Total Saddle Fit has always been high on our list for their attention to detail and anatomical fit, bringing huge innovations to traditional equine equipment.
The Perfect Saddle Pad is one of their latest innovations to a traditional pad. For western riders like myself, finding the perfect pad for you, your horse, and your saddle can be a never ending battle involving a lot of frustration (and hard earned money). There is NO worry or risk involved when ordering from Total Saddle Fit. Not only do they offer a 30 day 100% money back guarantee, they encourage you to really USE it. They truly are exceptional when it comes to communication and customer service.
The pad itself is offered in three sizes and two cut styles to fit your needs. We selected the square 30″ pad to review for our specific saddle and the primary horse this will be used on, Toby. Currently the pad is only offered in black. (Our little equestrian was hoping for a bigger color selection, but I love black as it matches EVERYTHING.)
The leather grab strap at the front, vented/open spine channel, and the cutaway at the base of the pad are all game changers.
The grab strap at the front of the pad allowed EASY adjustments since it is a cutaway wither design. The vented and open spine channel sat perfectly across the back and almost “fell” into position every time. No guessing! I also REALLY appreciated the cutaway at the base of the pad. Bulky pads seem to hold your legs off the horse and can be very uncomfortable when trying to use leg aids. The cutaway allowed my legs to fall naturally, Toby was also more receptive to leg pressure and aids while using this pad!
The pad also includes 6 shims in the “hidden” shim pockets on the underside of the pad. The pad itself is 25mm thick 100% wool pad, the shims are 6mm felt. It was very easy to adjust the shims for a perfect fit, the only slight pain was adjusting shims, removing the pad each time, setting the pad back on, and repeating until it was right since the shim pockets are accessed UNDER the pad.. but once the fit was right, the shims never shifted, so it was worth the initial “work” to get it right!
Cleaning was also easy! Wool material can make me nervous when it comes to cleaning, but we used the Striphair Saddle Pad Saver tool and a hard bristle grooming brush to remove unwanted dirt and debris. I had to spot clean some mud off from a sloppy trail ride, and it came clean no problem.
Paired with the Total Saddle Fit Shoulder Relief Girth, we have found our “holy grail” for a comfortable and successful ride!
