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My first impressions of this white competition AirGel dressage pad from Horzehoods® was that it is very white and very pretty! There are lots of useful things to adjust in order to fit it to your saddle and the Velcro straps allow you to attach it to either the D-rings or the girth, which is very handy.
The built-in number holder (FlexiBadge4D) for dressage is reversible, so if you are not using it you can simply have the HorzeHoods Logo showing — or remove it completely.
The outer layer is very soft and flexible. It is made of a mesh-like material (4D mesh) and is very breathable. It feels well made and the binding is a nice touch — the stitching is smart and the overall finish is very good. It’s what I expect really for a pad of this price.
Fit
I chose the full size pad and it was a bit on the large size for my 17inch saddle. In hindsight, a cob size would have given a better fit, but I prefer pads to be a bit longer rather than too short.
At the top of the pad, above the spine, there is a nice mesh panel, which avoids any pressure on the spine and allows air flow. It lies flat up in the saddle and there is no bunching up or creasing — this pad did not move once in place thanks to the silicone on the underside, another thoughtful design feature.
It is the first white pad I have used for a while and it is light and feels nice under saddle, as well as looking super smart.
Performance
I’ve put the AirGel dressage pad through its paces over three months, using it for dressage tests, flatwork lessons and some hacking as well.
The Velcro held up well and the pad didn’t move while riding, nor did my mare become massively sweaty while wearing it either, due to its AirGel technology, which ensures maximum comfort for the horse.
The FlexiBadge means you don’t have to faff about with numbers. They are easy to change and you can keep them in the badge, turned over to show as blank when not needed, so they are all in one place (no safety pins needed either — bonus!).
Features I like
This pad comes in white, grey, navy black, cream and brown, and in a close-contact shape as well as the dressage. You can also buy replacement numbers for the FlexiBadge as well as sponsor badges and country flags.
I washed it at 30 degrees and kept all the Velcro tabs closed so they didn’t get covered in hair or snag on each other. The girth straps are removable, so if you don’t want those and just use D-rings you can take them off.
The spine mesh panel means it is very flexible and it really helps with the fit under the saddle. The rest of the pad isn’t super thin — I don’t like thin pads — and so offers nice padding between the saddle and your horse.
Value for money
Overall this is a very nicely made, quality product. It feels expensive and is well made.
A lot of thought has gone into the design and functionality of the pad. The numbers and reversible FlexiBadge make it idea for use hacking or at competitions so it is very versatile.
Buying info
RRP £89.99
Colours: champagne, navy, white, grey, brown, black, teal
Sizes: pony, cob, full or x-full
