Eskadron’s Climatex Trapez Half Pad: ‘an exceptionally useful mini half pad’ 9/10

Welcome to our independent group test of half pads. All of the half pads in this group test have been put through their paces by professional event rider Sam Jennings and her team. Find out what they thought below.

Official description

The Climatex Trapez Pad from Eskadron has been developed in collaboration with saddlers, osteopaths, physiotherapists and chiropractors. It is designed specifically to support development of the trapezoid muscle by stabilising the saddle and at the same time ensuring the necessary freedom of movement of this area. The pad can be placed on top of a saddlecloth or positioned directly on the horse’s back without any adverse effects.

First impressions

I liked the shape of this mini half pad and the fact that it is small and lightweight. I ride a lot of youngsters that are still growing and developing and I was excited to see how handy it would be.

Overview of performance

I found this pad very useful for when you just needed to make a little adjustment to how the saddle sits on the horse’s back. It was very quick and easy to put in place and liked how versatile it was in terms of where you could place it. The change it caused on the saddle fit was subtle, which I liked. It didn’t slip at all and washed really well. I found it the most useful pad in the group test for my yard. Because all my saddles are made-to-measure, I found some of the other pads were too thick and bulky in comparison to this one.

Likes and dislikes

I really like how well this half pad does its job without affecting the feeling between my seat and the horse’s movement. I also like how breathable and lightweight it is. It would be the most stylish look as you can barely see it, but it is excellent at doing its job.