Buy a saddle cover: Best workmanship for less friction

Saddle pads horse

It is hard to imagine everyday equestrian life without saddle pads. Saddle pads can be used as a fashion statement as well as protect and support your horse's back. In the past, simple, ornate, tapered blankets were used on festive occasions as an ornament over a wool blanket folded several times. Nowadays, saddle pads can be found in all colours and shapes. Saddle pads are available in classic, sporty or elegant designs, in all colours of the rainbow, with or without cord, piping, with sequins or decorated with glittering stones. Most of the time, this saddle pad is anatomically shaped so that it adapts perfectly to the shape of the horse's back.

What is a saddle pad?

A saddle cloth is a type of saddle pad that lies between the horse's back and the like , . The function of the saddle pad is to absorb the horse's sweat and thus protect the saddle and the horse's back. To fulfil this function, saddle pads should be breathable, cushion the saddle well and be easy to wash. Saddle pads are usually made of a cotton material, a mixture of cotton and polyester (polycotton), completely of polyester or of lambskin. Each material has its advantages and disadvantages. Hardly any saddle pad fulfils all properties, so it is important when buying which property of a saddle pad is most important to you. You will find a good guide below under "Material".

What is the difference between a saddle pad and a saddle cloth?

In contrast to the rectangular saddle cloth, saddle cloths follow the course of the saddle flap. In the meantime, saddle pads are usually preferred to saddle cloths for visual and technical reasons. In addition to its function as a shock absorber and back protector, the saddle pad also serves to decorate the horse. The rectangular shape provides additional space, which is ideal for inscriptions or embroidery. The name of the rider or horse, the brand of the horse or the logo of the riding club or sponsor can be embroidered on this part of the saddle pad.

Which saddle pad suits my horse?

Saddle pads are primarily distinguished by their colour, shape and the material used:

Colour:

The choice of colour is primarily a matter of taste. However, there are some useful tips depending on the horse breed. Almost all colours suit a black horse. A bright yellow, a soft green or great patterns. For horses with many coat colours, such as piebalds, you should rather go for muted colours. Grey and bay horses can actually attract just about any colour. With a chestnut and light browns, a dark green, bordeaux or navy looks great.

If you love glitter, you will find a large selection of saddle pads with sequins, rhinestones or decorated with Swarovski® stones at Agrarzone. A dressage saddle pad with enough "bling-bling" will give you an even shinier appearance. The classic, more restrained and muted colours are still in fashion and timeless classics that you can wear anytime as a horse.

Shape:

In terms of shape, saddle pads differ between dressage, jumping and eventing. In contrast to eventing saddle pads, dressage saddle pads are longer in the area of the saddle flaps. Eventing saddlecloths are usually shorter and drawn further forward. Baroque saddlecloths are usually pointed at the back. For ponies and shetties, there are saddle pads in particularly cute designs that are specially adapted to the size of the horse. Some saddle pad models have an extra high withers clearance worked far into the back for horses with high withers.

Material:

Having already chosen the colour and shape, you can now turn to the material. Cotton is very breathable, can absorb sweat well and can be washed at 30°C in the washing machine. However, the cushioning effect is low. Synthetic fibre saddle pads are inexpensive, very breathable, quick-drying and can also be washed well. However, they hardly absorb sweat and have no cushioning effect.

A very popular alternative are saddle pads made of a mixture of cotton and synthetic fibre (polycotton). These saddle pads combine the positive characteristics of both materials.

Some saddle pads have lambskin or synthetic fur on the underside. The lambskin is extremely breathable and absorbs sweat very well. Such lambskin saddle pads have a good cushioning effect and are easy to clean with the right cleaner.

Saddle cloths and saddle covers from classic to HighTec

First of all, you should choose a saddle cloth that suits your saddle and the discipline. For each discipline, the saddle pad has a special shape, for example, it is cut longer for dressage, and in show jumping it has a distinct cut-out. Saddle pads are also increasingly functional. They offer breathability, transport moisture away from the horse's back, provide sufficient ventilation under the saddle and offer maximum comfort for your horse.

The pioneer for modern saddle pads is the ACAVALLO brand. The special feature of this product line of saddle pads are the double-sided gel applications. Due to the special properties of the shock-absorbing Acavallo soft gel in both directions, this has an effect on both the horse's back and the saddle. The adhesive effect of the flat-profiled gel ensures that the saddle pad neither slips on the horse's back nor creases under the saddle.

A tack room full of saddle pads

Saddle pads are lightly lined to counteract shocks and relieve the horse's back. Saddle pads are often used in combination with lambskin pads or gel pads. Make sure that you wash your saddle pad regularly and replace it if necessary. Daily use causes wear and tear and a corresponding decrease in padding. Saddle pads are attached to the saddle with the help of so-called girth strap and saddle girth attachments , which are usually variably adjustable via Velcro fasteners.

Besides the actual fact that the saddle pad is an important part of your riding equipment, next to saddle, riding helmet, riding boots and co, it can also be part of your look and a fashion statement. Many different colours, cords, logos of your favourite brands, embroideries and crystal stones do not make the decision for your new saddle pad easy. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. In any case, we hope you enjoy browsing and buying saddle pads!

Your advantages in the Agrarzone online shop

Free return: This applies to all parcel deliveries that are returned within 30 days. You can also return shipping goods within 30 days. However, the costs for the return with forwarding shipment are to be borne by the customer.

No risk thanks to 30-day money-back guarantee: If your saddle pad does not match the colour of your horse after all, or if you have decided on a different model, you can return the clean item to us within 30 days of delivery without giving any reason. We will then refund the full purchase price.

Fast delivery: For deliveries to Austria and Germany, you will receive your order within 1-3 working days.