# Saddle Pad Reviews



## poppy1356

jdrm said:


> Hi i am looking to replace my saddle pad. I am asking that you tell me about you saddle pad. the things you like,dislike,quality of pad, how it fits your horse, and where purchased it and how much. I you could give me any bit of information or advice about saddle pads, that would be great.
> Thanks for your Time.


What discipline? That makes a huge difference.


----------



## Golden Horse

English or western?


----------



## jdrm

Golden Horse said:


> English or western?


hi i ride western............


----------



## Golden Horse

Five star Equine 5 Star Saddle Pads, Saddle Blankets, Cinches 100% Wool love them


----------



## kitten_Val

I had Reinsman pad (with fleece on bottom) when I was riding Western and it was a really nice pad. It looked great even after 2 years of use (so I sold it very fast for what I asked when I was switching to English).


----------



## poppy1356

I love diamond wool pads. Just as nice as 5 star but half the price. Plus they have many many options for pads.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## BarrelRacingLvr

5 Stars would be my first choice. Have one that we have had about 8yrs and it is still in great shape! Behind a 5 Star would be a Classic Equine ESP, then EquiPedic, then Impact Gel.

Those are my top picks for pads. They are all great pads.


----------



## SouthernTrails

.

I know a half dozen people who have purchased this pad, don't let the price fool you, they are made in the USA

EC- Diamond Wool Endurance Contoured Felt Saddle Pad


.


----------



## Casey02

I just ordered a best ever pad, (for a Christmas gift) ill let you know how I like it after it gets here!


----------



## jdrm

hi i was looking at some cavallo saddle pads.do any of you have them ???let me know how you like thank thanks


----------



## fkonidaris

I just got an Impact Gel and I absolutely love it! I had a Reinsman Tacky Too, but it rubbed on my horse. I also had a Charmayne James Pro Choice SMX Air Ride, but it was very thin...not much protection. My Impact Gel is a little heavier, but provides comfort and protection for my horse and myself. It conforms to her back making it a perfect fit! I love it!


----------



## Joe4d

wool or wool fleece. The better brands will last longer, but most will do the same thing when you ride. Usually its synthetics that cause problems.. Some are very good for what they were designed for, yet people use them for other purposes. Like A reinsman tacky too, probably really good for barrel racing or arena type work where non slip is very important. Yet put that pad on a horse and ride 20 miles in the summer, you might come back with a hairless horse. For general purpose riding a wool felt pad works decent if the saddle fits.


----------



## jdrm

fkonidaris said:


> I just got an Impact Gel and I absolutely love it! I had a Reinsman Tacky Too, but it rubbed on my horse. I also had a Charmayne James Pro Choice SMX Air Ride, but it was very thin...not much protection. My Impact Gel is a little heavier, but provides comfort and protection for my horse and myself. It conforms to her back making it a perfect fit! I love it!


 how long have you had the impact gel ..... do you have any dis likes? thanks


----------



## Leadnloperanch

I LOVE impact gel pads. Never had an issue with on. I currently use a 20x pad by pro choice which I also like. It's pretty thick but I like thick. They are higher priced but I looked long and hard and finally found one for $65, nearly half the instore price.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## thenrie

I just bought a 1/2" wool felt "Saddle Blanket Protector" from Horse.com. It's just a 1/2'' thick saddle pad that measures 32"X32". I paid about $18. I also bought an acryllic woven "Indian Blanket", 32"X32" for about $14, I think. I like them. A wool felt saddle pad will absorb sweat and maintain its thickness while cooling the horse in the summer heat. It will also maintain warmth in the winter, even when wet. I have a particular dislike for soft, thick, pillowy saddle pads that are so commonly seen. The wool felt pad won't help with a poorly fitting saddle, but you can't beat them when everything else fits right.


----------



## bonyroany

For Western, I own some no names, a Fox Mountain, an Abetta, and a Classic Equine. I really don't pick out Western pads by the brands so much as I do the quality of the materials and the thickness. I really don't care for the really thin, cheap pads, but I like my thin Abetta pad for my barrel saddle. My favorite pads I own are no name pads, but they are about three or four inches thick including the fleece underside. I like them because they provide great protection and are comfortable to the horse.


----------



## HnA Tack

poppy1356 said:


> I love diamond wool pads. Just as nice as 5 star but half the price. Plus they have many many options for pads.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


That's actually not true. (the comparison on the 2 brands). Diamond wool pads are needled - they have much less virgin wool in them & no where near the compression/concussion ratings of the 5 Stars. The 5 Stars are a pressed wool (felted) & have the highest rating out there. Not saying Diamond Wool pads are bad - but as someone else said, you get what you pay for. A really good (but lengthy  article to read is Saddle Pads & What Manufacturers Don't Tell You! - 5star Equine Products The 5 Stars are the F10 & F11's they talk about.
As possibly guessed :lol:, 5 Star is my favorite pad & the ONLY ones I'll use. I will not use anything neoprene, open cell, closed cell, tacky too, air rides, foam, memory foam, etc - highest quality wool only for this old gal her ponies.


----------



## poppy1356

HnA Tack said:


> That's actually not true. (the comparison on the 2 brands). Diamond wool pads are needled - they have much less virgin wool in them & no where near the compression/concussion ratings of the 5 Stars. The 5 Stars are a pressed wool (felted) & have the highest rating out there. Not saying Diamond Wool pads are bad - but as someone else said, you get what you pay for. A really good (but lengthy  article to read is Saddle Pads & What Manufacturers Don't Tell You! - 5star Equine Products The 5 Stars are the F10 & F11's they talk about.
> As possibly guessed :lol:, 5 Star is my favorite pad & the ONLY ones I'll use. I will not use anything neoprene, open cell, closed cell, tacky too, air rides, foam, memory foam, etc - highest quality wool only for this old gal her ponies.


 
Lol so I'm going to believe an article written by the 5 star company on why their pads are better than everyone else's? Really? Yea no thank you lol.

I'm sorry but paying hundreds for a saddle pad is just insane. Those darn things cost more than my horse did. Don't see the logic in paying almost the same cost for a saddle pad as I pay for my monthly rent.


----------



## Golden Horse

That's what I used to think Poppy, until I actually saw and felt one on a trade stand at a show here. Now I wouldn't use anything else, LOVE my 5 star, it's all I need. There have been times that I have been riding in a saddle that cost less than my pad, but I figure it's well worth it.:wink:


----------



## HnA Tack

Quote:
Originally Posted by HnA Tack 
That's actually not true. (the comparison on the 2 brands). Diamond wool pads are needled - they have much less virgin wool in them & no where near the compression/concussion ratings of the 5 Stars. The 5 Stars are a pressed wool (felted) & have the highest rating out there. Not saying Diamond Wool pads are bad - but as someone else said, you get what you pay for. A really good (but lengthy  article to read is Saddle Pads & What Manufacturers Don't Tell You! - 5star Equine Products The 5 Stars are the F10 & F11's they talk about.
As possibly guessed , 5 Star is my favorite pad & the ONLY ones I'll use. I will not use anything neoprene, open cell, closed cell, tacky too, air rides, foam, memory foam, etc - highest quality wool only for this old gal her ponies. 



poppy1356 said:


> Lol so I'm going to believe an article written by the 5 star company on why their pads are better than everyone else's? Really? Yea no thank you lol.
> 
> I'm sorry but paying hundreds for a saddle pad is just insane. Those darn things cost more than my horse did. Don't see the logic in paying almost the same cost for a saddle pad as I pay for my monthly rent.


We all have our beliefs & preferences, but TRUTH is - Diamond wool pads (also Wades) ARE needled wool - they are not a pressed felt, like 5 Stars, Slones, Wrights, etc. 5 Star has the article on their website, but "they" didn't write it - all anyone has to do is to do their OWN investigating. Ask a company if their pads are needled or felted? Ask them how much virgin wool is in them? It's for each person to make their OWN judgement, and the article opens a person's eyes. I am not sure where you have priced the 5 Stars, but gosh - I guess I've not spent just $180-$250 on a horse's purchase since ... um... guess it would be back in the 60's. I know rescues/adoptions can be that cheap, but I don't see any other horses I'd own in that price range.  And I've not paid rent in the $180-$250 range since the 70's & 80's!


----------



## poppy1356

I have felt one of those pads but still wouldn't pay that kind of money, ever. And yes my horse was a rescue so glad to know you would never own one of those lol. And horses go for pennys on the dollar at the auctions here, so not really sure why that matters. 5stars are very pricey, over $200 around here. I'm mostly an english rider which makes paying hundreds for a pad even more outrageous considering I can buy a saddle pad for $10. Sure there are specialty pads that cost more but once again most people don't own them.


----------



## HnA Tack

poppy1356 said:


> I have felt one of those pads but still wouldn't pay that kind of money, ever. And yes my horse was a rescue so glad to know you would never own one of those lol. And horses go for pennys on the dollar at the auctions here, so not really sure why that matters. 5stars are very pricey, over $200 around here. I'm mostly an english rider which makes paying hundreds for a pad even more outrageous considering I can buy a saddle pad for $10. Sure there are specialty pads that cost more but once again most people don't own them.


Please do NOT put words in my mouth ... I never said I would not own a rescue - I stated that OTHER than rescues/adoptions, there are not any I've seen in that price range that I would purchase. 
Being that you ride primarily English, then it's a whole different perspective - and need in pads. I too would not spend $200 for an English pad, altho 5 Star does carry them. For folks who ride hard in a western saddle, you can't get away w/a little cotton thin $10 pad w/o your horse ending up in pain. (of course, in either discipline, a person needs a proper fitting saddle to start with & that's a whole 'other hard subject). 
As I said before, it's all about a personal belief & need - but we ALL need to keep open minds, keep educating ourselves, no matter how old or how many years we've been in horses - otherwise you grow stagnant & your horse is the one who suffers in the long run. This applies to tack, horse health, feed, everything.


----------



## garlicbunny

I love my 5 star pad as well, I would not use anything else...


----------



## Muppetgirl

Golden Horse said:


> Five star Equine 5 Star Saddle Pads, Saddle Blankets, Cinches 100% Wool love them


I just looked at that website!!! I'm buying!!!


----------



## garlicbunny

Good choice! I am going to order a new one for my hubby's birthday in June, yeah!


----------



## BarrelRacingLvr

For those of you planning on ordering....order through HnA Tack! She is GREAT to do business with!


----------



## chukka

I love these pads, they're not too think that they affect the fit of your saddle and not too thin that they're flimsy and don't work. Purchased this bad in brown and it exceeded my expectations. Color, fit and finish were all top-notch. Details like hook-and-loop closures on the girth guides and the waffle-weave fabric on the underside make this pad a noticeable cut above the average pad. Should easily fit AP saddles up to 18".


----------



## roanypony

After owning about every type of quality saddle pad available over the years, I recently purchased a CSI saddle pad this year at the MN horse expo. What sold me to spend 360.00 on this particular pad was the machine they used to show the difference in how pressure points from your weight on the horse's back is drastically minimalized through the technology of this pad versus "other" top name brand pads such as 5 star, impact gel, ect...

I only bought one pad this year. I'm hoping I'll be able to afford another next year. I'm a big proponent of following the latest technology, especially when it comes to horses however, the proof needs to be there for me before I give anyone my hard earned dollars. 

If you'd like to learn more about this saddle pad here's the website www.csipads.com and, they are MADE IN THE USA!


----------



## smrobs

I really like the Diamond felt pads too. They are great quality for an affordable price, which is a huge deal to me because I generally wear my pads out at least once a year (riding several different horses and averaging 8+ hours a day in the saddle) and $300+ is a lot to spend on a saddle pad that's not going to last more than a year or so.

Most of the guys I know that make their living cowboying around here also go with Diamond. I've never heard any complaints about them.


----------



## Joe4d

and yet in the endurance world where people put thousands of miles on their horses, and trot for 50-100 miles at a time, I dont ever recall seeing a wool felt pad of any brand. Seems all I ever see are fleece pads.


----------



## hvictoriak

As a barrel racer I work my horse quite hard for quite a while every day, so I like to use the best pads possible. 

One of my favourites are the CSI Saddle pads. They make a great saddle pad with an inside breathable layer and a shock absorbing pad built within the top layer to distribute the weight of the saddle and rider evenly over your horses back. Their pads are awesome for any discipline. They have great reviews no matter where you go. Here is a link; CSI Saddle Pads. This will tell you everything there is to know about these amazing saddle pads! 

Another favourite for me would be the Professional Choice SMx Air Ride saddle pads. Again, another great, breathable and durable saddle pad that is a little bit cheaper than the CSI Pads. Me and my horses both love everything professional choice, including medicine boots, bell boots and saddle pads. The saddle pads also provide the horse with maximum comfort, or an "Air Ride", as the name suggests. I personally like the Air Ride pads with the high wither in them as I have a large-shouldered and high-withered quarter horse who needs all the room up there that she can get. There are many different Air Ride types, as well as colours and patterns. I Just recently Purchased the SMx Air Ride OrthoSport Saddle Pad as it provides maximum comfort in the shoulders with an added pad for shock absorption and the high withers giving my horse more room to move. To get a closer look at the Professional Choice saddle pads or even any Professional Choice Products (which I personally love) you can visit the Professional Choice website! Each product has a very informative description helping you find whats suited for you and your horse.

Hope this helped! Good luck finding a good saddle pad for you and your horse


----------



## hvictoriak

As a barrel racer I work my horse quite hard for quite a while every day, so I like to use the best pads possible. 

One of my favourites are the CSI Saddle pads. They make a great saddle pad with an inside breathable layer and a shock absorbing pad built within the top layer to distribute the weight of the saddle and rider evenly over your horses back. Their pads are awesome for any discipline. They have great reviews no matter where you go. Here is a link: CSI Saddle Pads. This will tell you everything there is to know about these amazing saddle pads! 

Another favourite for me would be the Professional Choice SMx Air Ride saddle pads. Again, another great, breathable and durable saddle pad that is a little bit cheaper than the CSI Pads. Me and my horses both love everything professional choice, including medicine boots, bell boots and saddle pads. The saddle pads also provide the horse with maximum comfort, or an "Air Ride", as the name suggests. I personally like the Air Ride pads with the high wither in them as I have a large-shouldered and high-withered quarter horse who needs all the room up there that she can get. There are many different Air Ride types, as well as colours and patterns. I Just recently Purchased the SMx Air Ride OrthoSport Saddle Pad as it provides maximum comfort in the shoulders with an added pad for shock absorption and the high withers giving my horse more room to move. To get a closer look at the Professional Choice saddle pads or even any Professional Choice Products (which I personally love) you can visit the Professional Choice website! Each product has a very informative description helping you find whats suited for you and your horse.

Hope this helped! Good luck finding a good saddle pad for you and your horse


----------



## toosexy4myspotz

Joe4d said:


> and yet in the endurance world where people put thousands of miles on their horses, and trot for 50-100 miles at a time, I dont ever recall seeing a wool felt pad of any brand. Seems all I ever see are fleece pads.


I have wondered about that!!!! All I have ever used is contoured wool pads mostly impact gels and now I am trying out a tod slone. I cannot bring myself to try fleece but everybody I know that does endurance will not touch a wool felt pad.


----------



## smrobs

I wonder if a big part of that is just the impact protection. Yep, endurance folk may ride 50-100 miles at a time...but, as far as I know, they never have to rope and drag something that weighs as much as their horse. Cowboys do that all the time...in the middle of their own 50-100 mile trip.


----------



## waresbear

I won a gift certificate from a higher end western store and I wanted a 5 star wool pad. They didn't have them, phooey, but they told me the Reinsman wool pad was the equivalent, so I bought it. Wears very nice, fits nice, just a great quality wool pad.


----------



## windspeed

For trail or endurance riders, it makes sense to do what the cavalry did: Eliminate friction! This is best done by having multiple layers, not by having some thick gel or one-layered pad.
The cavalry used a folded wool blanket, which is what I use as well. This type of endurance saddle blanket is very versatile. You can refold it during the ride to always have a clean side on your horse or use it as a cool-down blanket. Really love this blanket and couldn't do without it anymore.


----------

