An In Depth Look
In today’s Wooden Horse Wednesday we’d like to take you
behind the scenes and reveal the inspiration behind this pad, as well as what
makes it a unique design, unlike anything currently available, to be used for a
multitude of applications. To start, here’s a word from Frankie Lovato on his
inspiration to design this pad:
Inspiration
"I created this pad out of my own frustration of wanting
and needing something better for our customers to use with their Equicizers. It
has allowed me to make adjustments to things I have not only seen in my own use
and research but have also heard voiced from others as inconvenient or
incorrect on many traditional bareback pads throughout the years. My design for
our Equicizer All Purpose Riding Pad protects the riders’ legs from all
buckles. The placement of the seat of the pad along with the stirrups and girth
is correctly aligned so that when used on the Equicizer or on a real horse, the
rider can use proper riding alignment through their shoulder, hip, and heel,
and without interference from any of those pieces. The pad also girths up with
a standard English style girth.
We use this Equicizer pad design with our own therapeutic
riding program, Stampede of Dreams. The students range in age and size, so
quick and easy stirrup adjustment is an extremely useful feature. The pommel
and cantle are soft, which allows for a large variety of out of the box
exercises, stretches, and types of therapy to be conducted.
We are also very proud to announce that - just like the
Equicizer - our All Purpose Riding Pad is made right here in the USA. We teamed
up with Weaver Leather, also based out of Ohio, for the creation of our All
Purpose Riding Pad and have worked closely with the Weaver team throughout the
entire process. I am so proud of our finished product and strongly believe that
this is a great solution to common bareback pad problems. I couldn't be more
excited to get the feedback of our customers." - Frankie Lovato
Design
There are five main design elements behind the Equicizer All
Purpose Riding Pad.
1. First, the
Equicizer All Purpose Riding Pad is covered with a durable Herculon top that is
mold and mildew resistant. Quick-drying and easy to clean, these pads have a
maize fleece bottom for added comfort and crafted top grain wear leathers
bearing the Equicizer logo stitched on the pommel and skirts, giving it a
sleek, sporty look.
2. Our pad was
created with a 2 layer concept. There is a protective flap covering both the
stirrup and girth buckles, preventing any sort of rubbing or uncomfortable
bulge against the rider’s leg.
3. The seat of
the pad is correctly aligned so that you are sitting squarely in the middle of
the pad – not too far forward or too far behind. The stirrups and girth are
also carefully placed encouraging the proper alignment of your shoulder, hip
and heel – again, designed specifically to prevent interference from any of the
buckles.
4. The pad
uses a standard size English girth. The stirrups themselves are light weight -
and easily removed if desired - and the stirrup leathers are custom made, allowing
them to be adjusted accordingly, making the pad ideal for riders of any age or
size.
5. The pad
also features breast plate “D” rings in the event that it is used on a real
horse.
The Equicizer All Purpose Riding Pad can be purchased as a
complete package with stirrups, stirrup leathers and girth included, or by
itself.
Riding
Applications
One of our main goals in creating this pad was to
design something that was both functional and versatile, and useable by any
type of rider. Whether you ride English or Western, are using the Equicizer in
a therapy setting or to train as professional jockey, the All Purpose Riding
Pad can be molded to your specific needs and application.
by Kayla Jarvinen
