Riding Treeless

[SaddlePsych'D]

I had my first experience riding in a treeless saddle yesterday - it's quite different! I'm not sure of the specific make of saddle, I think it was an endurance style one if that makes a difference (from Googling I see you can get different shapes). The seat was really comfortable but I think the stirrups will take a bit of getting used to and I wondered if taking them shorter might help my legs feel a bit less lost at sea? My knees were a confused by the lack of knee roll! I'm sure I'll get used to the saddle in time but does anyone have any tips/things to bear in mind that might help? Also I don't know if it's coincidence but last night was the best night's sleep I have had in a couple of weeks because my sore hip was not sore, I wonder riding with this saddle helped it somehow. I feel great this morning!

 

[webble]

Treeless vary a lot between makes and styles, they seem to be like marmite

 

[Lipglosspukka]

I also ache after riding in a treed saddle but can do hours in a treeless.

 

[planete]

Can you find out the make of the saddle? Pain free hips are a bit of a dream at the moment!

 

[SEL]

I've got the microcob in a friend's treeless at the moment and you do get used to the lack of knee rolls - I hadn't realised how lazy I'd got until I tried to do rising trot for the first time in it. I can't remember what my friend's one is called but it is one they use for endurance and I could see how cantering in it for a long time would be great. Unfortunately slips forward on the pony so we're still on the hunt but she seems to prefer it to anything tree'd so far

 

[Pascal96]

When I was still riding I used a Solution Freestyle and loved it. I never got stiff and it did wonders for my back. My horses also went really well in it.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Can you find out the make of the saddle? Pain free hips are a bit of a dream at the moment!

I will try and find out next time I am there. The hip thing might be an utter coincidence but it has been so sore every bed time for weeks now and even my usual trick of propping a pillow between my knees hasn't helped, then last night it was fine. My understanding is the saddle is designed for long hours of riding so maybe it does help with that sort of thing.

I've got the microcob in a friend's treeless at the moment and you do get used to the lack of knee rolls - I hadn't realised how lazy I'd got until I tried to do rising trot for the first time in it. I can't remember what my friend's one is called but it is one they use for endurance and I could see how cantering in it for a long time would be great. Unfortunately slips forward on the pony so we're still on the hunt but she seems to prefer it to anything tree'd so far

I think the one I was in was for endurance as well. It was the rising trot that caught me out too! My legs were like 'wooah where do we go!' and I felt like a beginner again. The horse has quite a bouncy trot as well so it's getting used to that too. I did feel a little less all over the place the more I tried, looking forward to it feeling easier!

 

[paddy555]

I have ridden in mine for 25 years, an endurance sportsaddle. Once tried an ordinary English saddle and it felt terrible, so rigid, enclosed and so high off the horse's back. Mine has no knee rolls at all. I have a sheepskin over it and it comes down to the bottom of the saddle flaps on each side. Very comfy and very secure. The sheepskin really makes it. My hips are never sore. In fact I have no aches and pains from the saddle at all. There is nothing to hold you in the saddle at all but you do get used to it.
I could sit in it all day and never notice it. Sometimes I come back from a ride, take my feet out of the stirrups and just sit there in paradise. When I stop riding I shall have the saddle mounted on a chair and spend my final days in it.

OH has a similar saddle with a higher pommel and cantle. He has ridden in both English and Western saddles and comments often how secure he feels in the treeless when the horse spins round.
We have had several horses in them and they do seem to go very kindly.

 

[sbloom]

Hip pain is because seat shape and padding under legs doesn't suit. Most treeless are fairly wide over the top as well as a little more bulky under the leg, especially with pads added, and that will suit some riders. There are treed saddles that are wide in these ways and it is possible to scientifically assess a rider to work out what sort of bulk/padding etc they need but it's knowledge/skill set that is only very slowly trickling across to fitters, and only if they're interested! It's an absolute fallacy that narrow twists are better, for some sure, but only if you have the right pelvic and hip conformation. AND there's absolutely no such thing as a "female pelvis" and a female friendly saddle, we're all different but requirements between genders barely differ at ALL.

 

[SEL]

I think the one I was in was for endurance as well. It was the rising trot that caught me out too! My legs were like 'wooah where do we go!' and I felt like a beginner again. The horse has quite a bouncy trot as well so it's getting used to that too. I did feel a little less all over the place the more I tried, looking forward to it feeling easier!

Ha! Yup - I'm on a 13h thelwell pony who has a trot that would look great in a cart. I must have looked like I'd just started riding when I first trotted in it. My core has now remembered it needs to work and its all a lot easier.

I do find her treeless quite wide like Sbloom says and I think that's why the pony likes it (probably more than my back does tbh). She is a very, very wide pony who has had 2 foals and I've found a lot of pony saddles just don't have a big enough seat. I think they tend to assume children need narrow twists and that's what the pony doesn't like. We had a Solution saddle on trial for 2 weeks and she detested it - one day we'll find something we both like I hope

 

[saddlesore]

I have a solutions treeless and I love it. I can really feel him move in it which was odd at first! He’s so free it ?

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

I have ridden in mine for 25 years, an endurance sportsaddle. Once tried an ordinary English saddle and it felt terrible, so rigid, enclosed and so high off the horse's back. Mine has no knee rolls at all. I have a sheepskin over it and it comes down to the bottom of the saddle flaps on each side. Very comfy and very secure. The sheepskin really makes it. My hips are never sore. In fact I have no aches and pains from the saddle at all. There is nothing to hold you in the saddle at all but you do get used to it.
I could sit in it all day and never notice it. Sometimes I come back from a ride, take my feet out of the stirrups and just sit there in paradise. When I stop riding I shall have the saddle mounted on a chair and spend my final days in it.

OH has a similar saddle with a higher pommel and cantle. He has ridden in both English and Western saddles and comments often how secure he feels in the treeless when the horse spins round.
We have had several horses in them and they do seem to go very kindly.

The sheepskin sounds amazing!



I'm not sure if the hip pain came from riding, probably not as I ride once per week usually up to three times if I'm very lucky (this week it will be 4 - I'm in heaven!) I suspect it's an accumulation of lockdown/wfh and lots of hours sitting working in less than ideal chairs. Probably I need to see a physio to work it out. It was just really striking that I had about an hour in this saddle which does feel different in the seat and then I slept so well because my hip wasn't sore for a change.

If I ever do get my own horse I will certainly want to check out all options and get properly fitted for a saddle to suit me and the horse. For now with sharing and lessons it's a bit making do with what's there. I just hope I can get the hang of riding in the treeless soon! Also putting it on will be a learning curve - tomorrow I'm getting a lesson in tacking up with it.

 

[DorisTD]

I have a solutions treeless. The horse and I love it - also means you don't have to constantly reflock or buy another one. Mine is a dressage saddle and has decent size knee blocks (which I love having!).