Hello!
I’m wondering if just a shaped fleece pad will be enough padding for my horse at hunter shows? I usually use a regular square pad + a half pad at home. In your opinion, do you think that the shaped pad is enough? If not, what could/should I add?
Depends on your saddle, horse, fitted pad, etc. I usually just show in a fitted pad, as long as my saddle fits the horse I’m riding well enough. Some of the girls at my barn use a leather pad on top of the fitted pad, which usually you can’t see, and some buy the nice cushy fitted pads (equifit, etc).
Don’t add anything, the shaped pad is enough in the show ring. Unless the saddle doesn’t fit and you have to add something.
If your horse really needs something extra, find a shaped pad that incorporates the extra padding into it. Piling a half pad on top of an already fluffy fitted pad makes it look as though you’re trying to act out The Princess and the Pea.
I personally like to put a gel pad underneath, you can’t see it, but it helps with shock absorption and anti-slip. However, I’ve only ever had a saddle that fit horses “well-enough” aka a regular tree butet that fits most horses I ride fine but isn’t custom fit to any of them. The gel pad mostly gives me peace of mind.
I sometimes use just a shaped pad but on many horses who prefer a bit more, I’ll use a plain little thinline or tad coffin pad between the fuzzy pad and saddle. It is very subtle and you don’t notice the extra padding.
Kat, what kind of gel pad do you use?
At home I use an Ogilvy pad and a baby pad; at shows (in hunters or eq) I use just a shaped pad and its fine.
Thanks everyone!
