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Saddlery Series Part 3: Foams

Tuesday, 18 August 2020

SADDLERY MANUFACTURING, FOAMS, PADDING



Welcome to our new ‘Saddlery Series’.

Throughout this series, we will be showcasing the very best materials and supplies, hand-picked by us. We will spotlight the highest quality fittings in the production of saddles and side-saddles, allowing you to create beautifully finished products.

Abbey England is proud to have been supplying the international saddlery trade since 1982. Recognised by the Society of Master Saddlers. Our saddlery has become synonymous with equestrian style and saddle sophistication.

We previously covered saddle trees and welting, and the third instalment in this series explores foams.

Using padding in a saddle is extremely important. Even before the invention of the saddle tree and stirrups, as far back as 700 BC, people were using padding, such as cloths and cushions, on the horse’s back to ride on. Even Alexander the Great used some form of padding during his conquests. Into the Middle Ages and beyond, saddles were originally padded with wool or horsehair.

Today, English saddles use panels which are attached to the underside of the seat and give the saddle its traditional appearance. These are filled with a range of many different types of materials to provide padding; including wool, felt, polyester and neoprene. The most popular form of padding used in saddle-making today is foam.

The right type and amount of foam padding in the creation of the saddle will provide the perfect level of support and comfort for both the horse and rider. It provides stability and cushions impacts through shock absorption. Extra padding can also be used for horses with sensitive backs, or earlier injuries, and also for older riders or riders with knee, hip and back issues of their own.

Padding keeps riders off of their horses' backs, preventing pressure points by distributing their weight evenly, whilst providing protection and security in the saddle. However, only a well-constructed saddle with the correct padding will do this successfully.

We provide a wide range of foam padding for the production of saddles, which is used by the top saddle manufacturers across the UK and Europe.

Easily shaped and cut, our range of foams can be bonded to other materials such as fabrics, wood and metals. Below, we have detailed some of our top-selling types of foam saddle padding, and their available thicknesses. Each piece of foam is sold by the sheet:
 

Adhesive polyfoam

Available in 1m x 1m with 4mm and 6mm thickness, in grey.

The Adhesive polyfoam is a very unique product that has experienced rapid uptake over the last 10 years.
Offering a fast and reliable bond to fabrics, leathers and plastics, this foam is perfect for adding that fine finishing touch to a hide covered product. It will allow for the stitch profiling to be raised and will add an extra soft feel to any leather or fabric piece.
Easy application is key to this product and the adhesion rate is excellent too. Used across saddlery, girth, leather goods, automotive and upholstery.

 

PVC gel foam

Available in 1m x 1.6m with 6mm, 10mm, 12mm and 16mm thickness, in black.

The PVC Gel foam was a NASA developed product which over the years has found its way into our workshops. This foam is a dense slow releasing foam which is extremely soft and versatile in its make-up. We would recommend this for seats, pads, girths and upholstery.

 

Latex foam

Available in 2m x 8m with ¼” 6mm, 3/8” 9mm or 5/8” 166mm thickness, or in 1.8m x 1.4m with 19mm thickness

Abbey’s 100% genuine natural Latex foam has been one of our most successful products to date. Not only does this product offer unrivalled quality and value the end product is undoubtably better for using this foam. Latex foam has been used for many years and rival products fail to replicate the feel in a finished product.  It is incredibly easy to work with no matter what you are making this foam will be the right choice for your product.


Evazote foam

Available in 1m x 1.5m, with 3mm, 6mm, 9mm, 12mm, 16mm and 25mm thickness.

Evazote Foam is a hybrid foam sitting in-between the Plastazote soft and the Neoprene. This product tends to be on the medium to firm density scale and again can be used in all manufacturing sectors.
We see this foam as a modern alternative to the standard plastazote range which again can be used as a cake layer or stand-alone product.
 

Plastazote soft foam 

Available in 1m x 2m with 3mm, 6mm, 9mm, 12mm, 16mm, 19mm, 25mm, 30mm and 38mm thickness.

A great foam used as a foundation layer to build cake layers for the desired comfort that you are creating.  Soft Plastazote Foam  is an extremely versatile foam and is very popular in all manufacturing processes.
The foam offers a very good memory rate and is very durable. We see this foam as an everyday essential for the craft person. Products within the foams capabilities are saddlery, girths, bridles and automotive.
 

Plastazote firm foam

Available 1m x 2m with 3mm, 6mm, 9mm, 12mm, 16mm, 19mm, 25mm, 32mm, 38mm and 50mm thickness.

Firm Plastazote is This product is one where you can use a foundation or as a stand-alone product. If you desire a firm seat for example, one would choose a 12mm base layer and then add a 10 or 12mm softer foam creating a cake layer of foams.

But where we tend to see this product utilised the most is in Knee Roll production where shapes are formed and sculpted to the craftsman’s pattern.

Neoprene EPDM foam

Available in 1m x 1.5m in 3mm and 16mm thickness and 1m x 2m in 6mm, 10mm and 12mm thickness.

Neoprene or EPDM as its also known, is extremely durable. It offers exceptional rate of memory and a medium to firm density. Because of its versatility and durability, Neoprene has been a popular choice among our Walsall based customers

To order or enquire about our supplies of saddle foams and padding, please visit our website here.

Stay tuned for the next instalment in our ‘Saddlery Series’; everything you need to know about leather.