
Kavallerie Saddle Pads – Real World Review
A couple of months ago I was lucky enough to get something really awesome in the mail, two saddle pads from Kavallerie! And I wanted to share my thoughts of both saddle pads with you right now.
Let me just say, if you are looking for a high quality saddle pad, you really need to give these pads a closer look. For the quality you are getting, either one of these pads would be a fantastic choice.
If you have never heard of Kavallerie, they are a company that produce fantastic products for horse people like us. They offer premium equestrian gear that offer protection, comfort for both horse and rider along with some style.
HDTC Pad

This is Kavallerie’s HDTC full saddle pad. It is a multipurpose saddle pad that protects against rubbing and chaffing. And the way this pad is made is pretty incredible. It has an anti-slip underside,

And a smooth and soft diamond quilted design on the top. It’s awesome. The top material is really soft, almost like a satin type material. And although they don’t mention it on their website, the dust wipes off easily, which for me is important, especially when I’m using a black saddle pad!

But my favorite thing about this pad is the Velcro keeper straps. I can be challenged when it comes to getting the girth billets and the girth itself through the keepers. But thanks to the Velcro on the keepers, challenge averted!
The HDTC saddle pad’s Velcro keepers make it easy to open and go around the girth as well as the billet keepers. This helps to keep your saddle secure, and no more slipping saddle pad under your saddle.
The Bling
And although not a necessity for some, but other’s yes, this is a requirement…..the bling!

And this pad delivers on the bling!

There is black and gold cordage trim all around the edge of the pad, along with a very fancy gold logo plate. It is really pretty!
I really like the look of the pad, but more importantly is the functionality of the pad. Because if it looks pretty, but is not comfortable for my horse, well, that’s not really helpful now is it?
But the HDTC pad is not only pretty, but it is practical too.
This saddle pad keeps my horse comfortable, and able to focus on his work.
Made For The Horse
I really like how the top of the pad is contoured so it fits the conformation of my horse’s back. No more bunched saddle pad at the withers. Very nice. The design of the pad fits better than the traditional pad.
Overall I am really impressed with the HDTC saddle pad. And although it is a bit long on the sides, I think it would be perfect for a dressage saddle, I do like it even with my close contact saddle. This is a very nice and well made saddle pad.
Sure it’s more expensive than the little cheapy pads you can get at Dover’s, but this is a better pad, which is why it is more expensive.
Frisby seemed very comfortable in it
And Plezant did too. I will probably keep this one for Plezant though, because of his really high withers.
And it fits well with his custom made half pad.
The Kavallerie HDTC saddle pad costs $69.95 and Amazon has it right now.
3D Mesh Saddle Pad

Now this is the pad I was really wanting to try out. This one is a little more expensive at $99.95, but it has been marked down from $166.65, so it is a good discount right now. And just like it’s counterpart (The HDTC pad)
The Kavallerie 3D mesh pad has an anti-slip underside that prevents irritation and chaffing for your horse’s back. And when I compare both saddle pads underside, they are identical.

But the Mesh pad offers a breathable mesh material that allows for airflow and prevents heat build up.
The pad itself is very well made. All of the stitching is tight, and the fabric seems very durable.
I Love Velcro
And all of the keepers have my favorite Velcro closures which make it easy to secure the saddle to the pad. Which in turn keeps your saddle with the pad.

I think this is the one thing that really sets the Kavallerie pads apart from others. They took the time to develop something that is so helpful for equestrians. This is something even Voltaire hasn’t done for their saddle pads.
The padded design of this pad is very nice, and it provides a lot of cushioning for my horse’s back. I really like that.

And just like the HDTC pad, the 3D mesh pad has the bling! I love my bling.
Putting The Pads To Work
Ok, now that I have given a basic overview of each of the pads, Now I have to put them to work. And although the weather is less than ideal for me to be riding, I still wanted to work with the pads, and see how they would work out.
And both pads worked really well, just like a saddle pad should.
Both pads seemed to protect my horses backs, and there were no sweat marks, which was impressive.

Frisby seemed to work comfortably in the pad as did Plezant.
So overall, I am very happy with how each of the pads performed in use.
Keeping The Pad Clean
I am one of those people that washes my saddle pads after every couple of uses. I mean come on, I have like a lot of saddle pads, so it’s not like I have to take the pad in and wash it every day. But washing these pads is easy.
You can wash them in a regular washing machine using cold water, and then you just lay it flat to dry. How easy is that?
And when it comes out of the washer, and dries, it looks brand new again. I had no issues with any stitching coming loose, and everything was nice and clean.
Which Kavallerie Pad Is Best?

Both pads performed very well. So choosing a favorite is based on my personal opinion. But I think of the two pads, my favorite is the HDTC pad. It has the same underside as the 3D mesh pad, but I really like the surface material. I like the satin appearance and feel. So if I had to choose one pad as my favorite, it would be the HDTC pad, I really like it a lot. The only thing I would change is that they made one to fit a close contact saddle. If you ride dressage, or are schooling at home the Full pad is perfect. But it would be nice to have one in a close contact saddle style.
Thank You Kavallerie
I want to say a big thank you to Kavallerie for reaching out and giving me the opportunity to try out their products. They not only have fantastic full saddle pads, but they have other products as well.

In fact the next product I would LOVE to test out is their 3D Air-Mesh Fleece Lined Half Pad. I tried one similar during a riding lesson once, and I could feel a difference in the saddle immediately after putting it on the horse. It was incredible. But when I looked up the one I had used, it was almost $225.00! So, obviously I didn’t buy it.
But then I saw that Kavallerie makes a pad like this, and it is MUCH more affordable at $89.99. And now knowing the quality of their products, I would have no problem spending $90.00 for this pad.
If you want to see all of the fantastic products that Kavallerie offers equestrians, you really should check out their website. Not only do they have saddle pads, but the have horse boots and bandages as well. Maybe one day they will offer matching ear bonnets too? Wouldn’t that be awesome? To have a matchy-matchy ear bonnet to my fancy-shmancy saddle pad would be amazing!
But seriously, if you are looking for a quality saddle pad, either one of these pads would be a fantastic addition to your collection.
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