Stephens Premium Lined Sheepskin Showing Numnahs > Reviews > For those into showing horses.

Author's product rating:   

Quality	Excellent
Style	Excellent
Durability	Good
Fit	Good
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	Comfortable, good quiality .
Disadvantages:	Expensive .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I am continually striving to find the most comfortable numnah for my horses back. There are so many different types of numnahs out there, the choice is almost endless. It is important that the horse is comfortable. For a discipline like showing, it is also important that the horse looks presentable.

When showing, it is desirable to show off the horses shoulder. This is why straight cut showing saddles have been designed. The numnah should also be discreet when showing. Some people do not use a numnah for showing at all in order to achieve this. The only problem with this is, it may compromise the comfort of the horse.

A numnah protects the back of the horse. It also helps keep the underside of the saddle clean. There are lots of different materials of numnah that are suitable. Some horses are more sensitive than others though. My thoroughbred mare has sensitive skin and she has come back from rides with rub marks from under the numnah. A good numnah will eliminate pressure points. It will also be manufactured from a material that will not cause rubbing., will not attract dirt and will wash and dry easily.

Sheepskin is a natural fibre. It is soft and comfortable, it absorbs sweat really well and it seems to suit my thoroughbred mare. This is why I find sheepskin so good. I can use other numnahs for riding, but when spending a long time in the saddle, which you do when showing, I always use sheepskin for this mare.

Stephens premium sheepskin is available as a showing numnah as well as other styles. The numnah actually costs £50 so it is quite expensive. However, comfort should not be compromised and it is certainly good quality. I have seen it in black, brown and white. The numnah is sheepskin on the inside and the outside is quilted cotton. It has a strap for the girth to pass through and also straps to wrap around the girth straps to keep the numnah in place. The numnah has a rolled front edge just at the wither. This means that there is a bit of padding at the wither and it is also just in front of the saddle, which helps to keep the numnah in place.

The numnah is washable at a low temperature. I always wash it at 30% because it can be prone to bobbling if washed at a higher temperature. When the numnah is brand new, it looks great, fluffy and absorbent. When it has been washed and it becomes a bit bobbly, it is possible to use a comb to achieve the new look again. I have done this before and it looks new again. Bobbly isn`t exactly what I mean but it is the best way to describe the wool becoming almost clumped together.

My horse finds the numnah comfortable, sheepskin agrees with her. She does not have any sore areas after using this numnah. If the day has been really hot, the numnah becomes really heavy when it is removed. This is due to all the sweat that has been absorbed, helping to keep the horse more comfortable.

The numnah is a pretty good fit to the saddle, it is available is 3 sizes. The rolled edge in front of the girth certainly helps to prevent it from slipping back. The strap through which the girth passes does also. I am never really keen on these as they can sometimes make the numnah in slightly the wrong place. This one isn`t too bad though.

I always use a black sheepskin. I would never use a white one as they are near on impossible to keep clean. Black looks smart for showing. The only thing that I have found is, the sheepskin can attract hairs. The numnah is usually covered in horse hairs when removed. It doesn`t really matter with my bay coloured mare. However, I also use a Stephens general purpose sheepskin numnah on a grey horse. The hairs do show up when they are grey and the numnah is dark.

I wash the numnah after each use to keep it clean and to protect my horses back. If sweat is left on the numnah it can cause rubbing. I do not wash every numnah every time, just this one, only if I have used it for a long time. Sheepskin is always nicer before it is washed. It still looks smart though afterwards.

The Stephens sheepskin showing numnah is expensive. I do have another one for a general purpose saddle. I only use it for long rides though as I consider it too good for every day use. The only draw back with a showing numnah is, it cannot be used with any saddle other than a showing saddle. To be perfectly honest, if mare hadn`t been rubbed after a long ride, I probably would not have bought a sheepskin showing numnah. There are quilted cotton showing numnahs available which are considerably cheaper. The fact that I no longer have the saddle as the mare changed shape means that the numnah has had very little use. I could always sell it on Ebay. I do recommend the Stephens premium sheepskin range but I would only recommend buying a sheepskin showing numnah for someone seriously into showing (which I am not, I just like spending money).