By Sonja Eschenburg
Tammy West White, founder and co-owner of Best Ever Saddle Pads, has been around horses her whole life. Having grown up in Hughson, the roping heart of California’s Central Valley, White spent much of her childhood around horses and ropes. Although she learned most of her skills from her dad, a farrier and horse trainer, at an early age, it wasn’t until White was 14 that she first roped off of a horse. After that, there was no stopping her.
When White got her pro rodeo permit in the late 1990s she and her partner, Ryan (husband) started entering bigger rodeos like Reno. Once she finally got her card, though, White traveled all over the map – from San Antonio, TX, Prineville, OR, Salinas, CA, to Greeley, CO. and beyond. As the only woman to ever compete in team roping events of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), she has ran her fair share of steers. On top of all of that, White has also turned her fair share of barrels, too. With countless pro rodeos and jackpots under her belt, you could easily say White has done it all.
It goes without saying that good horses, the easy keepers that go down the road from rodeo to rodeo without much trouble, are hard to come by. White spoke for all rodeo athletes when she said, “When you’ve got a great one, they’re great in everything, but finding them is hard.”
Keeping this in mind, imagine finding that perfect horse, that one great rodeo horse. They only come around once in awhile, so when they do, it is in our best interests, as well as theirs, to keep them sound and well taken care of. That is exactly where Best Ever Saddle Pads comes in.
Saddle pads are one of the most fashionable pieces of equipment we put on our horses, but they also serve an extremely important biomechanical purpose. The first and most important thing to remember about horses is that every time we step in the saddle, we’re not only putting miles on them, but wear and tear, too.
Therefore, riding them in products that fit correctly and comfortably, no matter the discipline, is extremely important in regards to keeping them in their best shape. These fabricated foundations are what keep our horses comfortable, whether it’s for a day’s work or a weekend of rodeo, and enables them to perform better. Best Ever puts the power and control in its customers hands through custom fitting and designing techniques. With this option, customers can better take of their horses by ensuring the horse stays sound and preventing them from getting sore.