Christ Lammfelle bareback pad - anyone used one?

[DJR]

I'm looking into cozy bareback pads for winter (or all-year) riding. I really like the look of the Christ Lammfelle dressage bareback pad (with thigh blocks), but it's an expensive item. I have a friend who loves hers. Just wondered if anyone else has used one and what they thought of it.

Any other favorite bareback pads out there?

[piedmontfields]

Well, now I'm going to look into it! I have a pretty simple suede bareback pad. I like it, but I would not describe it as secure.

[AmityBee]

Right now I need to get ready to go to work but I will get back to it latter. Let me just say, I've tried them all, Christ, Grandeur and I now have soemthing called a "felt saddle" (the academic riding crowd came up with that one, I've had it the longest and like it the best).

I the meantime. I've blogged about my impressions here:

http://thenewwelsh.blogspot.de/2011/08/ ... ut-at.html

http://thenewwelsh.blogspot.de/2013/12/ ... rison.html

http://thenewwelsh.blogspot.de/2016/05/ ... attel.html

[DJR]

Thanks for that, AmityBee. If I order a Christ, it'll be the dressage-type one with the knee rolls. It's just such a cost outlay that I'm on the fence (still).

[LindaJ]

I have a Christ dressage bareback pad. It's made extremely well, super comfortable, and warm when it's cool out. My horse has prominent withers, so I add a regular dressage pad w fleece padding on the underside for added cushioning.
That other one posted on here looks pretty cool also!

[DJR]

I have a Christ dressage bareback pad. It's made extremely well, super comfortable, and warm when it's cool out. My horse has prominent withers, so I add a regular dressage pad w fleece padding on the underside for added cushioning.
That other one posted on here looks pretty cool also!

Thanks, that's helpful, Linda. Did you buy the dressage style that is for horses with a prominent withers? Or just the regular dressage-style pad? If it's just the regular one, is it sufficient (with the added padding) for your horse with high withers? I want to be able to use it on both my Friesian/Perch (mutton withered) and my WBx (prominent withers), so I'm not sure whether to get the model for prominent withers or the regular model and use extra padding.

[StraightForward]

That felt saddle looks interesting!

[khall]

I like this felt one from the Straightness training site

https://www.straightnesstrainingwebshop ... reback+pad
I like the billets so you can use an English girth.

[quinta]

I've ridden in the Christ Lammfelle dressage pad for longe line lessons, and I liked it a lot. Very comfortable, and a nice balance between full saddle and completely flat pad. My super-sensitive mare didn't seem to notice the difference between it and my regular saddle.

[AmityBee]

OK, here we go

Quality wise, all three pads I've owned were very well made, high quality materials. No issues there except all three are rather overpriced, although I have not have had any issues re-selling them at a good price. The sheep skin ones are of course much more cosy and comfortable than the felt pad.

As to which is/was the best, it really depends on the intended use and your horses conformation and sensitivity to pressure points.

MY horse couldn't take the use of stirrups at all. Not with the Christ, which has a kind of surcingle going all the way around the horse and putting a bit of pressure on the spine, nor the Grandeur, which is basically two halves with a bit of spinal clearance, even with extra padding.

Personally, I would not recommend the use WITH stirrups on either pad, no matter how much padding you use.

The Christ is the nicest material (being all sheepskin) but also the least padded/solid one. The two others offer more stability.

All pads will make your horses feel quite a bit wider than they would feel with your saddle or even bareback, especially with extra padding. With owning mostly drafts you will most likely end up in a chair seat, or even at a point where your hips just can't take it anymore. (I've had that happen with the Grandeur plus extra padding ).

Also, if you choose a pad with thigh blocks (or any kind of blocks) make sure the whole thing puts you at the right spot on your horse. There is really no room for error. The Blocks will put you in a specific spot in the pad and the position of the girth straps will put the pad in a specific position on your horse. A few inches off and anything more that walk will feel off and bouncy. MY horses girth area was never really in ballance with the best spot for me to sit on him, so I was always sitting a little further back than would have been ideal.

If there is any chance for you to try the pad a couple of times before buying I would very much recommend that. But like I said, they have a pretty good resale value.

Taking everything above into account, I'm very happy with he one I have right now, the felt pad. It was the best fit for me and my horse. The way the girth straps are attached just to the bottom of the pad makes it almost impossible to put pressure on the spine. No thigh rolls or anything to put me in a forced position. I've had it the longest and it's staying. I love and enjoy riding in it.

[LindaJ]

This looks like the one I bought
https://lammfelle.de/en/HorseDream/Fell ... -Plus.html

I bought it back in 2009 I believe. It seems ok, but extra padding is always a good thing for prominent withered horses IMHO. Whatever option will give you the most versatility for both horses back and wither conformation