Smart saddle with Equitex pad? Is this a thing??

Landcruiser

Landcruiser

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 May 2011
Messages
3,794
Location
Wiltshire
Visit site
I recently bought a second hand Smart saddle for my 6 yr old when she stopped fitting her Strada. I really like it, and she seems to as well, but I don't like the Smart pads that came with it. The velcro-on high density foam pads are a palaver and the actual cotton pads are not colours I'd pick, and not quite the right shape/size either. Can I use non Smart branded pads? I'm looking at maybe splashing out on an Equitex pad. They seem to give good spine clearance, which the Smart ones don't seem to. I'm not finding much info on the Smart website, where it's all about the "system." Can I go rogue on this??
The saddle I have is a native version. (It has been checked by a Smart Saddle fitter).
 
You can use any standard pad under them as long as they are high wither and pulled well up into the channel. I use weatherbeeta, lemeuix, eskadron, Kentucky etc under my smart event and dressage saddles.

I believe equitex do a pad that can go under but due to interesting reviews of them it's not something I've tried.

I also have a cotton pocketed half pad I use to put any shims needed in, it's an older model smart branded one but any high wither pocketed half pad would do the job 🙂
 
Yep absolutely! I’m with you that the Velcro pads are a right faff. I could never get them all to properly sit square and they always felt so unstable to ride on. Switched to another saddle cloth with a different shock absorber pad and saddle felt so much more stable and horse went even better in it. Just check it’s balanced right and good spine clearance and you should be fine. Personally I wouldn’t ride in it without some sort of pad under it though
 
I would personally recommend a shimmable pad like a Mattes or Edix, losing the ability to shim a treeless saddle isn't a great way to go. I agree with you about the Smart pads though, pocket pads are so much easier to use. You could ask your nearest Smart fitter for some advice, offer to pay, it starts your relationship with them for if you need fitting help.

You'll find they've been asked about on here more than once, have a search (and do the same on FB). I don't particularly recommend them, some horses really don't like them, and they're expensive.
 
sbloom said:
I would personally recommend a shimmable pad like a Mattes or Edix, losing the ability to shim a treeless saddle isn't a great way to go. I agree with you about the Smart pads though, pocket pads are so much easier to use. You could ask your nearest Smart fitter for some advice, offer to pay, it starts your relationship with them for if you need fitting help.

You'll find they've been asked about on here more than once, have a search (and do the same on FB). I don't particularly recommend them, some horses really don't like them, and they're expensive.
Click to expand...
I was hoping you would jump on! Thanks for your reply. Mine actually wasn't expensive - a very lucky find on ebay got me a really lovely size 4 native plus two Smart branded pads with the shims for under £500. Sold by the previous owner after it had arrived with her new horse and she didn't like the colour!
I did have a Smart fitter out to check it before I started using it. She watched me ride in it and agreed that it suits my mare. It's only now I'm using it that I'm finding the pads annoying. The fitter is not local though, and she's tricky to pin down with communications, hence asking the oracle that is H&H.
I do have a shimmed Mattes western pad sitting doing nothing now my old boy has retired. I always loved it - maybe it's time to sell it to help fund it a Smart-friendly version then.
 
If you search Equitex on here or online you'll get a few reviews up. Some people rave about them, others have found they don't suit their horses. For me they are too expensive to risk horse not liking them, and because I have a very sensitive cob, I have to wash pads after every use (honestly she's a Princess, even if the pad looks clean and you reuse it, she gets lumps) I'd need a couple to realistically make it workable and that would cost ££££
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top