Any Barefoot Cherokee owners out there?

DappleDown

DappleDown

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I have had my Barefoot Cherokee saddle for a few weeks now and am mid-assessment.

I was wondering how all of you who own / have owned one got on with yours?

This is specifically a Barefoot Cherokee saddle question. Thanks. :)
 
I have one and am just breaking it in, i bought it second hand but it had only been ridden in a menage twice so it's like new.
It is a 2016 saddle so has the option to move the stirrups,the older ones were fixed quite far back and tended to make you feel tipped forward, i don't find this with this one. I am a very basic rider DD so just hack out on mine, it feels very stable and i am up and down some very steep valleys, it stays in place nicely and i can mount from the ground if i have to. I am not sure i like the knee pads, they are really hard , saddle is a little wide at the moment and also needs to settle more, i find in trot i must be quieter? or i knock the front ( sorry , can't think how to say that!!) but i find it comfortable( i am very used to treeless, i never ride in a standard so i can't give you a comparison) The sweat marks are not quite to my liking at the moment but i have to admit my horse is going well and seems very happy, I usually ride him in a Trekker Luxus but it got badly damaged by our other horse and i can't afford another at the moment, i would say the quality is not the same but my horse does feel just as happy and i had a good osteo report a couple of weeks ago.
Is there anything in particular you want to question DD ?
 
Shady said:
I have one and am just breaking it in, i bought it second hand but it had only been ridden in a menage twice so it's like new.
It is a 2016 saddle so has the option to move the stirrups,the older ones were fixed quite far back and tended to make you feel tipped forward..........
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Ah-ha! This! Thank you so much for replying.

Mine is also pre-owned and this is one of my issues. I will check to see if mine has the option to move the leathers.

I also find it feels like a lot of saddle between me and my horse so I find it harder to wrap my lower leg (she is a wide girl as well so I have a lot to wrap around).

Also, with my Cherokee I can't ride in my body protector at all as the rear of it hits the cantle, although the seat size I bought is meant to be my size. BUT, the rear of my body protector hits the cantle of any saddle I ride in (pushing it up towards my ears! :( ) so it is about to be replaced with a Provent 3 (my existing protector never had a back length option like the Racesafe does so I think it may be too long for me), but I am interested to see if my Provent 3 will give me the same issue with the cantle.
 
Glad i could help a bit :)
stirrup bars will be on velcro and you peel it off to move, there is a serial number on the saddle to tell you it's age, size etc, never take for granted what a seller tells you about a Barefoot, buy as new as possible, number is long and should be under a flap, i can confirm it's age etc if you like :). I know what you mean by the cantal , it's always the way with most treeless as you sit so deep, everything knocks them, the Trekker is a nightmare and i used to fall off when i first got it getting my leg stuck on it!. I also know what you mean by it feeling like a lot of leather between you and your horse but you do get used to it and i find i can feel everything with a treeless now, it just takes a little time and i ride more from my seat now. I have an incredibly difficult to fit Arab so i was very happy that treeless worked for both of us!
 
DappleDown said:
Ah-ha! This! Thank you so much for replying.

Mine is also pre-owned and this is one of my issues. I will check to see if mine has the option to move the leathers.

I also find it feels like a lot of saddle between me and my horse so I find it harder to wrap my lower leg (she is a wide girl as well so I have a lot to wrap around).

Also, with my Cherokee I can't ride in my body protector at all as the rear of it hits the cantle, although the seat size I bought is meant to be my size. BUT, the rear of my body protector hits the cantle of any saddle I ride in (pushing it up towards my ears! :( ) so it is about to be replaced with a Provent 3 (my existing protector never had a back length option like the Racesafe does so I think it may be too long for me), but I am interested to see if my Provent 3 will give me the same issue with the cantle.
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I can't help with the saddle issue but when I was fitted for my RS they made me sit in a saddle to measure back length to cantle - I had to have a M2M back length to get the fit right and it's been perfect.
 
AFB said:
I can't help with the saddle issue but when I was fitted for my RS they made me sit in a saddle to measure back length to cantle - I had to have a M2M back length to get the fit right and it's been perfect.
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Interesting thanks. How did they take the measurement? I'm having to buy the Provent 3 online as I have no local stockists (and I've only seen the RaceSafe online video re measuring).
 
DappleDown said:
Interesting thanks. How did they take the measurement? I'm having to buy the Provent 3 online as I have no local stockists (and I've only seen the RaceSafe online video re measuring).
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I can't remember if I'm honest, it was probably 4-5 years ago now.

I got mine measured on Treehouse's trade stand at an event though, might be worth seeing if they're still out and about anywhere nearby you? A good excuse for a day out :D
 
I have two. Both bought new. The first I got for a wide, short-backed cob who was an absolute nightmare to fit a saddle too. I loved it from the get go, I actually find that I can feel the horses action much easier than with a traditional saddle. I then bought a second for my other horse as she was napping leaving the yard and saddle fitter suggested replacing saddle. Again, I love it and feel my riding has improved since I transitioned. Jumping isn't always easy and I am going to buy my mare a jump saddle specifically for when we are sj but day-to-day I love my cherokee.
 
Thanks all for taking the time to post and help. Am pleased to read positive things about it, I was concerned I had got this one expensively wrong.

...and YAY! I have velcro!!

:)
 
Shady, have just found your thread re the number on the saddle. Very very helpful!!!!

I'm guessing the first two digits 05 = Cherokee?

Am pleased to find out that I have the VPS and a fairly new saddle, exactly as the seller described.

Thanks again.
 
DappleDown said:
Shady, have just found your thread re the number on the saddle. Very very helpful!!!!

I'm guessing the first two digits 05 = Cherokee?

Am pleased to find out that I have the VPS and a fairly new saddle, exactly as the seller described.

Thanks again.
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You're welcome DD :)
Yes that will be the model number and i'm really pleased your saddle is as described, most of them i see second hand are so old they need to go in the bin but like anything really , unless the information is out there how does anybody new to treeless saddles know how old one is and it's really , really important.
Another thought if you are tipping is if the pommel is too wide and dropping too much onto the withers.
xx
 
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