Bareback pad : Parelli vs Best Friend ?

L

Lili & Morgan

New Member
Oct 22, 2006
283
0
0
Italy
Which is the best ? and Why?

I need to invest in Bareback pad, so my pants will be kept clean ... :D and my bum more comffy.

My horse has a very pro-eminent spine :eek: and muscles atrophy due to many years of BAD saddle fitting.

So which do you like best and why?

Thanks

There is also a big price difference :rolleyes:
 
I sold my Parelli pad on EBay and brought a Best Friend. I like the Best Friend more because it is softer, and it has a bit of a lift at the front to allow for the shape of the wither. Having said that, it sounds as if your horse might need a bit more padding whatever bareback pad you decide to go for.
Hope that helps. :)
 
Here is a pad that I bought on ebay that is very similar to the Parelli pad. I removed the stirrups and changed the leather cinch to a Smart Cinch. It is soft comfortable and stays put and it's a lot cheaper than Parelli's.

bareback.jpg


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSAA:US:11&Item=230101503888
 
My friend has the Parelli pad - it looks very smart and fits her flat backed pony well. I tried it on my high withered IDx and it was not a good fit at all, it was either in the correct position but too tight around his withers or too far back.

I ride in a bestfriend quite often and used to ride a flat backed cob in one at all paces and small jumps - it was lovely. However although it is a better shape on my new boy, it still presses on the withers a bit. I now use it with a prolite pad underneath to give a bit of clearance. Hope that helps :)
 
Thanks very much for your replies.

Capallduh - Yep my guy will need extra-padding, in fact I asked this question, because I thought that the Parelli Bareback Pad was more for QH flat back type.

So Best Friend it will be ... maybe next month :cool:
 
They have the added advantage over the parelli pads of being the only piece of tack I own that can go in the washing machine and the tumble dryer :)
 
I've got a Best Friend bareback pad and find it fits my very high withered horse much better than the Parelli one did that I borrowed to try out. They're softer, more comfortable, have a breathable underside and are much easier to keep clean...plus they come complete with girth!!

Even if I had the opportunity, I wouldn't swap my Best Friend for a Parelli bareback pad. :)
 
I love my bestfriend bare back pad so nice to ride in. Darcy has high withers and his spine is prominant due to a baddly fitting saddle. He has muscled up along his back and shoulders now which is great. It does not move even if the girth is a bit lose, washes well in the machine.
 
Shadowlark said:
http://www.better-horsetack.com/lj/index.cfm?page=bbsdl

Everyone I know who owns this pad, several of them endurance riders RAVE about it - many are now doing their 50 milers in them I fully plan on getting one myself once life settles down a bit :)
Click to expand...

Yeah I was looking at one of those, emailed to ask them if they could do a synthetic one of them, they said they'd look into it, that was about 6 months a go and never heard anything else from them:o:rolleyes:
 
That's an interesting pad. I can't see how you would avoid pressure problems with it though. Particularly with the way the stirrups are hung off a single strip of webbing. If you look at the picture of the girl jumping, she is slightly out of the saddle, imagine the pressure over that single strip of the horse's back. I'll take your word about people being able to do distance in it, but I have seen many pressure problems caused by treeless saddles that have exactly the same stirrup rigging.
 
What sort of backsaver pad? If it had memory foam in it (like in Heather Moffat's saddles) that might be good. Memory foam is very expensive, but if you can get your hands on some try some *cautious* experiments - like putting your hand flat on the floor with the foam on top and having someone stand on top. Yes - I have done that and as you see, I can still type!
I feel the same way about the Total Contact saddle, which I saw recently. Yes it seems to work, but it makes sense to help your horse a bit. Does anyone know if either of these have been tested with a Port Lewis pressure pad?
 
I don't know if HM does a pad to go under your saddle with memory foam in. Her saddles incorporate it in the design. You may be thinking of her Seatsaver pad, which is to save your bum and goes on top. :D
Skito pads have memory foam in, they are quite expensive and I don't know if anyone stocks them in the UK. Or maybe someone has another bright idea...
 
I agree that it can't take all the preassure away however.. the horses are flying through thier vettings at endurance rides wearing these things.. part of the vetting is a back check. It may bt the foam they are using.. I really can't explain it - compression of ANY foam will cause preassure under where it's compressed.. so padding up more really wouldn't help. Maybe the rigidity of the material used works like a western saddle with better displacement.. Maybe the riders ridding in them are ridding well and using the stirrups for balance, and not putting weight in them..

no majic answer for you I am afraid :)
 
newrider.com
Top Bottom