My Freeform Trial

Kenzo

Kenzo

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So here we have the Freeform Classic.

IMAG0255.jpg


Saturday was the only day I could use the saddle because the heavens decided to open the flood banks as per usual on a Bank Holiday weekend, wouldn't of wanted to use the saddle in the heavy rain as it was brand new and I didn't want to spoil it/mark it etc :rolleyes:

Dream Team sent the stirrup leathers but unfortunately the buckle would not fit through the gap in my irons…typical I thought, ''oh well I’ll stick my own leathers on'' but I couldn’t do this either because the buckle on my leathers would not go through the ring on the saddle so I couldn’t attached them either, not a good start. :(

So I had to test the saddle without any stirrups. :unsure:

But never the less I thought I've paid for this trial we might as well have a sit and a ride round, now to be fair when I sat in it I admit I was actually pleasantly surprised, it was rather comfortable once it bedded down a bit, although ideally too small for my bottom it didn’t feel as small as I thought it would be when I got it out of the box.

Turns out the seat was actually a 16’’ seat, it came with a 17’’ seat as well but because the saddle was a short base the 17’’ seat didn’t fit as it over hung the back of the saddle, not sure why they sent the other seat.:confused:

I pottered around the school in for a few minutes to get feel for things and it felt very stable but I did have to tighten the girth more than I had to for the DT saddle, I liked the position it sat your leg (although my leg was just hanging but imagine you had long stirrups) so I thought well I might as well have a ride in it so I ventured out round the village for a stroll, couldn’t bob my martingale on because the DT girth (which was very nice btw) was too wide for my hunter martingale thingy so I couldn’t use that either.

I thought I may looked rather perched but once on it kinda squashed down and hugged his shape.

Anyway all was going well until we go to the other side of the village, that is when he spotted (in the far distance might I add), another horse being schooled in a field and for some reason god only knows, he found this rather exciting to say the least and turned into stallion mode and proceeded to prance and bounce down the road, grunting and squeeling, again I did feel really secure and I felt I could sit deep in the saddle (wouldn’t of fancied my chances in that situation in a normal saddle without stirrups put it that way!)

So yes was quite impressed but the more he pranced about the more he tensed up and the more I then bounced about (which he didn’t appreciate), it started to ride over his withers too much and up his neck…which upset him when he was already wound up, bunny hopping, tail swishing and throwing in a few warning bucks going sideways down the road I decided to jump off quickly before I got dumped on the road so had to walk him back, stupid horse I don't know why started acting the goat, he was going wonderfully until he spotted that horse :rolleyes: …..so an interesting ride but also an interesting way of testing the saddle.

I’m not sold by the saddle but I’m not knocking it either, it was better quality than the Freemax but apart from a slightly different girthing system they are pretty much the same, perhaps if the saddle had been a bit bigger for me, if I had been able to test it properly with some stirrups and ride in the school (rising trot and canter) I may have been a little more swayed shall we say, but for the price of the saddle including leathers, girth and the pad it would of cost £1,188.99 (discovered bill enclosed) which to me personally I just didn’t feel it was worth it when you can consider what that sort of money could buy.

But for example if I had tested one that was a bit bigger and with stirrups, if I liked (during trot and canter) and the set up was cheaper then I probably could be tempted to buy one.

I was also a bit shocked to find that you have to buy the seat seperately (£166.66) for the 16'' seat or £208.33 just for the stick on seat, the saddle price does not include the seat :confused:

A slightly more close up pic.

IMAG0256.jpg


Thanks for reading. :)
 
I paid £800 for my freeform, Haf pad and leathers in 2007 from Goldfinch. It's a nonsense that you have to buy a seat seperately. I think the package fro
DT is way overpriced. I love my Freeform, but I'd never pay more than £900 for one.
 
The stirrup leather can just go round the top of your irons. Doesn't need to go through the gap;)
 
I like the idea of a treeless saddle but they are just so ugly!!
Maybe if I looked at it more often, it wouldn't look so 'different' but I just couldn't see myself with one :o.

To me it looks kind of perched on his back, do you know what I mean?
 
Oberon said:
The stirrup leather can just go round the top of your irons. Doesn't need to go through the gap;)
Click to expand...

I was going to try that that but then when I bobbed the leather through that part of the iron (before I got on) they iron slipped round (maybe due to the shape of my irons) so I thought it would of been safer without.
 
My barefoot treeless is SO comfortable, but is bigger than that one (dressage model though). I don't mind the unconventional look, once you are, you can't tell really, and they really do bed down once you're on. Its lovely feeling more in contact with your horse too, although can be more difficult to sit on if your horse is tense! To stop slipping I always make sure my girth is as high as it can go on both sides, as this really seems to help - so a longer girth needed if its not fastening quite high up on the leathers.

My barefoot with physio pad and stirruo leathers was £600. TBH the reason I went for a treeless is that I would never have been able to afford a decent quality dressage saddle for that much (ok, maybe if I'd looked for longer, but I had searched for ages second hand, and couldn't afford a brand new nice one) and I'm glad I did. :)
 
I can see why it rode up his neck, it looks like it's sitting on top of him and there doesn't look much structure to hold it in place..
Oh well, onwards and upwards! I do like reading your saddle reports though, they're interesting :).
 
quirky said:
I like the idea of a treeless saddle but they are just so ugly!!
Maybe if I looked at it more often, it wouldn't look so 'different' but I just couldn't see myself with one :o.

To me it looks kind of perched on his back, do you know what I mean?
Click to expand...

Yeah it does from the photo but once your on board it goes to the shape of the horse so does pan down, thing is with my horse is he doesn't have a dippy back (I call it a donkey back :D) so in a way it looked worse on him but once in the saddle (I presume) it didn't quite look like that, certainly didn't feel perched anyway, if anything felt less perched than a traditional saddle.
 
Very interesting read thanks so much for taking time to keep us updated. I've got to admit while I'm a treeless fan I'm shocked at the price of this one!!! I can't see from your pictures what is making the saddle that price! It doesn't look any different from some cheaper one's and doesn't seem to sit very well at all! Very brave of you to test it without stirrups, can't say I'd have risked that with my loony lad!!! Glad to see he really tested you in it!!! Lol!!

From what you've said and the pictures I'm certainly not tempted to try this model myself. I think for that price I'd save a bit more and invest in a Fheonix.
 
Stencilface - I really like the look of the barefoot dressage as I was having good look at them the website, I didn't mind the look of the Freeform (like you say, once your in the saddle they don't look too bad I presume although I've not idea what I looked like).

I think £600.00 for the Barefoot set up (if it all fits and works well both horse and rider) is certainly a good price for a treeless (if your not fussed on the look) I'd be more than happy and willing paying that sort of money for that rather than what it would cost me with the Freeform from DT as it's a lot of money if your not overly keen and just buying to make do shall we say but like Oberon says, if you know what fits etc you can pick them up cheaper, least with DT I could try one first.

I think I'll see if I can get a Barefoot on trial, until you've tested a good variery you don't know which is better suited for your horse.
 
jsr said:
Very interesting read thanks so much for taking time to keep us updated. I've got to admit while I'm a treeless fan I'm shocked at the price of this one!!! I can't see from your pictures what is making the saddle that price! It doesn't look any different from some cheaper one's and doesn't seem to sit very well at all! Very brave of you to test it without stirrups, can't say I'd have risked that with my loony lad!!! Glad to see he really tested you in it!!! Lol!!

From what you've said and the pictures I'm certainly not tempted to try this model myself. I think for that price I'd save a bit more and invest in a Fheonix.
Click to expand...

jsr - Well thing is you don't mind paying if it ticks all your boxes, perhaps if I was able to try it properly and with a seat size that suited me better it may of ticked more boxes.

Please don't be put of trying one though as I think it's all about finding the right one as there all very different, what works for one might not for another horse or rider so I don't regret trying one, I can see why people really the Freeform it's just in this case it (or with the saddle I was sent) it didn't give me the opportunity to 'gel' with it if you see what mean. But even so, if I had, still the price didn't justify it, but again that's just my opinion.

I'd certainly give one a try beacuse if you do like it and you can pick one up second hand or cheaper (or even opt for the leather one) and buy your additional things to go with it then it's worth every penny.

Glad you found my musings intersting though. :)
 
I trialled mine from bettersaddles.com and I think she ended up selling me the trial saddle, so was essentially new, but not brand new which knocked a little off the price.

I had my chiro look at mine on him before I bought it to check pommel size etc, and he says since I've had this saddle my horses back has muscled up better. Not that a conventional saddle can't do this, think its juts easier to get a better fit with a treeless imho :)
 
shysmum said:
Kenzo, do get the Barefoot on trial via Germany - they send them out to arrive in 5 days, and you have a two week trial instead of seven days. http://translate.google.co.uk/trans...e&hl=en&rlz=1T4SNYK_en-GBGB391GB391&prmd=ivns

Mine has been dispatched (yesterday), and I just cannot wait ! other saddle to go on ebay if this one works out. :)
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There is two on ebay at the moment, both in black, both my size (size 1) and there the dressage model (could that be fate?), one's second hand (well older than the other) but both come with a pad (not sure if it's the one that would do us but it's starting point) not sure if I should just take a gamble and go for it, least with these you can change the blocks, I could in the meatime look at the measuring chart and see if his withers/shape are compatable.

Yay or nay? :D:confused:
 
I'm another one that likes the idea of a treeless saddle but doesn't like the Donkey-pad look of them (sorry:o). However I saw one of these, in person, so-to-speak recently:

http://www.solution-saddles.co.uk/?gclid=CIWjxvaPkqkCFUIMfAodbn9aHA

I was really impressed with it, seems treeless saddles have come on in leaps and bounds recently. Think it is fairly new to the market and I didn't dare ask price;)
 
I think a barefoot will fit most horses tbh, the new pads you can adjust with shims (check out the barefoot website, it's fantastic for info). Just going onto ebay to have a look - back soon

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Barefoot-Lond...t=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&hash=item3f0a6a48db

This looks good, but I would suggest that you get a new pad for it, if you like it. The grandeur pads have now been surpassed, but will certainly do it the meantime. Do check out the completed listings for the Barefoot London, as that'll give you a good idea of value. And DO ask whether this sadle comes with VPS, they have just copied the latest blurb from the website, and it probably doesn't have it. That will give you more indication as to age and value.

I'm getting the cheyenne drytex, so a different kettle of fish. But if the answers come back ok, and resale value will be okay......worth a try ??
 
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QR

I like the idea, hate the style of the saddles :o
It's a good concept, but look very much like a big donkey felt pad to me, and, well, are quite ugly imo :o
 
only_me said:
QR

I like the idea, hate the style of the saddles :o
It's a good concept, but look very much like a big donkey felt pad to me, and, well, are quite ugly imo :o
Click to expand...

''Donkey pad'' :D:D:D:D

Probably explains why it kinda fitted my lad, seen as he is a bit donkey shaped.:o

You see that's why I couldn't justify spending that much, it is just a an expensive pad, but 'needs must' and I suppose it just show how desperate I'm getting.

My friend didn't see the Freeform but she did see the DT saddle and the Freemax over the stable door....as look would have it she arrived after I'd tried them on etc and she picked and poked at it and said look it's got bits of sheep skin and and velcro on (you had to be there to see the facial experessions) and said ''oh come on Becky, you need to have some saddle pride!!!, you aint riding out with me on something like that! I won't let you do it!'' lol ....worrying thing is I kinda liked the DT saddle :o

Oh dear, perhaps I'm on a slippery slope :D

save me save me!!!!!!!! :D
 
Vanity over comfort? I'll take comfort thanks! (that said, I could never sell my albion jumping saddle - I love it too much! :o )

The solution saddles are good, I know someone who events her horses up to intermediate in them, but they are about 2k a pop I think - way out of my budget :)

I don't mind if I look a bit speshul in mine, some people don't like wearing hi vis because of its look, and my saddle is just as functional as hi vis, just not to everyone's taste I think. I'll wear hi vis, even if people think I look a prat in it :) Although I don't want to start an argument about hi vis :eek:
 
Oh no don't get me wrong Stencilface, I don't mind what the saddle looks like either, otherwise I wouldn't be going down the treeless route (where ever that may take me), I probably look like a twit what ever I ride in to be honest, I was just sharing a comical comment make by a fellow ex livery, I don't take it to heart, I take it on the chin and laugh with them about it, end of the day it's me who has the saddle fitting issues hence trying to do something about it, not them so their comments don't really count but she did make me laugh though :D
 
shysmum said:
And DO ask whether this sadle comes with VPS
Click to expand...


interestingly (to me, anyway) - I have an old cheyenne, with no vps or extra padding on the underside (not including the pad) - it fits my boy perfectly and doesn't slip. I bought a newer model cheyenne and it slipped resulting with me falling off when my boy did a massive spook! In order for it to be more stable I had to do the girth up really tight, which I was reluctant to do, so I sold it.

So what I am saying is, that VPS isn't necessarily the panacea I thought it was going to be - the older saddles still have merit IMO.
 
Serephin said:
interestingly (to me, anyway) - I have an old cheyenne, with no vps or extra padding on the underside (not including the pad) - it fits my boy perfectly and doesn't slip. I bought a newer model cheyenne and it slipped resulting with me falling off when my boy did a massive spook! In order for it to be more stable I had to do the girth up really tight, which I was reluctant to do, so I sold it.

So what I am saying is, that VPS isn't necessarily the panacea I thought it was going to be - the older saddles still have merit IMO.
Click to expand...

Yeah I've heard the older ones are good too, in fact I'm sure I've read that some folk actually prefer the older ones if I remember rightly. :confused:

I think it's because if they have copied the lastest model description (with the vsp girthing system) from the website onto their add and it's the older version, suppose in a way it's false advertising.

I think in my horses case with him having a forward girth groove it would help along with a curved girth do you think?
 
Kenzo - can I ask a few questions?

What is your budget?

What shape is your horse's back?

What seat size (traditional) did you take?

What will you be doing when you have a working saddle?

I'm not an expert but I've been using treeless saddles for 9 years now, so I might be able to help suggest what would do you both.
 
Oberon said:
Kenzo - can I ask a few questions?

What is your budget?

What shape is your horse's back?

What seat size (traditional) did you take?

What will you be doing when you have a working saddle?

I'm not an expert but I've been using treeless saddles for 9 years now, so I might be able to help suggest what would do you both.
Click to expand...


Budget - around £600.00, my dad is willing to help out if I find the right saddle.

Traditional seat size - ideally a 17'' ample room in a 17.5'' but used a 16.5'' Farrington and it felt ok too, he's just short in the back so he's better off with a 16.5 or 17''.

Hacking, schooling, pole work, dressage, eventually progress to jumping but that's not something I need to be doing any time soon.

Some photos of him from the side if they are any use. :)

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x151/Becks_049/IMAG0202.jpg
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x151/Becks_049/IMAG0210.jpg
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x151/Becks_049/IMAG0211.jpg
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
To stop slipping: I can recommend highly the Zilco Endurance non-slip saddle pad - brill, sticks like a limpet! All the Endurance people use them, they're so good.
Click to expand...

Maybe I should invest in a non slip pad anyway, he hadn't sweated up or anything when it worked it's way forwards, just the way he puffs himself up flounces about, must of driven it forwards but yes perhaps a non slip grip pad will be useful anyway. Thanks.
 
there is a barefoot saddle on preloved.comfor 450 which includes pad,girth etc

if not, i would recommend looking for second hand freeforms (theres a few left on goldfinch website) i got mine for £400 as would never pay over £1000 for it! but for £400 i gave mine a shot and find it very comfy and feel more secure than in my treed when my youngster is playing up!
 
With a budget of £600 you can either get a new, 'ugly' saddle or a second hand, 'pretty' one.

New you would be looking at DT, Freemax (there is a second hand 'jump' one on eBay now), Barefoot, Ghost or Libra.

The restrictions on these (except the Freemax Jump) is that they look different and you won't have the knee rolls for bigger jumps if you need them.

There are other saddles in the price range - but I only list what I can trust.

Second hand, you could get a HM Fhoenix or a Solution Saddle. Both very high quality and both in a budget of £600 - £800 and would do for jumping as well as flat work.

(I wouldn't be too afraid of 17.5 or 18 inch HM saddles - I have an 18inch that fits my 16.1 short backed draft and a friend's 14.1 Arab. There was a time when the 18inch was THE standard size of the adult's saddle.)

I also like the new range of Trekker saddles - but they aren't available second hand yet and you are looking at £1100.
http://www.trekkersaddles.co.uk/inspiration.html

With the flatter panelled saddles I like the Equitex pads. With the panelled saddles like the HM or Solution, if you use a shimmed pad, you'll have slipping problems. I use a Thinline pad with those - but a Limpet can be cheaper from eBay.

My friend found success with a DT saddle and the DT girth (it was second hand from eBay) for her forward grooved mare.

I personally prefer the Flexi-girths.
 
well despite the ":eek::eek:" to treeless at my yard.........my stirrups have mysteriously changed length over the last few days, I couldn't work out what was wrong at first, my being thick and all....but perhaps there is a secret interest going on.. plus my thick hunter noseband was only looped thru one part of the headpiece, that confused me as well :rolleyes:

Treeless seems to enthrall peeps, esp those who want to knock it, doesn't it. I have a borrowed saddle atm, and we are doing so well treeless, we'll never go back. I love BF's from using them (the older ones) at the RDA, so can't wait for the new one to play with.

ps re Trekker saddles - the pommel on the talent 2 damned well hurt, only lasted 30 minutes..Once i'm sorted I'll do a post like this too I think, with my five attempts listed. This thread has been of such interest to me.
 
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Your horse has a similar problem to mine - a forward girth groove and flat back. If you look at the pic, the girth is not hanging vertical, but angles forwards when done up. This is what is pulling the saddle up on his neck when he bounces around.

I have a Freemax saddle and the girth hangs exactly the same on my horse as your pic. Guess what, it moves up on her neck after a mile or two. I also have a Dream Team saddle which has a more forwards girthing position, the girth hangs naturally vertically on her and it does not move at all (it is superbly comfy as well).

YES, the Dream Team might look 'ugly' (looks a bit like an Aussie stock saddle in the seat but with English flaps, knee rolls, etc) but my horse is an opinionated 4 yr. old TB and believe me, when her 'opinions' are shared out on a hack or in the school, that 'ugly' seat is a Godsend as it keeps you in the saddle, not on the ground!

(By the way, the 'Aussies' call classic English saddles 'Self-emptying saddles' and after you have ridden in an 'ugly' one, you can see why!)
 
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