Looking for an affordable saddle pad? Here are the top 5 best saddle pad under $100. If you have a horse or you are a true rider, you must be familiar with the term horse saddles. And, here we will discuss saddle pads which are the cushions that get laid between the saddle and the horse’s back. The saddle padding provides a bit of extra cushioning for the horse’s back and keeps the saddle of your horse clean. Without the saddle pad, you have to place the saddle directly on the back of the horse, which will be pretty uncomfortable.
The saddle padding guards the horse against the aggressive friction that generates by the seat and the saddle. It also prevents excessive perspiration from the horse’s back. Moreover, cleaning the dirt directly from the horse’s back will be tough enough. But if you choose the best saddle pad, you can keep the horse clean. The best saddle pad provides the best comfort to you and your horse as well. Below Is a quick list of affordable saddle pad.
5 Best Affordable Saddle Pad Under $100
- Diamond Wool Contour Felt Ranch Pad
- Weaver Contour 30×30 Wool Blend Saddle Pad
- Classic Equine BioFit Wool Felt Saddle Pad
- Weaver Leather 35-9307-H37 Contoured Saddle Pad
- ECP All Purpose Diamond Quilted Cotton English Half Saddle Pad
The back of the horse is very delicate, and with constant friction, the back can get injured. So, it will be highly risky for your horse if you ride without a saddle pad. A well-cushioned saddle pad properly distributes the weight of the rider on the surface area of the pad. It ensures the comfort and balance of your horse and prevents any type of injury.
Apart from the comfort, saddle pads look great always on the horse’s back. If you have attended any horse race ever, you must have observed how premium the horse looks with its entire attire. Well-groomed horses will increase your riding urge and give you the best riding experience. And, we all know horses are not only for riding, many people keep them to admire their beauty of this animal. Thus besides providing maximum comfort, the saddle pad makes your horse look really premium. Also, you will get options in various colors and patterns and choose one according to your preference. Here, in this article, we will provide a list of the best affordable saddle pads so that your horse can get the maximum comfort.
Best Affordable Saddle Pad
Diamond Wool Contour Felt Ranch Pad
If you want to have the best affordable saddle pad, this super durable cotton canvas top over a wool-made saddle pad will be the best option. This cushion pad provides maximum comfort to your horse’s back, and it wicks moisture for keeping the horse’s back cool. The Diamond Wool Contoured Ranch Pad is ideal for several purposes including training or racing on the trails. The wool material of this saddle pad reduces excess shifting. And, the distressed suede wear leathers help to re-enforce high-stress areas and ensure the longevity of the saddle pad.
If you are looking for the best affordable saddle pad, it will be an excellent option for you. You can conveniently use it for Western riding as well. This saddle pad is perfect for horses with sore backs. This saddle pad perfectly molds to your horse’s shape that’s why it is comfortable both for the horse and the rider as well. For excellent build quality, you always can rely on this saddle pad. The best part of this saddle pad, due to its lightweight it doesn’t put a lot of pressure on the horse’s back. You will face the only issue with the thickness of this saddle pad. So, it is not so recommended for severe uses.
Features
- Durable design
- High-quality materials
- Durable cotton canvas top
- Distress wear leathers
- Contoured spine with wither relief notch
Check More Details- Amazon
Weaver Contour 30×30 Wool Blend Saddle Pad
The Weaver Contour 30×30 Wool blend saddle pad comes with a great design that helps to perfectly contour your horse’s back and provides you with maximum comfort during riding. The main reason behind this saddle pad’s popularity is its unique shape that effectively reduces saddle roll by providing a natural fit. This saddle pad measures 30” x 30”. It is perfect for small horses. This saddle pad is made of EVA sport foam that provides ventilation and breathability through the saddle pad. It also perfectly absorbs all the sweat from your horse’s back and thereby, makes any ride or race more comfortable.
The natural wool also helps to wick away moisture from the horse and helps to keep the horse cool for long hours. Thus, the horse will keep comfortable, and the rider will feel comfortable for long riding as well. The saddle is lightweight; hence, your horse doesn’t feel extra pressure on the back while running for long hours. Besides barrel races, this saddle pad is also suitable for short-skirted saddles. Overall, this saddle pad will be your best riding companion. The only drawback of this saddle pad is that it is available only in one size.
Features
- Contoured leather spine
- Variable color and pattern options
- Best quality material
- Shockproof structure
- Thick design
Check More Details- Amazon
Classic Equine BioFit Wool Felt Saddle Pad
If you are looking for an affordable saddle pad, the Classic Equine BioFit wool Felt saddle pad would be an excellent choice for you. This wool-made saddle pad stays soft for long hours on the back of your horse. The cutout design makes this saddle pad the perfect choice for withered horses. The split design helps the pad to move continuously with the horse’s movement. You can use this saddle pad solo or with a blanket as per your preference.
It is made with 60% wool and a 40% polyester blend that makes it pretty soft. The unique design of this saddle pad helps to offset confirmation challenges in high-withered horses. If your horse is feeling difficulty with a downhill saddle fit, this saddle pad will help to lift the front portion of the saddle off the horse’s spine. It is also efficient in shock-absorbing, and the 100% virgin wool material efficiently wicks away moisture and keeps the horse cool for long ridings. This Classic Equine BioFit saddle pad is suitable for older swayback horses.
Features
- Best quality material
- Butterfly Cut-out design
- Nice color
- Perfect shape
- Contoured construction
Check More Details- Amazon
Weaver Leather 35-9307-H37 Contoured Saddle Pad
Weaver Leather 35-9307-H37 contoured saddle pad is built with durable Herculon material that makes this saddle pad highly durable. The contoured design of this saddle pad delivers a perfect fit and ensures less saddle roll as well. Due to its unique construction, this saddle pad is easy to wash and quick to dry as well. Moreover, you will get the convenience of maize fleece bottoms that will provide extra cushioning to your horse’s back. The distressed top grain wear leather material helps to wick away the moisture from the horse’s back and keeps it cold for a long time. Thus, this saddle pad delivers optimum comfort for the horse and the rider as well.
Features
- High-quality material
- Exceptional design
- Attractive appearance
- Durable construction
- Perfect fitting
Check More Details- Amazon
ECP All Purpose Diamond Quilted Cotton English Half Saddle Pad
When looking for the best affordable saddle pad, the ECP All Purpose Diamond Quilted Cotton English Half saddle pad will be the best option that you can go for. For everyday riding purposes or any racing event, this saddle pad will correctly work for your horse. The sleek shape of this saddle pad provides a more streamlined look. The lightweight design of this saddle pad makes it convenient for sporty, competitive riding. With this saddle pad, you also will get 4 memory foam stuffed pockets where you can store some basic stuff regarding riding. This saddle pad is available in 11 colors, and you can choose any color as per your choice. Here, you will get the advantage of an extremely comfortable fit that you can customize according to your preference.
Features
- Luxurious, diamond-quilted cotton top
- Soft cotton underside
- Four memory foam-filled pockets
- 11 color options
- Customizable design
Check More Details- Amazon
How To Purchase The Best Affordable Saddle Pad
Regarding the benefits of a saddle pad, you must choose the saddle pad carefully. By considering the following aspects, you surely can buy the best saddle pad for your horse.
Size of the saddle pad
While you are purchasing a saddle pad, first of all, you have to consider the size of the saddle pad. Though English saddle pads come in one-size-fit for all options, Western saddle pads come in various skirt sizes. A western saddle pad’s median size will be 30 inches by 30 inches after stretching out. The length of the bottom edge from the center edge is about 15 inches, and the spine area covers 30 inches. After some trials, you can pick up the exact size of saddle pads for your horse. For smaller horses, you can go for the 30 sq. inches pads, and for larger horses, a saddle pad of 32 sq. inches will be efficient. If you have smaller ponies, you should get a saddle that will fit them and then use the saddle size according to your guide to decide the perfect saddle pad size. However, for smaller ponies, a saddle pad of 20 x 20 inches is considered the standard one.
Match the contour of the horse
To pick up the best saddle pad for your horse, you should match the contour and your horse’s back to make sure that the saddle pad won’t apply excess pressure on the horse’s withers or spine. Also, you can go for the even saddle pads that are specially made for high-withered horses
The shape of the saddle pad
Square saddle pads are considered the most common style. Apart from the square-shaped also you will get several shapes of round, contoured, and cut-out saddle pads. If you are concerned about the price, then you can go for the square or rectangular saddle pads for their affordable price point. These saddle pads are also suitable for horses with low to average withers. Round saddle pads come in the same size as square pads and the only difference is their rounded corners.
Round saddle pads are ideal for horses with average withers. However, the edges of the square saddle pads sometimes rub short-backed horse’s hindquarters. It also can cause irritation and soreness for the horses gradually. If you have a high-withered horse, the cut-outs saddle pads will be the best choice for them. These saddle pads improve the performance of high-withered horses. Overall, we can say you should consider the shape of the saddle pad according to your horse type.
Materials of the saddle pad
You should consider the material of the saddle pad as it determines its efficiency of the saddle pad. The perfect fabric of the saddle pad wicks away the moisture from the horse’s back perfectly. Most of the western saddle pads are made of fleece that provides enough comfort to your horse’s back. Neoprene is another saddle pad material that is like rubber, and it has the excellent ability of shock-absorbing. The unique weaving of this saddle pad keeps your horse cooler. Moreover, in comparison with other saddle pad materials, neoprene saddle pads are the most convenient to clean. Last but not least, you can go for the foam pads that are breathable enough and protect the horse against excess heat. If you have a racing horse, foam saddle pads will be the best option for them. Now, it’s entirely up to you which material you will choose as per your preference.
The thickness of the saddle pad
To purchase the best saddle pad, you also should not compromise the thickness of the saddle pad. Thicker saddle pads function better in protecting your horse’s back from the saddle pressure. A saddle pad with 1 ⅛” thickness will be ideal for several activities including calf roping, and team roping. Saddle pad with ⅞” thickness will be perfect for regular riding activities and barrel racing as well. While considering the thickness of a saddle pad you need to consider the duration of your riding sessions as for longer rides, you have to choose thicker pads. Also, consider the load and weight as for more than 200 lbs, you will need thicker saddle pads. Last but not least also keep in mind that for riding high terrain, you will need thicker saddle pads.
Final words
Though there are several options available out there, still, here we have mentioned our best pickups. Hopefully, the buying guide will help you to choose the best affordable saddle pad. You can select any of these mentioned saddle pads within a reasonable budget and enjoy the best riding experience along with providing maximum comfort to your horse.
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