I have a SMx Air Ride saddle pad (specifically this one-http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/professionals-choice-charmayne-james-pad.html).
Does anyone have suggestions on how to wash/clean the underneath??
I have the classic equine pad with memory foam. It is very similar to yours. I usually take a stiff horse brush and brush as much hair and dirt off that I can. Then I hang it on a fence and hose it off. It takes about 2days to dry.
If it gets stinky then I take a muck bucket full of water and blanket wash or something similar and dunk it in there and let it sit for a few and then hang it on the fence and hose it off.
Mine says it can go in the washing machine but I don’t see how. It gets too much dirt and sweat. I think it would ruin the washing machine.
Amy
first brush it with a stiff brush to
then you can take it to a car wash and clip it up like a floor mat and spray it down, BUT, DO NOT spray it directly head on, spray it at the tightest angle you can from the top pointed to the bottom
if you spray it head on you will only push the dirt and grim in, not spray if off
also do not use soap
I had the same question. I just bought some used pads, and the first thing I wanted to do was wash them. I’d never had an Air Ride before (not the same one in the link, though). I used a blanket wash, and then hosed them off. The Air Ride was the easiest to clean, wasn’t heavy when wet, and dried quickly. I fluffed the fleece back up with a wire brush. I still don’t know if I’ll like it for riding, but it was simple to wash. Curious to know how often people wash pads, and what type are they? My English pads get washed every ride, but almost never wash my western pads. I do use a wool show pad or Schneiders’ has a washable acrylic one, as a liner. They get washed practically every ride.
I had the same question. I just bought some used pads, and the first thing I wanted to do was wash them. I’d never had an Air Ride before (not not the same one in the link, though). I used a blanket wash, and then hosed them off. The Air Ride was the easiest to clean, wasn’t heavy when wet, and dried quickly. I fluffed the fleece back up with a wire brush. I still don’t know if I’ll like it for riding, but it was simple to wash. Curious to know how often people wash pads, and what type are they? My English pads get washed every ride, but almost never wash my western pads. I do use a wool show pad or Schneiders’ has a washable acrylic one, as a liner.
I have done the Lucy and Ethel trick (with the grapes) where I put them in a kiddy pool and stomp, step and squish with saddle pad wash. If you dump the water, rinse and repeat several times before taking a hose or pressure washer to them you are able to get most of the dirt out.
I use wool blankets as liners.
First off, I use a blower (the kind you use to do the hair on a show steer) to blow the dirt off my horse’s back, so there will be sweat and hair but not much actual dirt on the blanket.
Next, I vacuum off a dirty pad before I try to wash it.
If it needs washing, I line a muck bucket with a big garbage bag, put the muck bucket in the back of my pickup and fill it with cold water, add the blanket and a teeny bit of blanket wash (antibacterial, easy rinsing, etc) and tie the top of the garbage bag. Then, I drive around for a day or two, dumping out the used water and adding new until the water comes out clean, then I line dry the blanket.
If I get a stinky blanket, some veterycin spray right on the wet, stinky part takes care of the stinky.
I have a friend who uses his own western version of baby pad/liners- he gets acrylic fleece cut to go under his thick wool pad, and just throws the fleece liner in the washer when it gets icky. They’re super cheap and easy to wash.
I have the same pads, and I vacuum them, which removes a good deal of the dried sweat, hair, dirt, etc. I use the rug beater attachment on a canister vacuum.
If it has to be washed, I just hose it with cold water and set it over a chair or something to dry in the sun. It does take a couple of days to dry.
- Stiff brush
- pressure washer
- hang to dry for a few days
