maybs124
Well-Known Member
Equitex saddle pads? Are they worth the money
Equitex saddle pads?
- Thread starter maybs124
- Start date
ruby930
Member
Hi ? my aunt had an equitex dressage saddle pad and let me tell you, it was very comfortable for the horse.
Some people say they think they are worth the money but personally I don’t think they are. There is nothing wrong with them, I just think they are too over priced.
Some people say they think they are worth the money but personally I don’t think they are. There is nothing wrong with them, I just think they are too over priced.
SEL
Well-Known Member
A friend has one and they absolutely do change the saddle fit! After her saddler visited it has now been banished to the tack room.
maya2008
Well-Known Member
Amazing under Thorn pads for kids (bit big though) and under a treeless saddle if you don't need much padding. It'd be a bit thick for a treed saddle though surely, unless it was a bit wide to start with?
My horses LOVE them, and they do indeed distribute the pressure amazingly well. But we don't have treed saddles...
My horses LOVE them, and they do indeed distribute the pressure amazingly well. But we don't have treed saddles...
3Amigos
New User
Sadly the Equitex pad altered the fit of my saddle as they are very thick pads. This made my saddle unstable so saddle was slipping to the side when riding. Could not risk using as horse in KS rehab. Quality of pads is very good, and seems to work very well some some but not for my horse.
3Amigos
New User
Yes too thick for my treed saddle. Altered fit!
Sugar12
Active Member
I have bought them and I have to say I absolutely LOVE mine and my physio agrees she has watched me ride and treated my horse before the pads and after and it continuing to monitor but so far is very impressed. So much so I sold all my old pads and did a tack room clearout. Despite several saddle fittings my saddle always had some play and with these it doesn't seem to move. But the real test was my retired cob who is your typical barrel shape and I only happy hack her now I really felt the difference. In all the years of different saddles, risers , pad etc. never could get a saddle not to rock on her but not a budge. This is based on my horses and my own experience I appreciate everyone may have a different view. My current horse is a ISH so two entirely different shape horses.
sbloom
Well-Known Member
They're very pretty and feel lovely but from the couple I've seen in action they either affect the fit or they squidge down to nothing. For the same price you could have a sheepskin correction numnah which wicks sweat, spreads pressure, absorbs some of the concussion, can be made in any colour you like and can be shimmed if needed (cheaper without the shim system of course!).
kwhite121
New User
To be honest I think it depends how good your saddle is and how well it fits the horse. I only ride in Antares, Devoucoux or Childeric and with all these they’ve been absolutely amazing as they’ve improved the fit. I do think that due to the thickness and the memory foam if you have a saddle that’s slightly tight, then they will exaggerate the problem?.
I used to ride in sheepskin (mattes, le mieux and bartls) and noticed a huge difference when I moved to equitex. Horse much happier, stride longer, canter way more bouncier, half passes more fluid on both sides etc etc.
If you can afford it they’re great, but they are extremely expensive and don’t offer the best value for money. But it’s all about choice and priorities, I’d rather spend £200 on a well fitting saddle pad than I would on 4 lessons or on a fancy bridle, but that’s my choice and other people have different priorities.
I used to ride in sheepskin (mattes, le mieux and bartls) and noticed a huge difference when I moved to equitex. Horse much happier, stride longer, canter way more bouncier, half passes more fluid on both sides etc etc.
If you can afford it they’re great, but they are extremely expensive and don’t offer the best value for money. But it’s all about choice and priorities, I’d rather spend £200 on a well fitting saddle pad than I would on 4 lessons or on a fancy bridle, but that’s my choice and other people have different priorities.
sbloom
Well-Known Member
I never fit saddles "tight", everything I fit would have flatter, wider rails than any continental saddle, yet they've not benefited the fit at all.
Sealine
Well-Known Member
Everyone I know who has one loves them and they do look very smart. In fact one friend has two of them! I would think the advantage over sheepskin was keeping them clean as you can just hose them off. I'd love to try one but I don't want to commit to spending that amount of money to find out it's not suitable for my horse/saddle.
SEL
Well-Known Member
I've currently got a friend's one on loan. Under the treeless saddle on the microcob (who is proving a challenge to get a tree'd saddle to fit) then I love the pad. She's a funny shape and is a lot more comfortable with the pad than without it.
I tried it on under a regular saddle on my other horse and didn't like it at all. Saddle didn't feel stable and horse had her ears back from the moment I got on. So I got off.
Biggest problem is keeping it away from the cat who thinks an expensive memory foam borrowed pad would make an ideal cat bed.
I tried it on under a regular saddle on my other horse and didn't like it at all. Saddle didn't feel stable and horse had her ears back from the moment I got on. So I got off.
Biggest problem is keeping it away from the cat who thinks an expensive memory foam borrowed pad would make an ideal cat bed.
Auslander
Well-Known Member
I have one, and I love it because it's pretty and squidgy. Not convinced about the magical properties, but it's a lovely quality, good looking pad, and my horse is happy in it. This is a horse who reacts violently to anything that doesn't meet with his approval - he reacted like his back was broken when I used a thin gel pad to raise the back of his saddle a bit! He lets me know immediately if he disapproves of something, so I'm happy that it does no harm.