any advice for washing half pads? I have used Leather Therapy wash and cold water just as directions state and they still fall apart. I usually only wash once a year or less sometimes, it seems they can only handle 1-2 washes.
Melp: http://www.doversaddlery.com/mattes-liquid-melp-250-ml/p/X1-19331/
What brand of half pad do you have? If you have a half pad of decent quality and follow the directions, they should come out looking like new every time. Air dry.
- Are you washing on the delicate cycle?
Does your washer have an agitator? Might do better in front load washer (or one that doesn’t have an agitator).
Depends on the quality of the pad, too. Some just don’t last - I’ve heard but not experienced that with the older Thinline ones that had sheepskin/fleece.
I use Melp in a front load washer. Line dry, out of sun or exterm heat. Use a dog slicker wire brush to fluff up the fleece. I use that brush to clean the fleece in between washings and it does a great job of preventing mats.
Vacuum with a hand vac between washings. I used Woolite and the gentle cycle on my topload washer and never had any problems. Air dry on a clothes rack. The pads were Fleeceworks.
I wash mine with Melp in our top-load washer on delicate. Then air dry (takes a day or two to dry). Mine is a Maxim brand half pad - so nothing fancy.
http://www.tackdepot.ca/index.php/english-tack/saddle-pads/pad-eng-sheepskin.html
It’s at least 5 years old and has been washed probably 5 or 6 times, and has come out perfect each time.
I washed my Thinline with the rolls the same way, and it came out fine too.
most definitely melp! A little pricey, but worth it. I use that, gentle/handwash cycle cold, line dry, and brush up the sheepskin as previously stated
I’ve had Mattes pads for the past 10 years and have never had one fall apart. I have washed them in cold water using MELP, Leather Therapy Wash, and Arm & Hammer detergent in both a machine with an agitator an my current machine (top loader with no agitator). After washing, I put them in the dryer on “air dry” (no heat) and tumble them for 10 minutes to fluff them up. Then I line dry them.
There’s a newer version of pad where the fleece is attached to a fabric backing instead of the pad being sheepskin. I have no experience with those pads, so I can’t say what works for them.
Can you contact the manufacturer or place where you bought the pad to see if they might offer a replacement?
I use Woolite in a top load on the gentle cycle with cold and then i air dry it for a few days before I brush it with a dog brush. I’ve had mine for almost 11 years now and it’s been used HARD. When I moved to my new barn everyone thought it looked new! There must be an alligator in your washer.
I lather generic hair conditioner on all the fluffy bits, fire it in a 30 degree delicates wash, air dry until half dry, tumble on cold for 10, finish air drying and tease out carefully with a dog brush if needed. Good as new 
Weird. I have fleece works and mattes. My Mattes fell apart into pieces the first time I washed (Woolite) this was years ago in a top load with agitator. Now I have a top loader and using leather therapy in cold on the delicates cycle after 2-3 washes they start to fall apart. I have a black one I have had for probably 5 years just now washed it for the first time (thank goodness for black!) Came out like new. The white ones are just a mess maybe I will try this Melp stuff or just hand wash. I always air dry. Have never tried brushing with a slicker.
As I understand it, woolite is not recommended for genuine sheepskin items. Mattes recommends Melp.
