how easy is it to break a saddle tree?

[Archiepoo]

my friend has been riding in her saddle for about 8 months and as the horse has changed shape she was advised by a saddle fitter to change it ,anyway turns out the saddle has gone from a medium to a wide- checked it and the tree is broken and poking through!! so is it possible for a rider to break the tree purely by their weight ? (shes 15 stone) or is it a fault? it was an ebay bargain but is a reputable english saddler and didnt appear to be broken on arrival. so how to trees get broken??

 

[Shysmum]

I'm interested in this too, good question. Sounds like weight could b a factor xx

 

[ruth83]

Has it been dropped? Rolled on? Squashed another way? Fallen off the fence/stable door etc?

If saddles are widened significantly (which could have been done to the saddle before you bought it) the tree will be weakened by the twisting and torsion

How easy a tree is to break depends on its age, material it is built from, quality (and don't assume that a quality saddle is built on a quality tree. Some are, some aren't) and how it is treated. In many ways they are very difficult to break, in others, if you get them just right, they can be easy.

ETA - Where is the tree broken and poking through? Good reminder to regularly check your saddle!

 

[Archiepoo]

yes thats what i think but then there are loads of big men who hunt and probly dont need a new saddle every season! would it depend on what the tree was made out of? and therefor should saddles be sold with weight limits?
no never been dropped etc but would the recent freezing weather impact on a tree?
she turned it over to pack as shes just sold it and saw the tree poking through, thats all i know im not sure exactly where (obviously isnt selling now!)

 

[poiuytrewq]

I broke one! My stirrup got caught on a gate catch and my horse freaked out and threw himself on the floor (as you would!) I guess the sudden force of him going down on the stirrup bar was enough to snap it clean in half. Was gutted it was only a month old Lovely saddler managed to get it replaced as it was so new I just had to pay courier costs to ship the old one back.

My friends broke when her horse fell going x country.

 

[Natch]

I await the presence of one of our forum's friendly saddlers, whose username escapes me at present but who I always picture as a chap in a green wax jacket with labradors noses glued to his pockets (he makes hus own dog training treats)!

 

[poiuytrewq]

It could have been broken when she bought it and the weight of her riding in it caused bit too poke through?
Mine wasn't visibly broken and could have been passed off as brand new still- apart from the slight squeak when you held the cantle and gullet and twisted slightly- this is why I was concerned and got the saddler out who confirmed it was broken.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I await the presence of one of our forum's friendly saddlers, whose username escapes me at present but who I always picture as a chap in a green wax jacket with labradors noses glued to his pockets (he makes hus own dog training treats)!

Haha, Its not just me who gives certain members (in the nicest way) personalities and characters then!?

 

[RubysGold]

Do you mean cremedemonthe? Hes a saddler? And a lovely one from what Ive seen

 

[maree t]

After my daughters pony fell on her and rolled right over I had his saddle checked. The pommel is scratched badly but the tree is unbroken . I was surprised , it is a 3 year old synthetic and must be pretty tough.

 

[Archiepoo]

mmm i think its definately a lesson to check saddles more often - a saddlers view would be nice

 

[Tnavas]

Very unusual for a good brand to break unless it's been rolled on, driven over or fallen on.

The Indian ones though are very easy to break and yes wear and tear will do that. Whenever I bought an Indian saddle for the riding school it went to the saddler and had the gullet plate strengthened - they are incredibly thin when compared to good quality saddles.

 

[Kokopelli]

I had a massive hairy cob somehow manage to have a rotational fall over a 2ft cross pole. Luckily avoiding me but landing right on a lovely bates saddle. Tree was fine but the pommel a bit scratched which I was very surprised about.

 

[Archiepoo]

the saddle in question is a farrington dressage which is a good english make -isnt it?

 

[Rose Folly]

My horse and I were hit by a Volvo saloon and we ended up, upside down, on its roof. And the saddle tree still didn't break.

 

[Natch]

Poiuytrewq (spent ages working out how to spell that until I twigged what it was! ) nope, not just you in fairness it was an image triggered by a post he made about sniffer dogs in london suddenly being very intetested in him when on his way to an appointment. Funny what sticks in the mind

Rubysgold that's it, cremedementhe

Kokopelli oh dear sorry I sniggered at the idea that a hw cob could manage a rotational fall over 2 ft, I can just imagine it! I'm glad neither of you were hurt. I can remember my cob tripping over his own feet on his way to a double x poles (v. tiny), going splat through the first destroying it entirely but gathering himself enough to leap the second. Our instructor was so impressed!

 

[Rose Folly]

Am I missing something. Creme de Menthe and broken saddle trees?

 

[Mince Pie]

CremeDeMonthe is a poster on here and is a saddle maker

 

[Baileyhoss]

I am training in saddlery and repair and recently came into a broken sturgess saddle. Well made, beech and steel frame. It was 15 years old and had snapped clean across the seat on both sides through the beech and metal frame. The owner denied any significant trauma to it. After speaking to the saddle maker himself, cremedementhe, David May and lots of research the most likely explaination was a blow or twist, but the age of the tree and wear and tear in general meant that it need not have been a significant trauma at all.

The same can be said of an ill fitting tree if a narrow saddle is constantly used on a wider horse, will eventually strain the gullet plate, loosening the rivets and can in extreme cases over a prolonged period snap the metal
https://www.icloud.com/photostream/#A95qXGF1651bW

Here are some photos of the tree I have.
.

 

[Baileyhoss]

You can check for obvious signs like creaking straightness or over flexion, but without dropping to panels to look, you won't see small cracks starting, loose rivets and tell for sure the tree is completely sound. With eBay bargains always best to use some of that saved cashed to have a saddle checked thoroughly straight away by a saddler.

 

[Baileyhoss]

I can't edit on my phone but basically in answer to your q. I think that a too narrow saddle and a heavy rider can crack a gullet plate but probably only over a long time or with an already aged or weakened tree.

 

[pennyturner]

I opened up an old Global (now heritage) saddle, ex ebay, last week to fit a new webbing and replace some girth straps. The tree was broken infront of the cantle on one side, both fibreglass and metal. It would have been very difficult to tell without dropping the panel or doing the kind of stress-test that could break it.

Must have been a fall, as the tree itself was strong, and not compromised by age in any way.

I'm feeling quite pleased with myself because it was a cheapie that I bought to practice on, and it repaired quite well by laminating with fibreglass and areldite.

 

[RCP Equestrian]

My saddle is currently away with the saddler after about a month ago I noticed it had started slipping to the left, thought it was cause my horse had put some beef on over the winter found out the tree has gone on the left hand side and needs a complete new pannel was shocked as its never been dropped, rolled on or anything. I'm sure my weight isn't an issue either as I'm only 10st it was just one time I was riding in it and it was fine, the next time it was slipping. Its always been such a good fit and never moves which is how I noticed it. We do sometimes put saddles on top of each other on the racks but can't see how another saddle could do so much damage. I wonder if its just wear and tear? Wierd.....

 

[elijahasgal]

Remember a story I was told by a saddle fitter, olympic rider packed saddle to compete in, got to the other end found tree broken.
it was how it had been packed for the flight......