Ah. Here’s my dilemma. I was following the recent saddle pad enablers thread 
which made me go play on the Hufglocken Mattes website and put together gorgeous colors for my chestnut Paint like olive green cotton with honey yellow fleece. Then I started to worry that I couldn’t keep a medium color cotton clean and should just get chocolate brown or navy which made the idea less fun.
Scotch guard is a brilliant idea. Does it make things slippery?
I have had a white Mattes (with Thinline!) for at least 5 years and it doesn’t look dirty at all. I don’t wash it, I just brush the fleece out gently with a stiff brush after every ride and also brush the rest of it to get horse hair off of it. The parts that show under saddle will not look dirty, even if under your legs and under the seat could show slight stain from your boots and saddle. Also, mine already feels like it is Scotchgarded; water will bead up on it. I also have a 15 year old beautiful pastel pinkish/orange one and it still looks clean, but the fleece is wearing thin. The grandkids have 100 saddle pads, but they always “borrow” my Mattes pads even though I tell them not to touch them!
Just get the color you like!!
I haven’t had a white pad in years. My Mattes pad is black. When I did have one, I just sort of accepted that the white quilting on top would be a bit dirty looking.
I bought a black one with no front or back roll and place it under a square pad (usually LeMieux) when I use it. It does not move, is directly against the horse so all the benefits of sheepskin are utilized, and you can’t even tell it’s there from afar really. So has a neat look.
I only mention this incase someone is thinking about a darker color, or doesn’t want big fluffy sheepskin showing (which is the appeal for some though), or wants to use it directly on the horse. I have black tack, so all of my half pads are black. Works for me.
Forgot to add, brushing with a “slicker” dog brush works well. I brush out my Mattes girth with this almost daily and it looks great.
@Scribbler, I haven’t found Scotchguard to make anything slippery, though I still get the occasional stain on my white show stuff, so maybe I’m not using enough
I have to say, I’ve used Mattes and Dover sheepskin half pads before, and I feel like my Christ/HorseDream sheepskin is sooo much nicer. It just has a much more dense feel.
On the flip side, I am a little scared to put it directly on my horse’s back given cleaning challenges, so I use it over a regular pad.
??? I wash my Mattes all the time with the Mattes wash in the washer, sit it out on a chair overnight and its dry by the next day. Shouldn’t take 3 days to dry!
My problem with putting it over another pad,or doubling up in any way, is concern over bulk. My horse prefers I don’t use the fleece half pad. But y’all have given me some hope and ideas. Scotchguard! Great idea.
I have seen the Christ ones. Do they come in yummy colors?
The 3-day-drying is what my barn mates say must happen. However, they are way, way more hmmmm, picky? than I am. And maybe that is what is recommended for complete drying.
I have a white Mattes full dressage pad. It’s the only pad I use, so it gets quite gross, especially during the warmer months when the horse sweats a lot. I just toss it in the washer with some Melp, and then it goes straight into the dryer on the cool setting. Comes out so fluffy and gorgeous every time.
I’m planning to treat myself to a second one in fun colors one of these days.
Directly from Mattes - https://www.e-a-mattes.com/wp-content/uploads/mattes_care_instructions_EN.pdf
Short version:
My mare has a strong preference for sheepskin and the Mattes pads are fabulous. They are a bit more effort to clean, but last forever. Here’s what I do:
I have a Mattes pad that is at least 12 years old and still going strong. There’s some noticeable wear to the piping and velcro but the sheepskin and quilt are in great shape. I do struggle with white since you can’t bleach them and have been meaning to try the Scotchguard trick on my show pad. My dark pads barely show wear even after repeat washing.
FYI - My pads fully air dry overnight. I can’t see any reason they’d need 2-3 days to dry, and you can always throw them in the dryer without heat if they’re still a bit damp.
Bottom line - these are not delicate pads . Treat them appropriately and you’ll have them for years.
Makes 0 sense. Never takes 3 days to dry. I ride all mine in mattes, daily and wash regularly lol
Here’s my take on the other sheepskin pad options (did I mention my mare has a strong preference…)
Keep in mind that there is sheepskin (wool on leather) and there is sheepswool (wool on fabric). The sheepskin will be a bit denser and I find it lasts longer. The sheepswool will be less expensive.
Sheepskin:
Sheepswool:
You can wash sheepswool with any detergent made for wool, so Woolite or similar. I find these pads to be less dense and slightly less durable. They’re also less expensive so may be a good way to try out the style. I’ve used the three above but have stuck with Mattes platinum for a while now.
I currently use the Mattes sheepskin half pad under a lemieux jump or Ogilvy dressage pad. I have a couple of other sheepskin halfpads, a fleeceworks And a cavalier. The Mattes is the longest, is why I use it most.
In dry summer weather they dry in couple of days in my house. In cold wet weather they take longer to dry. So does my regular hang to dry clothing in my house. Dry time is totally dependent on heat and humidity in the air.
My very particular barn mate gave me her old white Mattes pad today. It’s not so pretty any more, so she was going to throw it away! Once again, I used it on my horse and he seemed very happy with it. I now have a Mattes schooling pad and will work toward getting at least one more, in pretty colors. In the meantime, I still have the Smartpak one coming, so will see how that does. I am definitely going to spray it with Scotchgard!
Regarding the half pads: some horses like stuffing, and some don’t. I think my mattes pad but it’s kind of flimsy compared to some of the other half pads but easier to clean.
Now the saddle pads, they hold up really well and are PRETTY. Get your matchy matchy on!
This ^^
My saddle is an 18.5" and the Christ L Dressage pad just fit… when I first bought it. Years and several washes later it is still in impeccable condition but a lot smaller. I gave it to a barn mate with a smaller saddle, so it’s all good. 
On the other hand my Mattes pads have lasted as long, without shrinking. I order the shaped pads w shearling under the seat only. Nothing on the outer by pommel or cantle. This guarantees a good fit. Large fits my 18.5" Dressage saddle perfectly. An XL ended up a little big. I have a square jumping pad in XL for an 18" Jumping saddle which I also find too large.
I love sheepskin pads: warm in winter, breathable and moisture wicking in summer. I think you only reap the benefits when the wool/shearling is in direct contact w the horse’s back.
That’s what my barn mate said yesterday. She said it may feel dry on the surface, but really stick your finger into the fleece and it’s not dry. Hence the 3 day rule.
Yeah I can’t imagine spending 100’s of dollars to have a baby pad under it! The sheepskin against the skin is the whole reason to get one!
Interesting, I assumed the pads up-thread took three days to dry due to not being washed/spun in a washing machine (I have seen people just hose off their skeepskin pads to preserve them, which leaves them VERY wet). It did not occur to me that this might be just after a ride.
If the “three days” is after a ride, then all I can say is wow, how inconvenient! I always take a paddle brush (the same one I use on my horse’s mane) and comb back/fluff up the sheepskin after a ride, and have only on very hot, very humid summer days found that it might take longer than a day to dry (fluffed, upside down, and in a tack room - something on a fence or out in the sun would surely dry sooner). Barring extreme humidity, if you fluff after a ride and leave it to dry upside down, 95% of the time it’s dry by the next day.
Mattes pads used to be made in Germany but now are made in Poland. Does anyone notice a difference? I think the sheepskin in the German-made pads was a little more dense but perhaps I’m just imagining a decline in quality? Looks like Mattes got bought out by/is now operating under World Equestrian Brands?? Perhaps that accounts for the change in country of manufacture.
I’ve got several Mattes pads, and after washing, I let them dry overnight. Then I use my hair dryer set on cool while I fluff the wool to let the air get down into the pad. Works great, and 15 minutes later I’ve got a dry pad.
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