How do you choose a saddle pad for your discipline?
The right pad depends on the cut of your saddle and on your discipline. Several types of saddle pad suit different riders:
- General-purpose and jumping pads: clear the withers and follow the forward flap of a jumping saddle, like the Riding World general-purpose saddle pad, the Lami-Cell V22 general-purpose pad or the Equithème Polyfun pad.
- Dressage pads: have a straight line to suit long saddle flaps, like the Equithème Nacre dressage saddle pad or the Lami-Cell Charming dressage pad.
- Harcour models: the Harcour Saphir pad collections and the Harcour Amba pad complete your matching sets. The Harcour Saphir saddle pad is a favourite for its elegance.
When should you add a half pad under the saddle?
A half pad adds extra comfort for the back or helps adjust the balance of the saddle, but it does not replace a well-fitting saddle:
- Memory foam: helps to spread pressure, like the Harry's Horse memory foam half pad, the QHP Zinya half pad or the Equithème Cushion half pad.
- Technical gel: offers valued shock absorption, found on the Harry's Horse TPR gel half pad and the Horsena front and rear gel risers.
- Shim system: lets you adjust the balance of the saddle, as with the Itot Pro-Confort half pad with 3D mesh and its set of 6 shims.
- Wither pad: protects this sensitive area from rubbing, with the Horsena gel wither pad or the Riding World EK soft wither pad.
Why use a non-slip saddle pad or a bareback pad?
Some uses call for extra grip, or for riding without a saddle:
- Staying put under the saddle: a non-slip saddle pad keeps your tack stable during active sessions.
- Bareback riding: to refine your seat, the selection includes the Harry's Horse bareback pad, the Norton silicone bareback pad and the QHP Ontario bareback pad.