Could a treeless saddle be the answer???

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kittykatcat

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Hi all,

I have never had any experience with treeless saddles, but I am wondering whether it may fix a problem I have....

I have a young tb, who, like a typical tb, can drop weight drastically overnight (e.g. if he's been travelling etc), and put it back on very quickly too. This is especially noticeable in summer vs winter. This presents a slight problem when it comes to his saddle fitting. I bought an adjustable synthetic for this reason, but I am constantly getting the saddle fitter out to change the gullet and to check it fits (slight paranoya??!). I have had the saddle fitter out 3 times this year already.

Anyway, I am wondering whether a treeless may be the answer??? Do they just mold to the horse's back? Or do they need fitting and adjusting like a 'normal' saddle?? I am going to be doing a lot more trec/endurance with him and these types of saddle seem to be all the rage!

I don't want to spend lots and lots of money, and have had a quick search on ebay and found loads of these in all sorts of crazy colours...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/17-Brand-...t=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&hash=item27bd38aac6

Any thoughts??!!!
 
I don't know much about treeless specifically but I would avoid any cheap/unbranded saddles like that, they're usually made in India and the materials inside that will be horrific!

There was a post a while ago with a link to one opened up, if you have a search you might find it. I wouldn't put one near a horse!
 
Also, really dumb question alert...but I guess they don't come in wide/medium wide etc??? Are they just measured for length???? Also, do they always come with a dressage style girth?
 
You need to keep your saddle at his widest weight and adjust what you put underneath it. This is not a cop out and is in your case the most practical thing to do.
There are a couple of options: Joanne Forster (just google her) does a 5 in 1 numnah which has shims you take in and out as he gains/loses weight. They are beautifully made (by Numed) and very discreet, so you can use it all the time without bulky pads that need adjusting everytime you tack-up, loosen the girth etc.

The second option is a base pad from Balance Saddles and then using their padding system (which is very good) to balance the saddle. They attach to the base pad, so there is no danger of them slipping.

The advantage is that you adjust them yourself with no further outlay.

Treeless saddles can slip and may cause problems if your horse has a TB wither and some have been found to cause muscle problems, but always worth a try if you don't like the above options.

Good luck.
 
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They come in all shapes, sizes and fittings but they are not all the same. Pay careful attention to where the girth straps are fitted (some go straight over the saddle and cause pressure points) and others are much better designed. Have a look at Barefoot saddles, they are designed by a german horse physio so the possible pressure points are pretty well designed to distribute the weight evenly across the saddle. Have also looked at the Dream Team which also seems to do a fair job. Didn't like the Torsion, though it is popular, mainly because of how the girth starps are fitted as they don't distribute the weight evenly.
 
I think that before going treeless, you need to do a lot of research beforehand, and I was recommended to try at least two treeless saddles, before deciding.

I tried the Barefoot (old-style - the modern ones are, to put it bluntly, disappointing apparently), and whilst I liked the feeling of stability in the seat, the fact that there wasn't any knee pads disconcerted me and made me feel very insecure, to the extent that I didn't feel hopeful about cantering in this saddle. Also I could feel it pushing my hips far wider than I was comfortable with.

I then tried the Heather Moffat Phoenix saddle. This needed about 10/15 minutes to fully settle down onto the horse, and felt comfy enough. I felt I was sitting in a completely different way to the way I'd ever ridden before, and again, felt that I was sitting very wide. However, I was in a lot of pain for the next few days, and if I'd bought this saddle, it wasn't something I would have wanted to go through, as I believe my body knows what's best for it - and treeless wasn't it!

So then I tried a variety of "treed" saddles, and various "experts" came out to the yard and said that this fitted, and that fitted, but I wasn't happy. Then I came across www.thepainfreehorse.co.uk and their saddles actually fitted both me AND the horse; so I bought one from them.

There are places where you can "try" treeless saddles, sorry can't remember which company's will let you do this - but know that some of them will let you have their saddles on trial, which is really the only way to proceed IMO.
 
Thanks guys - the 5 in 1 numnah sounds like a reall good option. And you are right, I deffo need to try one before buying, being a typical high withered tb, I've read treeless just don't fit too well...Ta loves! x
 
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