Top 3 Reasons to wash your saddle pad regularly

Keeping your saddle pads clean is essential, but why and how should you wash them?

Why Should I Clean my Saddle Pads?

Every time you use a saddle pad, whether that be a numnah, a saddle cloth, half pad etc, it will attract dirt, sweat and grease from your horse. 

It may be easy to brush some of the dirt off, however, the more you ride, the more this will build up on the underside of your saddle pad. Being around horses, the top side will also attract dirt. Whilst this won't affect the horse on the outside, a clean saddle pad will look far better. 

As the dirt, sweat and grease on the underside of your saddle pad dries, it can become quite rough and hard. This can cause friction when you ride, and can rub or make your horse sore.

There is also the life of the saddle pad to consider. You have bought a saddle pad to help keep your horse comfortable, so you want it to last as long as possible. The salt crystals in sweat can break down the fibres, therefore, reducing the life of the saddle pad. Regularly washing your saddle pad will help extend its lifespan. 

Keeping your saddle pad clean can also help you check your saddle fit. Any dirt, sweat or grease left on the saddle pad after your ride should be even and symmetrical. If you have a patch that is particularly dirty on one side, but fairly clean in the corresponding area on the other side, your saddle may not be sitting evenly. If you don't clean your saddle pad regularly, you will get a big build up so you won't be able to see what is fresh, and therefore how your saddle is sitting. 

You can find out more about recognising saddle fit issues in The Saddle Bank Academy Recognising Saddle Fit Issues course.

How Should I Clean my Saddle Pad?

This will depend entirely on the type and material of your saddle pad. Most will come with washing instructions, and if not you should be able to check with the manufacturer.

Before washing, it is worth removing some of the dirt, for example with a brush or hoover.

Most cotton pads will be able to be machine washed. We recommend using a cool wash and line drying after to ensure the pad keeps its shape. Use a mild detergent so that you do not irritate your horses skin. 

For saddle pads that cannot be washed in the machine, you can still keep them clean. They may be soaked in a bath, or washed with a pressure washer. 

How Often Should I Clean my Saddle Pad?

There are several factors to consider when deciding how often to clean your saddle pad.

Firstly, how much are you using it? Someone using their saddle pad 6 times a week, for an hour plus each time will need to wash their saddle pad more often than someone using theirs 3 times a week for half an hour each time.

How much does your horse sweat? A saddle pad that is getting sweaty will need to be washed more often than one that is not getting sweaty - so you may need to wash your saddle pad more often in the summer if your horse is clipped in the winter. 

Is your horse particularly greasy, or dirty? The saddle pad will not get as dirty if used on a clean horse, and can get dirty very quickly if used on a dirty/greasy horse. You may find that your horse has more grease in their coat in the winter, and this may therefore counteract the previous point, about washing your saddle pad more in the summer.

Overall, you should just keep an eye on your saddle pad, if the dirt and grease is building up, it's time for a wash. It would also be advisable to give your saddle pad a wash after a hard session where your horse has sweated a lot.