If you haven’t read Part I of my Ogilvy review, please do so now. If you want a quick synopsis, Ogilvy is amazing, and you should buy one ASAP.

I recently began leasing a new horse. For privacy reasons, I will refer to him only as L. L is a 16.3 hh Trakehner/TB. L came to me with a very sore back and needed some major conditioning as he had not been in regular work for a while. For the first couple of weeks, he was very reluctant to use his top line. He would throw a major protest when he was asked to go in a frame, and he loved to go around with his head up in the air. He is also extremely girthy and throws a major drama fit when he sees me or my trainer coming with saddle pads or the saddle. I am talking major – like biting the air, shaking his head, swishing his tail, pinning his ears fit.

Note: L was fully vetted by my veterinarian before I committed to leasing him. She stated that his back soreness was probably due to poor saddle fit over the years and that proper conditioning and riding would help him get back into shape. I did all my homework to make sure that he would have everything he needed while I leased him. My trainer and I worked with my vet to put a plan into place to help his soreness. Along with being ridden properly and having a properly fitting saddle and equipment, he is on a joint supplement and a digestive supplement – all of which were recommended by our vet.

Right off the bat, my saddle was not a good fit for L. My saddle was tailored to my greenie, who needed a wide tree. L does not need a wide tree, but since I only have one saddle, I knew immediately I would be using my Ogilvy memory foam jumper half pad to help the saddle conform better to L’s back.

When we first tried my saddle on L, without the pad, it was an awful fit. However, when I showed my trainer the saddle with the half pad, she commented on how “amazing” the pad was because it completely changed the fit of the saddle. It no longer looked too wide, and it conformed in all the right places. I also mentioned to my saddle fitter that I would be using the Ogilvy pad with the saddle, and she commented on how awesome the pads were.

Everytime I ride L, he goes in the Ogilvy half pad and in the Ogilvy baby pad I bought to go with it. It has now been two months since we have been working with L, and I have noticed a lot of changes.

First, L no longer puts his ears back and throws a drama fit when I bring the saddle pad and saddle over. I am dead serious. I noticed this the other day. For the first few weeks, when I brought the saddle pad and the saddle over, he would pin his ears and start shaking his head and swishing his tail. The other day, I noticed that he was calm when I brought the half pad and saddle pad over. He remained calm when I brought the saddle over, and he did not throw a fit when I put everything on him. The only time he gets upset is when I do the girth (Ogilvy memory foam girth anyone?) I think his reaction to saddling now versus how it was when he first came is HUGE. And I really do believe that it has everything to do with the Ogilvy half pad. I think that because of the pad he no longer associates being saddled with his back hurting. He seems to be much more comfortable. His demeanor when being saddled is one part of that.

Second, his muscling and conditioning have dramatically improved. I actually sent a photo of him to my vet, who sadly moved away shortly after she performed the pre-lease exam on him (Side note: HUGE win for Illinois equines – Jersey’s loss was your gain), and she said he looked great! A lot of hard work went into getting him conditioned, and he is much more willing to use his topline and look “fancy.” Before you look at the next photo, scroll back up and look at the photo of him during his first week with me. Now scroll down.

I personally think he looks fantastic, but I may be a bit biased 😉 And this is only after a month and a half of working with him!

Third, he no longer protests when I do the sitting trot, which I think is because the memory foam helps keep his back comfortable.. He takes shape willingly at the walk, trot, and canter. He loves being in work, and he definitely uses his back – I can feel it when I’m riding. He is happy and loves being ridden!

I am lucky enough that my parents will be buying me another saddle for my graduation from law school. While this saddle will fit L’s back a bit better (it will be a medium tree, as recommended by the saddle fitter at Beval), I will still be using my Ogilvy pad. Several people, including my vet, told me that based on L’s conformation, I probably would never find a saddle that would 100% fit L’s back. Thankfully, I have this pad to help ease any pressure points on L caused by a saddle that isn’t completely made for his back. I know that has made all the difference in his soreness and in his attitude.

So, if you couldn’t already tell, I LOVE my Ogilvy Memory Foam Half Pad. I highly recommend it for everyone. It not only has helped my horses, but it also has drastically improved my back soreness. I am no longer sore in my back after I ride, no matter what type of lesson I’ve had. I am able to use my saddle on a variety of different horses, even though my saddle is really made for horses that need wide trees. It prevents slipping back and wiggling back and forth. It comes in awesome colors for the jumpers and eventing, as well as conservative colors for hunters, equitation, and dressage. It also comes in several fits including jumper, hunter, and dressage. I originally purchased my pad with a white cover so it was show appropriate. However, I recently purchased a custom half pad cover so that I could add some flair while I ride. I also got a baby pad in matching colors.

The half pad covers can be purchased for $125. They are not yet available on the website, but you can order one by emailing Kristy at sales@ogilvyequestrian.com. You can also contact her on Twitter – she’s super nice and amazing!

I will recommend this pad to anyone over any of the other half pads on the market today. It seriously works. No BS sale tactics. I have seen results from it in every single one of the horses I ride, and it has improved my back soreness after I ride. I can’t wait to see how L improves as I keep working with him.

So, if you haven’t bought an Ogilvy yet or even looked at their products, what are you waiting for? Ogilvy products are also now available at SmartPak, but if you want awesome colors, I would order directly from Ogilvy!

Happy riding!

Disclaimer: I am in no way, shape, or form, paid, sponsored, or endorsed by Ogilvy in any way. This review is 100% truthful and based on my own experiences.