New Saddlepad Company

[rowan22]

Hi all,

I am looking at branching out and looking to make stylish and quality British made saddlepads, and I just wondered what you guys feel is missing from the market? Or do you feel its an overly saturated market?

We are looking at creating excellent quality saddlepads, with both men's and womens clothing lines to match, as well as boys and girls.

 

[Cowpony]

I'd say the market is pretty saturated already. You can get just about any colour, shape trim, and even patterns now. Unless you have a really innovative idea.....

 

[Squeak]

I'd agree with Cowpony, I think the market is pretty saturated tbh.

 

[Caol Ila]

Bright, colourful pads with fluffy wool lining for the horse that don't have wool piping on the outside.

If that's what you're after, the market is thin indeed. There are a few out there, but not many.

 

[rowan22]

I'd say the market is pretty saturated already. You can get just about any colour, shape trim, and even patterns now. Unless you have a really innovative idea.....

More interested in being British made, most top quality saddlepad companies are European, as well as being more inclusive having more male options etc for clothing to match as everything is mostly female

 

[Peglo]

I struggled to find a padded saddle pad that’s a saddle cut instead of a square pad. (If anyone knows where to get one send me that way )

 

[sbloom]

I struggled to find a padded saddle pad that’s a saddle cut instead of a square pad. (If anyone knows where to get one send me that way )

Mattes, they do correction pockets and sheepskin linings/trims on any shape of numnah or pad.

 

[Squeak]

I struggled to find a padded saddle pad that’s a saddle cut instead of a square pad. (If anyone knows where to get one send me that way )

Polypads do various different shapes and they also do some pads where only under the saddle has the extra padding.

 

[MereChristmas]

I struggled to find a padded saddle pad that’s a saddle cut instead of a square pad. (If anyone knows where to get one send me that way )

I’ve taken to altering saddle pads.
The latest is a cc Le Mieux which has had not only the positions of all the straps altered but the wither fastening altered completely. This because my jump saddle is too jump for a GP numnah and not jump enough for the modern jump ‘squares’. The cc has wither fastenings that are not only too thick for the D rings but in totally the wrong place.
Another gripe is that my pony gets extremely hot in a ‘square’ as a large is needed for his saddle but they cover so much ribcage.
I had 3 goes before I got it right!

 

[Green Bean]

I think there is definitely a market for a set of selections that can be made to match your particular style or design aspiration:

• Colour pad
• Shape of pad
• Trim / piping (there are so many options that could be offered)
• Fur at top front of saddle pad and to sit around the back of the saddle
• Fur lining to meet specific needs
• Sparkle placements
• Embroidery
• Matching brushing / jumping boots (sparkles, trim)
• Matching browbands using sparkles on offer for the pad

(I haven't thought about this at all)

 

[Peglo]

Mattes, they do correction pockets and sheepskin linings/trims on any shape of numnah or pad.

Thank you. I have a sheepskin numnah that takes shims but it’s too thick for her saddle. I bought one of the shires fleece numnahs but it can be a bit too thick as well depending on her weight. She seems to go better with my Rambo pads but I find them annoying to get on and sit nicely, especially when it’s windy.

 

[Peglo]

Polypads do various different shapes and they also do some pads where only under the saddle has the extra padding.

Oh yes, I forgot I had looked at these. Thank you. I can’t remember why I didn’t order one. I think I wasn’t sure whether the standard or plus one thickness would suit and just forgot. Will have another look.

@Meredith i think your skills are much more advanced than mine

 

[Bluewaves]

I really liked the heritage pattern LeMieux did several years ago and they haven't really made anything like that since. They had a one off Black Friday version more recently but they weren't as nice.

Anything in a traditional or tweed type pattern would be nice. Marketed a bit like Dubarry.

Off topic, but I always have a hankering for loafers or deck shoes that are nicely made, classic in style and don't cost an arm and a leg. Traditional colours for winter and pretty bright shades for summer e.g. coral, pink, peach, lemon.

 

[black and brown]

I think that Le Mieux now dominate the market and have a disproportionately large marketing budget behind them. A competitor would need to offer something which they don't (and be prepared to then be copied) at a reasonable price or maybe go high end but with a limited market. I think this is a really difficult area to break into successfully but I hope you manage to do so.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Saddle pads I tend to use le Mieux for pony things for Mim and her little rider or Mattes for grown up horses. Whilst I’d love a Mattes that was British made, I think it would be difficult to compete on price.

Now horse rugs - those are the bane of my existence. Sorry but they are all hideous and either really kitch patterns or clashing colours like purple and aqua or they are boring navy or maroon.

 

[ElectricChampagne]

I'm over I Ireland and we've had several of the exact same thing you're suggesting start up since the pandemic. With the big companies already in the mix and tack shops not really stocking anything else, it's a pretty saturated market. Price Wise it's hard to compete with big companies.

I also came across a one person run UK company on tiktok that were offering clothing and saddle pads and they're shutting up shop. It's just not viable for the amount of work they're putting in. I can't find it now but it was a bit of an eye opener.

 

[Britestar]

I struggled to find a padded saddle pad that’s a saddle cut instead of a square pad. (If anyone knows where to get one send me that way )

I'm on this hunt too for a pony size, heavyweight, white dressage cut numnah.

I've found one but its lightweight cotton. Probably going to have to do.

 

[Boulty]

Well as the owner of a Highland more tartan would be nice (especially searching for purple!) or something with similar quality & cut to Nuumed but more patterns / colours? Their saddle pads are my very favourite for fit but sadly they only come in plain colours. I find a lot of the really fancy patterned ones are overly padded or a weird shape and finding a nice, patterned not too thick, truly high withered one with well finished binding that isn’t going to rub can be a challenge. (Esp as LM isn’t my thing)

 

[Spirit7]

More interested in being British made, most top quality saddlepad companies are European, as well as being more inclusive having more male options etc for clothing to match as everything is mostly female

My friends have just started a saddle pad and clothing combo- it looks the same as everything else and ultimately they had to source fabrics from China to be cost effective.

 

[Bobthecob15]

I personally think the market is over saturated already, yes there might be scope for very personalised pads but those would be few and far between as I imagine they would be at a higher cost, Le Mieux etc are pricey enough.

 

[moorhillhorses]

There’s so many already but if you have the equipment give it a go.

If you started a tiktok and got followers and how they are made videos it could go viral

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

The HH market is a little light.

We need high wither pads not because the horses have high withers, just because they are bigger so need more space.

I love the fit of my Epic saddle pads but they only come in a small range of colours.

My friend loves the swallowtail design for her heavies but they are so hard to get hold of.

 

[Squeak]

I'm on this hunt too for a pony size, heavyweight, white dressage cut numnah.

I've found one but its lightweight cotton. Probably going to have to do.

Polypad would probably do them?

 

[sbloom]

Ultimately Polypads and other "slightly more padded" pads don't do much - if your horse shows a definite preference then no problem, but I personally prefer the firmer felt lining in the quality regular pads, ie Mattes but a few others too, to supposedly squishier pads. If I want more cush then it's a high performance impact protection pad like Invictus or Winderen, or medical grade sheepkin, the latter needing the saddle adjusting to accommodate it in most cases. We're still a long way from understanding which pads to use and why, and ultimately which materials are needed for which purpose, but I try and keep that in mind when recommending products.

 

[Squeak]

Well as the owner of a Highland more tartan would be nice (especially searching for purple!) or something with similar quality & cut to Nuumed but more patterns / colours? Their saddle pads are my very favourite for fit but sadly they only come in plain colours. I find a lot of the really fancy patterned ones are overly padded or a weird shape and finding a nice, patterned not too thick, truly high withered one with well finished binding that isn’t going to rub can be a challenge. (Esp as LM isn’t my thing)

Sounding like a broken record on this thread at the moment but Polypads would probably do it. They do more than just the thick pads these days, you can choose your colours, have them embroidered and they're british made.

This one of theirs might be what you're after?

PolyPads Perform Saddlecloth - PolyPads

PolyPads Perform Saddlecloth, perfect for competition, clinics and training. Smart, stylish design. Durable yet soft materials. Handmade in the UK.

polypads.co.uk

This is their sister company on ebay and they have some discounted polypads on there and also gives you an idea of what sorts of saddlecloths they also do these days:

Security measure

www.ebay.co.uk

I'm not linked to polypads at all but I've got some that are 20+ years old that are still going strong and it's nice to be able to support companies with british made products that are well made and good quality.

 

[GoldenWillow]

I'm on this hunt too for a pony size, heavyweight, white dressage cut numnah.

I've found one but its lightweight cotton. Probably going to have to do.

I struggled to find a padded saddle pad that’s a saddle cut instead of a square pad. (If anyone knows where to get one send me that way )

BS have a look at Nuumed, they do a pro and a standard cotton dressage cut numnah that comes in small and medium as well as large. The medium just fits a "short" 17" saddle.

P again have a look at Nuumed the pro or pro plus might be what you are looking for which are all cotton as well as wool half lined ones.

 

[Mrs G]

I have a couple of the 'winged' saddle pads that HRP brought out - they are a very good idea (very basically they are high-wither shaped at the back as well as the front). I would love to get another couple but I cant find them anymore? They definitely stopped the rubbing at the back of the saddle at coat-change time. They were/are a good size too - I find a lot of brands (eg Le Mieux) are too short in the back even in the larger sizes. If you could incorporate different shapes/lengths of saddle pad that seems to be a possible market rowan22?

 

[Gloi]

I would quite like a larger selection of pads to fit reactorpanel saddles.

 

[Boulty]

Sounding like a broken record on this thread at the moment but Polypads would probably do it. They do more than just the thick pads these days, you can choose your colours, have them embroidered and they're british made.

This one of theirs might be what you're after?

PolyPads Perform Saddlecloth - PolyPads

PolyPads Perform Saddlecloth, perfect for competition, clinics and training. Smart, stylish design. Durable yet soft materials. Handmade in the UK.

polypads.co.uk

This is their sister company on ebay and they have some discounted polypads on there and also gives you an idea of what sorts of saddlecloths they also do these days:

Security measure

www.ebay.co.uk

I'm not linked to polypads at all but I've got some that are 20+ years old that are still going strong and it's nice to be able to support companies with british made products that are well made and good quality.

I don’t like the attachment system on poly pads and find them too thick. Oh & no tartan or tweed!