Serving Horse Owners Across the State

Product Review 

Saddle Pads

This month I believe saddle pads would be a good thing to review, as last months review was on saddles.

Once you have a saddle that is a good fit, then ...as the professionals say...” You should not even need a saddle pad, except to keep the dirt off of your saddle.” 

That is probably true, but I have heard that only 1 out of every 10 riders have saddles that actually fit.  Here are a few things I have found out about saddle pads…

1) If your saddle really is not a good fit, there is no pad that will completely fix the problem.

2) You can sometimes fit a saddle that is too wide by using a thicker pad although if a saddle is too narrow, a thick pad will tend to make the problem worse.

3) A poorly fitting pad causes as much discomfort as a poor-fitting saddle.

4) Multiple layers of pads can cause instability which irritates and causes as much pain as a poor fitting saddle

5) A thick pad will tend to raise the front of the saddle up, sometimes creating an out of balance condition in the seat.

6) The pad needs to be cut generously, so the saddle does not hang out over the edge of the pad.

7). A too thin pad can increase the pain of a poor-fitting saddle

I have tried quite a few pads with many different styles of saddles.  The most inexpensive pad will work well with a well fitting saddle as all you want to do is keep the bottom of the saddle from getting sweaty and dirty (depending on the type of riding you do).  But, if your saddle is not a perfect fit, which very few are, then a pad to compensate may help your horse.  One thing to keep in mind is that your horse more than likely will change from season to season and even if your saddle is a “perfect” fit now, it may not be next winter or even in the spring. Exercising a lot can change a horses back as well as being sedentary.  This is where the pad comes in.  The pad “can” compensate for these changes, on a temporary basis.

I like the SaddleRight pad. It is made of a material that does not compress, even after years of riding. It does not slide around and it keeps its shape even after years of use.

The good thing about this pad is that if there are any unconformities in your horses back and saddle, this pad will make up the difference and fill in the spots.  If you have a good fitting saddle, it will just be an extra cushion.  It is only ½” thick and it extremely lightweight.  They come in various sizes and shapes to fit just about any saddle. They are a bit pricey, but you will never have to buy another pad and you can use it for all your horses if you clean it between uses.   I had one that was about 11 years old and sold it with the saddle I sold.  It was in excellent shape, a bit worn on the sides, but otherwise still had many years left in it.

There is another similar pad made by Supracor and it is along the same lines as the Saddle Right pad.  Either one will be secure, help your saddle become a better fit and is easy to take care of. 

There is NO pad that will make an ill fitting saddle fit your horse, but either of these pads will help more than any other type.   I have always heard one rule to go by….if you can put your pointer finger on the top and your thumb on the bottom, you should not be able to feel your fingers when you squeeze them together. The pad should be resilient enough to keep them apart, which will keep the saddle from putting pressure on any part of your horse.

I hope this helps.  Email me if you have any questions or want a review on anything I may have tried.