Shires - GP Saddle Pads(Image credit: Andrew Sydenham/Horse and Hound)
Shires - GP Saddle Pads(Image credit: Andrew Sydenham/Horse and Hound)
Shires - GP Saddle Pads(Image credit: Andrew Sydenham/Horse and Hound)
Shires - GP Saddle Pads(Image credit: Andrew Sydenham/Horse and Hound)
Shires - GP Saddle Pads(Image credit: Andrew Sydenham/Horse and Hound)
Welcome to our group test of sweat-wicking GP saddle pads. All of the saddle pads in this group test have been put through their paces by Harriet Rimmer, who runs a livery, schooling and sales yard with a particular focus on hunting. Find out what she thought below
Official description
The Shires Performance Air Motion Pro saddlecloth is highly breathable and actively moves moist air away from the body for enhanced comfort. The fabric is pressure resistant and benefits from a non-slip lining on the underside and silicone grips on the top to minimise movement. Adjustable girth guides.
It looked lightweight, had good clearance for the horses withers and plenty of grip for the saddle to stay on.
Overview of performance
I found that this saddlecloth was quite fixed on the horse — it never moved or slipped. It had good aeration and was really breathable, but did leave marks on the horses coat that were consistent with the shape of the dimples underneath the saddlecloth. I thought it may be slightly uncomfortable on the horses’ backs for long periods of time, but I tested this saddlecloth over a few months on different horses and they never showed any signs of discomfort. It was very hard wearing and washed very well, never losing its shape or condition.
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Harriet’s likes and dislikes
I liked how secure the saddle pad was, but did feel it created uneven pressure underneath the saddle with the grips as it wasn’t a smooth, flat surface.
Verdict
This wasn’t my favourite of the saddle pads I tested, but it was really secure and lasted well.
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Harriet Rimmer runs a livery, schooling and sales yard with a particular focus on hunting. She is based in Leicestershire and hunts with the Belvoir, and has previously evented to novice and competed in dressage up to advanced medium. Harriet is part of our team of professional riders who put equestrian products through their paces in a real-life busy yard environment for a suitable period of time to test the item, before their thoughts are featured in our reviews section.
