Product review - Ogilvy Half Pad
I had originally wanted to get an Ecogold triple protection half pad for my jump saddle (I had a dressage one but traded it for lessons) but had such a horrible customer service experience with them at Rolex, I went on a mission to find an Ogilvy pad while we were still at Rolex. I had never touched one but had read about them and thought they might be a suitable alternative. Boy am I glad I ended up walking out of the Ecogold booth and ended up in a private tack shop booth that had Ogilvy pads.
Quick breakdown…
Pros
- Much softer and easier to manipulate than many foam half pads
- Removable outer cover for easy washing
- Totally customizable - pick your own pad, piping, and binding color at no extra charge
- Improves my saddle fit so I no longer need to use a breastplate if I chose not to
- Charlie has zero back soreness per the acupuncturist and the masseuse
- So far, it's worn like iron
Cons
- It's kinda pricey ($199) but totally worth it in my opinion
- Totally customizable - now I want another one in a different color scheme!
- You must remember to tighten your girth after you've gotten on and it's compressed with your weight!
First impression, it seemed quite bulky and I thought it would make my saddle too narrow (it's already a narrow). But it truly does it's job and compresses where it needs to and fills in the little pockets behind Charlie's shoulder just below his wither - think stereotypical TB wither-shoulder scenario. It's kinda floppy so it's very easy to position exactly where you want it, unlike the Ecogold pad which I found quite stiff and basically in a set position. Also unlike the Ecogold pad, the foam inserts are removable making the outer cover very easy to toss in the washer. I've been very impressed with how it's worn - it shows zero signs of wear and has been used for every single ride since I got it. Nothing and I mean nothing, shows any signs of wear - no fraying, no pulls, no color fading, no nothing. The cover itself is some sort of micro suede with a cotton twill of some sort for the piping and the binding.
Most importantly, Charlie approves. I've never had back problems with him (knock on wood!) but I certainly don't want to start. I do feel like the pad improves the fit of my saddle which just proves that no saddle is truly custom (this saddle was bought and theoretically made for him).
This is a close up of how it fits under the saddle - my saddle is 17.5" seat with a forward flap and the regular size fits it just fine. I actually like that it has some excess that way I don't worry about the panels sitting on the edge of the pad. I would think that scenario would be very uncomfy for the pony.
I tried to take pictures of the dirtiest part of the pad - this is the front lower corner of the pad. I just washed it for the first time last week. Oops!
This is the back of the pad - it sits just behind the cantle. You can see some grunge on the piping.
This just shows where the foam inserts slide in. Super easy removal and reinsertion.
This is the clean pad sitting on top of a poly pad - our usual set-up. The pad washed up great - all grunge is gone. I put it in the washer with warm water and let it hang dry.
Final verdict
Both Charlie and I are very happy with this purchase and I would highly recommend adding one to your collection if you get the opportunity.
