clueless about treeless saddles :D would like to learn!

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ChubbyPony

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a bit fed up of my treed saddles.
liking the look of the barefoot ones...either cheyenne or cherokee (knee rolls so i would be able to do abit of jumping :D)
been looking at a lot of reviews and they seem great!
just got a few questions.
do they create any sort of pressure points were the stirrups are?

with the barefoot saddles, is the normal or physio pad better? the adjustable physio looks good, but worried its a bit thick

also do you actually have to get one fitted? it says to go for your seat size (which would probably be 1 or 2), and chose the right pommel insert, but pony is short backed so this might not work?

are they stable for round beasts?

how would i actually go about getting one? can you try them out or anything? never ridden in one so could HATE it haha

bit of a weird one...i sometimes find it hard to feel wether im level...could this be an issue?

and finally...would you be able to do anything like xc training in them? im thinking more so in the cherokee?

thanks x reviews/personal opinions would be great

thanks to ShysMum for telling me about them haha!! :D :D :D
 
*bump*...and while im here. could i show/do dressage or whatever in these saddles?
now also having a look at the london. never jump higher then 2ft6 and just read a post about them saying it should be fine x
i dont know what to get...if one at all! haha xxx
 
I hated the Barefoot saddle I rode in, put me in a vile chair position; I felt totally ineffective in it.

I do however, like treeless saddles. I have a tack room full of Solution Saddles now (just don't look at the price ;) ) They do however do a good payment plan.

I've had no issues with any of mine and am much happier with them than my treed saddle.
 
The makes I tried were Trekker, a Torsion, an Easytrek and a Robinsons own, and hated them all. It is personal preference, and tbh you do need to try out before you buy, it's a very different way to ride.

For an introduction, I understand that Libra are very good (not used one). I think this is the right website link to help with choosing ;

http://treelesssaddles.blog.co.uk/

and if you do a search of "treeless" on here, thousands of posts will probably come up.
 
I bought a freemax on ebay because I was so fed up of my still growing, fat-shouldered, flat backed horse going through saddles like I go through new wellies. Unfortunately the cantle was so high it forced me onto the pommel and had absolutely no knee support, to the point where my knees, even with long stirrups were over the front of it. You'll see from some of the designs what I mean. If I didn't have such a big butt it might be different, but I had to stick it straight back on ebay.

The Easytrek are exactly the same. Libra, on the other hand... like riding in an armchair. Can feel every movement underneath, it's like a squishy felt pad. Not the most attractive saddle in the world but I wouldn't be without one now. Changed the way I ride for the better. Can't use it for everything, but I swear they're brilliant.
 
I got a libra off eBay because I didn't want to spend loads and then realise we didn't gt on with it. Happy to say that we both love it and it only cost me ninety quid.

You do need a specific pad as the pad is just as important as the saddle and I would also go for a breastplate and I also have a flexi girth which prevents any slipping.

You should make sure the the saddle is off the spne and you have wither clearance hence the need for a pad and some saddles come with moveable panels for extra spine clearance.

I would avoid the cheap no name ones on eBay and if you are gong to spend out on a barefoot then I'd recommend trying first although I don't know anywhere where you can try that model. I would say that if you were going to gt one new and spend that much then perhaps take a look at the flexee saddle from heather Moffat range. It's suppose to be amazing. Onmy wish list.

Hope this helps there are lots of information on the web regarding this subject but don't hesitant to pm me if you need more info
 
googol said:
Bumping in the hope that someone gives lots of info
Is there spine clearance with a treeless?
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Some have panels like treed saddles other's require correct padding to create it. Many treeless saddles will require pads and shims to get the correct balance and fit for the horse and for the rider.
 
Hello, I hope this helps a bit as I went through a phase of learning loads about them as I thought they sounded amazing, but after a lot of research and talking to a lot of different saddlers revised my opinion. The general consensus is that they do work very differently to a normal saddle (obviously), so therefore for a while your horse will move differently and be quite free. However, this is only replaced with the problems whcih are caused by the different pressure points of a treeless saddle. E.g. many horses who've worn treeless saddles for a while get white hairs where the stirrup bars go (stirrups are the biggest issue), and it's really hard to get even pressure on the pads.

If you DO go forward with them, really don't go for any cheaper makes; they aren't worth the hassle. I've seen some awful ones - go for torsion or something and have it fitted and checked.

It's not worth trying if your horse has high withers, because the contours of the back mean it's very difficult to make the pressure evenly distributed and take the weight off the spine - this could be very dangerous, and in fact personally I'd only put one on a flat backed cob (though then you have the problem of slippage).

I have not had a talk or anything from a HEather Moffett saddle maker so I could be out of line here (I am sure I am) but whenever I've seen their saddles theyve been v inflexible and I can't see how you're gaining anything REALLY in comparison to a treed saddle.

Given the variation and everythign you can get with treed saddles, spring trees, different flockings, adjustable fit, I can't see any benefits to treeless saddles any more really, and prefer treed.

These are just my opinions, but have been gathered after quite a lot of reading and research, so it's up to you but I thought it might help you a bit... good luck
 
Personally, I'd say go with whatever you feel comfortable in and just make sure it 1) fits properly (they dont all fit any horse despite what they tell you), and 2) you use the appropriate pads if it doesn't have a gullet.

3) Avoid thje cheap unbranded ones you find on ebay al all costs. I saw a thread on another forum where a saddler took one apart and found it had hard glue under the leather on some of the pressure points, part of it were made of hardboard which disintegrated with sweat and had uneven, folded memory foam inside and was stuffed with cotton wool in places to fill out the gaps
 
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I have to disagree with morgan123. My horse has white hairs on her withers from an ill fitting treed saddle in the past so I think regardless of treed or treeless, this can happen.

My girl has high withers and with the correct pad and shimming hers fits her well and if you go off for a long ride you can see when you take the saddle off if there are pressure points and if there are pressure points then theyd rub away at the coat so youd see on your first ride if it was causing damage.
 
Morgan123 said:
I have not had a talk or anything from a HEather Moffett saddle maker so I could be out of line here (I am sure I am) but whenever I've seen their saddles theyve been v inflexible and I can't see how you're gaining anything REALLY in comparison to a treed saddle.

luck
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Inflexible?! I think you have the wrong saddle - they soft treed as opposed to treeless but still allow complete freedom of movement for the horses back and shoulders, whilst providing support for the rider and spreading her weight correctly.

I use a HM vogue and find it very comfortable for me and my two very different horses, and I know many people who use them and do everything from dressage to x country and hunting in them.

I wouldnt touch a cheap make with a barge pole as theyre basically shaped seats and a stirrup bar attachement. Id only use a HM or a solution.
 
I have been using one and it is like a felt pad with a very flat leather seat, it cost £1000 new I am just using it while I wait for my new one, you have to sit with you bum tucked underneath you and drop your back, you have to really sit properly or you feel very unbalanced it will improve your position very quickly.
My horse is a very wide arab and he goes very well in it as most treed saddles pinch his shoulders, i am waiting for a lavinia mitchell saddle for him as they are much wider and found they are a much better fit for the wider horse, although i got on with the treeless i wanted a treed saddle as i wanted to do showing with him.
The lady who lent me the saddle does dressage in it and her friend events in hers, i think you just have to decide what you prefer to ride in, if your having trouble with treed saddles for your round horse i would highly reccomend you look at the lavinia mitchell website her saddles are made with the wider horse in mind and just look like normal saddles.
 
Wide flat horses and ponies are not that hard to fit with treed saddles, there are a few of us specialists out there. You have regular saddles like ours, then others that are slightly alternative like flexi panel saddles (though the wider the horse the less they flex in reality, but still very adjustable), Balance/Lavinia Mitchell and Wow, they all seem to have options that work for rounder shapes, it depends on your budget, your shape of horse and what you need as a rider. I fit plenty of customers who thought their only option was treeless, some who change their minds when they see what can be done with a treed, and some who have tried treeless and had problems.

As always, everyone is different :)
 
I think the treed / treeless debate is very much a personal preference. You'll always have people who love and hate both. My view, however, is that no matter how well your treed saddle fits, a rigid structure is never going to fit a moving, changing animal 100% of the time.

Having ridden in Freeform, Fhoenix, Solution, Smart, and had dealings with the more traditional Torsion, they are all very different to ride in. The best advice is to stay away from cheap makes (which aren't properly pressure tested), and try before you buy. The majority of brands offer some form of trial / consultation.
 
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