Which bareback pad?

[planete]

Woody has changed shape (again!) and needs a new saddle. Finding a saddle for him, or having one made could take weeks and I am interested in buying him a bareback pad. I know everybody recommends the Christ ones and the Cloud is very tempting. In the interests of having maximum funds for a new saddle I am also looking at alternatives. Has anybody got any experience of the Dardo pad or the Barefoot ones? Alternately, is there a Macon or an Edix Signor user around who could say what they like or dislike about the pads? I have to stick to makes that offer small/pony sizes which rules out quite a few of the popular ones. An important aspect of the pad will be how much wider it may make the pony feel. As he is already rather table like I am keen to find something kind on my hips (the lack of stirrups is daunting enough for my extensively scarred abdominal muscles).

 

[maya2008]

I have used the Best Friend ones for the last 20 years - with a half pad/prolite underneath as needed (the prolite helped with the twist a bit!). Fitted everything from TB to Shetland. Much cheaper than the Christ Lammfelle pads, but you cannot add stirrups. If you are going to pay £££ for a fancy one though I would probably just go for the Christ Lammfelle ones as they are well tested and well recommended.

 

[Ratface]

I support the recommendations for Christ Lammfelle. I've used it on fat, bolshy ponies, argumentative youngsters, my current shy-a-minute-at-fallen-acorns silly Arabian oldie and determined stroppy natives. It has a canvas handle across the pommel, which I always have at least one little finger under at all times.
I've had it for about 17 years now and wouldn't change it for anything else. Prior to that, I had WoW saddles, dressage and jumping styles. They kept me in the plate whilst riding some exuberant horses/ponies, helped by having very long legs! Initially, I used Ideal saddles, which were also very comfortable for both the horses/ponies that I was riding then.

 

[SheriffTruman]

Second the Christ pads, they are really wonderful, I have ridden a former share with it. However, I have a Dardo pad myself. I bought a new saddle that will take a couple of months to arrive, in the meantime I'm using the Dardo to ride my horse. I couldn't justify the cost of a Christ after buying my saddle. The Dardo doesn't have spine clearance for the horse, so I use it with a Haf pad. Also, no knee blocks or back support for the rider. On the plus side, it's not slippery because of the suede-like upper material, and I feel very secure on my young, green horse. Also, it doesn't add much layers between me, and the horse. Perfect for my short-legged self.

 

[Caol Ila]

I've just splashed out on a Lamfelle pad after reading the responses to my thread. I feel poorer. I hope it's as wonderful as the HHO massif say it is, and that the postal strikes don't stop it from getting here soon.

Watch this space.

 

[horsimous]

The suede, parelli pad was pretty good when I had a large, stroppy horse and no saddle. It would probably be fine on a pony.

 

[planete]

I've just splashed out on a Lamfelle pad after reading the responses to my thread. I feel poorer. I hope it's as wonderful as the HHO massif say it is, and that the postal strikes don't stop it frIom getting here soon.

Watch this space.

I am!

 

[planete]

I think I am going to go for the Christ (as long as CI is happy with hers!). If/when I do find THE saddle I can easily sell it on after all.

 

[cauda equina]

I bet you won't though, it's a really useful thing to have in reserve in case of any future saddle problems

 

[Caol Ila]

Mine seems to be delayed by the clusterf*ck that is the postal service. It's at some hub in Northwest England.

 

[throwaway2022]

I’m considering the Christ one, does anyone know if it give you any back support? I’ve tried a Thorn pad as an interim measure and my back was in agony ??‍

 

[Fieldlife]

I’m considering the Christ one, does anyone know if it give you any back support? I’ve tried a Thorn pad as an interim measure and my back was in agony ??‍

No I dont think so. I tried one on my horse and wasnt a huge fan. I have the comfy horse bareback pad and a TCS. I had expected to love the Iberian Christ one but fortunately for my bank balance, I didnt find it an improvement.

 

[cauda equina]

I’m considering the Christ one, does anyone know if it give you any back support? I’ve tried a Thorn pad as an interim measure and my back was in agony ??‍

No, no back support
It does great things for your core though

 

[planete]

No I dont think so. I tried one on my horse and wasnt a huge fan. I have the comfy horse bareback pad and a TCS. I had expected to love the Iberian Christ one but fortunately for my bank balance, I didnt find it an improvement.

Hmm, that is a bit of a worry. I have a Solution numnah and I am using it as part of my home made bareback pad with shims on the back half to lift my rear a bit and stop me sitting in a chair seat. I top it up with a sheepskin half pad and an elasticated surcingle plus a five point breastplate to stabilise the lot, so far so good. We started in the school today doing suppling work in walk then went out and rode round the block with a little trot up a slight hill, and I am still alive. i must admit to shirking a showdown when he decided the end of the school was hiding a monster though. I am not too sure of my bareback skills yet.

 

[maya2008]

I have to say that the main reason I don’t have a Christ Lammfelle one is that it would be horrific to use in the rain…and I seem to get wet an awful lot when I ride! My sheepskin half pads take an age to dry out as it is, and they are under a saddle!

 

[Fieldlife]

Hmm, that is a bit of a worry. I have a Solution numnah and I am using it as part of my home made bareback pad with shims on the back half to lift my rear a bit and stop me sitting in a chair seat. I top it up with a sheepskin half pad and an elasticated surcingle plus a five point breastplate to stabilise the lot, so far so good. We started in the school today doing suppling work in walk then went out and rode round the block with a little trot up a slight hill, and I am still alive. i must admit to shirking a showdown when he decided the end of the school was hiding a monster though. I am not too sure of my bareback skills yet.

I was using a bareback shimmed numnah and a latex numnah and TCS versus the bareback shimmed numnah and the iberian Christ Lammfelle. Trialling both on one occasion. I didnt think the Christ Lammfelle was a £400 improvement (I already had the TCS), I am not sure Christ Lammfelle felt like an improvement. Having coveted one for years.

 

[planete]

I was using a bareback shimmed numnah and a latex numnah and TCS versus the bareback shimmed numnah and the iberian Christ Lammfelle. Trialling both on one occasion. I didnt think the Christ Lammfelle was a £400 improvement (I already had the TCS), I am not sure Christ Lammfelle felt like an improvement. Having coveted one for years.

I had a TCS for a few months. My gripe with it was that I either had to sit behind it which put the stirrups in front of me and me in a chair seat, or sit on it which was mighty uncomfortable for me and, probably the horse. With my flat backed pony I need to be raised slightly above his back for my leg position to be acceptable without crippling me. Perhaps I will just work on perfecting my homemade contraption. Ideally I would like some stirrups for hacking purely to have a better chance of surviving sharp spooks, that would be my main reason for buying a proper bareback pad.

 

[planete]

After much toeing and froeing, comparing paddings, shapes, sizes, prices, colours, D rings for breastplate, channel free construction, girth strap anchoring systems whether straight over the spine or diffusing the pressure, I have just ordered a Macon extra bareback pad which should arrive tomorrow. My Xmas present to myself!