09/29/2026
👏
Wet saddle pads is TERRIBLE advice.
You see that given as advice all the time.
That horse just needs wet saddle pads.
Wet saddle pads
Wet saddle pads….
This advice seems so simple and people take it as just that. If we ride our horses enough to get dripping wet saddle pads they will become broke, they will stop being anxious, it will fix their behavioral problems and give them experience.
Then we get a call asking for help because they did the wet saddle pads, put tons of miles and hours in the saddle but the horse is still anxious, bucking, bolting, reactive, barn sour, etc. etc.
Because wet saddle pads isn’t enough.
Horses need:
INTENTIONAL wet saddle pads
STRATEGIC wet saddle pads
BALANCED wet saddle pads
If you do three hours on the trail on the same diagonal, same lead, walking on a loose rein crooked, doing three hours “working” your horse with the only goal of making them sweat, you likely just “exercised” their problems into worse problems.
When you work a crooked horse without also working on their straightness, you just make them more crooked which leads to pain and soundness issues which leads to behavioral problems.
When you work an anxious horse, you don’t make them less anxious, you just create a temporarily tired anxious horse or you work them up into more anxiety. You need to find the CAUSE of the anxiety and fix that.
When you work a bolting horse more, especially an anxious bolting horse (no, not all bolting is from anxiety) you just reinforce their need to run away while making them fitter to do it.
All this to emphasize when you go to put miles on a horse or time on a horse to get those wet saddle pads - because yes they are necessary in a horse’s education - be AWARE of what you are doing and have a plan. Be INTENTIONAL about what you are wanting to improve and work on. Be STRATEGIC about how you implement your plan and be BALANCED!!! Be aware if your horse is crooked, only wants to put you on one diagonal or only picks up the same lead, then FIX it.
PLAN your rides, plan your sessions and have goals and awareness. Otherwise wet saddle pads just makes the problem you are trying to fix worse or hidden until it pops up “out of nowhere”.
Let’s change that advice to SMART wet saddle pads.
