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Mattes Half Pad: size, wither cut-out, and correction inserts
A correction pad won't fix a saddle that doesn't fit. This statement is worth making at the outset, because it determines whether buying a Mattes half pad will prove to be a good investment or an expensive workaround for a problem that will eventually resurface.
Mattes is simultaneously one of the best-designed and most under-explained products in equestrianism. On forums, someone has size M for a 16.5-inch saddle, someone else has the same size for a 17.5-inch saddle, and a third person writes that everything changed after washing. It's commonly repeated that with a correction pad, you need to widen the gullet by one size. A legend has grown around washing, claiming that sheepskin should never be machine-washed, even though the manufacturer recommends precisely the opposite.
In this article, we'll sort this out from the ground up. We'll show you the step-by-step sizing procedure, explain the difference between Spinefree and EWWA versions, describe how PolyFlex inserts actually work and how many millimeters they can compensate for, and also state frankly in which situations a Mattes half pad is a bad idea and you should call a saddle fitter. Technical data comes from E.A. Mattes documentation, and practical conclusions from the daily work of our Fitting Center.
This article is written for riders who already have a well-fitted saddle and want to complement it, for owners of young horses whose physique changes during the season, and for those whose saddle has started to slip and are looking for the cause.
Key information at a glance
Size is measured from the saddle's contact surface, not the seat size. You measure the saddle from the front edge to the end of the panels, add 6 cm, and that is the minimum length of the half pad. Two 17.5" saddles may require different sizes.
A Mattes half pad takes up space under the saddle, thus altering its fit. If the saddle was fitted without a half pad, inserting it reduces the space under the gullet, and the saddle starts to act as if it were narrower. This is not a product defect, but physics that must be considered in the sequence of actions.
"Widen the gullet by one size" is too general advice. The correct procedure is different: the saddle fitter fits the saddle with the half pad, in the configuration in which the horse will actually work.
The Correction System has a precisely defined range: up to 30 mm. One or two pockets, with three 5 mm thick PolyFlex inserts per pocket. More than that is no longer a correction, but masking.
Inserts can be cut with scissors, and they were designed for this. The ends are cut at an angle to prevent the insert from ending with a sharp edge, and this is particularly important when layering several inserts.
EWWA is not a better version of Spinefree, but a version for horses with high withers. On a horse without high withers, it can cause rubbing on the sides of the withers.
Mattes sheepskin is designed for washing, and this is a condition of the warranty. The manufacturer requires MELP detergent; ordinary powders degrease the leather and shorten its lifespan.
Table of Contents
- What a Mattes half pad cannot do for a saddle?
- Does a Mattes half pad narrow the saddle?
- How to choose the size of a Mattes half pad step by step
- Spinefree or EWWA: which version for your horse?
- PolyFlex inserts: how many, where, and can they be trimmed?
- When a correction pad is a bad idea
- How does sheepskin differ from gel, foam, and cheap pads?
- Washing and care: the shortest possible version
- Personalized order: what to know before clicking
- Symptom vs. possible cause: diagnostic table
- Common mistakes with correction pads
- Frequently Asked Questions
What a Mattes half pad cannot do for a saddle?
A correction pad is a tool for evening out changes and asymmetries, not for fixing an incorrect fit. This distinction clarifies everything else, and it's the most common point of confusion in discussions with clients.
The manufacturer defines the Correction system very specifically. It is designed to keep up with how a horse's body changes: the rapid development of a young horse in training, the physique of a fully trained horse which can change during the competition season, returning to work after a long break, and a back that sags with age. A separate task is to address small differences between the left and right sides. In each of these cases, the starting point is a saddle that fundamentally fits, and the pad bridges the difference.
What's not on this list? A tree of the wrong width, a saddle that bridges along its entire length, a saddle impinging on the lumbar region, and a saddle placed on the shoulders. A pad won't fix any of these things, and some of them it will worsen, because it adds material where the problem is geometry, not thickness.
There's one noteworthy exception, often misunderstood. Mattes indicates the single-pocket version as particularly useful for bridging saddles, i.e., those that only make contact at the ends of the panels, with a gap in the middle. This is a real application, but treat it as a temporary and diagnostic solution, not a permanent one. Bridging is one of the worst fitting criteria, and we've written more extensively about why this is in the article on fitting a saddle in motion.
And one more thing the manufacturer states more strongly than one might expect: long-term abnormalities in a horse's conformation should not be corrected by altering the saddle itself – that's precisely what the pad is for. The reason is practical: an insert can be removed at any time, but you cannot undo an altered saddle.
Does a Mattes half pad narrow the saddle?
Yes, and this is the most important thing to understand before purchasing.
The logic is simple: the pad takes up space between the saddle and the horse's back. If the saddle was fitted without a pad, inserting it reduces the space under the gullet, and the saddle starts to act as if it were narrower. The effect is often precisely the opposite of what's intended, as seeking comfort for the horse can add pressure in the wither area.
The most common advice heard then is: widen the gullet by one size. It's not entirely wrong, just given without measurement. How much to widen depends on the pad's thickness, the number of inserts, the wither's shape, the muscular condition, and the saddle's construction itself. One size is sometimes too little, and sometimes too much, and in the latter case, you buy a saddle that will shift if you ever remove the inserts.
The correct sequence is different and boils down to one rule: the saddle is fitted in the configuration in which the horse will work in it. If you plan to ride with a correction pad, the saddle fitter assesses the fit with that pad and the planned number of inserts, both standing still and in motion.
Can this be planned for the future? Yes, and the manufacturer explicitly accounts for it. One of the described applications of the Correction system is to fit a young horse with a saddle that is initially slightly too wide, with inserts that are gradually removed as the horse builds muscle. This is the most sensible scenario for a growing horse and the only one in which "too wide a saddle plus a pad" is a plan, not a mistake.
It's worth remembering that the saddle works as part of a system, which also includes the girth. A girth that pulls the saddle forward will negate the effect of even the best-chosen pad – more on this in the review of the Prestige RP girth.
How to choose the size of a Mattes half pad step by step
Here lies the source of most conflicting answers on forums. People state the seat size, for example 16.5 or 17.5 inches, but the half pad size is not derived from the seat size. It comes from the length of the saddle's contact surface with the back, and two saddles with identical seat sizes can have significantly different contact surfaces, especially across disciplines and manufacturers.
The manufacturer's procedure has three steps.
Step 1. Measure the contact surface. Take a tailor's tape measure and measure from an imaginary line at the front edge of the saddle, following the saddle's contour, to an imaginary line at the end of the panels. Do not measure in a straight line and do not measure the seat. You are measuring what actually lies on the back.
Step 2. Add 6 centimeters. This is the minimum length the half pad's spine should be. These six centimeters have a specific reason: if the saddle panels extend beyond the edge of the half pad, a distinct pressure line forms precisely at that boundary.
Step 3. Compare with the table. The spine length for Mattes is the same across all three cuts – dressage, jumping, and all-purpose:
| Size | Spine Length (Dimension A-B) |
|---|---|
| S | 47 cm |
| M | 54 cm |
| L | 58 cm |
| XL | 62 cm |
This is worth knowing, as it saves a lot of confusion: the cuts differ in shape, not length. The flap line and the wither cut-out zone are shaped differently, but you choose the size with one measurement, regardless of the discipline. You select the cut separately, according to your saddle.
Plus three adjustments, which almost no one writes about, but which shift the result by a few centimeters.
The fur trim on top takes about 5 cm of space from the front and the same from the back, if you choose it on both sides. The piping, a narrow decorative cord sewn into the edge of the pad, takes about 1 cm per row, front and back. If you choose fur, count only the fur, as it takes precedence over the piping.
Two tolerances at the end, because they explain why someone else's size won't necessarily be yours. The given dimensions can vary by ±2 cm, and the pad will shrink by up to 5% after washing. For size L, that's about three centimeters. Therefore, if after measuring you are on the border of two sizes, take the larger one.
Spinefree or EWWA: which version for your horse?
This question often arises for horses with high withers and weakly developed backs, and internet answers usually boil down to a one-sentence definition. Meanwhile, the difference is practical and has consequences.
Spinefree is Mattes' patented, standard design. The clear space along the spine is designed so that no seam, fabric, or material tension is found on the spine or in the wither area. Combined with the Saddle-Fix system, which attaches the upper seam of the pad high in the saddle's gullet, this space remains open even in motion. This solution is for most horses.
EWWA stands for Extra Wide Wither Area. The pad retains the Spinefree construction, but the cut-out is extended lower on the wither, giving a horse with a distinctly high, sharp wither extra space where a regular pad might otherwise press.
A crucial note, which you won't find in product descriptions: on a horse that doesn't have high withers, EWWA can cause rubbing on the sides of the withers. This is not a better version, but a version for a specific build. For the manufacturer, the EWWA option doesn't cost extra, so the temptation to "take it just in case" is real, and that's precisely why it's worth knowing about this.
In practice, the choice looks like this. High, sharp withers, lean back, a saddle that always pinches in the wither area: consider the version with the EWWA system, available among others in the Correction+ half pad for dressage saddles with EWWA Plus system and in the jumping version with EWWA Plus. Average withers or well-muscled back: stick with the standard Spinefree, for example in the Correction+ half pad for dressage saddles or for all-purpose saddles.
If you are unsure which group your horse belongs to, this is precisely the moment to ask a saddle fitter before ordering a personalized product without the right of return.
PolyFlex inserts: how many, where, and can they be trimmed?
The Correction system has a defined, quantifiable range, which is its greatest advantage over "by eye" pads.
The pad is ordered with one or two pockets, and the manufacturer provides three 5 mm thick PolyFlex inserts for each pocket. This allows for a total adjustment of the saddle's fit by up to 30 mm. PolyFlex is a needle-punched polyester felt that—unlike foam—does not "bottom out" under pressure and allows for incremental changes of five millimeters.
How many inserts and where? The rule is simple and depends on which way the saddle is slipping.
If the saddle tips forward, onto the shoulders, and you feel like you're riding "downhill," it lacks height at the front. You add inserts to the front pocket, starting with one. If the saddle lifts at the front and sinks at the back, you add inserts to the back. For shoulder asymmetry, you work with the side, not the length: an insert on the weaker side, noticeably thinner or a single one, as it's easy to overdo it here.
Always start with one insert and assess the saddle in motion, not while standing. Every five millimeters changes the balance more than it seems at a standstill.
Can inserts be trimmed? Yes, they are designed to be. The manufacturer explicitly states that inserts can be easily trimmed with scissors to cut the ends at an angle and achieve a fit without pressure points, which is especially important when layering several inserts. Three inserts stacked one on top of the other create a distinct edge at the end, and such an edge is a ready pressure point. An angled cut distributes it smoothly.
One common sense limit. If you reach three inserts in one pocket and the saddle still doesn't fit, it's no longer a task for the pad. Thirty millimeters is the system's ceiling, not a target to be fully utilized.
When is a correction pad a bad idea?
Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your horse right now is not to buy a pad. Postpone the purchase and book a saddle fitting consultation if any of these situations apply.
The saddle has never been fitted by a specialist. A pad placed on an undiagnosed saddle obscures symptoms without addressing the cause. First, diagnosis, then the tool.
There are already changes on the back. White hairs, discolorations, rubs, painful spots under pressure, obvious atrophy behind the shoulders. These are signs that pressure has been acting for too long, and they require assessment, not adding a layer.
The saddle bridges along its entire length. A single-pocket version can be a bridge here, but a bridging saddle indicates a problem with the tree and panel geometry.
The horse changes very rapidly. A young horse in intensive training can outgrow the 30 mm range within one season. In such cases, saddle adjustment is needed, and the pad merely buys time between visits.
You don't know which side of the horse is weaker. An insert placed on the wrong side deepens the asymmetry it was meant to correct.
How does sheepskin differ from gel, foam, and cheap pads?
The question "isn't it the same for five times the price?" is fair and deserves a concrete answer, not just an assurance of quality.
The difference is not in cushioning itself, as gel and foam can also dampen vibrations. It lies in friction. The wool fibers in sheepskin stand vertically and slide one after another, so the horse's hair does not rub against the pad's surface. This is important because pressure combined with friction is much more dangerous for the skin than pressure alone. Additionally, there is absorbency: Mattes sheepskin absorbs up to eight times its own wool weight before feeling damp to the touch, and it regulates temperature in both summer and winter.
That is why the manufacturer consciously avoids using foam, neoprene, or gel in the pad's core. The interior is made of a PolyFlex laminate with polyester filling, which is air-permeable and maintains its shape after many washes.
This has a practical consequence for the price. Three things determine it: sheepskin, the design of the cut-out over the spine, and a quantifiable correction system. A cheap "correction" pad without these elements is not a cheaper Mattes, but a different product. If the budget is limited, a more reasonable compromise might be the corrective version without fleece, which retains the pockets and inserts, rather than a full Mattes imitation.
Finally, a forum myth that deserves to be debunked: "how can a pad protect against chafing if it sits on a saddle pad?" Answer: it does not protect against chafing from the saddle pad, and that is not its role. The pad works with the saddle, evening out pressure and balance, while contact with the hair is managed by the saddle pad, which is chosen separately and washed more frequently. If your problem is chafing around the girth area, the right tool is a girth with fleece, not an under-saddle pad.
Washing and care: the shortest possible version
Most misunderstandings have arisen around washing Mattes, so three things in brief.