Saddle Pad

Felt 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

You may want to consider purchasing a felt saddle pad if you're looking for something comfortable and moisture-wicking to put under your riding equipment. While these types of pads may cost more than the cheap cotton ones, they offer a strength, durability, and other benefits that may make paying more worthwhile, especially if they can solve a problem that's been bothering you or your horse.

The felt saddle pad is not the most popular type of pad available, so it's possible to have been active in the horse world for a long time without hearing about one. Thus, you may have some questions about felt and why you might prefer it to another material.

What is Felt?

At its most basic, felt is wool. However, it is wool that has been pressed together with the help of heat and steam. This mats the fabric and makes your saddle pad more dense than it otherwise might have been, which leads to some of the benefits of felt that are discussed below.

This makes this piece of equipment an all natural answer to your search for tack. If you're looking for something without synthetic additives, these sorts of pads can help you achieve that goal. In addition, if your horse has allergies to some or all synthetic fibers, these pads can help you avoid any problems.

In general, felt has a similar resiliency to wool, so it handles water well, holds its shape, and does not wear out easily. In addition, your felt saddle pad will be flexible, as felt bends well and shapes easily to your saddle and your horse's back. Finally, felt is known to be fairly elastic, so your saddle pad will be able to stretch, giving your horse the give-and-take coverage that he may need.

If you have any more questions about felt, you can go into any tack store and ask to handle a saddle pad made out of this material. When a tack store is not convenient, you can find felt at your local fabric or craft store. While the material used in riding equipment is thicker than what you will find at these stores, you will be able to get a general idea about what it is and whether you might like to own a felt saddle pad.

Benefits of a Felt Saddle Pad

The best known benefit of a felt saddle pad is that it is extremely efficient in wicking sweat from your horse's back. This means that your horse will not experience as much wetness, and therefore is at a lower risk of rubbing and pain that this can cause. In addition, a wicking saddle pad will enable you to ride for longer periods of time, because felt actually draws sweat from the horse's body.

All of this sweat-wicking means that a felt saddle pad helps your horse stay cooler. Even if you haven't ridden very long, you probably know that keeping your horse cool is essential to maintaining his health and continuing your training. Thus, a saddle pad that helps you achieve those ends will be a valuable addition to your equipment.

In addition, a felt saddle pad is great if you are concerned about shock absorption. Because the material has layers and layers of compressed wool, it is dense enough that it is as successful in absorbing shock as some other, synthetic pads. If your horse has a particular problem in this area, check with your vet or another equine professional to see which pads will be best for your situation. If they don't mention this sort of saddle pad, ask specifically about it if you're interested.

A felt saddle pad can also help alleviate any pressure points that might exist between your horse's back and your saddle. Again, the denseness of the fabric helps mitigate some of the weight and the fact that it grips your horse's back keeps it from sliding around and causing bruising, blisters, or other injuries. This can mean the difference between a horse that is comfortable being ridden and one that fights to avoid it at all costs.

Finally, a felt saddle pad can improve the fit of your saddle to your horse. Its shock absorption and pressure point alleviating properties help this. In addition, this type of saddle pad can eliminate the need to double pad your horse or double girth him. Double padding is avoided because these pads can take and distribute more impact than cheaper pads or those made of other materials. Double girthing is avoided because the fabric on these pads helps the saddle stay in place without this extra means.

Many people worry that a felt saddle pad will cause their horse itchiness or other discomfort because felt is related to wool. However, due to the way that felt is prepared and the fact that your horse has hair between the pad and his skin to protect him, the material does not cause any problems for most horses. The exception to this would be if your horse has an allergy to wool. If wool his bothered him before, like in a blanket or wraps, you may not want to purchase a felt saddle pad.

It's usually possible to find pads that have this material on the bottom and are cotton or fleece on the top. This can help you gain the benefits of the material without having to compromise on the fluffy, white look that is traditional and even expected in some riding circles. It also means that you do not have to compromise on quality to get the look you're going for. The flexibility, absorbency, shock absorbency, moisture wicking, and all the other benefits of the material can be yours, in addition to the benefits of fluffy fleece or quilted cotton. Don't let concerns about your look keep you from looking into this piece of equipment.

Buying Your Equipment

If you've decided that one of these pads is the one for you, be sure to do some research before you buy one. Since this is a fairly expensive piece of equipment, you will want to make sure that you are getting the best item for you before you spend any money. In addition, you will probably want to try the pad out on your horse before you purchase it, or at least get the opinion of someone who knows both you and your animal well.

Once you've looked at and (hopefully!) tried several pads, you should be able to choose the one you want to use. If you're not sure, give yourself some time to make the decision. Unless your need is urgent, this will help you choose wisely and make a choice that, overall, you are more confident in. If it turns out that these sorts of pads will not work for you, find another type to try and see how it goes.

Once you decide, make your purchase. Though a felt saddle pad will cost more than one made out of cotton or fleece, you can lay down your money in confidence, knowing that you have done the best you can to make a choice that is good for both you and your horse.