Our monies are constantly pushed in a variety of directions as equestrians. Horse equipment, care products, nutrients, feed, medical expenditures, and events compete for our hard-earned cash.
Realizing this, nothing could be more aggravating than investing in horse equipment only to discover it was not worth the money, didn’t meet your needs, or was ineffective for your horse.
While every rider has their favorite gear, it’s reasonable to infer that the unused saddle pads aren’t suitable for the horse and rider for various reasons—the fit is off, the material doesn’t wash properly, or the color has been off.
We’ve researched the top English saddle pads to help equestrian riders select the best all-purpose English saddle pads alternative without amassing a pile of unneeded, undesired saddle pads
Quick Comparision
| Image | Product |
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Best Overall: TuffRider Horse Basic All Purpose Saddle Pad Editor's Rating: 9.8 Brand: TuffRider Check Price |
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Best Design: Dover Saddlery Quilted All-Purpose Piped Saddle Pad, A/P, White/Navy/White Editor's Rating: 9.7 Brand: Dover Saddlery Check Price |
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Best Comfortable: Tough 1 EquiRoyal Square Quilted Cotton Comfort English Saddle Pad, Black Editor's Rating: 9.5 Brand: Tough 1 Check Price |
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Best Durability: Equine Couture Ocala All Purpose Saddle Pad | Horse Riding Equestrian Saddle Pad | Size- Standard | Color- EC Navy Editor's Rating: 9.2 Brand: Equine Couture Check Price |
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Best For Breathing: Weatherbeeta Prime All Purpose Saddle Pad 1000746025 Bubblegum Pink Saddle Pad Size - Full Editor's Rating: 8.9 Brand: Weatherbeeta Check Price |
Contents
Reviews
For beginner riders, the TuffRider Basic All Purpose Saddle Pad is an affordable solution. This saddle pad is available in a variety of colors that will look wonderful on any horse. Despite the fact that this saddle pad looks nice, it has several functional drawbacks.
Keeper straps are not included with the saddle pad. The saddle pad may slip back throughout your ride due to this. The TuffRider saddle pad is also a little bigger than your typical all-purpose saddle pad. Moreover, it would be ideal for someone who has a bigger horse and a well-fitted saddle.
Always draw the pad up into the gullet of your saddle with your hands before attaching your girth. This will prevent your horse's spine from being overly stressed.
A saddle pad prevents your horse's back from friction generated by a saddle rubbing against the hair and skin of your horse.
It also protects the saddle by soaking some of the perspiration from your horse. You'll simply need a basic saddle pad if your harness fits nicely. In addition, too much saddle padding can lead the saddle not to work snugly and generate pressure spots.
If the horse's back is bothering you, such as stiff withers or painful places, or if your saddle isn't fitting properly, you may need to use made especially saddle pads to ease or at least minimize the seriousness of the issue. The sort of saddle pad you pick is influenced by both function and riding style.
The Tough-1 EquiRoyal English Horse Saddle Pad is a square horse saddle pad with a traditional pattern made of 100 percent cotton twill. For ultimate safety, the horse saddle pad has shock-absorbing padding between layers. This lovely saddle pad is ideal for education, training, and all other aspects of English riding. With this English horse saddle pad, you may ride in style!
This is a low-cost pad that is ideal for school. It's not quite as great as some of the others, but it's a fantastic deal for the money. If you have many saddle pads, switch them every few days or when one becomes too damp or sweaty.
With Equine Couture's All Purpose Saddle Pad, you'd be the king of the barn. This saddle pad has a distinctive, jagged quilted design that gives a soft, pleasant cushion for your horse while still being sturdy enough for all-day riding. This saddle pad also has an eye-catching contrast rope trim around the borders for added style!
The lack of keepers to keep the saddle pad in place is my sole criticism of it. Anyone with a well-fitted saddle should choose this saddle pad.
The keepers on this saddle pad are attached to the D-ring instead of the billets, which makes it distinctive. This might make using a breastplate or draw reins more difficult. This saddle pad is ideal for someone who prefers light riding without the need for a breastplate or draw leads.
Ultimately, I think the Weatherbeeta Prime pad is a great-looking school essential, especially during the summer. Racehorses and other horses with high recedes will benefit from this pad. Dressage, AP, and Jumping saddle pads are offered in three different forms to accommodate your saddle.
What is the definition of a saddle pad?
Among your horse and the saddle, a saddle pad functions as a protective shield. Even if your saddle fits perfectly, saddle cushions are required. Your saddle pad will cover your saddle’s bottom from rubbing and scratching and preserve your horse’s hair and back.
Colors, shapes, and types of saddle pads are many. You’ll need a saddle pad whether you’re riding English or Western. English saddle pads are thinner than western saddle cushions. This is due to the lack of cushioning beneath the saddle on western saddles.
Although English saddles come with considerable cushioning, a saddle pad is still required. Saddle pads are not convertible between English and western styles. You must get the appropriate saddle pad for the discipline.
English Saddle Pads Types
Because different riding disciplines demand varying levels of protection or utility, saddle pads come in a variety of styles. The several types of saddle pads are listed here, along with which ones are chosen by particular English riding disciplines.
Shaped Pads
The form of the pad is meant to resemble the shape of the saddle. Except for equestrians, where the saddle flaps are larger and necessitate a more extended pad, all English riding sports employ shaped pads. English saddle pads are shaped or fitted and come in a range of substances and colors; however, white is the most common color for exhibitions.
Half Pads
These pads, which are popular in Europe, cover a tiny section of the horse’s back behind the saddle tree. Half pads are used alone or in conjunction with a shaped pad if the seat allows it. They’re most commonly seen in hunter and jumper shows. Half pads are often made of natural or synthetic wool, but these may also include a gel or foam organization to help absorb shock.
Square Pads
Also known as all-purpose or dressage horse pads, these pads are particularly intended to support the more extended mounting flaps of a dressage saddle. Cotton, neoprene, and various synthetics are among the best materials for square pads. They might have a gel or foam core and be heavily quilted. They come in a variety of interesting colors and patterns for schooling, and white is utilized during a show.
Comfort Pads
Comfort Pads, also known as pillow pads, are stuffed with quilted polyester batting for additional comfort. They resemble square pads in appearance. Because this sort of pad requires your saddle to be able to accept the extra thickness, you should verify the fit before purchasing one.
Pads for babies
This ultra-thin covering provides very little cushioning and protection. It’s widely used as a cheap pad under half pads in the United States to keep them clean and decrease the amount of laundry required for the bigger pads.
The best way to use a saddle pad
Ensure your horse is fully groomed before applying a saddle pad. The front of your saddle pad should be placed on the horse’s withers, with the remainder fabric facing the horse’s hind legs.
Keep in mind the saddle protects your horse’s whole back. Play straight on top of your saddle pad if you’re using a half pad. To protect your English saddle from sliding, attach the guards to the Billet straps.
To ensure that all of your tacks stay that way, run the perimeter through the holes. Place your saddle pad inverted to clean the inside once you’ve finished using it.
How to buy the right saddle pads
Discipline
What discipline are you riding, and will this pad fit for it? The longer flaps of a racing saddle would not work with an all-purpose saddle pad.
Show or Pleasure
If you’re exhibiting, there may be guidelines about color, especially style and fit, that you must follow. If you’re riding for enjoyment, you may use any color or design you like.
Comfort
Consider the pad’s construction. Will your horse be comfy in this fabric and padding?
Design
For horses with high withers or long backs, certain saddle pads have a higher contour or are longer. Choose a style that will fit your horse’s high withers or sensitivity if they have them. Another thing to think about is keeper straps. Others opt not to use them.
Durability
No one wants to have to replace saddle pads every few months. Choosing a robust saddle pad can help it last longer. You should also check if this pad can withstand regular cleaning.
Make sure the pad you choose fits your horse and saddle properly. Pony pads are made for ponies and smaller horses and would not be suitable for a warmblood in a show.
FAQs
What are the sizes for English saddle pads?
The size of an English saddle pad varies based on the pad’s brand, design, and cut. A common all-purpose pad measures approximately 22×26 inches, and most measurements are provided as Length x Height.
Which saddle pad is the best?
Personal choice plays a big role in choosing the ideal saddle pad. Dover Saddlery, Shire, Exselle, Kerrits, Weatherbeeta, and LeMieux are some of the best saddle pad brands now available for equestrian riders.
What factors should I consider while purchasing an English saddle pad?
Think about your discipline, saddle size, and horse conformation when choosing a pad. Choose a pad that fulfills your requirements for durability, color, drying, cleaning, and fit. The majority of riders choose long-lasting pads that are simple to clean and dry rapidly.
What is the purpose of an English half pad?
Half pads are meant to provide additional padding between the saddle and the horse. This is a popular choice among English bikers. Shims may be removed from some half pads to relieve pressure in specific regions or solve minor saddle fitting issues. Half pads should only be used to make modest changes to a thoroughly inappropriate saddle. Improperly fitted saddles can severely harm a horse’s back.
What is the material used to make English saddle pads?
Polyester, cotton, or a combination of the two is used to make English saddle pads. Memory foam, polyfill, polyfoam, and quilt batting are among the interior padding materials employed.
Is it possible to pressure wash your saddle pad?
This is a terrible concept. The water pressure is too high, and the fibers will be damaged.
What exactly do dry patches imply?
When you remove your tack, you may see dry patches, which indicates a fit problem. When you see this, I recommend having a respected saddle fitter examine all of your equipment. Saddle fit issues might cause discomfort and behavioral issues.
Conclusion
Choosing the best all-purpose English saddle pads is difficult, time-consuming, and costly. Rather than accumulating a collection of useless saddle pads, think about size, style, design, discipline, and fit before making a purchase. For horseback riders, there are several possibilities. You just need to conduct some research to determine what is best for you and your horse.