Designed specifically for the serious horseman and used by top trainers like Nick Dowers and Clinton Anderson. Ideal for starting colts and a great training tool used in softening exercises for older horses as well.
Greenville, Texas – February 18, 2025 –
Martin Saddlery, known widely as a saddle making leader, is excited to re-introduce the new and improved Colt Starting Training Pad—an essential tool designed for the serious horseman.
This training tool changes the game for starting a colt. It’s designed to make a smoother transition to saddling, introducing colts to the feel of a saddle before the real thing. This lightweight, leather-covered pad mimics the feel of a traditional saddle but is easier to handle and far lighter—making it ideal for the early stages of training. The added back cinch gives the colt the experience of feeling the pressure of being fully saddled. Plus, this tool allows you to protect your high dollar saddles during the beginning stages of saddling and training.
“I really like to use the training pad when starting colts. The more bite-size steps that you can have in preparing your colt to be saddled, I think the better. It seems to me sometimes they can get bothered by the cinch, they might take a jump, then the stirrups will scare them. This just introduces one thing at a time. Here they can learn the cinch and the stirrups independent of each other. They can get used to the cinch then when they’re good with that they can get used to the stirrups hanging there.” —Nick Dowers, NRCHA Million Dollar Rider and 2X Road to the Horse World Champion
Featuring a 3/4" thick, 100% pressed wool felt lining, the pad provides superior cushioning, while the sturdy Hermann Oak racetrack leather ensures lasting durability. Designed with strategically placed D-rings, it provides versatile tying and flexing positions while ensuring minimal stress on the pad. Every detail has been carefully considered. The wither cutout at the top of the pad makes it easy to grip and throw on.
The Training Pad comes with two nylon latigos and a Hermann Oak leather flank cinch. Classic Equine offers a specially designed colt-sized (24” & 26”) mohair cinches that pairs perfectly with the pad for added convenience (Colt cinch not included). This pad is handmade at our shop in Greenville, Texas.
Designed specifically for the serious horseman and used by top trainers like Nick Dowers and Clinton Anderson. Ideal for starting colts and a great training tool used in softening exercises for older horses as well. This leather covered pad is a safe alternative to using your regular saddle. It is lightweight, easy to handle, but extremely durable. It helps ease young horses into having a saddle on their back with the pressure of a front and back cinch. Protect your expensive saddles from getting scarred or torn up. This is a valuable tool for preparing sale colts, desensitizing spooky horses, colt starting, and softening up older finished horses, with strategically placed D-rings that offer multiple tying or flexing positions. High-quality, 100% pressed wool felt lining is covered with sturdy retan leather for durability. Two nylon long latigos and flank cinch included.
Designed specifically for the serious horseman and used by top trainers like Nick Dowers and Clinton Anderson. Ideal for starting colts and a great training tool used in softening exercises for older horses as well.
