Got myself a Libra Treeless - Review + Pics

Funkyfilly024

Funkyfilly024

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Having heard mixed reviews I decided to go for a Libra Hackabout II anyway.
Heres me sharing my experience with hope it can be usefull for someone else!

THE PROS: Firstly its incredibly lightweight, and the padding underneath is lovley and soft.
I schooled a bit today and also went for a hack in it so went through all the paces.
It has to be the most comfortable saddle I have ever sat in :D
I felt very secure and safe, even to gallop in and I dont think it looks too strange when its on. There are two closed stirrup bars for different positions so saftey stirrups are needed as well as a dressage girth.

THE CONS : despite saying it doesnt need a pad underneath (and I am plenty under the 10st limit) I felt it did need a bit of a boost.
I think it would be fine straight on a table backed cob type but my horse has a bit of a spine and withers so I put a Gelee Fish pad underneath (the cross shaped ones) This seemed to do the trick as when I go off and removed the saddle it had no marks/sweat patches on the spine, but there were elsewhere. But I think I will put a further raiser pad underneath for peace of mind. I also dont think I could jump in it.

OVERALL: I love this saddle ! The pone seemed quite happy in it. My sister gave it a go too and agreeed it is incredibly comfortable, as the name suggest I cant wait to go on long funrides and hacks and I think I will have the most comfortable bum on the ride :D However I dont think I would use it for everyday schooling.

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Mine is a 15hh Welsh D X Cob and despite looking a bit round hes not in too bad shape :D
(does he look fat in this saddle ROFL !)


Charlotte
 
That's interesting, thank you for sharing.

Is this one that is designed not to be used with a pad then?

I tried a torsion years ago and I was impressed with it, but it was on a cob I used to have, you could really feel the freedom of movement beneath you, however I did showing at the time and wanted to find something else that obviously looked like a traditional saddle and for the price I thought it was a lot to spend on saddle just for hacking purposes if I needed to buy another for shows etc so decided against it, but I'd certainly recomend then. :)
 
Yes its designed so if your under 10st you dont have to use a pad. I think this would be fine on a table backed cob but with mine its going to need a raise a bit despite me being under the weight limit as mine has a bit of a spine and withers.
Im loving that being treeless I can take it around my friends though so they can try it ! :D
I can understand the look of them, I am keeping a treed normal saddle for proper schooling and jumping, about 50% of what I do is just hacking and long trial rides ect and honestly if that was what someone did and was looking for it for I would really recomend it, (they retail around £275 so excellent value) Its so comfy - Im even getting Mum round to try it, after she said horse riding was "too uncomfortable"

One thing to say is they are supposed to sit you wider, I didnt really feel this much but then I ride bareback alot so that probably effects it..

I think you can get ones that look more like normal saddles, I really liked the Dream Team ones but at £500/£600 it would be too much just to muck around in!
 
Yes when used the Torsion (when the first came out) it felt like I riding bareback but with stirrups, but that didn't bother me because I used to ride a lot bare back during summer...and the fact that I had a typical round cob.

I've been looking at the Dream Team saddle this afternoon actually as I'm umming and arrring about getting a treeless for my lad, he's changed shape quite a lot due to his age (as expected) but he's so awkward to fit as well due to having large set back muscular shoulders, a sloping wither but with a short flat back, he's gone from medium, to a MW, then a W now he's in a XW cob (recently tried my friends XW Cob saddle) so I've been going through saddles left, right and centre. :rolleyes:

I've always wondered if he'd get away with a treeless, he seems to have plenty of top line to support a treeless (even though you use the pads) but there is this thing about only using treeless types of saddles on flat backed cobby types, but I think he'd really benefit from one. I tried a Solutions saddle on him as well (years ago) but only for 10 mins but for the price, although nice enough, there a bit expensive I think for what you’re getting.

I'd like to trial the Dream Team Saddle along with the correct pad and girth, I might give them a ring and have a chat with them, cost around £50.00 for a 3 day trial I think but the only thing that puts me off is that they warn you that they may not be able to send the saddle and accessories that you ask for due to availability (if the one you want to try is out on trial) but the nearest matching to your description, well that's no good if your forking out £50.00 to pay for a trial, you’re not going to get a fair trial if you’re not sent the correct package, so I'm unsure at the moment.


Anyone else got the Dream Team saddle or had it on trial?
 
I borrowed a friend DT saddle and it's fabulous...sadly no on my cob but on a friends longer backed it was wonderful and I was gutted it wouldn't fit my lad!! Unfortunately the majority of good treeless don't fit short backed horses so I had to resort back to treed, and esp as I started doing alot of jumping it just wasn't practical for me to have 2 saddles...well practical but not able with limited funds!! If I had the money I'd definately go treeless but the more traditional look of a Heather Moffat Vogue.
 
jsr said:
I borrowed a friend DT saddle and it's fabulous...sadly no on my cob but on a friends longer backed it was wonderful and I was gutted it wouldn't fit my lad!! Unfortunately the majority of good treeless don't fit short backed horses so I had to resort back to treed, and esp as I started doing alot of jumping it just wasn't practical for me to have 2 saddles...well practical but not able with limited funds!! If I had the money I'd definately go treeless but the more traditional look of a Heather Moffat Vogue.
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Out of interest, how does the shortness of the back (for the size of the horse) effect how a treeless fits? for example if your horse can take a 17'' tree'd saddle and your a dress size 8 to 10 and under 10 stone, would a treeless not be ok?
 
It might be worth contacting Dream Team directly, the companies somtimes have sales reps that can come out to you with the saddle. If only you were closer location I would send my saddle round for you to try ! Id say for the changing shape cob it would be very good, I was especially impressed by the lightness of synthtic treelesses, only about 2 or 3kg so good for the aging back that doesnt want lots of weight on it! Yet still very flexible and moulding that you dont get with the synthtic treed saddle.
There are some very good second hand deals around if you wanted to give them a try for a cheap price, the branded ones seem to keep their price very well.

Jsr - I can see what you mean, my boy is quite long for 15hh he wears 6' - 6'3" rugs ! So it isnt a problem to him though :D and yes im keeping treed for jumping and competing.


http://treelesssaddles.blog.co.uk/
This blog is usefull, this lady has pretty much owned every treeless going !
 
Kenzo said:
Out of interest, how does the shortness of the back (for the size of the horse) effect how a treeless fits? for example if your horse can take a 17'' tree'd saddle and your a dress size 8 to 10 and under 10 stone, would a treeless not be ok?
Click to expand...

That light a weight I'd of thought it would be fine, but for me as I'm not a size 8 to 10 it is an issue. I rode in a Randols treeless for 4 years and it was perfect for him and me (except jumping but then it wasn't an issue cos I didn't do much) and then moved to a Cheyenne, which I bought the size 2 which they assured me it was fine for him as was equivalent to a 17inch seat. It rubbed within days of using it, tried a very expensive pad which Barefoot told me would stop the problem, it didn't and after the appauling customer service decided to forget the whole idea! Heard since a number of people had experienced a similar problem but Barefoot told me they'd never had the issue before. :rolleyes:

The DT jumping saddle came along and I was extreamly excited to try it but again it way just too long and I wasn't prepared to risk it again.

This is the picture I used at the time which showed where it was rubbing the fur, as you can see there is a clear mark of where the saddle has been so I wasn't happy about it at all.

Image387-1.jpg
 
I used my barefoot cheyenne on my high withered TB without any trouble - now I use it on my flat backed cob and it fits like a glove.

On the horse and harmony site it mentions something about short backed horses - IIRC it doesn't matter too much as there is no weight on the back of the saddle.

ETS: just read post above - thats unfortunate, I haven't had that problem with my cheyenne *touches wood* and my cob has a short back.
 
Serephin said:
I used my barefoot cheyenne on my high withered TB without any trouble - now I use it on my flat backed cob and it fits like a glove.

On the horse and harmony site it mentions something about short backed horses - IIRC it doesn't matter too much as there is no weight on the back of the saddle.

ETS: just read post above - thats unfortunate, I haven't had that problem with my cheyenne *touches wood* and my cob has a short back.
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TBH I think because it happened it really jaded me to that type of treeless, my Randols was very similar to the Cheyenne but obviously was a better fit for him (stupid here sold it before ensuring the cheyenne was right!!:mad:) so I suppose it's just like any other saddle you have to try alot before finding the right one. Hasn't put me off treeless at all but will have to wait until I can afford a good quality one with a great customer service and someone to fit it properly.
 
I wonder why it rubbed there then? suppose without seeing and riding in the actual saddle that did it it's hard to tell from a photo.

This is my lad's shape (as far as you can tell from a photo) I think I'll send them an email with a few pics on and see what they recomend.

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On this particular one, you can see how short coupled he is, although I think it looks worse that what he really is on this one to be fair.

IMAG0210.jpg


what girth do you think he'd require, they have 2 different ones, a waive and a C shape I think it said :confused:
 
Thorowgood dressage girth!! Absolutely the best one I used. :D If you get a saddle let me know cos I've got some stirrup leathers laying around in the shed. Might be a bit mildewy but they are certainly useable and just need a clean. Save you a few pennies cos all the accessories add up. ;)
 
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