Embroidery for Equestrian Sports

Embroidering Saddle Pads and Horse Blankets

Embroidery in the equestrian industry places special demands on machines, materials, and workflows. From soft horse blankets to thick, padded saddle pads, embroidery must be precise, durable, and visually perfect. In Warendorf, Germany - one of the most important centers of equestrian sport - ZSK recently visited Wohlhorns StickArt, a long-time ZSK customer and a leader in embroidery for riding sports. 

Together, we demonstrated how ZSK embroidery machines handle a wide range of equestrian products with ease. 

From Horse Blankets to Heavy Saddle Pads

We started with a horse blanket, embroidered on the ZSK Racer 1XL. This machine offers: 24 needle colors A huge 700 × 700 mm embroidery field This makes it ideal for large lettering, logos, and bold designs commonly used on blankets and stable equipment. Using the ZSK border frame, even oversized blankets can be securely clamped and embroidered with perfect stability. For thicker or heavier materials, ZSK also offers a range of heavy-duty clips that ensure everything stays firmly in place. 

Flexible Setup for Smaller and Padded Items

Saddle pads are often smaller than blankets and do not always fit into standard frames. In this case, the solution is simple: A piece of backing material is clamped into the frame, and the saddle pad is fixed using adhesive tape or sticky backing. This allows the operator to freely position the pad and align the design exactly where it needs to be. 

For especially thick and padded materials, a few technical details make a big difference: 

• Use the right needle – for heavier material, a slightly larger needle (for example, moving from size 70 to 75) improves stitch quality. 
• Adjust the thread tension – experienced users can do this by feel, but ZSK also offers a tension gauge for precise, repeatable settings.

Even Easier with the Saddle Pad Frame 

For compact machines like the ZSK Sprint series, ZSK offers a dedicated saddle pad frame. This accessory allows saddle pads to be mounted quickly and securely without any adhesive backing. Simply insert the pad, lock it in place, and start embroidering. Designs can be loaded directly from the network or via barcode scanner, and the ZSK embroidery file already contains the correct rotation and orientation for the frame. This eliminates operator error while loading. 

Built for Heavy-Duty Embroidery 

Even the smallest ZSK machines are capable of handling thick, padded materials such as saddle pads. When running large machines with multiple pads at once, ZSK’s special ramp files for heavier loads help maintain smooth operation and consistent stitch quality. 

Perfect for Equestrian Embroidery Businesses 

Whether you are producing embroidered horse blankets, saddle pads, or other equestrian products, ZSK machines deliver: 

• Reliable performance on heavy materials 
• Flexible framing and mounting options 
• Precise positioning and repeatability 
• Professional embroidery quality 

A big thank you goes to Wohlhorns StickArt in Warendorf for hosting this demonstration and showing how ZSK technology supports high-end equestrian embroidery. Stay tuned for more real-world embroidery insights from ZSK.