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 Special Somebody
Posts: 3951
    
Location: Finally horseback again.... | I have been approached recently by several people about the CSI pads.
I want to know WHY they are worth the money.
What makes them so much better or are they just another pad.
There are so many new next great thing that is just seems to get overwhelming like all the new latest and greatest saddles.
I have always uses Tod Slone pads or Cutter Collections. I have never had an issue and they hold up great.
With so many on the market now Wade, Five Star, CSI, Best Ever, ect., what are your favorites and why? |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| Well. I was like you. NOT getting on any kind of $275 bandwagon. Nope. Not happening. Until July. Was at the high school nat'l finals, and there's Miss Donna with her CSI booth. My mom's bday was forgotten last year -gah!!- so she had my hand on the stove ready to spend my money. So there I was...
Miss Donna has a pressure test system, where you pressure your own hand with a crank while it's under different types of saddle pads. Okay, I'll play your silly game. 10 minutes later, I spent my entire life savings on three CSI pads. One with gator trim for Her Highness (aka My Momma), and a 1/2" and 3/4" for me. Geez, was I hoping I liked them the same when I got them on a horse!!!!!!
Fast forward, CSI is on Miss Priss, who WILL tell you if she doesn't like the fit of your rig. Jogged off without so much as a flip. As for me, my beloved old CJ that I have had many moons felt like I was riding a different saddle. It was more solid feeling, more stable. I was riding better somehow, more balanced. I'm sold. Other pads are gathering dust and crying their tears, wishing they had a flex plate.
The pads that got blown away at Miss Donna's booth include:
Pro Choice Air Ride, 5 Star, Impact Gel, Weaver felt, generic felt, Classic Equine my fave! :( , and the other super stars that I can't think of right now. The only thing that came close was a Todd Slone 1", but I'm not sure that the fluffy felt won't compact over time? Anyhow, that's why I am a CSI convert! |
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 The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
Location: North Dakota | Like CPC said the flex plate is great. They offer great protection if your saddle doesn't quite fit perfectly and the wool underneath is very conforming to my horses back. I also liked that I can change out the thickness of the insert to meet my horses needs. Well worth the money in my opinion. And like CPC said...all the other pads are now collecting dust in the tack room. |
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  Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | Well, I want you to buy one so I can try it! HAHA I have a saddleright that I like and a 5 Star, but have wanted to try one of these as well. The Wade's I think are just pretty. I found a used one that I inquired about, but used it was $350. Had to pass. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| classicpotatochip - 2014-08-27 9:10 AM
Well. I was like you. NOT getting on any kind of $275 bandwagon. Nope. Not happening. Until July. Was at the high school nat'l finals, and there's Miss Donna with her CSI booth. My mom's bday was forgotten last year -gah!!- so she had my hand on the stove ready to spend my money. So there I was...
Miss Donna has a pressure test system, where you pressure your own hand with a crank while it's under different types of saddle pads. Okay, I'll play your silly game. 10 minutes later, I spent my entire life savings on three CSI pads. One with gator trim for Her Highness (aka My Momma), and a 1/2" and 3/4" for me. Geez, was I hoping I liked them the same when I got them on a horse!!!!!!
Fast forward, CSI is on Miss Priss, who WILL tell you if she doesn't like the fit of your rig. Jogged off without so much as a flip. As for me, my beloved old CJ that I have had many moons felt like I was riding a different saddle. It was more solid feeling, more stable. I was riding better somehow, more balanced. I'm sold. Other pads are gathering dust and crying their tears, wishing they had a flex plate.
The pads that got blown away at Miss Donna's booth include:
Pro Choice Air Ride, 5 Star, Impact Gel, Weaver felt, generic felt, Classic Equine my fave! :( , and the other super stars that I can't think of right now. The only thing that came close was a Todd Slone 1", but I'm not sure that the fluffy felt won't compact over time? Anyhow, that's why I am a CSI convert!
Everything she said,
Also the pad is contoured so the pad never applies pressure on the top of the withers, I never have to adjust mine to relieve pressure from the withers. |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | I have a CSI, SaddleRight, and Corrector and I frequently use all 3. (Not at the same time LOL) The CSI even with the 1/2" liner is too thick for some horse/saddle combos. On a saddle that needs shimming, or a swayback horse, the Corrector works best. The SaddleRight offers great support in a thin pad for a "just right" saddle and is my #1 pick for treeless. Csi works great with the treeless as well, and is what I use if the saddle fits with that much pad. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | i have tried a variety of pads over the years and ALWAYS go back to the air rides............my so has 2 csi pads........and i dont like them at all, i find them to hard and the one rubs bad............
m |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9991
Location: Kansas | I like my five star |
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| Here's my random 2 cents - find what works for your budget, your horse, and your saddle combo.
I have used many different pads and keep coming back to my 5 star. I like the weight, feel, and how it fits both my horses under the saddles I currently own. I think the CSI pads work well for some horses. I certainly know several horses that run and work beautifully in them.
The CSI pads don't work for my good mare/saddle combo. The saddle fits really well and works fabulously with my 5 star. I have said it before, but during the first ride with the 5 star - my mare took a d@mn deep breath and rode like a dream - this was after a year of fighting with other pads and soreness issues the previous year of competition. Thus, I'm sold and not looking for another option. |
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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | CSI convert too! No roll , no slide and IF you have saddle fitting troubles they fix a lot of ills! I hate saddle fitting! One of the few things even my hubby has fallen for (he was born to run away from the bandwagon lol) he will never ride without a CSI. Had a 5 star sore up both of his heading horses last summer-definitely not all the pads fault but was the only piece of equipment he changed :/ saddlerights are nice and built along the same idea as a CSI but with their thin layer, I'm concerned with saddle's that don't fit perfectly. Hoping they last as long as some have said they do, we bought 3 this spring! |
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Special Somebody
Posts: 3951
Location: Finally horseback again.... | Herbie - 2014-08-27 9:39 AM Well, I want you to buy one so I can try it! HAHA I have a saddleright that I like and a 5 Star, but have wanted to try one of these as well. The Wade's I think are just pretty. I found a used one that I inquired about, but used it was $350. Had to pass. LOL!!
Well you know that our girl gets what ever makes her feel good!!!
I just dont know that I can justify the $350 price tag when I dont know if it will really make that much difference.
She works well in the Cutter Collection and my Tammy Fischer other than some slight saddle roll if she isnt cinched snug.
Thank you all for your input.
Buying anything regarding barrel horses these days is like going to the grocery store, there are way too many choices and you never know what is actually the best.
Edited by Canchasr1 2014-08-27 11:32 AM
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Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | Canchasr1 - 2014-08-27 11:28 AM Herbie - 2014-08-27 9:39 AM Well, I want you to buy one so I can try it! HAHA I have a saddleright that I like and a 5 Star, but have wanted to try one of these as well. The Wade's I think are just pretty. I found a used one that I inquired about, but used it was $350. Had to pass. LOL!!
Well you know that our girl gets what ever makes her feel good!!!
I just dont know that I can justify the $350 price tag when I dont know if it will really make that much difference.
She works well in the Cutter Collection and my Tammy Fischer other than some slight saddle roll if she isnt cinched snug.
Thank you all for your input.
Buying anything regarding barrel horses these days is like going to the grocery store, there are way too many choices and you never know what is actually the best.
And she should! Cause she's working great!!!!  And everyday her chubby sister just makes me grin from ear to ear....then I get on Richard and want to stab a fork in my eye. LOL I'm ready to go to another one very soon!!! |
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The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
Location: North Dakota | Canchasr1 - 2014-08-27 11:28 AM Herbie - 2014-08-27 9:39 AM Well, I want you to buy one so I can try it! HAHA I have a saddleright that I like and a 5 Star, but have wanted to try one of these as well. The Wade's I think are just pretty. I found a used one that I inquired about, but used it was $350. Had to pass. LOL!!
Well you know that our girl gets what ever makes her feel good!!!
I just dont know that I can justify the $350 price tag when I dont know if it will really make that much difference.
She works well in the Cutter Collection and my Tammy Fischer other than some slight saddle roll if she isnt cinched snug.
Thank you all for your input.
Buying anything regarding barrel horses these days is like going to the grocery store, there are way too many choices and you never know what is actually the best.
CSI Pads come with a 30 day money back guarantee. |
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 Buttered Noodles Snacker
Posts: 4377
Location: NC | WYOTurn-n-Burn - 2014-08-27 12:02 PM
Canchasr1 - 2014-08-27 11:28 AM Herbie - 2014-08-27 9:39 AM Well, I want you to buy one so I can try it! HAHA I have a saddleright that I like and a 5 Star, but have wanted to try one of these as well. The Wade's I think are just pretty. I found a used one that I inquired about, but used it was $350. Had to pass. LOL!!
Well you know that our girl gets what ever makes her feel good!!!
I just dont know that I can justify the $350 price tag when I dont know if it will really make that much difference.
She works well in the Cutter Collection and my Tammy Fischer other than some slight saddle roll if she isnt cinched snug.
Thank you all for your input.
Buying anything regarding barrel horses these days is like going to the grocery store, there are way too many choices and you never know what is actually the best.
They are really great about their return policy too. I bought one a year or two ago and it didn't seem to work for my horse at the time (though looking back now I think it was ulcer problems) and they gave me to fuss about returning it. I have a friend with both a 3/4" and 1/2" and she likes them alot. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 160
Location: Outside of Larryville, KS | I have had a CSI pad and I didn't like how thick it was, i didn't feel like I had good enough feel of the horses movements if that makes sense. I was fan of the 5 Stars, but found myself replacing them 8 months to a year due to compression spots. Now I use the Corrector and it works the best. They are even pricier then the CSI, but the same type of technology. I figure its worth the money if I dont have to keep buying saddle pads every year. |
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Special Somebody
Posts: 3951
Location: Finally horseback again.... | Herbie - 2014-08-27 12:02 PM Canchasr1 - 2014-08-27 11:28 AM Herbie - 2014-08-27 9:39 AM Well, I want you to buy one so I can try it! HAHA I have a saddleright that I like and a 5 Star, but have wanted to try one of these as well. The Wade's I think are just pretty. I found a used one that I inquired about, but used it was $350. Had to pass. LOL!!
Well you know that our girl gets what ever makes her feel good!!!
I just dont know that I can justify the $350 price tag when I dont know if it will really make that much difference.
She works well in the Cutter Collection and my Tammy Fischer other than some slight saddle roll if she isnt cinched snug.
Thank you all for your input.
Buying anything regarding barrel horses these days is like going to the grocery store, there are way too many choices and you never know what is actually the best.
Well my friend, I have PLENTY for you to choose from!!!
Would you like , fat, fatter or fattest??? LOL. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 742
| I have some Sloans and several 5 Stars and I can say the Sloans never get used anymore. I really like the 5 Stars . |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | 5 Star work's the best for my horses..  |
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | I'll spend darn near anything on a saddle, saddle pad, supplements, whatever if it makes a real difference for my horse. I want him to be happy, healthy, and useful for a long long time. But I've heard such mixed reviews on the CSI's that I'm very leery to spend that much on a pad with those reviews. If I could test them all out I would. I've had an ESP, 5 star, CE Wool pad, a foam/felt/fleece pad who's brand I don't know, and I haven't noticed any difference in the horses. I just don't like the thick pads of any brands. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| If people want a thinner CSI, then I suggest paying the 100 extra and get the merino wool instead of the felt it is thinner, and is the exact same sheepskin as the pro choice shearling cinches.
This will be my next purchase, I have drooled over them for a few years, seen one in person at the NFR, and now have to buy one. |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| What saddle pads do you like under a Meleta Brown saddle? |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 696
Location: Sunny California | I've got one, had it about 1 1/2 years. I have 2 very different horses. One is built downhill and I have yet to find a good fitting saddle for her, and I've tried many. The other horse is really built well, good withers, back etc. but my saddle was leaving dry spots. So I bought a csi because a couple of friends have them and like them. It didn't work for either of my horses. They both still had dry spots and I felt that the saddle pad had more role to it than others. My good horse with the good back actually got white hairs after only having him for 4 months and riding strictly with the csi pad. The white hairs were the same shape as the flex plate. I've since switched saddles and pads and his white hairs are going away. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 696
Location: Sunny California | I've got one, had it about 1 1/2 years. I have 2 very different horses. One is built downhill and I have yet to find a good fitting saddle for her, and I've tried many. The other horse is really built well, good withers, back etc. but my saddle was leaving dry spots. So I bought a csi because a couple of friends have them and like them. It didn't work for either of my horses. They both still had dry spots and I felt that the saddle pad had more role to it than others. My good horse with the good back actually got white hairs after only having him for 4 months and riding strictly with the csi pad. The white hairs were the same shape as the flex plate. I've since switched saddles and pads and his white hairs are going away. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 912
Location: Alabama | cheryl makofka - 2014-08-27 7:38 PM
If people want a thinner CSI, then I suggest paying the 100 extra and get the merino wool instead of the felt it is thinner, and is the exact same sheepskin as the pro choice shearling cinches.
This will be my next purchase, I have drooled over them for a few years, seen one in person at the NFR, and now have to buy one.
I was just about to ask if anyone had seen these in person. I've googled and googled and can't find a single picture! I'm thinking I want to try one with the merino wool! I loved the two I had with half inch liners and hate that I sold them. |
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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3310
Location: Jersey Girl | Until recently I had always used the Pro Choice pads. I had tried CE and 5star but always went back to PC.
About a month ago I bought a Wyatt pad. I was a little skeptical at first because I thought it was going to be too thick (causing saddle roll) and it was a little more expensive then what I like to spend. I can say that I really like the pad. It looks good, fits well and my saddle doesn't move like I thought it would. |
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Can we talk saddle pads??