimum. Before you send your saddle pad back, please check out the Using Your CSI Saddle Pad page and watch the videos in our Video Library.
FITTINGS
How do I decide which CSI Saddle Pad to buy?
85% of horses need and riders choose our 32″ western pad with a 3/4″ liner.
If your horse is mutton withered (round backed) and you just do light riding, you should choose a 1/2″ liner.
The CSI Saddle Pad with a 3/4″ liner creates a 1″ overall pad thickness, and a 1/2″ liner will create a 3/4″ overall pad thickness.
To determine the length of saddle pad you’ll need to stand your saddle up on its horn or pommel end and then measure from the ground to the end of the skirt. A rule of thumb would be to buy the saddle pad that is at least 2″ longer than your skirt length.
As far as the cut of the saddle pad (i.e., sport cut, show cut, square, round), choose the style you’d like under your saddle. The CSI Flex-Plate® and contour is the same in each of the styles. The only other consideration would be if you’re using a drop-rigging saddle as the show cut saddle pad is very narrow around the barrel and will not accommodate the drop rigging as the other styles.
How can I tell if my is a 30″ or a 32″?
Our standard Western Line saddle pads are available in 30″ inch and 32″ inch lengths. They will actually measure 29 1/2″ and 31 1/2″ inches respectively if you want to get technical.
To determine which you have, measure along the wear leather or visit the CSI Saddle Pad Lineup Page to see sizes. (DON’T MEASURE DOWN THE BACKSTRAP, this is not an accurate measurement of saddle pad length because of the pad contour)
You can also look inside the saddle pad for a written size. Saddle Pads manufactured after 2013 have the size written on them.
All 30″ inch liners manufactured from June 2015 on will have white velcro on one side whereas 32″ inch liners will have black velcro only.
My horse has pockets behind his withers OR is sway backed – is there something I can do about this?
Yes, we can help with these conditions. Go to our Shims Page and read up on these conditions and using shims there.
My horse seems to be getting rub marks over his loins after his long hair is set on, is this a problem?
Long hair coat breakage is VERY COMMON with all wool saddle pads. The longer hair gets hung up in the wool fibers and breaks off. This does NOT mean your saddle pad is rubbing, it just means the hair shafts in this area are getting caught in the wool fibers and breaking off.
Unless your horse palpates sore in this area, this condition is nothing to worry about. You can use baby powder over the area to help lubricate the hair shaft if you want to prevent as much further breakage as possible.
Be sure to thoroughly brush you horse prior to riding.
Do you offer personal saddle pad fitting advice and assistance?
Absolutely! We will happily help you access saddle fit and saddle pad fit both before and after buying a CSI Saddle Pad. We normally ask you start out by sending us some photos of your horse. Email the images to [email protected]
We will happily provide a free phone consult with one of our saddle pad fitters to help you access saddle fit and saddle pad fit both before and after buying a CSI Saddle Pad.
To give you the most effective advice, you should be prepared to take some digital photos and email them to us at [email protected]
Click here to learn what what photos to take and to watch a quick video.
Download a handy PDF of how to take the photo, click here
It’s nearing the end of my 30 day period and I haven’t had a change to use the saddle pad, what can I do?
Saddle Pad slipping usually occurs when there is an underlying saddle fit issue OR if you are saddling too far forward or too far back. Try saddling so the back edge of your CSI Saddle Pad and your saddle skirt are lined up.
Review the videos on CSI Saddle Pad Solutions page as well. If you’re still having problems, call us at 1-660-638-4CSI (4274) and we can consult with you over the phone.
I have a really short backed horse and my pad is rubbing his hips, is this a problem?
When it comes to choosing a length, your saddle pad should always be purchased to fit your saddle, not your horse’s back. We strongly recommend you ride a saddle with a back cinch to increase your horse’s comfort.
My saddle comes right to the edge of my pad in the back, is this is a problem?
As long as you can position the saddle pad correctly on the saddle AND the saddle is not rubbing on the horse’s hide, it is not a concern if the saddle skirt extends to the edge of the saddle pad. As a matter of fact, most correctly saddled western saddles with a CSI Saddle Pad are in this position.
I have a saddle with an 18″ inch seat, do you make a pad bigger than a 32″?
We can make a 34″ inch pad. This is a very special order item. Call us at 1-660-638-4CSI (4274) for more information.
CARE AND USE OF CSI SADDLE PADS
I think I broke my CSI Flex-Plate®, how can I tell?
Breaking a CSI Flex-Plate® is truly a rare occurrence. Squeaking may occur as your CSI Flex-Plate® ages — this does not mean it’s broken. The saddle pad will also become more and more flexible as it becomes broken in — again this does not mean the plate is broken. Sometimes the carpet will also wrinkle in the middle of the CSI Flex-Plate®, this is not an indication that the plate is broken.
If you still think your CSI Flex-Plate® is broken, call us at 1-660-638-4CSI (4274) and we’ll help you determine if it truly is broken and help you get it fixed.
The CSI Flex-Plate® has a five year warranty.
What should my sweat pattern look like?
An ideal sweat pattern will show even wetness on both sides of the horse with a dry strip down the spine.
This, however, is an IDEAL sweat pattern and yours may or may not look like this depending on several factors including how long you were riding to produce the sweat pattern, the health of your horse, your horse’s conformation, saddle fit and environmental factors.
Depending on the height of your horse’s withers, you may see more dryness toward the front of the sweat pattern due to increased air flow.
Some horses who have had severe pressure point damage will never create an even sweat pattern because damage has been done to the hair follicle/dermis of the skin.
How do I know if my liner needs to be replaced?
Your liner needs to be replaced when compression areas no longer “fluff” back up after cleaning.
If you have one of our foam liners, you will know it needs to be replaced when the foam becomes cracked or hard or if the foam has lost its cushion (has become thin). Although we no longer manufacture foam liners, our wool replacement liners will work in your saddle pad.
You can order a Replacement Liner Here >>
My pad is coming unstitched, what can I do?
It is rare that the CSI Saddle Pad has issues with stitching or workmanship, but if it does happen, download our Repair Form and then arrange to ship your saddle pad back to us at:
CSI Saddle Pads
340 NW MM Hwy
Urich, MO 64788
Repairs are usually made with in a week of receipt and the saddle pad will be shipped back to you as soon as it is repaired.
I am having difficulty keeping my saddle pad tented in the front?
First, be sure check out our page on Using the CSI Saddle Pad and our Video Library to see if you are positioning the saddle optimally on the saddle pad. If you are still having difficulty, call us at 1-660-638-4CSI (4274).
How often do I need to replace my liner?
You will replace your liner every one to three years depending on how much you use the saddle pad and how well you care for it. You can extend the life of your liner by following the instructions on our Care and Cleaning Page.
Remember, your liner is reversible — just be sure to clean it first!
I have an older CSI Saddle Pad, will the wool liners work with it?
Our wool liners will fit all previously manufactured saddle pads.
My wool saddle pad has little wool balls (or pills) over my horse’s loin, what causes this?
It is the nature of wool fiber to ball up due to friction and heat. If the saddle pad doesn’t move as much, there is less friction. If the saddle pad is looser, and the saddle pad moves more, there will be more friction. This is why we recommend you ride with your back cinch snug against the horse’s skin to reduce movement of the saddle over the horse’s loin area. Always hobble your front cinch and back cinch together.
Need More Help
Despite everything on your website, I’m still having problems, can you help me?
Yes, we are happy to try to help you solve your saddle pad fitting issues. We may ask you to take some photos of the situation and email them to us.
If you want to go ahead and get that part out of the way, here is a list of photos I’d like to see to evaluate saddle and/or saddle pad fit (To get good relevant photos, place the horse on level ground in an even stance):
- A photo of the horse’s back with no saddle or saddle pad. One from each side.
- One photo looking down the horse’s back from behind and above. Use a bucket or the fence to help get a good angle where we can determine if the horse is even or uneven behind the wither.
- Two photos of the horse with just the saddle, not cinched. One from the mount side and one looking down the gullet from the front.
Email your photos to [email protected], then call us at 1-660-638-4CSI (4274) to follow up on your photos.
Download a handy PDF of how to take the photo, click here
IF YOU HAVE A CSI SADDLE PAD and are experiencing problems, it helps us to see what’s going on. TAKE THE FOLLOWING IMAGES:
- Three photos of the horse with the saddle pad and the saddle cinched as the rider would do it if they were ready to ride (meaning tighten the cinch mount tight): one from each side and one looking down the gullet from the front.
- After riding the horse to a sweat, take another set of photos as in #4 while the horse is tacked (do not loosen cinch or readjust saddle in any way)
- A photo of the horse’s back with no saddle or saddle pad. One from each side.
- One photo looking down the horse’s back from behind and above. Use a bucket or the fence to help get a good angle where we can determine if the horse is even or uneven behind the wither.
Email your photos to [email protected], then call us at 1-660-638-4CSI (4274) to follow up on your photos.