Impact Gel Saddle Pad And Other Top Choices

Horses are an investment, and should be treated really well. Saddle pads are a very important part of the horse tack. One of the top picks would be an Impact Gel saddle pad.

Can You Make an Impact Gel Saddle Pad Your Choice

Impact Gel is known for its shock absorption and heat-dissipation capabilities, and though they are expensive, they are the best if you have an older horse, a saddle that doesn’t fit the best (this type of gel will prevent sores from friction and pressure points), or a horse with special orthopedic needs.

Of course, an impact gel saddle pad can be used on any horse – these are just special situations where the cost might be especially warranted, based on the comfort they can provide for your horse.

If you’re looking for an earth-friendly saddle pad, Impact Gel is your top choice. The gel itself is created from natural sources – soybean and other natural oils – and there is no heat or pressure used in the manufacture of the gel, making it both environmentally friendly and top quality. If “green” is important to you, you can’t do much better than an Impact Gel saddle pad.

Impact Gel Riverland Contour Pad Blue/Turq Impact Gel Felt 3/4in Contour Pad 30×30 Black Impact Gel Cowtown w/Fleece Pad Black/Red

Other gel saddle pad manufacturers do exist, though they generally cannot boast earth-friendly material and production. Still, if you’re looking for an inexpensive alternative to Impact Gel, definitely investigate other gel saddle pads to see if they fit your riding usage.

What are the Highest-Quality Saddle Pads

Another contender in the category of top-tier saddle pads is the Diamond wool saddle pads. They are one of the premier, top of the line pads to use when you want the most for your money.

The Diamond brand is known for its durability and practicality, and these pads will generally outlast the competition in normal use. You can find an incredible variety of wool pads from Diamond both online and in tack shops.

So whether you ride English or Western, have a Western, English, or Australian saddle, or ride bareback, Diamond will have a wool pad that will suit your needs perfectly.

Diamond Wool Contour Felt Ranch Pad 32X32 Diamond Wool Contour Cowboy Pad 32X32X1 Diamond Wool Endurance Contoured Felt Pad 33×30

Remember a saddle pad is one of the most important parts of the tack you’ll use when riding your horse. A good pad will provide comfort for the horse, will wick away moisture, help prevent friction and rubbing injuries from an incorrectly-fitted saddle, and will help keep your saddle from rolling to the side.

A properly fitted pad is necessary to prevent unnecessary fabric from bunching and becoming uncomfortable for both the horse and rider.

Have You Looked At Some Of The Most Common Saddle Pads

Wool is the most common choice for a pad. A wool saddle pad will naturally wick away moisture to keep your horse cooler when riding, especially on long rides. Wool is long-lasting, sturdy, and easy to care for, providing it gets proper ventilation and drying after rides.

There are two types of wool used in saddle pads – compressed felt wool, and wool fleece. A felt wool saddle pad is generally a very thick, single layer of wool felt – usually right around an inch thick or a bit less.

One outstanding benefit of wool is that it naturally keeps the saddle in it’s proper position, due to the natural cuticle of the hair shaft of the wool. This creates “grip” that helps keep the saddle in place on the pad, and the pad in place on the horse!

A wool fleece pad will have fleece as the bottom layer, and a woven top layer. Wool fleece has more loft than wool felt, but that loft will compress during use and eventually, will “felt up” altogether and need replacement.

Still, many riders prefer fleece because of the loft it provides, and they just plan to replace the pad when it is necessary. Wool fleece can be natural or synthetic. The synthetic will not break down with your horses sweat, but the natural will, so keep this in mind when making your choice between the two.

Are There Other Saddle Pad Choices

Neoprene is along-lasting, pliable, synthetic rubber that currently has many applications in manufacturing.

Hundreds of thousands of tons of neoprene are produced each year, and a small segment of that is used for neoprene saddle pads.

Neoprene saddle pads come in two choices – open or closed cell. The open-cell neoprene is more breathable than its closed-cell counterpart, but the closed-cell neoprene is more waterproof, and also more expensive.

Both types of neoprene resist breakdown well in normal use, and are very easy to care for. You will need to avoid using bleach or other harsh chemicals to clean your neoprene pads, as that will cause a breakdown in the material. A quick wipe-down with a damp cloth, or a hose, is all neoprene needs to stay in great condition.

Neoprene provides fantastic cushioning and shock absorption, and is also effective at dissipating and transferring heat buildup underneath the saddle. This translates into more comfort for your horse and longer, more enjoyable rides for you.

Do You Know What Some Of My Final Thoughts Are

There are so many choices in saddle pads, that you’re bound to find one that fits you and your riding rather easily.

Many horse owners strive to take great care of their horses, the correct saddle pad is very important to your horses care.

You can go to sites online like Amazon, and find great bargains, on various selections manufactured by Impact Gel .

A perfect example of an excellent newly designed saddle pad is the XT Lite Impact Gel Saddle Pad, which was released a little over 2 years ago by Impact Gel, and is a very popular saddle pad with horse riders in the west. You can check out our complete review of this excellent saddle pad by going to Impact Gel XT Lite Pad

We obviously favor an Impact Gel saddle pad, but we also build cases for the other saddle pads that we have talked about.

So remember by choosing a well-fitting saddle pad, your horse will have more energy during the ride, and you’ll have less to worry about! Great riding enjoyment to you!

TuffRider Basic All Purpose Saddle Pad Black Weaver Leather Western Gel Seat Pad, Black Exselle Horse Half Pad with Fleece Edges Weaver Leather 100% Wool Felt Saddle Pad