Prolite Dressage Relief Pad

[candico]

I have two no-wither, forward girth groove, perfect for bareback riding mares. I hate having much of anything between the saddle and horse and started with the BOT Thinline combo pad which works very well without being too bulky. But better yet is the Mattes full pad. Yes, expensive and you wind up having to wash with Melp(?) but definitely still feel very close to the horse and more stable side -to-side and front-to-back. I also got the TSF girth which helps with the forward girth groove.

That said, has anyone tried the Sedelogic pad that Dressage Extensions is promoting? I think it would be too thick for the mares, but might be great for my aged Thoroughbred. Here is the link.
http://www.dressageextensions.com/sedelogic-half-pad/p/2643/

[Moogles]

The shimmable full Mattes dressage pad is really nice, prefer it to just the half pad by a mile. Mine washes up great. They do add some bulk so not advisable for already snug saddle fit in my opinion.

The ecogold pads are so so in my books. Yes the help stabilize the saddle but are super expensive and mine caught the horse’s hair a little when the saddle slid forward a smidge. I don’t think that would be comfortable. They are very well made, and some people really find them helpful.

I am currently liking the passier flexi pad. Saddle is stable and feels really comfortable to ride on. Not shimmable though.

Hate the thinline half pads, mine is sitting in the consignment shop. The horse sweats a lot with them and I think they don’t seem to make much difference in preventing slippage and they are not cut great (really have to pull them up into the saddle chanel and not spine free). Have not tried trifecta, prefer other pads so not wasting my moolah.

[IndyEquestrian]

The Air Ride is 1/4 inch thick. . . not bulky at all. It is about the same as the Thinline.

[Lieslot]

I used to be a devoted Mattes user, but a few months back switched both horses to the Prolite and not going back to Mattes.
Horses like it better, much better (unless I became a better rider the day I switched, lol :D)

My only issue with the Prolite pads, how on earth to wash them. When I put them in my washing machine they float on top of the water and the sweat isn’t properly washed out of them.
I handwashed one, but so cumbersome. How do you wash your Prolites?

[vxf111]

[QUOTE=Lieslot;8274865]
I used to be a devoted Mattes user, but a few months back switched both horses to the Prolite and not going back to Mattes.
Horses like it better, much better (unless I became a better rider the day I switched, lol :D)

My only issue with the Prolite pads, how on earth to wash them. When I put them in my washing machine they float on top of the water and the sweat isn’t properly washed out of them.
I handwashed one, but so cumbersome. How do you wash your Prolites?[/QUOTE]

This is my big gripe too. I ended up buying a removeable washable cover from my saddle fitter-- but not before I filthied up the hard-to-wash pad itself first

[equistroke]

“That said, has anyone tried the Sedelogic pad that Dressage Extensions is promoting?”

Call me crazy for the $$$. I have the SEDELOGIC DRESSAGE CONTOUR PAD that I purchased from VitaFloor and I love it. I first saw one being used, by a jumper trainer who was riding in the same pad every day, and asked about it. My favorite things are that it is contoured in shape, allowing me to use the stick right behind the leg and not hit a pad, its way cooler than a cotton pad and finally you just hose it off at the end of the day and it is dry by morning. Expensive? Yes, but so far worth it. BTW VitaFloor has specials on these pads from time to time so if you are interested keep an eye on their site.

[SendenHorse]

Prolite pads are a pain to wash-- I hand wash now. However, they are so wonderful in every other way that i can overlook this one area!

[vxf111]

I just wish they (or someone) would sell a good quality washable removeable cover. Then they’d be perfect! The one Annette made is fine but she only does white and I’d love a dark one and maybe one more finished like an Ogilvy cover.