Saddle dilemma... " too tree, or not to tree"?

Lintel

Lintel

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Hello there, was wondering if anybody could advise me please?
I have one of "those awkward Highlands" he is only four, not ovely wide and he does have a tad of withers.. but he is changing shape likethe wind and will do for the next few years:rolleyes: Probably his life, grass belly.. no grass belly.. grass belly- this circle. He has a wintec wide at the minute (in the smallest wide gullet) it doesn't rock, bridge or do anything untoward but it just seems really solid like it's putting pressure on him. It might be my mind, or the past few days but he has seemed much more free and relaxed bareback.. which has completely set alarm bells ringing!:eek:
When he is six/seven I'm hoping he'll have stopped moving and growing quiet as much and will get a full custom made saddle for him then. But just now when he's changing like the wind I'm only wanting something cheapo:o that he will be comfy in and I won't have to change every 2 months!
I don't like the bulky "Normal" treeless saddles to ride in, nor do I like the look.. and they have got to be the worst things to jump in (IMO) so hunting around ebay I find this...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Icelandic...=WDVW&rd=1&ih=015&category=47281&cmd=ViewItem

It seems just ideal for what I want just now(dressage so he has freedom of his shoulders too!!:D)
I've check the seller feedback etc, all is well and people buying the saddles seem pleased... but opinions pleaseee!!? :confused:

Thank you!:D
 
Following along to see what opinions are, as have similar dilemma just now...I do seem to remember from previous treeless threads tho that most treeless peeps seem to recommend the likes of Barefoot/Freeform/Freemax etc...but will interested to see what the response is to the one you've found! ;)
 
Cobiau Cymraeg Wyllt said:
Following along to see what opinions are, as have similar dilemma just now...I do seem to remember from previous treeless threads tho that most treeless peeps seem to recommend the likes of Barefoot/Freeform/Freemax etc...but will interested to see what the response is to the one you've found! ;)
Click to expand...

Yeah I've heard great stories and ridden in them (on others) no doubt about it they fit beautifully and the horses see happy chap's/lady's in them! I just have a dislike.. but if the worst comes to the worst.. I may have to suffer for my boys comfort :p:D
 
The price and the fact that it's new is setting off alarm bells for me... there are a lot of cheap treeless saddles that crop up on Ebay that are near enough death traps inside and can cause a lot of damage. If you're going to do treeless stick to a well known make that has a good reputation and actually pressure test their saddles.

I'm in a similar situation, having a 4yo hairy cob. I got him a second hand HM Fhoenix saddle (which was a bargain - cheaper than getting a saddle fitted) and we haven't looked back.
 
I knew someone who had an ansa, she bought it with the horse, I think the woman sold them, anyway the horse was fine on the flat but bucked when jumping. She was a nervous rider, so asked a friend to have a go, friend used a different saddle a wow, and bingo, no bucking! Don't think they suit everyone.
 
the big thing that I found out in the early days of treeless saddles was to find out how the girth and stirrups were atttached and how they loaded the seat area ..... many cheapo ( and some not so cheapo) attached to one strip of webbing going over the back .... NOT good :mad:

Good saddles will spread the weighbearing area of the girth / stirrups over a far wider area and I would have to know that before buying any saddle how this was facilitated.

I have a dartmoor treefree and a mackinder endurance flexible tree saddle .... both of these have a "network" of webbbing to do this

http://www.treefree-saddles.co.uk/index.php?page=FAQ


I do empathise with the varying changing shape and late maturing native thing........ at one point for five months I had no saddle and rode bareback. The mackinder was the best investment I ever made as its like memory foam.... it supports firmly yet moulds to whatever shape nedess morphs into :rolleyes:

The mackinder is prob not what you are looking for as its an endurance saddle but the principle it uses applies to a lot more englich / dreaddage / jumping saddles these days....... and if you find the right one it will certainly adapt through the years / seasons.



there is not enough info on there for me to make a decision whether I personally would buy or not.
 
As a fellow highland owner, I sympathise! I have bought an exmoor treefree for my boy. It is beautiful leather and as Tazzle pointed out, it spreads the weightbearing area well. Its the only treeless saddle my saddler recommends and I trust his judgement. Whatever you decide to go for, please do not buy a cheap saddle off ebay. Just because it is treeless does not mean it should be much cheaper. I paid 400 pounds for my treefree, which came with a specialist numnah on ebay.
 
Good treeless saddles cost money, cheap ones you shouldn't touch with a bargepole. There are options in between fully custom (which I never recommend) and treeless - I work for a company that routinely fit Highlands and we have fitters covering Scotland. Other benchmade saddle companies have some wide fit saddles as well, though of course I'm biased towards ours :). and if you find the right fitter they will be happy to adjust the tree a few times which usually means the saddle can cope with a decent amount of change, coupled with flocking adjustments. I agree that Wintecs feel really hard and unyielding, whatever the panels are filled with. A nice quality leather saddle with a tree will feel completely different.
 
Walk away from the cheap treeless!!

Have a look for one of the better makes (Freeform, barefoot, torsion etc) and try to get one of them second hand.

I feel your pain though - my boy didnt stop changing shape till he was 7! At that point we got an Ideal Highland and Cob which is my dream saddle :D
 
Thanks everyone for the replys! I considered the cashel bareback pad, but again I wanted something more "English" style. Still awfully tempted by the Indian treeless, but I don't think I'll risk it on my little monkey! So I shall continue the trail and until then will just have to deal with being bronc'd off bareback :P
 
It is really worrying when you know your horse doesn't like his saddle. My old TB had 4 different saddles in 2 years and one was a thorowgood T6 brand new.

Treed Saddles
I am told that Kay Humphries are the best saddlers for treed saddles and Kay Humphries gave a talk locally and showed many saddles that were incredibly badly made even those that are well known and expensive.

Treeless Saddles
Cheap ones are dangerous. Research on the internet. I want a solution (ansur)saddle as it's the only treeless that I know is accepted in competitions and by the tb rehabilitation centre and tb's are incredibly sensitive but they are nearly £2k so not cheap.

There is an inflatable saddle pad that you fill with air, mount up and then adjust
I believe it's called a korrector pad. It makes you feel miles above the horse to start with but does settle.

If there was a saddle that was treeless, lightweight could spread my weight like a treed one does and still make me feel secure in the saddle I would never buy any other make.
 
The new Heather Moffett Flexee could be an option for you? It's due to be launched later this month/early March and is a leather treed saddle, so should have the weightbaring properties of a treed saddle but the flexibility of a treeless. And it looks very conventional. I believe the synthetic version will be priced at £349.

I've already asked one of her fitters to come out and try them on my youngster who I'm holding off backing until I have a decent saddle for him (and the weather's better).

http://www.enlightenedequitation.com/flexee_intro.htm
 
Ditto ShadowFlame, I have a HM Treeless saddle (GP version), love it, I jump, dressage and show in it. HM is bringing out a synthetic version in April which is retailing at about £400, hopefully I will be 1st in the Q for trialling as the one I have at the mo was bought fir a smaller bottom!!!!
 
Myhorseeatsmoney said:
Cheap ones are dangerous. Research on the internet. I want a solution (ansur)saddle as it's the only treeless that I know is accepted in competitions and by the tb rehabilitation centre and tb's are incredibly sensitive but they are nearly £2k so not cheap.
Click to expand...

I have a solutions and i love it - wouldn't put any other treeless saddle on my horses.
You pay for what you get and £200 just doesn't cut it for me.

Also keep an eye on Ebay for solutions - they do come up - i paid £1k for mine.
Theres one on there now
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Black-Sad...t=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&hash=item1e6aef0b4e
 
Again thanks everyone, I think I'm just going to get a nice leather *tree'd* saddle that can be slightly adjusted to suit him growing, and if I have to seriously splash out again when he is 6/7.. then it's my own fault for getting a horse, I'd rather my little fella was comfy and so was I- I shall continue looking into treeless saddles though! :P
 
I have both a treeless and a treed saddle for my Highland, she has a Torsion deluxe treeless and a Wintec wide. The treeless is for 'fat' days and long hacks ;) the Wintec for a wee bit of jumping etc. I like both saddles to ride in but the Torsion is very very comfy, and both fit her well. When I bought my Wintec a couple of years ago, the saddler told me Bates were going to be making adjustable gullet saddles in leather in the near future and I did debate whether to wait but I bought the Wintec
 
I have a very opinionated Connie. I tried hundreds of saddles, from at least four saddle fitters (all highly reccommended people), all of the saddles technically fitted, but I'd always return to riding bareback after a time as he was happier, worked more consistently and tried his heart out for me. In a treed saddle I could not get this, he was unhappy and it made it known, in his quiet ways. It'd start off with loss of rhythm in canter, always the first pace he showed his opinions and would leach through into trot after a time. It seemed he could cope with it for so long but the consistency wasn't there.

At my wits end and I decided to have a trial with Solution Treeless Saddles. They are expensive, but so were them monthly visits from saddle fitters and the ever increasing rack of saddles.

He was like a different pony, he relaxed stretched over his back in a way only ever given to us when there was no saddle present. He didnt like some of their models and told us so, really hated the gulletless saddle, but no worse reaction than to the treed saddles. We ended up with the Solution original, based on the newer Ansur models with a GP seat.

We've had this saddle for about a year now, he's still going well, we're finally getting double clears out SJ, and our dressage marks have improved. We're doing Full Days Hunting in it and jumping all the big hedges. We have no back pain, like we did before and he's much more willing in his work.

I was the biggest cynic when it came to treeless saddles. But I had to listen to my horse and he chose what he likes the most, it's him that has to wear it afterall. Its very comfortable for me too, so I'm not unhappy with his choice. ;)

Ive just backed my youngster in one as well. Same model, off ebay, I got it for about £600. He's going very well and hasn't resisted at all.

I know they're not for everyone, and I wouldn't even entertain saddles that state they fit all. And do have a fitter out to start you off. It helps.

Good Luck, I hope you find the right saddle for you :)
 
Have you looked at saddle company saddles? I had a treeless years ago for a cob mare it was a HM one at £1000 and it did nothing for either of us ( it kept slipping) the sc one was very good and fully adjustable (by a trained fitter) its worth looking into
 
I have been speaking to heather about the flexee for my youngster. We have a borrowed MTM at the moment which fits her nicely but its A brown and B not for sale :( I am very interested in going for a soft tree saddle for her either that or something like a fylde which is adjustable should it need changed later on.
 
I'm surprised about the HM slipping... my cob is fairly wide, though admittedly he has got some more filling out to do, and we've never had any problems with it slipping? We've done walk to canter, as well as going up and down some fairly steep hills with no issues at all, and I leave the girth quite loose!
 
Lintel said:
Hello there, was wondering if anybody could advise me please?
I have one of "those awkward Highlands" he is only four, not ovely wide and he does have a tad of withers.. but he is changing shape likethe wind and will do for the next few years:rolleyes: Probably his life, grass belly.. no grass belly.. grass belly- this circle. He has a wintec wide at the minute (in the smallest wide gullet) it doesn't rock, bridge or do anything untoward but it just seems really solid like it's putting pressure on him. It might be my mind, or the past few days but he has seemed much more free and relaxed bareback.. which has completely set alarm bells ringing!:eek:
When he is six/seven I'm hoping he'll have stopped moving and growing quiet as much and will get a full custom made saddle for him then. But just now when he's changing like the wind I'm only wanting something cheapo:o that he will be comfy in and I won't have to change every 2 months!
I don't like the bulky "Normal" treeless saddles to ride in, nor do I like the look.. and they have got to be the worst things to jump in (IMO) so hunting around ebay I find this...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Icelandic...=WDVW&rd=1&ih=015&category=47281&cmd=ViewItem

It seems just ideal for what I want just now(dressage so he has freedom of his shoulders too!!:D)
I've check the seller feedback etc, all is well and people buying the saddles seem pleased... but opinions pleaseee!!? :confused:

Thank you!:D
Click to expand...

I have been using treeless saddles for 8 years. I've never had any problems.

I have ridden up to 25 miles with a Torsion on my Arab and a Freeform on my Ardennes X.

Makes you can trust are:

Solution, Heather Moffet's saddles, newer Trekker, newer Startrek (all these don't need a corresponding numnah)

Freeform, Barefoot, Torsion (older ones only), Ghost, Libra, Freemax (all these DO need the corresponding numnah).

From eBay right now;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Barefoot-..._Equipment&hash=item2ebb278e00#ht_1152wt_1185
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Startrekk...r_Equipment&hash=item43ad028359#ht_500wt_1202
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Barefoot-...r_Equipment&hash=item3f135f62f0#ht_561wt_1185
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Barefoot-...r_Equipment&hash=item43ad1bf4df#ht_500wt_1202
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Torsion-D...r_Equipment&hash=item43ad2e9b87#ht_500wt_1202
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Treeless-...t=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&hash=item564831b49a
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Barefoot-...r_Equipment&hash=item41626fd034#ht_500wt_1202
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEARLY-NE...ar_Equipment&hash=item3f1396b548#ht_500wt_969
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heather-M...r_Equipment&hash=item3a701dee3d#ht_500wt_1202
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heather-M...r_Equipment&hash=item27c3238ad8#ht_500wt_1202
 
Oberon said:
I have been using treeless saddles for 8 years. I've never had any problems.

I have ridden up to 25 miles with a Torsion on my Arab and a Freeform on my Ardennes X.

Makes you can trust are:

Solution, Heather Moffet's saddles, newer Trekker, newer Startrek (all these don't need a corresponding numnah)

Freeform, Barefoot, Torsion (older ones only), Ghost, Libra, Freemax (all these DO need the corresponding numnah).

From eBay right now;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Barefoot-..._Equipment&hash=item2ebb278e00#ht_1152wt_1185
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Startrekk...r_Equipment&hash=item43ad028359#ht_500wt_1202
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Barefoot-...r_Equipment&hash=item3f135f62f0#ht_561wt_1185
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Barefoot-...r_Equipment&hash=item43ad1bf4df#ht_500wt_1202
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Torsion-D...r_Equipment&hash=item43ad2e9b87#ht_500wt_1202
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Treeless-...t=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&hash=item564831b49a
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Barefoot-...r_Equipment&hash=item41626fd034#ht_500wt_1202
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEARLY-NE...ar_Equipment&hash=item3f1396b548#ht_500wt_969
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heather-M...r_Equipment&hash=item3a701dee3d#ht_500wt_1202
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heather-M...r_Equipment&hash=item27c3238ad8#ht_500wt_1202
Click to expand...

Why thank you.. I shall be on ebay all night. As one link leads to another :P
 
I have one of the original style Barefoot Cheyenne saddles - I used it on my old TB years ago, and now use it on my cob. I did buy a newer version of the Cheyenne, but it slipped terribly so I sold it and went back to my old Cheyenne. I love this saddle, it is so comfy and my boy likes it too - back lady says his back is perfect.
 
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