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 Expert
Posts: 1631
   
Location: Somewhere around here | Who rides in a ½, and why? Who rides in a ¾ and why? I've been thinking about buying a ½ 5 star because my ¾ is a smidge thicker than it needs to be with my treeless but I'm weary of riding with only ½. I don't go on long rides, usually an hour is the maximum I can do. |
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 The One
Posts: 7998
 
Location: South Georgia | I prefer my 3/4 5 Star, because I feel like it gives appropriate cushioning. However, when my mare kept getting wider and wider, I had to go down to a 1/2" for saddle fit. Now, she's grown too wide for that...so the saddle hunt continues. |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| I've ridden in 1/2 inch pads before. When my saddle fit like a glove. They were 5 star pads.
I bumped up to a 3/4 just for a little extra cushioning. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | The first two I bought were the 1" but now I ride in a 1/2 with one of those super thin navajo saddle blankets underneath. It has greatly increased the longevity of my saddle pads and is so much easier to keep everything clean. I wouldn't feel comfortable riding in just the 1/2" though, I don't feel like it would be quite enough, so if I wasn't using the navajo's I would go with 3/4.
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 Expert
Posts: 3815
Location: The best kept secret in TX | If your saddle fits well without a pad you only need the 1/2. Wool is naturally shock absorbing. The 1/2 and 3/4 don't make that big of a difference in "cushioning".
I ride in both. |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | Both of my horses have saddles that fit well, and they both ride in 1/2" pads from 5 Star. Never had a problem. Less is more. |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| In a good quality wool pad like a 5 Star a 1/2” is appropriate for a well fitting saddle.
We have 1 1/8” roper 5 Stars and we like them, but would probably stick to 1” when we order more - they can get a little too thick and roll on a couple.
The thing you have to remember about quality pads like 5 stars is that they don’t break down and compress like lesser quality pads. |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I use 1/2 on both the horses I ride now. They have good fitting saddles. I started off with all 3/4 or 7/8 and they are just gathering dust now. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 747
| I had my mare custom fitted to her a saddle and the maker told me I shouldn't have to use anything more than a 1/2" pad with it because of how well it fit her. I was a tad nervous at first and in disbelief, so I purchased a 7/8" 5 Star and noticed right away that it was tight on her shoulders. I called the maker and he had me send him photos and then had me put just the 3/4" liner from my CSI under my saddle and send him photos. He said I could probably get away with a 3/4" but it may be a tad snug still. I ended up getting a 1/2" and it works perfectly. Who knew that too much pad could make a good fitting saddle fit poorly. |
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