Summer riding puts a specific kind of pressure on your equipment that the rest of the year does not. When ambient temperatures are high and your horse is sweating heavily before you finish your warm-up, the material sitting between your saddle and your horse’s back matters more than most buyers factor into their purchase decision. This post is specifically about that question — breathability, heat retention, and real-world sweat management — applied to two of Ogilvy’s most popular half pads: the Memory Foam Half Pad and the Sheepskin Memory Foam Half Pad.
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Both pads share the same core memory foam pressure-distribution mechanics. The difference is the top layer, and in summer that difference is not trivial. Here is how to think through the decision.
Quick Comparison
| Pad | Price | Top Layer | Breathability | Heat Retention | Best Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Jump Memory Foam Half Pad | $125 | Synthetic | Moderate | Low | Year-round; summer-friendly |
| Custom Jump Memory Foam Half Pad | $125 | Synthetic | Moderate | Low | Year-round; summer-friendly |
| Classic Jump Sheepskin Memory Foam Half Pad | $299 | Real sheepskin | High | Moderate | Year-round; manage expectations in peak heat |
| Custom Jump Sheepskin Memory Foam Half Pad | $299 | Real sheepskin | High | Moderate | Year-round; manage expectations in peak heat |
The Memory Foam Half Pad: The Summer Default
The Classic Jump Memory Foam Half Pad ($125) is the pad I recommend first for riders who are schooling through summer and want pressure distribution without adding heat or bulk to the equation.
The synthetic top layer is not luxurious, and it is not trying to be. What it does is stay relatively neutral in terms of heat retention. It does not trap warmth the way a thick foam or a dense textile would, and it does not absorb and hold sweat against your horse’s back through a long ride. When you peel the saddle after an hour in the sun, the sweat pattern underneath this pad is diffuse and even — which is exactly what good pressure distribution looks like — rather than concentrated under the panels.
The memory foam pockets at the wither and through the mid-back conform to your horse’s shape and distribute load across the full surface area of the pad rather than concentrating it at the saddle’s contact points. That matters in summer for a reason that is not strictly about temperature: a horse whose back is heat-stressed and slightly swollen from humidity responds to concentrated pressure differently than a horse working in cool conditions. Even distribution becomes more important, not less, when the back is already under mild physiological stress from heat.
The pad is thin. That is a feature, not a limitation. Riders who are concerned about sitting too high above the horse or adding too much between their leg and the saddle consistently report that this pad does not change their feel in a noticeable way. You are not buying yourself out of contact. You are buying even pressure at a price point that makes daily use realistic.
The Custom version: The Custom Jump Memory Foam Half Pad is the same pad with color, binding, and monogram options. Same price, same mechanics, built to your specifications. If you are buying for show season and want it to match your turnout, this is the pick. If you want it in your hands next week, go Classic.
For dressage riders, the same logic applies: the Classic Dressage Memory Foam Half Pad and Custom Dressage Memory Foam Half Pad carry the same summer-friendly mechanics in a longer cut.
Who this pad is for: Riders who school regularly through summer heat, want pressure distribution without adding warmth, and are working with a saddle that fits well but not perfectly. Budget-conscious buyers who need a pad that holds up to daily use and frequent washing. Horses that are heat-sensitive or sweat heavily and need a pad that does not compound the problem.
Who it is not for: Horses with genuine skin sensitivity or friction issues — that is a different product category (Friction Free). Horses whose primary problem is saddle fit correction — the Memory Foam Half Pad distributes pressure; it does not correct an asymmetric or poorly angled fit.
The Sheepskin Memory Foam Half Pad: When Breathability Is the Priority
Here is the counterintuitive thing about sheepskin in summer: real sheepskin breathes better than most synthetic alternatives. The fiber structure wicks moisture away from the skin surface and regulates temperature in a way that no manufactured material quite replicates. Riders who have never used real sheepskin in warm conditions sometimes assume it will be too warm — and the honest answer is that at the upper end of the temperature range, that concern has some validity. But for the majority of summer riding conditions, sheepskin is not the hot choice. Dense foam is the hot choice.
The Classic Jump Sheepskin Memory Foam Half Pad ($299) layers real sheepskin on top of the same memory foam core. What you get is pressure distribution from the foam plus the surface-level wicking and temperature regulation that sheepskin provides. For a horse working in moderate summer heat — morning rides, indoor arenas, humid-but-not-brutal conditions — this is a genuinely strong pad for the season.
Where I would add a caveat: if you are riding in peak afternoon heat in a southern climate, or your horse runs particularly hot and sweats through everything, the sheepskin’s moisture management has a ceiling. It wicks well, but it also holds more volume than a thin synthetic pad, and once it is fully saturated in extreme conditions it does not recover as fast within a single ride. For those conditions — extreme heat, very sweaty horses, long rides without breaks — the standard Memory Foam Half Pad is the better summer call. Not because sheepskin is worse, but because its advantage is breathability and regulation, not raw heat dissipation.
The sheepskin pad also requires more care. You cannot throw it in a standard wash cycle on a hot day and have it ready by the next morning. It needs a wool-safe wash, proper drying time, and occasional fluffing to keep the fibers functional. If your barn routine involves washing pads daily or every other day in summer, budget the time and know what you are signing up for.
The Custom Jump Sheepskin Memory Foam Half Pad ($299) is the same pad with customization options — same performance, built to your color and binding preferences.
Dressage riders: Classic Dressage Sheepskin Memory Foam Half Pad and Custom Dressage Sheepskin Memory Foam Half Pad carry the same construction in a longer cut.
Who this pad is for: Horses with surface-level back sensitivity — not just pressure reactivity but skin sensitivity to synthetic materials, friction, or heat-trapped sweat. Horses that show increasing tension through longer rides as the back heats up and sweats under a synthetic pad. Riders willing to invest in premium materials and maintain them properly. Anyone who wants the best all-season pad and is riding in conditions where true extreme heat is not the daily norm.
Who it is not for: Riders who need daily wash-and-go maintenance in peak summer. Horses working in sustained extreme heat where total sweat volume will overwhelm sheepskin’s wicking capacity. Budget-first buyers — $299 is a real number, and the $125 Memory Foam Half Pad delivers most of the pressure distribution benefit at less than half the price.
Ready to try the Ogilvy Memory Foam or Sheepskin Memory Foam Half Pad? Use code SAMANTHABAER10 for 10% off at Ogilvy Equestrian → https://ogilvyequestrian.com/samanthabaer
What to Pair Underneath Either Pad
Neither half pad works optimally without a clean, sweat-wicking layer against the horse’s skin. In summer especially, the base pad does more work than it gets credit for — it is the layer that sees the most direct sweat, and a worn or non-wicking base pad undermines everything the half pad is trying to do.
The Classic Jump Baby Pad ($65) or Custom Jump Baby Pad ($65) are the natural pairing for either half pad. They stay in place, wash easily, and give you a fresh replaceable layer that takes the brunt of the sweat so your half pad does not have to. In summer I wash baby pads more often than half pads — they are cheap enough to have two on rotation and light enough to dry fast.
If your horse has a friction issue alongside heat sensitivity — rub-prone skin, a history of galls, or particularly sensitive flanks and shoulders — the Classic Jump Friction Free ($170) addresses that specific problem. It is a different product category from the half pads discussed here, but worth naming: friction and heat are related problems in summer, and if your horse is developing rubs alongside back tension, that is a signal to look at both the pad surface and the pressure distribution question together.
I have talked through how back sensitivity, sweat patterns, and saddle fit interact on the podcast — if you are seeing symptoms that do not fully resolve with a pad change, that is usually a sign that the fit conversation is not finished.
The Honest Bottom Line
If you are buying one pad for summer schooling and your horse has no special skin sensitivity, start with the Memory Foam Half Pad. It is thinner, easier to maintain, does not add heat, and delivers the core pressure-distribution benefit that makes Ogilvy’s line worth using in the first place. At $125 it is a reasonable daily-use investment.
If your horse is sensitive to synthetic materials at the skin level, shows increasing reactivity through longer rides as sweat and heat accumulate, or you are working in moderate summer conditions where breathability is the priority, the Sheepskin Memory Foam Half Pad is worth the $299. Real sheepskin earns its price point through a combination of surface regulation, wicking, and longevity that synthetic materials do not match — but go in with clear eyes about the maintenance commitment and the conditions where it performs best.
Both pads are good. The right one depends on your horse, your climate, and how much care you can realistically put into your equipment through the busiest riding months of the year.
Ready to shop the Ogilvy half pad lineup? Use code SAMANTHABAER10 for 10% off at Ogilvy Equestrian → https://ogilvyequestrian.com/samanthabaer
