What is the "coolest" saddle pad?

[Beverley]

Hmmm. Y’all have me intrigued. Never seen this pad before, but I honestly have to say I’ve never had a need for a ‘cool’ pad- not riding in humid Houston Texas and environs in summer, not foxhunting, not riding all day out here in the arid west, not doing 25-milers. Given that the pad, whatever variety, is under the saddle, I truly don’t see any significant cooling advantages. Just my amateur, unqualified opinion, mind you.

I just use a plain ol wool and canvas pad, or a Navajo single or double, or for foxhunting a plain ol synthetic or real fleece pads or cotton pads. Have decades worth of satisfied customers.

[CanterQueen]

@Jess!;4346797

Anyone have a link to the knockoff version? Does it work just as well?

I hated the knockoff and sold it at a tack swap. I have four MD (cut to fit different saddles) and I LOVE them. They’ve lasted for years – well worth the money.

[Kellye]

Well, I didn’t buy the horse.com knockoff. I attended a CTR clinic this past weekend and got to actually see a genuine DM pad, try it on my horse and feel it, see it, and discuss it with other users. I was told to stay away from the fakes, so I’m glad I waited. Everything you guys have said was repeated in person at the clinic. And these were seasoned endurance and CTR riders with many years of experience.

I have found a used one to buy. Why on earth they cost so much is beyond me, but I’ll give it a try. My big-bodied Appy mare needs all the help she can get in this hot weather. Fall is still 2 months away here in hot, humid Florida and the people I talked to SWEAR by these things.

[Shermy]

I have a Skito Dryback pad. My horse was getting small dry spots from my treeless saddle, so Tom sent me some inserts for my pad. They fixed my problem wonderfully. The problem was how hard it was to squeeze the inserts into the envelopes of my pad.

It took me almost 30 mins to get those foam inserts into that pad. Because of that, it would be a TOTAL Pain to take out the inserts to wash the pad.

For the last year, I have been using a Dixie Midnight pad whenever I ride. I ride at LEAST 5 times a week, and have done several endurance rides.

I have NEVER had a problem w/my Dixie Midnight pad. My pad is extremely clean.

I LOVE my set up I live in Illinois, so I ride in hot and humid conditions. My horse stays much more cooler than just riding w/the pad. His sweat just runs down the back of him, and does not soak into his pad at all.

My pad stays totally dry even doing a 25 mile endurance ride in very hot/humid weather in July.

I totally recommend using a Dixie Midnight pad! The knock off brands are not the same. They do not soften up the same. They last a LONG time, so are worth the price.

I have trimmed my Dixie pad so it fits nicely under my Skito pad.

[Bank_of_Dad]

I know the knockoff’s are from different sources because my two are quite different, one is harder than the other. Maybe I’ll get the real one next year for the arab. What’s a few hundred more dollars…

[whitesage]

Not that this needs saying again, but I also had a knock off of a DM and didn’t like it very much. Mine came from Valley Vet and cost $30, and it was uncomfortable enough to the touch that I was hesitant to use it right against my horse’s back (not that he ever seemed to care). Also, it tended to slip out the back.

However, my trainer used the same knockoffs all the time on her horses and the horses seemed happy enough…granted a Vermont summer is nothing like Florida summer, so I don’t really know how hard the pad was working.

I eventually gave the pad away because I now have a HAF pad, which is open-celled foam. My understanding from talking to people at actionridertack.com is that open-celled foam dissipates heat MUCH better than closed cell foam. Skito, grandeur pads etc. are all closed cell foam.

(Anyone who understands differently feel free to correct me here, my knowledge is a bit shaky!)

But the HAF pad is one of those bigger bulkier pads. Mine goes under my Barefoot saddle. For people with treed saddles looking for a thinner pad, it’s good to know the DM actually works. Never seen one in person, just know I had mixed feelings about the knock off pad I owned.

[Icecapade]

so I’m wondering what’s wrong w/ natural fibers that are causing you all issues? My family’s been using wool pads for years and we have never had overheating issues.

[katarine]

[QUOTE=Icecapade;4362949]
so I’m wondering what’s wrong w/ natural fibers that are causing you all issues? My family’s been using wool pads for years and we have never had overheating issues.[/QUOTE]

for me, nothing was ‘wrong’. I’m in AL where heat and humidity are horrid. Things don’t air out/dry out quickly. Unless I have a bunch of pads to rotate out, a horse I ride late today is going to get a wet, sweaty pad on his back in the AM if I ride again. After a while they get gross. So I found myself dealing with a bunch of icky pads trying to dry, and wool pads are pricey to have enough in rotation to keep riding. When I decided to try the DM pad, I was riding QHs exclusively and a LOT of long hot trail rides. My QH would be pouring sweat- it’s HOT and humid here, nowhere for that sweat to go- you just get sweaty and stay wet for hours out riding and they get hot. Never ever overheated a horse, no ‘issues’ Just Friggin Hot.

When I started using the DM, the immediate and obvious comfort level of my main horse at the time, Jake, was obvious. He wasn’t pouring sweat all over at the end of a workout ride or a trail ride- he was brighter, fresher, and cooler- b/c that DM let the sweat from under his saddle literally stream down his flanks. His neck wouldn’t be soaked, his capillaries wouldn’t be stood up all over his body. He was cooler. As a bonus, his pad stayed clean and dry so it could go right back in the tack room, not over the fence rail to dry, and he was more comfortable. So while nothing was broken, it sure was better when I added the DM pad.

[saratoga]

I have the knock-off from Country Supply. I have never even seen a Dixie Midnight but I couldnt be happier with mine. It is wonderful. I’ve had it for at least 5 years and it is as good as new. I never had a problem with any kind of pad, really, but it stinks to have a $200 pad get dirty and wet and have to keep washing them. Really dont want to do that!! The only time I dont use it is for dressage shows and I hate to see my pad all wet and dirty even then!

Even the dude ranch near me that takes tourists out on rides is using them now for all their horses!

[Icecapade]

Okay- I’m tracking- I grew up in dry California heat and here in Jersey it isn’t nearly as hot- that and I don’t ride every litereal night/day- its usually two to three times a week.

that makes sense now! =)

[AlfalfaGirl]

I have never heard of these before. I don’t remember seeing them in my magazines either but that doesn’t mean they weren’t there.

My gelding stopped sweating this summer and so him being cool is a MAJOR factor for me. I just would have a fit though if it rubbed him raw. LOL He is my baby and I couldn’t stand it if he was hurt because of a saddle pad. I am in the market for 2 new pads. The ones we have are brand new - Smx Air Rides and they are nice but they are now dirty and we need “spares”. It sounds as if these could be the ticket to keep Red cool and the pads clean!

[katarine]

[QUOTE=AlfalfaGirl;4364265]
I have never heard of these before. I don’t remember seeing them in my magazines either but that doesn’t mean they weren’t there.

My gelding stopped sweating this summer and so him being cool is a MAJOR factor for me. I just would have a fit though if it rubbed him raw. LOL He is my baby and I couldn’t stand it if he was hurt because of a saddle pad. I am in the market for 2 new pads. The ones we have are brand new - Smx Air Rides and they are nice but they are now dirty and we need “spares”. It sounds as if these could be the ticket to keep Red cool and the pads clean![/QUOTE]

Is your non sweater also acting like stiff brushes bother him? Is he getting that pebbly, sorta mealy black scurf in his coat? My non sweater did this and got terribly itchy- so proceed with caution, is all I’m saying.