# FLAIR or Cair-Systems, Gel systems?



## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello,

pertaining to the discussion in the german goat forum about "why has a goat saddle a hole in the sideboard" is another question about if a FLAIR or Cair-System (air based flocking) would be of any use in packing with goats.

I don't see any advantages but maybe I'm wrong. I can see several reasons why it would not make sense to use for goats and packing:

- expenses
- getting damaged in the "middle of nowhere"
- does air really provide better padding then thick felt?

But I would like to hear your thoughts on that as well.

I could think about using gel pads for goats but can't imagine to use air filled pads.


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

Air? I can't imagine. If you could see the shape of my bags after one season. They are shredded pretty good. They have been scuffed on the walls of a slot canyon, snagged on sharp rocks on a slick rock cliff and hung up on broken limbs in the brush.

I use a 1" felt pad which is half of a horse pad to protect the goat not only from the saddle but from sloppy packing or shifting of objects within the bag.


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

Well it seems the German packers are a lively group.  

Besides the drawbacks you guys already pointed out I would also be worried about the load shifting and the air all squeezing to one side or the other leaving no padding on the opposite side. I believe some of them are baffled to help prevent some of this but a pack saddle isn't going to re-center itself on top of the animal like a rider would. Given all the possible negatives associated with an air filled pad I can't see them being very effective under a pack saddle. Not to mention all my air filled sleeping pads seem to have leaks after only a few trips. I'd hate to be constantly checking the air pressure on saddle pads as well. 

The gel pads on the other hand might be an option if they allow some airflow to help keep the goat from getting over heated.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

thanks for your replies so far.

I'm thinking about gel pads for years now but you can't resize the ones for horses without damaging the pad so I never made one for testing.


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

Honestly I think the biggest obstacle would be cost. While some horse owners will pay $100 to $200 or more for a pad most goat owners would not.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

yes, that, too.

I have an old geld pad here from my horse-riding days but it doesn't fit.


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

A gel system would cost more than the goat did. I have used closed cell foam for padding with great success. You can but it in sheets of different thickness and cut pad out if it. A 20 dollar piece will make three or four pads. 

We use gel and air systems on the horses but a good piece of closed cell foam is better, for horses, too.IMHO. We have $250 closed cell foam pads for the horses that are the best orthopedic pad you can buy.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello Carolyn,

thanks for the idea.

How thick should the padding be?

What's your experience with overheating underneath, with the pad staying in place under the saddle?


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

At least an inch thick. If you are concerned about heat you can make some cutouts in the sides and top of the pad. Just basically some round holes.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

thanks!


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