Why We Put a Phone Pocket on a Saddle Pad

Riding with Farris

A saddle pad with a built-in phone pocket keeps your phone secure, cushioned, and within reach while you ride — instead of loose in a pocket or left behind.

By the riders at Farris · Updated June 2026

Where should you keep your phone while horse riding?

You have two basic choices: on you, or on the tack. Carrying a phone loose in a jacket or breech pocket is the most common option and the riskiest — it can bounce out, and in a fall a hard phone pressed against your body is something you'd rather not land on. Keeping it secured on the saddle or pad instead means it can't fall and isn't trapped against you, while still staying within reach.

Why we added a phone pocket to our saddle pad

We kept seeing riders — including ourselves — jamming a phone into a waistband for a hack, then worrying about it the whole way round. So we built a secure, padded pocket into the Farris saddle pad: somewhere the phone sits cushioned, stays put at all paces, and is easy to reach at the halt. It's a small thing, but it's the kind of rider-led detail the brand is built on.

Is it safe to ride with your phone?

Carrying a phone can add safety, because being reachable matters if you come off or run into trouble on the trail. The key is to keep it secured so it can't fall or injure you, and to avoid riding distracted — stow the phone, ride, and check it at the walk or halt rather than on the move.

Using your phone on the move

For the times you do need it, touchscreen riding gloves let you check an app or take a photo without bare hands, and the pad's pocket gives you somewhere secure to put the phone straight back. Together they cover both halves of the problem: where to keep it, and how to use it.

Frequently asked questions

Where do you keep your phone when horse riding?

Either secured on your body — a zipped pocket or armband — or on the tack, such as a saddle pad with a built-in phone pocket. A loose pocket is the riskiest option, because the phone can fall out or press against you in a fall.

Is it safe to ride with your phone?

It can add safety, since being reachable helps if you come off or have trouble on the trail. Keep the phone secured so it can't fall or hurt you, and don't ride distracted — check it at the walk or halt, not on the move.

What is a saddle pad with a phone pocket?

It's a saddle pad with a secure, padded pocket built in to hold your phone while you ride. It keeps the phone cushioned and in place at all paces, and within easy reach when you stop.

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