Best Saddle Pad Reviews 2023

Having a well-defined budget range that you’re comfortable with is a very good way to start your quest for any item you need to purchase. Due to its importance, a saddle pad is one item you’ll need to invest wisely in so as to save you and your horse from future and totally preventable expenses that may arise due to a poorly performing saddle pad.

Although there are ridiculously cheap saddle pads which we came across during our research, it’ll be well worth your while to make up the extra few dollars and pick a saddle pad that’ll protect and last for a long while as against those cheap ones that are made from flimsy, inadequate materials that are likely to fail or even cause injury to the horse.

The prices of quality saddle pads range from about $20 to $100, a broad enough range that makes it extremely easy to get a great saddle pad from well-respected brands featured in this review who are renowned in the equine care industry.

Choosing and buying great saddle pads may not be an easy feat, but once you know the key features to consider then your selection process becomes very simplified.
Here are some of the important features to look out for:

• Type of saddle pad
• Size
• Shape
• Color
• Extra features
• Material

A saddle pad can either be a simple or contoured saddle pad. These two different types differ in their purposes and design. The simple saddle pad is often referred to as a square saddle pad and features a rectangular shape with straight sides. It has a variety of stock colors and pattern stitches you can choose from. And to accommodate the knee rolls of jumping and all-purpose saddles, many square saddle pads have slightly shaped fronts. The square saddle pad is often used on horses with a nice-fitting saddle and well-proportioned back. A contoured saddle pad, on the other hand, is shaped to follow the contours of the saddle. It’s mostly used on horses with issues of extremely high withers, ill-fitting saddles or pressure sore-spots to compensate or at least alleviate these conditions.

Saddle pads are made with either genuine sheepskin or synthetic fleece. A genuine sheepskin has better wicking action through its ability to naturally mold to the horse’s back and improve air circulation, which is good for the horse’s hair and skin. The genuine sheepskin with the hide still attached has an inimitable way of reducing friction that remains unmatched by even the most advanced synthetic material. Its major drawback is that it’s difficult to clean, and over time the chemicals released in the horse’s sweat may begin to breakdown the sheepskin saddle pad if proper care isn’t maintained. A synthetic fleece on its own part has the advantage of being compatible with machine wash and laundry detergent which makes it easy to clean and maintain; it’s also much more durable, and more economical pricewise.

Other materials used in making saddle pads include felt, which is an extremely good absorbent and wicking material with high insulating and shock proofing properties. Another one is foam, which comes in either open or closed cell form; the closed cell foam is generally preferred because it’s denser and mimics the contours of the horse form better; gel inserts are great for cushioning sore spots but they’re heavier than other materials. Finally, we have neoprene, a waterproof material often called waffle bottom. It’s super easy to clean, breathable and doesn’t slide around uncomfortably on the horse. Whichever saddle pad you choose to buy, you should check the material and be sure it’s exactly what your horse needs.

Different saddle pads are shaped differently, especially the contoured saddle pads which are designed for specific purposes and for correcting certain defects on horses. A built-up shaped saddle pad is best for horses with high withers as it comes with extra paddings along the center to raise the saddle up, reducing pressure on the withers. A cutout saddle pad might be best for a horse with extremely high and prominent withers. The saddle pad features cutouts at the top so the withers are exposed and un-pressured. Round-shaped saddle pads are commonly used for short-backed horses or under saddles with round skirts. The swayback shape saddle pad has extra paddings in the center and is specially designed for a horse with a dipping back, correcting uneven pressure points on the back.

A saddle pad is, for the most part, designed to be lightweight, easy to use and to maintain. Most of the materials used in designing saddle pads are lightweight, which ensure that they don’t become an added burden to the horse, especially as they contain the sweat of the horse through wicking. Apart from the natural sheepskin saddle pad, every other saddle pad made from synthetic material is quite easy to maintain, as most of them are compatible with machine wash and normal laundry detergents. Using the saddle pad isn’t rocket science; one needs no coaching to do that. All you need to do is make sure that there’s at least 1 inch of the saddle pad showing underneath both sides of the saddle. You should also ensure that the seams are positioned in such a way as not to chafe or rub against the horse the wrong way during rides.

One of the most important tasks of the saddle pad is to wick sweat from the horse’s back. This process involves movement of the sweat from the horse’s back into the saddle pad lining through the surface. This ensures that the horse’s hair and skin remains dry and comfortable and also prevents the sweat from getting to the saddle. Some saddle pads have high wicking properties due to the nature of their manufacturing materials, so if keeping your horse dry is a major concern, then you should pay closer attention to the saddle pads in the product review section with natural sheepskin material.

The saddle pad is a major means of showcasing or displaying team, club or stable color. Square pads especially come in a variety of colors and event riders or cross country competitors are allowed to choose their desired saddle pad color. For competitions involving dressage riders, competitors are required to ride with a white or conservatively colored saddle pad like black or cream.