Favorite shaped pads?
I did my first hunter show in while and apparently we aren’t terrible so I’d like an appropriate pad in case we do it again! The ones I had before were super thick and made my saddle slide around. For this show I just used a half pad by itself, which was in fashion the last time I showed hunters if that dates me at all.
If you don’t mind something a bit on the pricier side, I like my Ogilvy shaped pad. It has the same backing/quilting as their baby pads, and the fleece just around the edges. It doesn’t change the saddle fit the way some of the bulkier pads do if you’re used to just riding in a baby pad. They also used to customize them for your particular brand/size of saddle, though I don’t know if they still offer that.
I love my Wilkers show pads. Not super fancy, but they have the velcro keeper straps that go around the whole flap as opposed to a just a loop around one of the billets (does that make sense?) so the pad stays in place really well. I hate it when fitted pads slide back and get bunched up under the saddle. It also fits my saddle well so it looks clean and neat, not floppy and messy. (Can you tell I have a pet peeve?)
I still see half pads by themselves in the hunter ring here in VA and NC. Not as frequent as say, 15 years ago, but they’re still around. Horses still pinning just fine wearing them. One I know showed at WIHS in a half pad only. If it fits your horse and saddle, there’s really nothing wrong with using it!
Me, too. Mine fits properly under multiple saddles, launders nicely, and is, I’m pretty sure, the cheapest one in our tack room at horse shows.
Another vote for Wilkers. My saddle has a very forward flap and I have a hard time finding shaped pads that fit it. I love that Wilkers can custom make them to fit your saddle.
ETA I also just throw them in the washing machine on gentle at home and they look great.
I like the fleece works sheepskin pads. My schooling set up is a baby pad with a mattes sheepskin half pad, so I don’t like the walkers or other thin, synthetic fleece pads. I want natural fibers, and to mimic the feel of my schooling set up as close as possible.
Yet another for Wilkers, plenty good, long-wearing, stay put. Its all our barn uses, giant pile of communal Wilkers pads.
Get the wilkers that has the grippies on the underside or get a no slip pad! That’s my biggest piece of advice. We use wilkers at my barn too.
Yeah, I’m old. But good to know I still have that option.
I have this Professional’s choice pad.
I love the Ecogold fitted pads. They fit well and clean up really well.
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