LeMieux X-grip half pad opinions?

[anon55755751]

Posting this in off course in case H/J, dressage, or eventers have feedback.

There seem to be two LeMieux x-grip half pads, one with acavallo gel on the bottom (“twin sided”) and the other not. Any experience/opinions on either of these pads? Looking to add a little gullet clearance without otherwise changing fit and I can’t tell how thick these are, or how spine free they are. I think LeMieux has a good reputation for wither clearance generally though?

Or (while I’m at it) opinions/experiences with the acavallo wither free hex gel pad or total saddle fit wither free half pad? The wither free design is appealing but I can’t tell if the seams/binding at the base of the withers will be problematic in terms of the pad pulling down in front and creating a pressure spot.

Thanks in advance!

[sheltona01]

From a saddle fitter, please don’t get any half pad that has that front cut out or actually any cut out. They are awful for the horses and always put a lot of pressure right where it ends. I have seen so many sore horses right there.

[anon55755751]

@sheltona01

don’t get any half pad that has that front cut out or actually any cut out. They are awful for the horses and always put a lot of pressure right where it ends. I have seen so many sore horses right there.

Thank you, I was very suspicious about this!

[theresak]

I don’t have a half page but a full dressage LM pad with underside X-grip. I love it on my horse that usually ends the ride with the saddle pad further back then where I started. It’s super sticky and grippy but so far doesn’t seem to be irritating to my sensitive chestnut.

[cbg]

I show in Lemieux X-Grip Euro Jump Square Pads and have both versions - the single sided pad (for my normal horse) and the twin sided pad (for my horse on whom all other saddle pads slip back). They are well shaped and stay pulled up into the gullet, and the thing I really really appreciate is that the memory foam (and silicone on the underside of the twin sided pad) are actually long enough that my 18.5" saddle doesn’t hang over the back edge, and the front is cut such that my extra long extra forward flap doesn’t hang out over the front.

Buy directly from Lemieux in the UK. Even with shipping the prices are significantly less than anywhere in the US, and delivery has been faster from Europe than anything I’ve received via US postal service.