Y’all know I’ve been a fan of Majyk Equipe for a long time. The first pair of boots I bought from them, purchased in 2014, are actually still in use, having been handed down to a friend last year. That first pair blossomed into what can probably be labeled an obsession by this point, seeing as I now own many pairs (*coughcoughitmightliterallybeadozencough*) of ME boots. Clearly I’ve been really happy with the brand, so I was extra excited when I heard that they were expanding their line to include saddle pads and girths.
The saddle pads were first to launch, back in the summer. The line includes a non-slip all purpose pad, a mesh bamboo pad, a sheepskin half pad, and a shaped Impact pad. The half pad and the shaped pad are both shimmable, and the shaped pad has a layer of impact material already integrated along the top, as well as non-slip material on the bottom. As an eventer, that one piqued my interest the most, so I got the navy Impact pad (and now I also need white for shows, because the right answer is always more saddle pads).
The most unique feature of the Impact pad is the spine relief at the front AND the back of the pad. If you own a high withered or particularly sensitive horse, the design of this is pretty brilliant. The cutouts at the front and back provide a massive amount of clearance along the spine, preventing any kind of binding or chafing even during long rides or on clipped winter coats, and the wither area is lined with sheepskin as another layer of protection against rubs.
The pad also comes with shims if you need to tweak the fit of your saddle a bit, or if you prefer additional impact protection under the saddle. As with all of ME’s products, this pad is neoprene free – the impact material is their ever-popular ARTi-LAGE/BioFoam, which allows for much better breathability, less heat retention, and better shock absorption. The anti-slip material lines a good bit of the underside, making the pad feel really stable against the horse, and also features girth loops and billet straps to keep everything neatly in place. Although, if you’re like me and have a monoflap, feel free to go ahead and chop those billet straps off, because you don’t need them anyway. This thing sits so nicely on the horse, it ain’t going anywhere.
If there’s one thing I’ve really come to expect from Majyk Equipe by now, it’s extremely thoughtful design. They are meticulous with the research and testing that goes into their products, and it shows. These pads are no exception. I’ve been using the Impact pad at home a lot, especially on gallops and long conditioning rides (and a few XC schoolings!) and it’s performed admirably. It never budges an inch, and I like that I can use it by itself without an additional half pad.
My only tiny complaint is that I wish the impact protection sections went about a half inch further back, since I have a large butt + long femur and therefore a loooong saddle. It fits my 18″ extra forward Devoucoux, but just barely.
After the release of the saddle pads, I was really excited to see what the girths would look like. It took a few more months, but the new Superhorse monoflap girth (they also make a long girth, for those of you with dual flap saddles) finally hit my doorstep last month. I was pretty darn excited about this fancy, beautiful creature, since Henry has been wearing a $35 synthetic ovation girth on his jump saddle for the entire time I’ve had it. And yes this ME girth is definitely fancy, but I like that it’s also unfailingly practical. It’s not a $300 french leather girth that has you cringing every time it gets wet and muddy, or feeling like you have to condition it after every ride. Those are beautiful and all, but let’s be honest, I don’t take care of my things that well. The ME girth is still synthetic – making it washable and rugged, but has so many of the “frills” that other synthetic girths don’t, which really set it apart from the others I’ve tried.
My favorite part is the shape and the cut. It sits SO nicely against the horse, with no gapping or uneven pressure, and has plenty of room behind the elbows for full range of motion. I’ve used it on a few horses now and it’s sat really well on every single one of them. The lining is a very squishy and soft perforated bio-foam (again, no neoprene) that is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial, and has a center vent to prevent heat build-up. It also has roller buckles and elastic to make it easier to adjust, especially from the saddle.
Y’all know that Henry is not exactly shy about his opinions, nor is he anywhere near stoic, and he seems happy and comfortable in this girth. I like the added belly guard protection too, since he wears studs on cross country. The center d-ring makes it easy to clip my breastplate to, and since it’s made from ridiculously sturdy ballistic nylon and stitched with heavy duty thread, I’m not worried about this thing breaking anytime in the next century. So far to clean it I’ve just hosed it off in the washrack, but the liner is also removeable for easy washing in the gross summer months.
So far we’ve both been really pleased with both of Majyk Equipe’s new products. As usual, the time and effort put into the design and materials really shows, not to mention that the folks at Majyk Equipe are always helpful and knowledgeable with my endless barrage of nosy questions.
As an added bonus, through the end of the year Majyk Equipe is running a special where you get a free pair of colored stirrups with any pad or girth purchase (plus they donate some of the $ to CA wildfire relief) from their website. If you’re thinking of having a Treat YoSelf moment, or I guess in this case it’s more of a Treat YoHorse, now is a pretty good time.
And of course, if you don’t need stirrups (or have a friend to give them to as a gift for Christmas) you can always use a Riding Warehouse coupon code and save a few bucks!
Really though, two thumbs up, well done Majyk Equipe.
breedrideevent.com 