5 Star Pad Info and Choices

Added on Apr 29, 2011 in SADDLE PADS

Hand made in the U.S.A. from 100% Wool Felt.

Product Information

THE BEST PROTECTION FOR YOUR HORSE’S BACK is a 5 Star 100% Wool Contoured Saddle Pad handmade in the USA.

The World’s Finest 100% Wool. All Natural, 100% Wool Felt absorbs moisture and wicks it to drier areas.

100% Wool Contoured Saddle Pads are specially designed to fit the shape of your horse or mule’s back. Unique, two-piece construction eliminates spinal pressure and improves saddle fit—no over-cinching.

5-Star’s Contoured Pad is the ORIGINAL Western contour saddle pad with a true French Curve back line and withers slope. Special attention is given to wither height, back line variance and hip placement which results in a GREAT FITTING SADDLE PAD that CONFORMS to the shape of your horse or mule.

•
 Contoured, Conformed Fit
•
 20% Less Cinching Needed
•
 All Natural, 100% Wool Felt with 40% MORE Virgin Wool than ANY other 100% Wool Pad
•
 3X More Compression Protection than Synthetic Neoprene Pads
•
 Even Weight Distribution &
Impact Absorption
•
 4X Greater Wicking Ability
• Eliminates Heat Build-up
•
 2000+ Hours of Maximum
Riding Protection
•
 Soft & Durable, Easy Clean-up

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
The 5 Star Contoured Saddle Pad is the original Western contour saddle pad with “a true French Curve back line and withers slope.” Special attention is given to wither height, back line variance and hip placement which results in a GREAT FITTING SADDLE PAD that conforms to the shape of your horse or mule. This conscious effort in design has produced a pad that fits most breeds of horses and mules without “break-in” fitting.

Top quality, pressed, high density 100% WOOL FELT is the base pad component, with 5-6 oz. wear leathers on the sides and top line. This wool felt is manufactured to strict specifications, using the highest quality virgin wool (90%), blended with re-combed wool (10%) which allows for the highest degree of protection and economic benefit.

 

SADDLE PADS AND
WHAT MANUFACTURERS DON ‘T TELL YOU!

Marketing of saddle pads has become big business. All one has to do is make a web search and you will find over 15 pages of manufacturers. Each saddle pad company puts various marketing emphasis on their products. Emphasis ranges from comfort, fit, durability, ease of cleaning, cooling, compression protection, performance, close contact, blood flow to animal’s back and the list goes on.

Read more about “Saddle Pads and What Manufacturers Don’t Tell You!”


WHY USE WOOL?
The unique structure of wool fiber allows it to be pressed together with heat and steam to form a dense mat of FLEXIBLE, RESILIENT and elastic fiber, called felt. This ALL-NATURAL material has kinetic properties which enables it to ABSORB MOISTURE and WICKS it to drier areas as the concentrations increase. This wicking is what assists in HEAT REMOVAL.
Research has proven that wool felt pads provide the BEST COMPRESSION PROTECTION for properly or improperly fitted saddles.Learn more about “WOOL,
THE HIGH TECH MATERIAL”

IMPROVES SADDLE FIT–NO MORE OVER-CINCHING!
No other saddle pad or saddle blanket is necessary with the 5 Star Contoured Saddle Pad. Double padding creates movement and slippage. This slippage is usually compensated for by over cinching. The contoured fit of our pads means a limited need for cinching with minimal saddle movement. Square cut pads do not follow a horse’s back contour. This can result in unnecessary pressure and improper saddle fit which may cause pain and injury to your horse.

PAD THICKNESS
1/2″ Under Pad
Great for showing reining, cutting or pleasure horses when you still need protection yet want to put a colorful blanket over the under pad for show purposes.
3/4″ Regular Pad
An excellent all-around saddle pad for those that need a daily exercise training pad and may also need to throw a blanket over it for the show ring.
7/8″ Thick Pad
 The best all-around use saddle pad recommended for trail riding, team penning, cutting, reining, and barrel racing.
1″ Extra Thick Pad
Designed with ranch work in mind, for roping, performance, colt starting or heading to the mountains with lots of gear.
1-1/8″ Supreme Roper Pad
Specially engineered for team roping, calf roping, steer stopping and performance.

STYLES
Horse Contour
Western Saddle Pad
Regular 30″ W x 30″ L (left)
Full Skirt 32″ W x 32″ L (right)
Barrel Racer
Western Saddle Pad
30″ W x 28″ L
Round or square skirt available
English Saddle Pad
 Designed and shaped to conform to the back and English-type saddles for Show, Dressage, Hunter/Jumper, Walking Horse, and Jockey.
Mule Contour Saddle Pad
Contoured with flatter withers, thicker shoulders and flatter back line to fit mules, donkeys and jacks.  Available in any 5 Star style.
Mountain Packer – Pack Saddle Pad
Mule or horse contoured with full length wear leathers to accommodate a packer outfit. The gullet hole is open and has a leather flap over it to prevent twigs and debris from falling into it and working under the pad. 43″ x 33 1/2″.
Close Contact Saddle Pads
The DL model is specifically designed to fit “butterfly”shaped skirts of many of today’s popular saddles.  Approximately 30″W x 32″L.
Jockey Training Saddle Pads
Specially cut to fit the needs of race horses.  Use for training & practice pads.
Hunter-Jumper Saddle Pads
Designed and shaped to conform to the back and English-type saddles for Hunters, Jumpers, Eventers and other English disciplines.
Trail/Endurance Saddle Pads-Square Skirt
Approximate size is 28″ nose to tail by a generous 33″ across.
Trail/Endurance Saddle Pads-Round Skirt
Approximate size is 28″ nose to tail by 32″ across.

COLORS                                                                          CUSTOM EMBROIDERED LEATHER APPLIQUES
Natural (Oatmeal), Black, Brown, and Red            Check out the link below to see some we’ve done.
Click here to view some of our
Custom Embroidered Leather Appliques
***Please note that colored pads may transfer color to light colored animals.***

SEAT THE PAD
Place pad and saddle in desired position. Insert your fingers under front of pad and lift saddle slightly so the pad can be raised up into the gullet area of the saddle. Lower the saddle. This will remove any potential wither pressure with any pad.

EASY CLEAN-UP
Simply spray pad with water, rub soiled areas in a circular motion with fingers or a rubber curry comb and hang to dry. A gentle detergent may also be necessary. Do not lay flat on it’s back (upside down). With this reasonable care, pad will last 1500-2000 hours.

5 Star 100% Wool Felt Contoured Saddle Pads contain 90% virgin wool and 10% reworked wool giving your animal protection that will last 2,000+ hours with reasonable care. 5 Star’s felt has been made with heat, steam and pressure which eliminates any concerns about shrinkage or distortion as you begin to consider cleaning needs.

Care & Cleaning
•Equipment: 5 Star Cleaning Sponge, Rubber Fingered Curry, Flat Rubber Curry
•Prevent dirt and hair build-up on the under side of pad by brushing occasionally.
This keeps old hair from trapping dirt & sweat, and embedding deep into the pad.
•To remove embedded hair and dirt, rotate a dry 5 Star Cleaning Sponge in circular
motion on dry pad. Wipe hair off sponge surface with your hand occasionally.
• For pads with heavy crusted sweat and dirt, break up areas with rubber fingered
curry or scrape gently with a dull edged object being careful not to cut the felt. Use
a vacuum to remove excess grime and loose material. A brush or a swift slap with
your hand may also be used to sweep away dirt and hair.
Washing
• Washing is only necessary after 100+ hours of use or when pad is beginning to feel
hard in pressure point zones (shoulder points & loin areas). Avoid using soap, as
you will risk leaving soap residue that might irritate the animal.
•When washing, make every effort to wash pad from the center to outer edges in all
directions. Simply hang or hold pad by gullet hole and begin rinsing from the center
to outer edges of the pad. Rotate the pad as you rinse so that the dirty water flows
outward to all the edges rather than just soaking into the pad.
NEVER LAY PAD FLAT AND RINSE, as it only drives dirt and sweat salts into the pad.
This is true with any type of pad.
•Use only enough water to dissolve sweat salts and dirt residue so that they will be
carried away in rinse water. Then hang by gullet hole or lay naturally over a rail.
DO NOT LAY PAD ON IT’S BACK TO DRY as it will stretch the leather and pull out the
inner lacing. After pad is dry, flex pad in the areas that have not softened. This will
fluff and loosen the felt which restores optimum compression protection.

FOLKS THAT USE AND BELIEVE IN 5-STAR PADS
Canyon Trail Rides – Utah
Grand Canyon Mule Rides – Arizona
Leslie Desmond – Writer/Clinician “Bill Dorrance”
Loren Basham – Champion Trainer
Julie Kennedy – Champion Trainer
Sandy Collier – NRCHA Champion
Doug Milholland – NRHA Champion
Darren Miller – NRCHA Champion
J.D. Anderson – NRHA Champion
North American Team Roping Association
Tammie Wood – 2000 Rookie Team Roper, 3-Time WNFR Qualifier
Doloris Toole – WPRA Barrels, NFR Finalist 2000-2001
Reyna Prewitte – WPRA Barrels, NFR Finalist 2001-2002
Rachel Spraul – WPRA Barrels, NFR Finalist 2001-2002
Molly Swanson Powell – WPRA Barrels, NFR Finalist 2001-2002
Judy Myllmaki – WPRA Barrel Champion & Trainer, NFR Finalist

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