We all know that feeling when an item of clothing just doesn’t fit quite right. And it’s even worse when it’s right before you enter the arena at “A”. Now you may be thinking that I’m referring to your show jacket or to your boots, but this is actually about your four-legged partner’s outfit: their saddle pad! We all know how real the struggle is to find pads that fit our short- backed Morgans. We don’t want a pad that is too small, fitting like a crop top, or one that is too baggy, looking like Adam Sandler going to the grocery store in oversized sweatpants. There’s also the issue of finding one that holds its shape and doesn’t slip down onto the withers or crinkle under your leg.
Another consideration is that aesthetically, our saddle pads can sometimes overtake our horses and create the illusion of making them look smaller or shorter-backed. For all these reasons, finding the proper fitting saddle pad is important. Take a look at the pictures below
In the first picture (Dover saddle pad) the pad seems to “take over” the horse and slides down on the horse’s withers. In the second picture (Toklat saddle pad), the pad holds its shape over the withers and fits nicely along the back, not “taking over” the horse.
As we enter the arena to start our tests, we want to make sure that the judges can fully see our horses and we, ourselves want to feel confident that we are presenting a proportionate and pleasing picture!
-EMR Articles
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