Talk to me about saddlecloths...

casspow

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 August 2011
Messages
124
Location
Cheshire
Visit site
I've always been a big lover of the polypad, as it's nice and padded and thick the only thing is the shape! So i went out on the hunt for a nice thick saddle cloth and found a Roma pad which was like the poly pad but shaped.. so far so good!

What's your favorite saddle cloth and why? Any others I should consider? :)
 

MyDogIsAnIdiot

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 June 2013
Messages
732
Location
Lost
Visit site
I particularly like the Le Mieux close contact saddlecloths as they sit really nicely under my jump saddle and are shaped so it doesn't pull down over the withers like some.

Big fan of Eskadron and EuroStar for the colours ;). Don't get on with Anky as the jump pads aren't long enough (spine to girth loops) to fit my saddle properly.
 

Wheels

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 September 2009
Messages
5,695
Visit site
Not polypads, horrible bulky things. My saddle is fitted to use only a thin saddle cloth and that's what I use. Le mieux are lovely, I also have a couple of eskadron saddle pads that are about 10 yrs old and still look great even after lots of wear.

Nuumed are also good.
 

Joyous70

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 August 2010
Messages
1,935
Visit site
I don't use the polypads but i do love the Rambo Handypads! i have two and love the fact theres no velcro anywhere and they never move
 

Tash88

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 January 2012
Messages
1,782
Visit site
Le Mieux do a nice thick one, although I haven't tried it, think it's called the Work Pad? I like the Premier Equine ones with merino sheepskin underneath, also have Eskadron, Mu-med, HKM (great quality for the price and lovely colours) and Le Mieux in my collection. I don't have an Anky one (yet!) but they look nice and thick too.
 

vam

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 April 2009
Messages
2,578
Location
West Sussex
Visit site
Eskadron all the way for me, fit nicely, dont move about and wear/wash really well. Nice and thin without being flimsy. I get the shaped ones thou as i have a jump saddle and find the gp ones are amost a bit to big for my saddle but still dont move or drop on the withers . Also have a few HKM again really nice and wear well. Have a couple of Shockemhole ones which are a bit thicker and again nice.
Might have to invest in a Le Mieux as they look good and people rate them.
 

kc100

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 July 2012
Messages
1,051
Location
West Midlands
Visit site
I'm not a fan of the thick polypads/anky pads style....too bulky under the saddle. Love Eskadron (lovely and long) and they come in great colours, HKM also do a nice range for the price. All about the matchy matchy for me!
 

oldie48

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 April 2013
Messages
7,027
Location
South Worcestershire
Visit site
I also love Eskadron, not too thick and keep in place. i wouldn't use polypads as I think they are too thick and can affect the fit of the saddle. I did buy one once and didn't like it at all, it's now used as a dog bed when we go away. I have to admit, it's washed and worn very well.
 

casspow

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 August 2011
Messages
124
Location
Cheshire
Visit site
Thanks for all the great replies so far!
I think I will be googling the eskadron (for sure) and HKM (for the lower price bracket)

Kc100 I love matchy matchy but I like too many colours so i must admitt the majorty of the time me and my pony look like a walking rainbow :')
 

TheoryX1

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 March 2010
Messages
2,168
Location
Bristol
Visit site
I personally love Barnsby grip pads and have several in different colours. I cant stand all the straps on saddle cloths and dont need to wear lots of dead sheep under my saddle anyway, nor does my daughter, as both our saddles fit well. She is a fan like me of Barnsby grip pads. I used to be quite anti matchy matchy as found it all a bit pretentious, plus I can be a scruffy so and so and as long as the saddle cloth is clean and fits, didnt worry. However, having seen some rather gorgeous stuff available now, when I buy my new horse next summer, I think I may be indulging in some bling, dead sheep and matchy matchy, particularly as its going to be my dressage horse. Of course I will get the matching gear as well for me, parrticuarly seeing as I have lost about 3 stones, so any excuse. Oh dear ....... I thought I would never hear myself say this .........
 

McFluff

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 April 2014
Messages
1,775
Visit site
My boy has polypads (last and wash really well) and a PE Technosuede (really nice, but I don't think it will last as long).

My mare is very fussy (sorry, sensitive!) and the Lemieux 'dead sheep' half pad is her clear favourite. Have to say it is lovely, holds it shape, and on her fine coat works really well (I use the sheepskin directly on her, which she likes most). Only trouble is, they take a while to dry after washing, so need to get another one...

TheoryX1 - bling, dead sheep and matchy matchy is the way to go... :)
 

TheoryX1

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 March 2010
Messages
2,168
Location
Bristol
Visit site
TheoryX1 - bling, dead sheep and matchy matchy is the way to go... :)

Gulp, I know and its scaring me, but there are some gorgeous things out there available to buy, and although I wont do the matchy matchy on my old boy as he is semi retired and wont wear bandages on his legs, the next horse, who I will buy to do some dressage on will be well blinged up and I will be spending a small fortune on its matchy matchy as well. My daughter, is also starting to think about it as well. She does have the horse to make it look good on though, but I think if mummy starts it, she will follow. I saw a lovely peachy coloured set on FB that would look so good on our skewbald mare, I had to resist the temptation to buy it ...........
 

PolarSkye

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 July 2010
Messages
9,492
Visit site
Whispers quietly - I lurve the Le Mieux dead sheep . . . and am about to buy another one for "best" now that the current one seems to have been relegated to "every day."

Slinks away . . .

P
 

catkin

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 July 2010
Messages
2,557
Location
South West
Visit site
My little mare has a sheepskin habit - just sheepskin - nothing else will do as far as she's concerned. The one I have has no quilted back or any such thing it's just 2 pieces of shaped skin neatly sewn together with a flat taped seam along the middle.

I nearly passed out at the price of it but it's lasting and lasting so cost-per-wear it's probably cheaper than many of the other premium saddlecloths.
 

NellRosk

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 May 2013
Messages
2,726
Location
West Yorks
Visit site
Anky pads!! I love them, they're soft and comfy and wash really well and come up as new. After a few washes they go all soft and floppy. And they last ages!
 

Batgirl

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 February 2011
Messages
3,190
Location
Yaaaarkshire
Visit site
I think thick saddle pads are pointless for general use IMO, they tighten the fit of the saddle and are actually not padded enough to do a lot of cushioning. If it is cushioning you want for fit/soreness etc you need sheepskin, foam, gel stuff.
If your saddle fits properly you should not need anything thick, if you want to use something thick you should have your saddle fitted with it. If you haven't (unless your horse has cahnged shape) putting something thick underneath it changes the fit.
 

wiglet

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 February 2002
Messages
1,027
Location
England
Visit site
I like Eskadron - not too bulky and never move. I also have LeMieux - one of them is half lined in sheepskin, it's beautiful... I haven't used it yet :D
I have Anky pads and I do like them for quality and colour but, I can never get the damn things to sit still under my saddle.
 

ajf

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 November 2007
Messages
3,164
Location
Devon
Visit site
I have now a rather expensive love of EcoGold pads. Think they are marvelous though and in the process of selling my sole to but best and homes ones for my horses (one bay one grey so of course can't share!)
 

tallyho!

Following a strict mediterranean diet...
Joined
8 July 2010
Messages
14,951
Visit site
I too am a huge fan of the polypad. The two surfaces are in dependant of each other so one provides some grip and the other a bit of give.

Don't like anything that slips or grips too much so that rules out sheepskin and rubbery type material. If you have to over-tighten the girth to stop a saddle slipping, it's the wrong saddle or saddle cloth/pad/numnah.
 

BellaContessa

Member
Joined
30 March 2014
Messages
11
Location
Midlothian, Scotland
Visit site
I absolutely love the Nuumed close contact hiwither numnahs! Fit perfectly under my monoflap saddles and give my thoroughbred's "shark fin" withers plenty of clearance.

Even before I was converted to monoflap saddles I still used Nuumed saddle cloths, think they're fantastically shaped and don't press down on the spine.
 

Northern Hare

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 October 2012
Messages
1,742
Visit site
Le Mieux do a nice thick one, although I haven't tried it, think it's called the Work Pad? I like the Premier Equine ones with merino sheepskin underneath, also have Eskadron, Mu-med, HKM (great quality for the price and lovely colours) and Le Mieux in my collection. I don't have an Anky one (yet!) but they look nice and thick too.

I really like the Lemieux Work Pad as they are nicely shaped and don't tighten over the wither area. However I found them difficult to wash in our machine as they are quite bulky.

I have found the the Premier Equine Techno Suede Saddle Pads excellent and they are not too bulky so easier to wash in the machine they also have a bamboo derived fabric on the underside which means it doesn't seem to get sweaty.
 

Shooting Star

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 October 2011
Messages
1,387
Visit site
Not a saddlecloth fan, I prefer numnahs.

My favourites are the kieffer Molton ones which are thin so don't disturb the saddle fit but with a firm wool flocking and a high wither which is a must for his lordship. The oldest one I've got must be well over 10 years and still in great condition!
 
Last edited:

Captain Bridget

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 April 2010
Messages
853
Location
Hampshire
Visit site
My favourite saddle cloths to use at the moment are my velvet premier equine ones, I have two at the moment. They are nice and high wither so fit my TB well. Only thing is they're more GP shaped than jump and I have a jump saddle.

I bought a couple of eskadron cotton saddle cloths and actually am not that impressed with them. They are stiff and have moved under my saddle several times. But I use a premier equine correction pad under everything as horse is muscling up still so that might be part of it.

I'm currently trying to decide between a le mieux prosport suede close contact, le mieux plain close contact or a premier equine techno suede close contact. But I can't decide what I want!

I also really like the look of the LM or PE saddle cloths with the correction pad within it. Would make my life so much easier and everything less likely to slip, but they are so much more expensive!

I've got a couple of what I think are Rambo/Horseware pads, both relatively thin, both fairly old but lasting well and good for everyday.

I do have a couple of thicker pads, one like an Anky pad and one an Equitheme pad, but don't use them much as they are that much thicker.
 
Top