# ESP vs 5 Star?



## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

dynamite. said:


> Just wondering what everyone thinks about them. My new mare is a bit thinner than my pony and now that she has had the winter off, she has lost a lot of muscle and the bars are pressing behind her shoulders. The ESP pad claims to take away pressure points, but the middle is memory foam so I am not sure if it would just squish down there. I heard a lot of great things about both and now that the prices are going up I want to get one before they become too expensive.


I am a big fan of 5-star. I have seen a few different brands of felt pads and none hold up like the 5-star. After years of hard use it still goes strong.

That said, I recently switched to a Cavallo pad "the full Monty" and like that also. It has some memory foam inside, which I am not usually a big fan of.

However, my horse does not have saddle fitting problems. Right now, I could probably ride my saddle with only a blanket and it would be OK.

I would lean towards the 5-star in your situation, but it really depends. If there is a spot where the saddle fit is tight, you don't want to put more heavy padding there as it will only worsen the problem (the old "if your shoe is too tight, don't fix it by wearing thicker socks" analogy.

You should probably try some different pads to see which style/system/thickness will correct the situation. A well designed pad can eliminate pressure points by helping to distribute the weight. Some pads have inserts to help correct a poor fitting saddle. A pad can sometimes help but it cannot completely correct a really bad saddle fit. If things are really off you may need a new saddle.


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## dynamite. (Jun 21, 2008)

thanks for your input. I'm going to get some pictures to see if people think it will fit once she beefs up.


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## OneFastHorse (Jan 13, 2011)

5 star hands down. They hold up better and a good wool pad is hard to find. I had an ESP pad and it sored my horse. As soon as I switched pads, no more soreness. You also might want to check with Streakin. She has some experience with both and I know she hates the ESP pads.


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## Streakin (Jan 8, 2011)

OneFastHorse said:


> 5 star hands down. They hold up better and a good wool pad is hard to find. I had an ESP pad and it sored my horse. As soon as I switched pads, no more soreness. You also might want to check with Streakin. She has some experience with both and I know she hates the ESP pads.


Oh yes...I do hate them...although my loathing for ESPs is surpassed for my loathing of Air rides....:-x.
ESPs break down very easily.

If you would like any particulars feel free to PM me. 

Basically, the highest percentage of virgin wool you can find in a pad is what you want-shock absorbant,conforms,wicks away moisture, no heat build up, and they LAST.

5 Stars and Best Ever wool pads have the highest percentage of virgin wool on the market. I bought a Best Ever...and I love it. I used a HD SMX pad, and it left one of my horses sore after a 1 hour ride. I bought my Best Ever, rode him HARD for 3 hours at the trainer..NO soreness with my Best Ever. (they look better IMO than 5 stars)

Ive sold or trashed just about all my other pads. Im actually about to buy another one.

Heres mine on JuBaby(scuse his Dufus expression LOL)


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