What thickness of saddle pad do I need?

All credit for this information is to the 5 Star Saddle pad company.

Thickness will depend on length of time in the saddle, weight of rider, and the length of time spent riding. However, a general guideline to determine your pad thickness is listed below:

• 1/2" under pad - best for showing reining, cutting or pleasure horses when you still need protection, yet want to put a colorful blanket over the under pad for show purposes

• 3/4" - best for daily training sessions of 1 hour or less. Can be used under a VERY thin blanket to show

• 7/8" - best all-around thickness for regular use. Recommended for trail riding, team penning, cutting, reining, and barrel racing. Minimum recommended thickness for gear/rider weight combinations of 200 lbs. or more, or for rides of more than 4 hours at a time or over rough terrain.

• 1" - best for heavier riders or for especially long or hard use. Designed with ranch work in mind, for roping, performance, colt starting or heading to the mountains with lots of gear.

• 1 1/8" "Supreme Roper" thickness - Specially engineered for team roping, calf roping, steer stopping and performance.

Other factors to consider when determining your thickness:

• How long will you be riding? If you ride more than four hours at one time on a regular basis, you need a pad that is at least 7/8" thick.

• How much do you weigh? If you and your gear together weigh more than 200 lbs., you should get at least a 7/8" pad, but a 1" would be better.

• What kind of terrain will you be riding on? If you regularly ride over mountainous or hilly areas, again, you want at least a 7/8" thick pad, but 1" would be better.