Choosing the right saddle pad is about more than just size – it’s about protecting your horse’s back, optimizing saddle fit, and improving your ride. At 5 Star Equine Products, we build our pads with 100% pure wool and handcrafted precision, but to get the most out of your investment, the right fit matters.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to choosing the right material, size, contour, thickness, wither relief, and lining along with a free tool to help you determine what size saddle pad you need.
- Start With the Material: Why Wool?
Before you even think about shape or size, start with the foundation: pure wool felt. Wool has long been the gold standard in saddle pad materials for one simple reason – it works.
At 5 Star, we use 100% pure wool that is heat and steam-pressed, not needle-punched like many wool pads. Why does that matter?
• Better tensile strength and PSI rating for long-term durability and compression protection
• Superior sweat-wicking performance, since the wool fibers remain intact and functional
• Natural shock absorption that protects your horse’s back
• Conforming fit that molds to the horse and saddle over time
Some pads may come with a lower price tag, but they often fall short when it comes to performance and durability. 5 Star’s wool is carefully processed to maintain its natural wicking properties, ensuring long-lasting comfort, protection, and support for your horse.
- Pad Size & Style: Get the Right Coverage
A properly sized saddle pad should extend 1–2 inches beyond the edge of your saddle on all sides. This added coverage helps protect your horse from pressure points.
In addition to skirt length and shape – whether round, square, barrel, or full skirt – your pad also needs to accommodate your saddle’s rigging, including any dropped rigging. Hardware should sit fully on the pad to avoid creating pressure points on your horse’s side.
Physically measuring your saddle is the most accurate way to ensure a proper fit.
If you’re unsure where to begin, our FAQ page walks you through how to measure and choose the best pad size and shape for your saddle and riding discipline.
- What Contour Is Right for My Horse?
In addition to wither options, 5 Star pads are available in two contour styles to follow the shape of your horse or mule’s back:
- Horse Contour
Our standard contour features a natural “French curve” laced into the pad to follow the natural curve of a horse’s backline. This helps the pad sit more comfortably and stay in place without bunching or creating pressure points. - Mule Contour
Specifically designed for mules, donkeys, or horses with flatter backs or mutton withers. This style features a flatter backline to better match their anatomy for improved stability and comfort.
Choosing the correct contour ensures your pad lies evenly along the spine and shoulders, reducing the risk of bridging or slippage during use.
- Thickness: What’s Right for Your Ride?
Saddle pad thickness matters. The more time you spend in the saddle, or the more weight your horse carries (including tack), the more protection your horse will need.
5 Star Thickness Guide:
- 1/2″ Under Pad
Ideal for reining, cutting, or pleasure horses when used under a show blanket with a well-fitting saddle. Lightweight, low-profile, yet still protective. - 3/4″ Pad
Best for daily training sessions of one hour or less. Can also be used under a thin show blanket. Often used for barrel racing with lightweight riders and tack. - 7/8″ Pad
Our most popular all-around pad. Suitable for trail riding, team penning, cutting, and barrel racing. Also recommended if:
– You ride for over 4 hours
– Your total gear + rider weight exceeds 200 lbs.
– You’re covering hilly or rough terrain - 1″ Pad
Built for hard-working riders, heavier riders, and longer durations. Perfect for ranch work, roping, colt starting, or mountain riding with gear. A thicker pad is crucial when you are on your horse for 4 or more hours. - 1 1/8″ The Rancher
Designed for high-impact disciplines like calf roping, steer wrestling, ranching, or when you are on your horse for 4-8 hours a day – anytime where shock absorption is critical.
Not sure which thickness is right? Our FAQs break it down further, and 5 Star’s Saddle Pad Calculator offers personalized recommendations.
- Wither Relief Options: Which One Do I Need?
At 5 Star, you can choose from three wither relief styles, depending on your horse’s build and your riding needs:
- Gullet Hole (Standard)
Our most common option, ideal for horses with a standard wither and backline. The gullet hole provides a standard fit and makes the pad easier to hang and carry. - No Gullet Hole
Recommended for both standard and high-withered horses, this style extends the 5 Star pad’s curved backline up and over the wither with an extra 2 inches of clearance. It helps eliminate the need to continually pull the pad up into the saddle’s gullet, frees up shoulder movement and eliminates pressure on the wither. - Flex Fit
Designed for performance horses with standard or mutton withers, the Flex Fit opens up the wither area and frees the shoulder for enhanced movement. It’s not recommended for horses with particularly long or prominent withers, as the end of the cutout may rub. The Flex Fit also eliminates pressure at the front of the pad and frees up shoulder movement.
Choosing the right wither relief ensures proper clearance, reduces pressure, and allows your horse to move more freely and comfortably.
- Fleece Lining: Is It Right for Your Horse?
Fleece-lined pads offer extra softness and are especially helpful for sensitive-backed horses, older horses, or those with angular builds.
Benefits of Fleece-Lined Pads:
- Adds comfort without increasing wool thickness
• Fills minor saddle gaps for better fit
• Reduces rubbing and friction
• Provides a cleaner, finished look for clinics or shows
Fleece can also stabilize your saddle on horses with narrow shoulders or difficult conformation.
- Use the Saddle Pad Calculator (It’s Free & Easy)
Still unsure about thickness, fit, or style? Let our Saddle Pad Calculator do the work.
Just answer a few questions about your riding discipline, saddle, and horse’s build, and you’ll get a customized pad recommendation instantly. No guessing. No second-guessing. And if you still have questions about saddle fit, email us a photo of your horse saddled and unsaddled for a free consultation at in**@5s*********.com
Final Thoughts: Designed for Fit, Built for Performance
The right saddle pad does more than support your ride – it enhances your horse’s comfort, your saddle’s fit, and your riding experience.
With 5 Star, you’re choosing a pad that’s handcrafted for quality, precision, and lasting performance.
You’re investing in:
• 100% pure wool protection
• Handcrafted American quality
• Trusted fit and function, ride after ride
Confidence in your saddle pad means confidence in every ride. Choose a pad that’s built to support you both.
Get started today:
>> Try the Saddle Pad Calculator and find your perfect fit.
