Product Review: Horze Crescendo Orion Saddle Pad

Add some luxe to your look.

I’ve been riding western for about fifteen years now, and while I have a healthy appreciation for some tasteful bling and southwestern patterns on just about everything I own for the barn, there’s a secret corner of my soul that still yearns for the classic and clean lines that ruled my world when I rode hunt seat. I’ve waxed sentimental about the subtle beauty of a crisp polo shirt, fancy-stitch browbands and coordinating your saddle pad and your polo wraps.

And thanks to Horze and the recent acquisition of an English saddle for my draft horse, that little place in my soul got a little bit of tack therapy.

The Horze Crescendo Orion VS All-Purpose Saddle Pad. All photos by Kristen Kovatch.

This beautiful thing is the Horze Crescendo Orion VS Saddle Pad: an all-purpose pad, the Orion blends the best functional features with a perfectly-appropriate level of tasteful bling. Lest we believe that all basic saddle pads are created equal, let’s take a quick look at some of the Orion’s best features:

• Wave pattern quilting for added padding
• Girth and velcro billet straps to keep the pad in place
• Quick-dry lining
• Sturdy construction that holds its shape

This pad is lightweight but packs a punch in terms of holding its shape: there’s nothing worse than a flimsy pad that goes all limp-noodle after just a couple of rides, but the Orion seriously stands up on its own, as evidenced in the above photo.

Quilted underside.

High-quality functionality aside, let’s not kid ourselves any further: while these reasons alone would be solid justification to invest in the Crescendo Orion already, this pad is also just plain PRETTY. The marriage of bling to restrained English style is pulled off perfectly, including the metallic border and of course the swanky embossed metal emblem.

These details instantly gave my horse-outfit a luxe upgrade, to the point that Rocky was thinking he was pretty hot stuff like his Belgian warmblood cousins (as compared to his Belgian draft horse brothers).

This pad would make the perfect addition to your schooling outfit or even clinic gear. The Horze Crescendo Orion VS is available in Midnight Blue (shown) as well as Moon Rock Grey, Sky Blue, Spruce Brown or Shamrock Green. There’s also a dressage version available!

At $35.95, this classy pad won’t break the bank — and if you purchase your pad before September 14, 2016 you can also take advantage of Horze’s Labor Day sale for $25.16.

Go Horze, and go riding!