The Three Best Fitted Pads for a Big Saddle
I’m a tall girl, so I have a big saddle. 18” big, to be exact. I have always regularly shown in the equitation and hunters, and finding a fitted pad that looked good and fit my saddle was much more difficult than I thought it should be. Most pads were too short, slid around after jumping only a few fences, or were made of materials that were unpleasant for my horse. Not to mention they were hard to clean.
After trying what feels like every fitted pad ever created (and there were times I thought of just sewing my own), here are the three that I’ve found that work best for my big saddle.
Ecogold Secure Hunter Pad
Every person should have at least one good anti-slip pad in their tack room. My horse’s uphill conformation and big movement used to make it difficult to find a pad that didn’t slip. Ecogold’s Secure™ Hunter Pad in size XL not only fit my saddle perfectly, but also solved my saddle slipping issues. The pad features anti-slip material on both sides, so it won’t slip on the horse, and your saddle won’t slip on the pad. While I tend to shy away from pads with fuzzy only along the edge, my saddle is so secure in this pad that I don’t have to worry about it sliding and exposing the non-fuzzy places. It also has great wither clearance and has fit every horse I’ve used it on well. Keeping this pad clean isn’t an issue as it’s machine washable.
Tolkat Originals SuperQuilt High Profile Saddle Pad
The Tolkat Originals SuperQuilt High Profile Saddle Pad has been a staple in my show tack for many years, as it was the first pad I found that came in a size long enough for my saddle. Although it doesn’t have anti-slip material, it does have keepers to hold it in place and it does stay nicely attached to the saddle. Its very plush top side is beautifully traditional and the cotton underside is soft against the horse’s back. I also like that the wither has a high profile, reinforced design to prevent rubbing and discomfort. This pad is also easy to keep clean (it’s machine washable) and is easily fluffed up with a metal slicker brush.
Fleeceworks Sheepskin Show Hunter Pad
If you’re looking to indulge and want something super soft but still fits, the Fleeceworks Sheepskin Show Hunter Pad With Perfect Balance Technology is the ticket. There has been several times where I’ve used this pad as a headrest while napping in my trailer at shows – it’s sheepskin underside is luxuriously soft and helps prevent pressure points. This pad doesn’t have any anti-slip properties, but it does have keepers to help it stay in place. While the length of the XL size fit the seat if my saddle well, my saddle flaps didn’t fit the shape of this pad as well as the others. That being said, saddles come in a variety of flaps and mine isn’t a particularly forward flap. This pad is made of sheepskin and cotton quilting, so it’s not at as easy to clean (read: hand wash only). Mine have fallen victim to a few overly helpful boyfriends over the years who put them in the dryer. Current boyfriend is allergic to horses, so problem solved.