A saddle pad use beneath a Western saddle that prevents the pad from slipping, shifting and riding out from under the saddle. The saddle pad is constructed with a substantially rigid peripheral restraint adjacent the pad's forward edge and projecting from the top surface of the pad to function as a restraining abutment should the saddle slip or shift. The peripheral restraint is constructed of an inner reinforcement member, preferably a braided nylon rope, which does not yield or collapse when the saddle is pushed against it and additionally provides a recess that mates with and securely engages the forwardmost edge of the saddle to lock the pad in place beneath the saddle. The pad is dimensioned to extend outwardly beyond the outer edges of the saddle, providing the saddle with limited freedom of movement relative to the pad.
