I have a grey horse. For recognized events do you do black or white for your saddle pad? I’ve always used white but now I’m dreaming about how much nicer black saddle pads will stay. :ambivalence:
also, can I roach my horses mane? Or will the judges frown upon that.
Either black or white is totally fine, and a tidy roached mane is great and will get you tons of compliments.
When I had a grey, I always used black. The white looked dirty next to his light grey coat. I’ve also seen navy pads on a grey, which looked lovely.
I’ve had mine roached for years, it has reduced showing stress significantly by annulling the need for braids 
roaching is a-ok. Grey, black, white, or navy pads also fine.
I always used a black saddle pad for dressage on my grey horse. White just made either the horse or the pad look grubby depending on whether her coat looks whiter/lighter or more flea bitten. I’ve seen several horses at events with roached manes and I think as long as whatever you choose looks neat and tidy, there will be no complaints from the judges.
Dressage is not judged on appearance - unless it’s is illegal or impeding your ride, you cannot be marked down or eliminated.
Judges probably won’t even notice the roach mane.
Braiding is also optional.
I’ve witnessed my fair share of, let’s say, untidy horses over the years (some were still pee crusty)
Have judges made comments? Sometimes - they wish people would take better care of their animals…
Have the judges’ scores reflected that thought? Not at all.
I use a navy pad with our breed brand embroidered on it and no problems. I haven’t used a white pad in years because they are exhausting. LOL. I can barely handle white breeches. Roached manes are common; I have a friend who roaches always and she wins all the time!
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
