How To Store Saddle Pads [Easy Care & Budget Friendly Tips]

A lot of people who don't know how to store saddle pads might end up damaging them and making them unhygienic diy saddle pad storage. 

Did you know that saddle pads are quite moisture-absorbant and need to "breathe out" after every ride? (1)

Storing them in the right way will extend the life of your pads and keep your horse's skin healthy.

This is why I've put together this simple guide to safe saddle pad storage. 

Key Takeaways: 

• First, make sure the pads are not soggy.

• Dry and air them in sunlight.

• Organize your tack room to make space.

• Install blanket bars and use skirt hangers.

CHECK: Best English Saddle Pad Brands

Why It's Important To Properly Store Saddle Pads

I've seen some people showing off an entire array of saddle pads, based on function, saddle type, discipline, and frequency of riding. Some of them even buy saddle pads if they like the color.

However, many of them don't take care of the ones they use for daily rides. I often see both English style saddle pads and western saddle pads thrown carelessly back into a tack trunk or even on the ground.

After a long ride, especially on a hot day, you will end up with a damp saddle pad. Dumping the pad down anywhere will allow bacteria to grow.

This will not only damage and ruin how your pad looks; it is not healthy for your horse's skin.

Modern saddle pads can get pretty expensive, especially if they are made with high-quality materials and include multiple layers to aid in your horse's comfort.

If you don't store equestrian saddle pads well, it will shorten the life of the pad, which means you end up spending money on a new one when you shouldn't need to.

Take a few extra minutes to maintain your saddle pads and saddle blankets, and they can last years instead of months.

Another reason to use good storage practices is to prevent dust, direct, bugs, and rodents from causing damage.

With that said, let's take a look at how to prepare your pads for storage.

Here's a really cool DIY storage project you can follow if you want to do something both creative and useful with your time:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6fdukYCc3U

Preparing Your Pads For Storage

The first step is to just air them out. Bonus points if you can do this in the sun.

Ventilate them as best as possible, and make sure you've hung up the pads. You don't want them just lying in the sun.

Hanging them up will ensure more surface area is aired and both sides get to breathe.

This airflow is necessary because the bottom of your pad is between the horse's skin and your saddle, where it accumulates heat, moisture, and sweat.

The sun's ultraviolet light is not just responsible for drying wet saddle pads, but it also helps destroy bacteria. The time spent outdoors also releases moisture in the pads.

While you're drying off the pads, you can also focus on a clean tack room. I enjoy tack room organization because it makes everything easy to find, and I can avoid stuff piling up on top of each other.

Lastly, if you've been using the same pad for a while, consider using a washing machine to get rid of the buildup that accumulates on your pad over time. This will make storage a lot more hygienic.

You can use a washing machine for cotton pads, and for the others, you can soak them. (1) It's important to use mild soap or detergent and cold water. 

Before putting any pad in a washing machine, make sure it won't cause damage to the pad. Also, try to remove as much horse hair from the pad first to avoid clogging up your machine.

RELATED: How to Clean a Saddle Pad

Tips For Storage

Here's how to store saddle pads more efficiently.

To make the best of the valuable wall space, try using saddle pad racks. If you install a bar, you can hang them just like you would hang clothes.

This is one of those super space savers I've used. I've also used some skirt hangers for lightweight pads in the past in combination with blanket bars.

See skirt hangers in action in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL6uQuZo_Dk

Here's what I recommend.

Take advantage of the length of your walls. Install several bars on top of each other, obviously keeping in mind the length of the pads, and then use a hanger to hold them up.

Viola! You've managed to store your equipment without compromising the floor space.

A blanket ladder is another great way to hang your pads. You can hang it on the wall, which is great if you don't have a big tack room but want to keep your saddle pads dry.

If you have more space, you can install small wooden posts into the wall so that they stick out like little saddle racks. Hang each pad individually on the posts, so they dry and air out.

Never leave your padding hanging over the top of your saddle, even if you flip it over. This is not good for your saddle, which also needs to 'breathe.' (2)

READ MORE: How to Make Saddle Pads?

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where is the best place to store a saddle?

It's best to use a rack or stand to store the saddle, usually in a well-ventilated room. Try not to store them on top of each other, on the floor, or even in tack trunks.

2. How often should you wash saddle pads?

This usually depends on the frequency or intensity of use and the material. Some people prefer to wash them once a week or twice every month, and others stretch out the washing to every few months.

Conclusion

I hope you know how to store your saddle pads and also the prerequisites that will keep them fresh, clean, and long-lasting.

If you have any ideas to manage storage, don't hesitate to let me know in the comments below!

Happy riding!

References

1. 5 Star Saddle Pad Care & Cleaning | 5 Star Equine, manufacturer of the world’s finest, all-natural saddle pads and mohair cinches . 5starequineproducts.com. . Available from: https://www.5starequineproducts.com/articles/5-star-saddle-pad-care-and-cleaning
2. Saddle Pad Storage Guidelines . Frontier Trailers & Roping Supply. . Available from: https://ropingsupply.com/blogs/news/saddle-pad-storage-guidelines