As it turns out, my saddle is a very NOT GOOD fit for my mare. I have immediately discontinued use of it and have scheduled a saddle fitter to come out for an evaluation and measurements
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That's a sweet looking horse -- what color? And breed?
Anyway: I have a Best Friends pad, which is one of the best (IMO) of the less expensive (synthetic) pads out there. It is fake suede on the top and a textured neoprene bottom -- so it stays put! The girth is webbing. I have the simple English version which retails for about $70 but I am sure you can find it for less if you search. There is a "Comfort Plus" version that costs about $10 more and I know some people really prefer it, especially for less bareback-comfy horses, but mine is pretty comfy bareback even with no pad as she has a broad back, good but not sharp withers, and her spine doesn't protrude.
As for stirrups on bareback pads --- I don't think it's a good idea, but I have no personal experience to back that up.
Stirrups aren't a good idea, and I also am not entirely sure why bareback pads are sometimes made with them. You can't really use them to mount, you can't use them to post so it's an illusion of security and control that if you attempted to use would make your position MORE precarious. Plus, the saddle distributes the pressure from the weight you put into a stirrup, and I don't see physically how the pad can do that appropriately.
I think if you want to canter bareback and you're not comfortable without the stirrups get a trainer to help you in a round pen/on a line to practice with confidence, strength, balance.
I absolutely agree. My discomfort comes more from how I know my mare launches into a canter. It's not her refined gait yet (she's green on the edges when it comes to canter) Once we're cantering I'd be fine, it's that damn transition and I'm already healing from a rib crack a few weeks ago, so I'm feeling particularly cautious and not particularly bold at the moment.
She's an appaloosa, which is a simple answer to a very -strange- color. For breeding, she's a Stonewall Sporthorse and half friesian, quarter appaloosa and quarter percheron!
She's a stonewall sporthorse! Her coloring is like a roan appaloosa, she's got a rainbow assortment of spots. Specifically, she's half friesian, quarter appy and quarter percheron.
I have discovered that I like the pads with suede or faux suede on top. they give you the best stickability. Two other features I like in a bareback pad include a breastplate and/or a western style cinch. The breastplate can help keep the pad centered and from slipping on your horse's back, and I think the western style cinch tightens better
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I've ordered the Best Friend pad for now, it looks pretty adjustable (a friend at the barn has one and loves it) I was just hoping for a wider audience of opinion. It definitely looked more secure than the fleece ones. And also because I promised my husband I'd keep it under 100.... >.>
Mine is by Toklat and runs around $60 new. It has a fake fleece bottom and suede top. The first thing I did was replace the girth that came with it with a regular Western girth to distribute the pressure better.
Stirrups cause more issues than they solve on a regular bareback pad.
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Anyway: I have a Best Friends pad, which is one of the best (IMO) of the less expensive (synthetic) pads out there. It is fake suede on the top and a textured neoprene bottom -- so it stays put! The girth is webbing. I have the simple English version which retails for about $70 but I am sure you can find it for less if you search. There is a "Comfort Plus" version that costs about $10 more and I know some people really prefer it, especially for less bareback-comfy horses, but mine is pretty comfy bareback even with no pad as she has a broad back, good but not sharp withers, and her spine doesn't protrude.
As for stirrups on bareback pads --- I don't think it's a good idea, but I have no personal experience to back that up.
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I think if you want to canter bareback and you're not comfortable without the stirrups get a trainer to help you in a round pen/on a line to practice with confidence, strength, balance.
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Here's a better body shot
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http://www.mydrafthorse.com/cfwebstore/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_id=165
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Stirrups cause more issues than they solve on a regular bareback pad.
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