Oh, look, a treeless saddle thread

[Caol Ila]

Haven't tried a Solutions saddle. Decided yesterday the Sorenta might not be the saddle for him, and I have spent all day wondering how to get my hands on anything to try within a reasonable timeframe. My dream was to find a used one locally, close enough to nip over and pick up, but nae such luck.

 

[GoldenWillow]

Does anyone know much about Better Saddles? I see they sell a few brands of treeless.

I'm a bit leery of going for the traditional treed saddle, although I'm in contact with someone sellling an Ideal Highland and Cob saddle at a pretty affordable price, so that could be a short term solution. With Gypsum, I had a miserable time with treed saddles. She would change shape, they wouldn't fit, I would track down a saddle fitter, it still wouldn't be right. I was trying to flog old saddles so I could buy new saddles. Rinse, repeat. It was a nightmare. I changed to a saddle that sat on flexible panels, which worked for a long time until it broke here in the UK and could not be repaired unless I shipped it back to the States. I rode her in a Thorowgood GP saddle for a few years after that, but I was back to constantly chasing (and rarely catching) saddlers, which drove me crazy. My friend gave me the DIY adjustable leather tree Sorenta, which was awesome for us, but it just ain't working for the pony. Argh.

I used Better Saddles to trial a Flexee and found them really helpful and no problems at all although the saddle did not work for us, I would be happy to use them again.

 

[Spot_On03]

I have a HM flexee VSD. Did have a few fit issues to start with compared to her dressage saddle, but Heather herself helped me remote fit. I bought a high wither saddlecloth and a anatomical girth (as my mare has a small but forward girth groove) and haven't looked back since. In winter as she changes shape/drops weight I can usually stick a half pad underneath before dropping a gullet. We generally hack, with some jumping and schooling. Back lady was also happy with her back at last check too.

If I could afford I do like the look of the solutions saddles.

 

[Regandal]

I know they are treed saddles, but Lavinia Mitchell saddles suit flat backs. They are shimmed to fit. Might be easier to source.

 

[Wheresthehoofpick]

Haven't tried a Solutions saddle. Decided yesterday the Sorenta might not be the saddle for him, and I have spent all day wondering how to get my hands on anything to try within a reasonable timeframe. My dream was to find a used one locally, close enough to nip over and pick up, but nae such luck.

The FB group is a really useful source of second hand ones.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I loved my sensation treeless saddles, not cheap but you can occasionally pick them up second hand on FB treeless pages. They do export to the Uk but I think they may have been taken over recently so not sure what the set up is now. Unfortunately the two I had for my mare did not fit my new horse, he just was not a suitable candidate for comfortable treeless saddles, so he is back in a standard GP. I think when I get my hips done and back riding I will miss the comfort of my Sensation saddles even more.

 

[Dave's Mam]

I use a Flexee with a Prolite girth. It works for us.

 

[Caol Ila]

Well, I'm in the process of arranging a fitting appointment with Riding in Balance. I also have arranged a trial on a TreeFree saddle. I saw that a lot of HHOers had good things to say about them when I was perusing older threads. Between all of that, I should be able to find the perfect saddle for him!

 

[Caol Ila]

The TreeFree trial saddle arrived today!

The good:

The horse seemed a lot happier in it. He was moving more freely, especially in the trot, where he was stretching his neck out a bit more.

It's comfy, like I've attached a Laz-ee-boy chair to my horse.

It's secure. Sometimes he does stupid things, and it holds you on.

The bad:

This seems so ridiculous and trivial and stupid, but it really bugs me. It's one of those treeless designs where they apparently need their own saddle pad in order to properly distribute your weight. It means I can't use my collection of weird and wonderful saddle pads, some of which are twenty years old. They've been with me through so much, and that makes me so sad.

Fran from Riding in Balance should still be coming next Monday. She's got a variety of saddles. The dream would be finding one that both Foinavon and I like, but that also functions with my saddle pads.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I have done the battle with the treeless and saddle pads thing-a treeless with spine clearance is the safest bet-I can use standard pads with my Ghost and do, although my favourite is now a ghost pad. Don’t get a barefoot Atlanta, nothing works with them other than a barefoot Atlanta pad lol.

 

[Caol Ila]

Fran says she has Ghost saddles to try, so that would be perfect!

 

[Schollym]

Fran says she has Ghost saddles to try, so that would be perfect!

Can you put up your findings if possible. We have a 4 year old that are saddle fitter looked at when we were having the other two having a refit,she said we would have an issue getting a treed saddle to fit, we have backed and worked her in a treeless saddle that is more saddle pad than saddle and relying on my daughters excellent balance, but I want to get a proper saddle before much longer.

 

[Caol Ila]

I’ll give an update on Monday. I’m looking forward to it.

 

[sbloom]

Can you put up your findings if possible. We have a 4 year old that are saddle fitter looked at when we were having the other two having a refit,she said we would have an issue getting a treed saddle to fit, we have backed and worked her in a treeless saddle that is more saddle pad than saddle and relying on my daughters excellent balance, but I want to get a proper saddle before much longer.

If the horse is wide and flat it's because so many saddle fitters don't realise there are specialist brands out there for these shapes. Most "regular/tack shop" fitters fit from the same range of brands and only have so many "go to" wider/flattish trees and panel shapes, and fitting tricks.

 

[Caol Ila]

Fran came out today. She looked at his old saddle and didn't think it could be made to fit him. Just the wrong shape. Out of her collection, she only thought the Ghosts were suitable, so we tried a couple different ones. I thought the one without the flap was weird, so we have a Torino on trial for the week. At the end of the week, I will have to choose between the TreeFree and the Ghost. Have to send the TreeFree back tomorrow. Hoping the horse tells me which one he likes.

 

[Kat]

The TreeFree trial saddle arrived today!

The good:

The horse seemed a lot happier in it. He was moving more freely, especially in the trot, where he was stretching his neck out a bit more.

It's comfy, like I've attached a Laz-ee-boy chair to my horse.

It's secure. Sometimes he does stupid things, and it holds you on.

The bad:

This seems so ridiculous and trivial and stupid, but it really bugs me. It's one of those treeless designs where they apparently need their own saddle pad in order to properly distribute your weight. It means I can't use my collection of weird and wonderful saddle pads, some of which are twenty years old. They've been with me through so much, and that makes me so sad.

Fran from Riding in Balance should still be coming next Monday. She's got a variety of saddles. The dream would be finding one that both Foinavon and I like, but that also functions with my saddle pads.

You would be able to use most of your pads with a solution. I use nuumed, Le Mieux, eskadron, jumpers horseline, and a couple of cheapo pads with mine.

It depends a bit upon which saddle and precisely what pads you have.

It would be worth booking a test ride (I would recommend Emily Howe if she come up your way, she has a good knowledge of the older models too). They can advise on what would suit and you can buy second hand from the Facebook page.

 

[Caol Ila]

Ugh, decisions.

There are pros and cons to both saddles.

TreeFree
Pros: horse seems to like it
Feels like sitting in an armchair and holds me in a position. Don't know if it's the right position, but it is a positon, and a comfy one.
Cons: More expensive, by a lot.
Any help or support is far away.
Would potentially have three or four weeks of no saddle to ride in. This is a significant drawback.

Ghost
Pros: horse also seems to like it.
Cheaper!
The fitter is in Edinburgh so if I needed help, it's available.
I could have it now.
Cons: not nearly as comfy for me. I actually have to ride and hold myself up. Has a feeling of being perched on the horse, whereas with the other one, you're sitting quite deeply.

This is me in the Ghost today.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Is it a fairly new Ghost? They take a while to bed in, basically they get better the more you ride in them. Barefoots are the same.

 

[Caol Ila]

Brand new. Nobody’s butt has been in it but mine.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Brand new. Nobody’s butt has been in it but mine.

so it would bed down, think they say it needs about 10 hours riding. With the Fell also, in his summer weight, I put slimmer shims in the pad-those also bed down a bit with use. I did like the tree free-was tempted by the Tor but needed to buy secondhand and couldn’t find a smaller size-the standard (2?) was way too big for mine.

 

[Caol Ila]

Yeah, the Tor sure is nice but I don't know if I can justify the extra £500 when the Ghost seems to work. Especially as I've also just bought him a new set of Viper Renegades.

 

[paddy555]

Ugh, decisions.


TreeFree
Pros: horse seems to like it
Feels like sitting in an armchair and holds me in a position. Don't know if it's the right position, but it is a positon, and a comfy one.
you're sitting quite deeply
View attachment 80353

as someone who has ridden in a treeless saddle (not that one) for the last 25 years then the treefree for the reasons above. You are comfy and so is the horse.

in our treeless one you have a deep seat. OH has often commented that he would have come off the horse when he was pissing around if it wasn't for the deep saddle.
Having to wait is a pain but you could be riding him for years. Better to wait now and have years in a nice saddle.
you look perched and not quite right on the ghost.

would you be having the ghost because it is cheaper and you can have it now? not necessarily a good basis for buying something so crucial to your riding happiness.

 

[Caol Ila]

Yeah, you make a good point. I messaged TreeFree and they said they could hire one out for a few weeks, so that solves that problem. An Exmoor, not a Tor, but it would be fine temporarily.

 

[Tarragon]

I second the point about new saddles having to be bedded in. I have a barefoot cherokee and I couldn't mount from the ground for the first couple of months, but then I could, even if the girth wasn't tight.
I used to use it for all my riding, including the Mary Towneley Loop, but stopped using it as my main saddle when I got pressure marks that followed the line of the stirrup leathers after a particularly fast hunt ride, with lots of trotting, on a pony that had been clipped the day before. The pressure marks disappeared at the next coat change. Now I know that the combination of clipping and the fast riding isn't something that I do regularly and so it was a bit of a one-off, and that it was fine for normal riding where there is a lot of walking, but it did make me think a bit. Something to be wary of.
Edited to add that this was about 12 years ago, so perhaps treeless saddles have had some technical improvements since then which make it less likely to happen.

 

[Tarragon]

I love your pony by the way

 

[Caol Ila]

When I’ve trotted them pony, he hasn’t felt as straight in the Ghost. Or maybe I’m not as straight and that makes him crooked.

 

[paddy555]

When I’ve trotted them pony, he hasn’t felt as straight in the Ghost. Or maybe I’m not as straight and that makes him crooked.

I've found with treeless that you have to be as balanced as poss. A saddle that holds you in a balanced position is to be welcomed. Different saddles suit different people and people balance themselves differently.

 

[Caol Ila]

Yeah, I just felt in the right place with the TreeFree, and in balance with the horse. Especially at trot and canter. I've told them that I will take one. Tried to talk myself out of it, but I could not get around the significant difference in trot and canter.

 

[sbloom]

If that photo shows the truth the Ghost is tipping you back. Side on shots would be really good.

 

[Reacher]

When I asked my saddle fitter about treeless she only recommends the recent Solution saddles (not the older models) and no other brand of treeless saddles- she says only recent solution saddles distribute your weight evenly. Am interested in your thoughts @sbloom ?