JW, are swallowtail pads appropriate at all levels, or no? I like the look of them, but only show intro, so I don’t want to be wearing the proverbal tophat. :lol:
yes they are fine but do make sure they are size appropriate for you horse. If you have a small barreled horse they tickle them in the crotch.
Hmm. He’s fairly short in the back (14.3h bay hony) - would that be a no then? He would probably look stupid in it anyway, but I like them. Is there different sizes?
Most of the swallowtail pads I see are too big for the horses who are wearing them. When they’re too big, they visually fool the eye into thinking the horse is croup-high. If you have a short-backed horse you’ll have a hard time finding one that really fits.
Just my personal aesthetic opinion, of course!
Speaking of which – if anyone has a GOOD source for nice swallowtails, please post links 
I’m looking for black with a calvary cut, something like this:
http://www.usfriesianreferral.com/imagesforwebpage/calvpadgreen.gif
Eileen
Does a really slight swallowtail shape make much of a difference? Here’s the one I was considering…
http://www.doversaddlery.com/product.asp?pn=X1-19444
Anyone know on average how long they are so I could measure on my horse?
I got one as a present as I thought they were lovely too. It hasn’t fit one single horse that I’ve tried it on. It was too long for the short backed mare I wanted it for and I can’t use the keepers for the longer backed horses I tried it on later. Mine has a slightly longer tail than the one in the pick. The problem I have with mine is that it has a whither relief cut and that won’t work with my rounder barreled, lower whithered horses. It’s a bummer.
Use Dover’s chat line and ask for the dimensions. Then compare the dimensions to a pad that you know works. I’ve found specific dimensions and cuts that work for my horses/saddles and won’t buy anything unless it adheres to them. Saves me lots of money now.
They can custom make different sizes, if you need something cut a little smaller than the standard catalog offering. Look under “trim options.”
[QUOTE=hijumpin1;3240953]
www.seamsright.com/
They can custom make different sizes, if you need something cut a little smaller than the standard catalog offering. Look under “trim options.”[/QUOTE]
You beat me to it
They make to order.
Eileen
I like them too, but they don’t look very nice on my short backed mare. They are also hot in the summer
I got the Warendoerf for a friend with a 17H slightly long backed horse, and they hated it.
I got a Toklat for myself, and I love it, on my average backed guy.
merrygoround, if you have it I would love a link to where I could order a toklat…
Toklat:
I like the looks of that one, too. Might get it.
Eileen
Measured with a broken measuring stick the hony’s saddle pad today. It’s somewhere in the mid 20 inch range by my estimates… (About half the measuring stick was mysteriously gone.) It’s a decent sized pad, normal sized really, so how could this slight swallowtail be 25" x 45"? I need to know this by tonight to order the pad. What are the average demensions of a normal pad? And where are they measured? Anyone have a diagram? I just folded the pad over evenly and measured from somewhere around the front, to the back about halfway down the width of the pad (this is length we’re talking about.) Any help would be much appreciated.
Please, guys, I need this info asap! A shameless bump. I need to order a pad for my show this weekend and it must be there by friday, so please please help. Shameless begging here.
I don’t have any pads at home right now – which is unusual – so I really can’t be of help. Sorry!
Roan
I got mine at Divoza back in the mid 90s. Still looks spectacular, and now have Pimp My Ride dressage sport boots to match, plus a black ear net with the same yellow trim as the pad. 
Yee ha! :lol:
I adore the swallowtail pads.
There doesn’t seem to be an average size for pads. The first number is the length along the spine (front to back of pad), my horses need around 22-23" (25" is too long, WB size) but they aren’t long backed.
The other number is the total width of the pad lain flat - some times they will do from spine to bottom (as in depth or where the bottom of the saddle flap hits). I need a super long pad with my one saddle - 45" gives plenty of room for me to use the keeper (if the # is half that, then they are measuring only half the pad). I think 43-44" is more average length for that. My other saddle has much shorter flaps and sits higher so is fine with 43".
Be aware that the whither relief cut can totally change the way a saddle fits. I don’t recommend it for lower whithered horses - they never work on mine no matter how big the pad).
Btw, Dressage Extensions lists the dimensions for many saddles.
Btw, I special ordered a pad using the dimensions of my favorite pad from Seams right and it didn’t fit well. They cut it too short along the spine.
I got mine from Divoza a well. Works great on both long backed TB and short backed draftX… Wears like steel too!
[QUOTE=downthecenterlinetheycome;3241046]
merrygoround, if you have it I would love a link to where I could order a toklat…[/QUOTE]
Try Maryland Saddlery.
