I have a “gray horse” - getting lighter by the day. Need a show pad for FEI classes. Trying to find white with navy trim but the ones I like (PS of Sweden and Equest.Stockhom white perfection) seem to be a somewhat shiny fabric. Dont want shiny, and no multiple colors on trim.
Price range around $100 is ok. There are a couple options with black, but not my first choice.
I have googled myself crazy.
Any ideas???
You can get Ogilvy and specify the trim color. Thy are nice pads and hold up well. They have been a bit eclipsed by the Big Poofy Matchy Matchy Shiny brands but are excellent classic pads.
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Oh I love these threads…really.
I know this has a silver cord, but I really like these pads (1 link to a US dealer, 1 for the supplier)
I also LOVE the KL Select saddle pads. It has navy trim AND a cord, but is very nice IMO
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I second this. I think the Ogilvy pads have a nice timeless classic look to them, a nice functional design and wear and wash up nicely. And lots of options for custom color combinations.
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Toklat pads are very nice and customizable (pad color, binding and piping) and very classic
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Lemieux has white and silver trim?
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Mattes are completely customizable and in your price range without sheepskin. Hufglocken frequently runs 25-30% promos if you don’t mind waiting several weeks for your pad.
OMG this is so helpful…it never occurred to me that I could do a custom order 
I will have to check out order times.
I was looking at the Toklat and figuring I would just get another white/black if necessary,. Checked the Ogilvy, they are not quite the best size for my boy. A smidge long in the back and short on the sides. (24 x 19 vs 23x20 which is better. I did look at the LeMieux pictured above, but really need some real color help differentiate white pad from not-so-white horse. Rider’s coat is blue, as is the mildly blingy browband. So black like tack or blue like clothes are the obvious choices.
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I’m really surprised to find so many Ogilvy recommendations already! I was going to mention them but didn’t know they were still popular in the dressage world. They are lovely and thin, yet stay in place well - no billet strap or D-ring strap, they aren’t needed. I adore the velvet-esque underside and they wash up like a million bucks.
I have a white one I bought second hand with navy trim and silver piping. It’s my favorite pad, and I have many!
Just saw the size of the Ogilvy isn’t quite right for you, that’s a bummer. Toklats are nice too. They have a lot more structure than the Ogilvy. I just got a custom Mattes pad and it’s also lovely. In between the Ogilvy and the Toklat for “firmness”
Lots of options!
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I have this pad and I hate it. No matter how gently you wash it, the little gem bead things around the edge get all f*ckered up. You basically need to handwash the thing! Never again.
I’d look at Ogilvy, Mattes, and Toklat for what you want, OP.
Thanks! Who wants to hand wash anything? Especially a white saddle pad…
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So call me cheap, but I’m not that enamored with the fancy pads I’ve tried recently, so I’ve gone back to Smartpak’s own brand.
I’ve been using the Smartpak 'deluxe octogon with diamond white dressage pad" to show and clinic in for years. Simple and straightforward with a navy and taupe rope around the edge. Less than $30 and wash up really well.
I thought I’d go wild and try their “classic white lite dressage pad with navy trim” this year, I haven’t used it yet, but it’s a perfectly nice-looking white pad with a very simple navy edge. It was less than $20.
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Oh that sucks. Good to know.
Wilkers will do a dressage pad in custom colors too:
I used one of these for years (they wash and wear very well, I also have a couple custom jumper show pads from them), until I replaced it this past year with a custom Mattes from Hufglocken. The Wilkers are cheaper and arrive much faster, but the Hufglocken come in so many pretty color combos.
Toklat has my vote. They last forever, so once the pad is no longer show-worthy it will make a nice schooling pad. I have one that is probably 20 years old. Still going strong.
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White pads need to be able to be washed in hot and even bleached if necessary, at least peroxide bleach, so I’d say matte cotton top… I like the look of a darker piping especially on a grey horse but wonder if all white would actually make washing easier, no danger of running or fading piping. I also think that from a distance, all the dark colors for piping “read” the same.
So I wouldn’t buy a white poofy shiny pad. And there’s an argument to be made I guess for choosing a white show pad that’s fairly economical because you may not get that many uses out of it before it’s permanently stained.
I need a pad with a high wither and a bit of inherent stiffness but not thickness, and the Ogilvy dressage pads do the trick for me.
Well we have a winner, as well as several options going forward.
To Scribbler’s point, I’m usually of the belief that the economical route is best, but this time around is special, so I was willing to cough up a bit more $.
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It might be too late, but Ogilvy dressage pads come in 4 sizes, so I’m not sure where you got your info from. I personally like the Profile pad. If you go right to the Ogilvy site, select the style you’re interested in and then there’s a dropdown for size that shows the options.
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oops
Yes I saw all four sizes. Horse is a short backed Lusi/Hann. cross, all options are longer/bigger than the 23" spine which is best for him.
