Orthopaedic saddle pad

A saddle pad comprising:

• a lower layer of resilient material for being placed over the back of an animal and absorbing forces on said pad created by the weight of a rider and
• an upper layer of resilient material for filling substantially a void formed by the gullet of a saddle between the spine of said animal and the top of said saddle, absorbing forces created by the weight of a rider, and transferring said forces to said lower layer.

A method for distributing the weight of a saddle and a rider over the back of an animal comprising placing between said saddle and said back of an animal a saddle pad comprising

• a lower layer of resilient material for absorbing forces on said pad created by the weight of said saddle and rider and
• an upper layer of resilient material for filling substantially a void formed by the gullet of said saddle between the spine of said animal and the top of said saddle and transferring said forces to said lower layer.

In combination, a saddle for engaging the back of an animal and a saddle pad for being placed between said saddle and said back of an animal, wherein said saddle pad comprises weight distributing means for distributing evenly over said back of an animal the weight of the saddle and a rider thereon, wherein said saddle includes a gullet extending over the spine of said animal forming a void between said saddle and said spine, said weight distributing means comprises resilient material in said void extending between said saddle and said spine, said resilient material comprises an upper layer which narrows toward the top and a lower layer which extends laterally substantially beyond said void, and said upper layer comprises two layers bonded together.

In combination, a saddle for engaging the back of an animal and a saddle pad for being placed between said saddle and said back of an animal, wherein said saddle pad comprises weight distributing means for distributing evenly over the back of an animal the weight of the saddle and a rider thereon, wherein said saddle includes a gullet extending over the spine of said animal forming a void between said saddle and said spine, said weight distributing means comprises resilient material in said void extending between said saddle and said spine, said resilient material comprises an upper layer which narrows toward the top and a lower layer which extends laterally substantially beyond said void, and said lower layer comprises two layers having different resilient characteristics, an upper of said two layers having a lateral extent less than that of a lower of said two layers.