Tack Review: Ogilvy Jumper Memory Foam Half Pad

I'm not usually one to spend money on tack trends. I only very recently ditched the Crosby. I skipped the Thinline craze, I'm staying out of the ongoing Micklem obsession, I don't use ear plugs, I am not a fan this long ponytail thing some jumper riders are wearing, colored stirrups give me a migraine, can't get into "bling" anything, I think people should only use white saddle pads to show, and I REALLY hate "trendy" jumper jackets. (Also, get off my lawn.) (Also, if you use any/all of the things I hate, believe me, I still love you.)

But sometimes the thing that's trendy does make sense to me or appeals to me in some way, and right now that thing is Ogilvy half pads. They're memory foam, so they don't wear out, and the cover is machine washable (I have not washed mine yet). The idea is that the foam compresses where it needs to and fills in where it needs to so that the saddle has a nice, uniform feel to the horse's back. These come in 1 1/4" (standard) and 1" thickness. I got the 1 1/4".

I enjoyed making a real grown-up salary for a few months, and while I squirreled away most of what I had left after normal living expenses, I did buy Lex a couple new things--a new bit, a new standing martingale, and this half pad. I purchased the half pad knowing that in this market, I could sell it for nearly full price. It takes 5ever to get them from Ogilvy and everyone wants one, so I wasn't too worried.

What it costs:  $199 from Ogilvy Equestrian
What I paid: Full price (gulp)

One night, fueled by a glass of wine, I went ahead and ordered it with the grey quilting, baby blue piping, and navy binding. Then I went to bed and tried to remind myself that I rarely go out to eat and never buy new clothes for myself so this one thing is justifiable RIGHT?!

The minute I sat in my (old, flat) saddle, I could feel a difference. It made my saddle feel a lot more comfortable--for me. Was it more comfortable for Lex? I don't really know! I asked her but she was like, GIMME THAT CARROT and I couldn't get her to give me a straight answer. It did not take her from a sensitive green OTTB mare to a stunning perfect dressage horse who uses all her muscles correctly overnight, but I didn't expect it to. The only thing that's going to turn her into a horse who uses all her muscles correctly is proper training. And when I bought the Antares, I was even happier to have it because the tree is just a touch wide for her but the Ogilvy puts it where it needs to be.

She don't care about no stinkin' half pad.

Pros:

• It's very pretty to look at and I'm a little bit of a sucker for custom colors.

• It did make my old saddle feel more comfy from the rider's perspective and it makes my new saddle fit better.

• No weird sweat patterns on Lex's back, so I'm guessing it's doing what it says it's doing?

Cons:

• You MUST tighten your girth after you get on, maybe more than once. All that cushy foam is gonna compress when you add a human's weight to it. I always tighten my girth after a lap or two of the ring anyway so whatevsies.

• Price--these suckers are not cheap. But they're cheaper than a new saddle or getting yours restuffed to fit.

• It takes a bazillion years (or six weeks) to get it from Ogilvy. Not really that big a deal. If you're going to a big horse show you can probably snag one from their booth, but you won't be able to do custom color options. I talked to the Ogilvy guy at Rolex and he said they're working on adding to their manufacturing staff to decrease the wait time a bit.

Overall, I like it quite a bit. But I think that we could all live without them so no reason to give up groceries to buy one. If you have a little spending money and this is what you want, I'd wager that you will not be disappointed.