I have a collection of white pads (BOT) that I am wanting to dress up with some fun/ fancy piping or cord (I’ve been lusting over Mattes pads but can’t pull the trigger when these pads are sitting unused). While I have a sewing machine, I have very little (none) knowledge on using it and no free time currently to learn. I’m happy to pay someone to put said cord/ piping on but can’t find any such service online. Is there any place that does this? Or a non-horsey type place that could realistically do it (maybe a furniture repair place? Regular seamstress?)?
I added twisted cording that matched my show jacket to a clearance SmartPak dressage pad. I also couldn’t see spending $70 + for a custom pad to be used a few times a season. I measured the outer edge of my pad, went to JoAnn Fabrics, bought the length of twisted cord trim I wanted. I had some thread on hand and whip-stitched it to my pad. I think it took me about 40 minutes because I’m not a seamstress and I’m slow. Look up “how to whip stitch” on YouTube if you don’t know how. It’s simple, you don’t have to be perfect - no one is going to hold your pad up to their eyes to see if it’s professionally done - and you’ll be very pleased with yourself! The pad cost me $16 and the cord was $10.
If you don’t want to do it yourself, any local dry cleaner with tailor services could do it if you bring the supplies.
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The good news is, depending on your machine, it might not like how thick the BOT pads are. I would do as the other poster mentioned and look up a whip stitch. I would get a heavier duty thread if possible since saddle pads take a beating.
I’ve also done it by hand, I use embroidery floss as it’s a bit stronger, and there’s a billion different colors so it’s easy to match to the trim or saddle pad. You also don’t need to sew through the whole pad each time, you can just “catch” the top layer of fabric with the needle and come back out. Basically tacking the trim to the top layer of fabric only, saves your fingers from trying to shove the needle through the whole pad each time.
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This is a great idea. I have a few plain boring pads. Hmmm…
Ooo - this is a fun idea. I might glue the trim down first, and then whipstitch with heavy duty thread or floss. Keeps things in place without pinning and shifting (I had to hand sew a braided trim on a shirt this summer, and I needed like 3 more hands, haha)
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I’ll give it a go I suppose! Worst case I hate it / it’s super crooked and I cut it off (right?).
Any ideas on adding, well more like replacing, binding? Then I can have All The Colors 
You can do that too! Using a long skinny strip of fabric or bias tape in whatever color you would like. Bias tape comes pre-folded and pressed so that the raw edges are folded into the middle, for making neat edges in hand-sewn clothes, or you make it yourself with fabric strips and an iron. Then you can just stitch that over the existing binding around the edges of the saddle pad, just tacking it down on the top and bottom of the pad just like with the trim.
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As a long time seamstress sometimes tailor --I’d encourage you to acquire “Stitch Witchery” tape instead of glue --I’ve been using it for about 10 years to replace hand sewing before machine sewing when one must be accurate --mostly in putting in zippers. It is a double-stick tape. Peal off one side and apply to the edge of the pad where you plan to hand sew the piping or machine sew. Peal off the second side as you finger press the piping on to the pad. You can lift and smooth as much as you like. Once you have the piping how you want it, press with a hot iron. The piping is now stable --really stable. Sew it by machine or hand. The first time you wash the pad, the “Stitch Witchery” tape will dissolve. There are permanent “Stitch Witchery” tapes too that don’t dissolve. --SEE YouTube for a lot of videos . . .
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Even better! I use Sticky Sulky water soluble stabilizer for buttonholes a lot, but didn’t think of the tape for trims!
