A saddle pad is an essential piece of equipment you need for horseback riding. A high-quality saddle pad enhances horse performance, promotes a healthy back and it makes your saddle last longer. It also provides additional shock absorption during jumps.
Different types of saddle pads vary in shape, color, and style. This can make your selection daunting when looking for the right pad to suit your discipline. However, with the right guidance, you can get a perfect choice – and that is where I come in!
I will help you understand what is the best brand of the pad, the importance of brand research, and recommended saddle blanket brands for Western riders and English riders. It doesn’t matter your discipline, read on to find a suitable option for dressage, jumping, or an all-purpose saddle pad.
Let’s go!
Why is it important to research a brand before buying?
The brand matters a lot not only when buying saddle blankets but also other products. It is important to do thorough brand research before you decide.
But what role does a brand play? Why can’t you just pick a saddle blanket from any brand? After all, a pad is a pad, right?
Let me explain!
The brand matters because customers associate it with quality products, trust, and consistency with time. When you trust a particular brand, you become a loyal customer and buy more. Other reasons why you should research a brand before buying include:
Peace of mind
When you buy a saddle blanket from a reputable brand on the market, you will have peace of mind. If the brand has a good record of consistency and trustworthiness, you will have peace of mind when shopping.
Helps in decision making
When searching for saddle blankets, there are hundreds of results you will find. How do you narrow down to a manageable list? You simply choose the brand, and this makes it easy to buy the right pad.
Safety
Knowing more about a brand is great, especially if you are shopping for the first time. You would rather purchase products from brands you are familiar with because you can tell what to expect. This reduces your risk of a disappointment compared to brands you hardly know about.
How to choose the best brand of saddle pad?
Now that you know the importance of saddle brands and why the brand matters, let’s take a quick look at some tips for buying quality horse equipment.
Saddle pad materials
When choosing a saddle blanket, consider top brands that make pads with high-quality fabrics or materials. There is a wide range of materials and the most common are synthetic material, foam, gel, wool fleece lining, and polyester.
Additionally, consider a material that is easy to keep the saddle clean. Machine washable pads make cleaning easy. Other things you should check when it comes to proper saddle pad material include saddle pad thickness and moisture-wicking lining to keep your horse comfortable. The best material should wick moisture to keep the horse cool.
Durability
Saddle blankets vary in durability depending on the brand. It is good to pick the best horse equipment from reputable brands so that it can last for many years.
Saddle fit
Choose a fitting saddle for your horse so that it can easily conform to the back shape of your horse. Poor saddle fit can lead to discomfort since it can compress the spine and the withers of your horse.
Shape and fun colors
There are several western saddle pads and English saddles in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colors. Consider the back of your horse before choosing the right shape. You can get saddle blankets in straight, cutout, round, cutback, swayback, and contoured shapes.
The pads also come in lots of fun colors like royal blue, baby blue, mint green, cream, and other beautiful colors.
Traditional saddle pad vs non-slip saddle pad
A traditional saddle pad is the most basic and it features a layered design. It has an absorbent lining, dries fast and it is thin. On the other hand, a non-slip saddle pad eliminates fit issues by providing a good fit on the horse’s wide spine. A non-slip saddle pad conforms well with the shape of the horse.
Cost
If you are into trail riding, consider a pad that can last for a long time. However, if you go to the trails once in a while, you can get affordable saddle pads. Many top brands offer saddle blankets at affordable prices to meet your budget needs.
Purpose
How do you intend to use the horse equipment? If you are unsure about which option to choose, get help from a professional saddle fitter to get the best all-purpose English saddle pad for a happy horse and comfortable ride.
Top 5 saddle pad brands & why?
Whether you need a western saddle blanket, pad for trail riding, dressage saddles, or other saddle pad options, choosing the right saddle pad brands matters.
Here are the most recognized saddle blanket brands that provide quality saddle pads.
Let’s jump in!
#1. Showman saddle pad
Explore a wide range of saddle blankets from Showman in different sizes, colors, and styles. The brand provides excellent saddle blankets to suit different disciples. Their pads are reasonably priced and they keep your horse comfortable.
You can find Showman saddle blankets on leading eCommerce websites like Amazon and eBay among others.
#2. Mad cow saddle pad
Mad Cow company is another top brand best known for equine supplies. The company has been making equine products for more than 30 years in the United States and Australia. Not only does the brand offer saddle blankets but also cowboy boots and other apparel.
Shop with confidence since their saddle blankets have extra cushioning to enhance your horse’s comfort.
#3. CSI saddle pad
CSI provides comfortable and quality saddle blankets handmade in the USA. You can get custom-designed pads made purposely for your horse.
Their pads are tested by pros to ensure you and your horse enjoy comfortable rides. Not only does CSI make saddle blankets but also educates horse owners on choosing the right saddle pad and why saddle pad fit is important.
Performers, athletes, trainers, and other industry professionals trust CSI horse pads. All their pads are designed to keep your equine healthy, comfortable, and best performing.
#4. The corrector saddle pad
Get innovatively designed horse pads for your horse from The Corrector. Not only does this brand make saddle blankets but also pads that fit perfectly. They distribute extra saddle pressure on your horse as he moves for the best riding.
The Corrector saddle comes in wide and narrow designs and they solve the inadequacies you find in many saddles. The pads fit all types of saddle and conform well to withers. The Corrector pads are versatile and ensure the saddle doesn’t slide forward.
#5. Weaver leather saddle pad
Get a great selection of the finest quality wool saddle blankets from Weaver Leather. The company uses performance saddle blanket technology to make its products. You will be spoilt for choices from their line of saddle blankets in different designs, colors, and sizes.
Their saddle blankets conform to the back of your horse, eliminate pressure points, and ensure long-term comfort. The saddle blankets are also stylish and made with moisture-wicking material for comfort.
Conclusion
Does your horse experience saddle soring? This happens because of the friction between the saddle and the horse’s skin. Protect your horse’s back and promote comfortable rides with quality saddle pads. They work amazingly well to prevent a sore back by protecting the skin and the muscles.
Saddle blankets also protect the underside of your saddle, improve saddle fit, distribute force consistently on the back, and wick moisture from the back of your horse. Shop your ideal saddle pad from the top brands mentioned above and you and your horse will be happy.
