Saddle Pad

English Saddle Pad

Saddle Pad Types

• All Purpose Saddle Pad
• Black Saddle Pad
• Dressage Saddle Pad
• Endurance Saddle Pad
• English Saddle Pad
• Equestrian Saddle Pad
• Felt Saddle Pad

• Fleece Saddle Pad
• Gel Saddle Pad
• Horse Saddle Pad
• Saddle Pad Carrier
• Saddle Pad Covers
• Saddle Pad Liners
• Saddle Pad Shims

• Saddle Pad Size
• Sheepskin Saddle Pad
• SMx Saddle Pad
• Supracor Saddle Pad
• Toklat Saddle Pad
• Western Saddle Pad
• Wool Saddle Pad

The English saddle pad comes in many shapes and sizes. Which one you choose to purchase will depend a lot on your personal aims and goals in English riding as well as the details of your other riding equipment and any special needs you or your horse might have. There are a lot of options, so it's wise to educate yourself about what is available before you make any final decisions.

Before you buy an English saddle pad, you might want to speak with your trainer or other riders, especially if it's your first one. Much of English riding is about achieving a certain look, particularly if you want to compete in horse shows, and the right saddle pad can go far toward completing that look.

Fitting an English Saddle Pad

When purchasing a saddle pad to go under an English saddle, it's important to choose one that fits properly with the rest of your equipment. For obvious reasons, the way an English saddle pad fits under the saddle is probably the most important consideration. In this style of riding, the padding that shows is almost always made out of white fleece, though sometimes you can find cheaper ones made out of a cotton or synthetic fiber that is made to look like fleece.

If you can afford it, a truly wool fleece is the best material for an English saddle pad. It has moisture-wicking properties that the other materials do not have. In addition, wool offers some shock absorbency, which neither cotton nor most of the common synthetics have. Finally, the wool pads will hold their shape and color better than the others, and will stand up to more vigorous and frequent cleaning than the others will.

Having a fluffy fleece pad is only part of the English look, though. In addition, your English saddle pad should be neither too big nor too small for your saddle. You should have 1-2 inches of white padding showing all the way around. If you have more, the pad will look too big. If you have less, you risk injury to your horse if the fleece moves during your ride. If it is uneven, the whole look is sloppy.

Note that you may have to try several brands of English saddle pad before you find one that works well with your horse and your saddle. If you are having trouble or want a better chance of finding one on the first try, let your English tack store know the brand of saddle that you use. They may know the kinds of pads that tend to fit best under that brand.

It's also important to note that bunching or folding pads under your English riding equipment is not a good solution to a fit problem. This can cause injury to your horse, as bunched or folded padding is more likely to slip and rub. Since injuries in any place where equipment can rub must heal entirely before you can ride again, it's best to avoid them in the first place. Thus, you should make sure that any pads fit properly, even if you have to go through a process of trial and error.

Additional Pads

While a fleece English saddle pad offers some function as well as looking nice, a horse with back problems is going to need more padding between your riding equipment and his back. Some riders will also choose to add padding because they like to ride at a slightly different angle or because they want to protect their horse from any potential injury.

Closed-cell foam is the most common kind of additional English saddle pad that you will see. Most of these pads do not cover the entire space under your English riding equipment, like the fleece one will, but only the area under the tree and seat of your saddle. Thus, it will provide cushioning for horse and rider in one of the places that will take the most impact.

Usually, a closed-cell foam pad will come with a white cover that can be zipped on over it. Thus, the overall look will not be marred while the horse and rider get the extra padding they need. Normally, these pads are not stacked on top of each other as they slip easily and this can be dangerous as well as uncomfortable for both horse and rider. A horse or rider who needs more padding, then, will need an additional type of protection.

Riders in this situation have several options for choosing an additional English saddle pad. One popular option is a neoprene pad. These are waterproof, and come in several different shapes and sizes. They offer very good shock absorbency, so if your horse has an injury related to that, this might be a good option. Additionally, some riders who have trouble with their English equipment slipping have used these pads because they tend to be stickier than others. Usually, there is not a problem using these types of pads with fleece pads and closed-cell foam pads, too.

Another option for horse-rider combinations that need extra padding is an English saddle pad with gel inserts. These pads can come in many different styles and so offer many different looks as well as different types and levels of protection. Basically, these pads are like traditional pads except that they have sections where a gel has been inserted to provide extra cushioning. Some of these pads will let you move the gel inserts around so you can get the best fit.

While the gel insert is a good option for an English saddle pad, keep in mind that these tend to be heavy, because of the weight of the gel, and expensive, because inserting the gel into the pad can be a complicated process. While this is a great option for a horse with particular, special needs regarding padding, it is probably not something that every rider wants to purchase.

Showing vs. Training

Because the overall look of an English saddle pad is so important, most riders will have separate pads for showing vs. training. This way, the equipment used during a show is not suffering the wear and tear that comes from everyday usage. Some riders choose to use their old padding for training, while others will take advantage of deals on unusually colored pads or pads that come in out of the ordinary shapes. As long as the pad fits the horse, there isn't a problem with this.

If you choose not to show your horse, you can use any pad under your English saddle that fits the saddle, the horse, and your own needs. When you're not showing, the overall look that the English saddle pad contributes to is not as important.

If you have more questions about getting an English saddle pad, or if you have concerns about your specific situation, don't hesitate to ask your trainer, other riders, or someone who works in your local tack store. They should be able to show you the different kinds of pads and help you figure out what you and your horse needs. If you're concerned about your horse's back, talk to your vet, who is in the best position to know the animal's needs.