Best Half Pad?

[beau159]

I’ll preface that I am primarily a western rider that just dabbles in English. I have a used Tad Coffin A5 saddle that has seemed to fit all my horses and is quite comfortable for me. When I bought it, it came with a Tad Coffin leather half pad.

I do feel like I have difficulty getting the half pad to “tent” on my horse’s back. I took a riding lesson last weekend and she commented on it too. It always seems to squash down. At least it’s usually back far enough I don’t feel it’s putting any pressure on the withers but I still don’t like it.

Another trainer I have taken lessons with in the past (she helped me figure out this saddle would fit, so I could find a used one) really loved the TC half pads and said they are really great for shock absorption so I always use it.

But I wonder if I should try to find something else? Or is that normal for a TC half pad? Seems to me with it being made of leather, it’s probably not going to tent like I want?

It’s currently -10*F this morning here in North Dakota so no, I am not about to go outside and take any new pictures, LOL. I just looked through my computer and I don’t really have a good photo that seems to show the pad NOT tenting.

There weren’t any jumping shows in my area this year so we didn’t even go anywhere for jumping, but sounds like there might be a couple things in the works for next year. Although, there are things 3+ hours away but I have a hard time loading up for that when I can get to a barrel race in 20 minutes.

[mhowey]

I would say if you’re looking for something that wont slip and tighten over the withers then you need to look for something with a bit of structure. I use thinline half pads - one is the thinline material and underneath is a cotton material with the fleece/fur around the edges (which is just aesthetic). That one would be useful if you have multiple horses you need to adjust your saddle too because it can take shims in the front and back. The other half pad I use is just the Thinline material, but this is only for if your saddle fits the horse very well, and it can tighten over the withers if you don’t set it up properly or your girth is too loose so things slip.

For the most part things shouldn’t really be sliding around under the saddle so maybe get the fit checked. I know when my mare is lacking muscle along her back the saddle pads slip too.

There was some ancient youtube video of a woman testing a bunch of half pads, and the Thinline worked very well for shock absorption.

[Jo]

If the saddle fits, the only half pad I would recommend is Thinline - per my saddle fitter, it’s the only one that won’t change the fit significantly. Think of it like wearing too many socks with a pair of shoes that already fit! Too big of a half pad will alter the saddle fit.

[BroncoMo]

I will second (third?) Thinline. They do make one that does not have a spine and therefore will not tent. It is a minimalist pad and supposedly absorbs shock very well. But I used it once and never again. I assume it would work for something that doesn’t have much wither, and my horses have withers. The Trifecta has a curve to the spine so you can get it off their withers, they offer a shimable option, quilt or fleece underside, fleece rolls or none (I believe these are still the options; it’s been a minute since I bought one). They also have full pads with the half pad/shim-able-ness built in, if you really wanna splurge.

[AAHunterGal]

Another vote for thinline - but if you want a leather pad that’s more similar to your tad pad but also tents the way you’re describing, I would get one from Saddle Right:

https://www.saddleright.com/english-saddle-pads/

They have a nice cut away in the front that will prevent it from pressing down on the withers - I use mine on my TC and it works great.

[fourfillies]

I love my Invictus with my TC A5. It was a bit spendy when I bought it but has held up wonderfully over 5 years. It has enough structure but doesn’t seem to impact my saddle fit.

[beau159]

@mhowey

you need to look for something with a bit of structure. I use thinline half pads - one is the thinline material and underneath is a cotton material with the fleece/fur around the edges (which is just aesthetic). That one would be useful if you have multiple horses you need to adjust your saddle too because it can take shims in the front and back.

For the most part things shouldn’t really be sliding around under the saddle so maybe get the fit checked. I know when my mare is lacking muscle along her back the saddle pads slip too.

I have heard good things about ThinLine and I have seen the structured/shaped ones they make, which were actually the ones I was looking at because of it.

I wouldn’t say that things are sliding around while I ride. It’s doing it right from the get-go when I tack up. Before I tighten the girth, I try to lift up and “tent” everything but it just doesn’t stay tented.

My TC half pad can lay perfectly flat because there isn’t any shape to it which also makes me wonder if it just won’t tent because of the design. Which is unlike my western pads (I use 5 Star) which I would never lay flat because they have shape to them so you can tent them.

Thank you everyone. I was eyeballing the ThinLine ones so I guess this just confirms it for me!

I don’t mind make an investment in something really good because I will likely never wear it out; or at least take a very, very long time to do it.