Bareback Pads

Hello! I am interested in getting a bareback pad and I have been doing research on what ones are good and what ones to stay away from. Any advice? What type do you prefer? Anything would help guide my search :)


THANKS!

I've tried a number of bareback pads! At first, I had the Best Friend English bareback pad (English Bareback Pad). I wasn't a huge fan... it slipped a lot and didn't stay in the middle. I then got the Comfort Plus bareback pad (Comfort Plus Bareback Pad). This is a great pad! It's contoured and fit my swaybacked horse very well. It's actually a royal blue, not the blue-ish purple it looks in the picture. It also has D-rings, which is great because you can use a breastplate with it. I upgraded to the Comfort Plus pad with Thinline (Comfort Plus Bareback Pad with ThinLine) because I liked the extra shock absorbing padding for my old mare. I've also ridden in Diamond Wool suede bareback pads. They are nice once they're broken in, but stiff before that. I also dislike the girthing system.

My horse has a swayback, so I love the contoured pads for her. I also like the pads with the D-rings because I use a breastcollar on trails. One thing to definitely avoid is a bareback pad with stirrups. Because there's no tree, it's common for the pad to slide side to side with stirrups, increasing the likelihood of your foot getting stuck.

Good luck finding a bareback pad that works for you!

Thank you so much for your detailed post! I knew the ones with stirrups were bad news so I cut those right out of my search! I would be mostly using it on my mare that has a lot of miles on her and has given birth 3 times so anything with cushion that will help benefit me but would also fit her is going to be the key so I will look into the ones you have shared. Thank you again!

I have one with stirrups and I LOVE it. I don't ride far or hard, just a walk around the yard or pasture. It doesn't slip or slide and my mare has never acted sore. I use a breast collar which also helps to keep it in place and it has an actual cinch rather than a buckle. I wouldnt toss out the ones with stirrups before youve even tried one, just the cheaply made ones but that goes for most things. I also rarely use the stirrups but they are there if I want them. And besides you have treeless saddles with stirrups, whats the difference? Like all tack, in the wrong hands or used wrong can cause problems. Not all bareback pads with stirrups are bad. They are actually quite nice to have around.
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There is a BIG difference between a quality treeless saddle and a bareback pad with stirrups. I would NEVER use a bareback pad with stirrups. The slipping danger aside, it isn't kind to the horse to distribute the rider's weight over a narrow strip on the horse's back, which is what stirrups on a bareback pad will do if you are using the stirrups. I haven't used a saddle in probably two years due to my own injury which makes riding with stirrups painful. There has not been a single moment where I wanted or needed stirrups... my seat and balance have improved incredibly from learning to really sink deep into my horse and follow the horse's movement. I use the Baretek western bareback pad. I LOVE it and hope to become a dealer someday. This pad is ideal for a wide, low-withered horse. However, with the right pad it can work for any horse. On long bareback rides without a pad my horse (and my seat bones) used to get sore, but since I've had the Baretek there are no complaints from the horse or from me. And we go on all day rides sometimes! On my gelding I used a Thinline pad for additional shock absorption with an under pad to keep the saddle clean... either the thin woven Mayatex type that you fold in half or one of my old English all-purpose pads if that one was in the wash. For my mare I use a thick fleece lined pad, and am ordering one with a cutback and built-up front to accommodate her high wither. I like that I can use a breastplate with this saddle. The grippy material and pommel/cantle add security for training sillier horses. The western Baretek is also a pretty saddle pad, albeit spendy, but you can usually find lightly used ones for a decent price. For a sensitive horse or a horse without a lot of muscle over the topline, a high quality insert pad such as is used with a treeless saddle would probably add a little spinal clearance.

Since your horse has a sway back I'm going to suggest you looking into the saddle pads designed for sway back horses. If you have a local shoemaker you can always get a nylon strap stitched on. One nylon cinch strap is enough for both sides. You will need to punch numerous holes and burn each hole with a match. Then use a cinch with a buckle on each end. You would probably get a better fit with the saddle pad. I think Reinsman makes them. Look for one that is either contoured for the withers or is cut out in a you shape.

I really do not agree with the stirups on bareback pads I beleive they are more dangerous than helping because 1. They are not secured on very well 2. If the saddle slides even a bit you will go with it 3. You begin to depend on the stirups
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I love riding bareback! I tried a couple different pads, including the Best friend western. I found a a parelli bareback pad on Craigslist for $100. It's the best by far! Sturdy with suede seat helps you stick. Underside is wool felt. I use a regular saddle cinch and latigo strap. It does not slip.

I too do not use stirrups on a pad. I think it's dangerous for me and uncomfortable for the horse.
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Prettydecoy, that Baretek looks awesome.
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Not only this but the stirrups on bareback pads are set too far forward which puts your leg in a very bad position.

The Best Friend pad is very good for horses with higher withers. The Parelli pad is very nice too but the bulk of the latigo can feel a bit uncomfortable.