Synthetic vs Leather vs Treeless Saddles - advice pls!!

A

ali87uk

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 December 2008
Messages
164
Location
Surrey
Visit site
<font color="purple"> </font>
Hi
I have recently bought a Haflinger mare and need a new saddle for her... I generally just hack/school her and may in the future take her to a few shows.
I am getting v confused re saddles basically as all saddlers I've spoken to have different ideas and vested interests!
I was originally going to get a leather saddle, but one saddler advised as my mare is not yet 7, her body shape will change so a synthetic saddle is best so I can change the width to suit her.
A saddler specialising in treeless saddles has then said to me that synthetic saddles esp those beginning with a W will really hurt her back as they're too hard and she'll end up with lots of problems.
I would assume that as long as the saddle is properly fitted to my mare then it should be OK? The treeless saddler doesn't actually have any proper qualifications such as being a Master Saddler etc......
So...any ideas?!?!?! One saddler is coming tomorrow with some 2nd hand leather saddles and synthetic ones for me to try...but going to have a think!
smile.gif
 
Personally I dislike synthetic saddles as they cannot be stuffed to suit individual horses so it is just a case of slot in the closest fitting interchangeable gullet and get on with it - not ideal for many horses. I see them as a cheap alternative for owner, possibly at expense of horse but having said that i am sure many people have positive experience with them.
I would favour a good quality leather saddle which you should be able to purchase at reasonable price second hand and can then be altered to fit minor changes in shape or sold and replaced with minimal loss if you look after it as leather saddles hold their value (especially if you choose popular make and your horse is not unusual fitting).
 
There are lots of leather saddles especially made for Haflingers, I have [or rather had] a XXXW cob
shocked.gif
so the saddle that I got was the Ideal H+C [Haflinger and Cob]. I'm now waiting for the same make of saddle to be made to my cobs slimmed down [at last!
grin.gif
] shape as I really liked it. I think other saddle makes also do specific saddles for Haflingers and Cobs as well. I don't know about synthetic as I've not ridden in one for 5 years and I think they have changed alot since then. Also it depends on what style you like ie close contact etc.

As for the saddler make sure they are a qualified and registered with the Society of Master Saddlers and preferably on recommendation. I know of so many horses that have had problems due to an ill fitting saddle. Goodluck with finding a saddle.
smile.gif
 
I don't like synthetic saddles, although they are a cheaper alternative if you have a young developing horse, but in my experience I have found them to slip a lot. The Bates saddles have inter-changeable gullets too - haven't ridden in one though, so don't know what they're like, but they could be a way of getting an adjustable saddle that can change with your horse. Some of the Keiffer saddles have plastic trees that can be heated and re-moulded, and of course the WoW saddle is massively inter-changeable (but quite expensive too)
Any horse's body shape can change, regardless of age, depending upon the work they are doing, which is why you should get your saddle regularly checked, but I wouldn't have thought that a 7 yo is going to change that much more - at what age do Haflingers stop growing?
 
Hi thanks for your comments!
I think she's going to change more in the chub/muscle composition as in her last home she wasn't ridden much, whereas now I ride or drive her most days - she doesn't know what's hit her!!!!
Will have a chat to saddler tomorrow, have always favoured leather saddles on old horse so will see how things go.........
 
Of course synthetic saddles can be flocked to suit individual needs, they don't stop at changeable gullets!
 
I'm sorry Lulup, but I disagree with you completely.

We have both synthetic (for wet and winter) and leather saddles and we do buy and sell a little bit. Leather saddles cannot be sold at minimum loss, unless they are very cheap. The current market is poor, but even when things are good I see expensive saddles going at hundreds of pounds under purchase price, or even remaining unsold.

Look at Ebay. Love it or loathe it, it is a great leveller and an indication of what people will REALLY pay for a saddle.

As for your Haflinger Ali, if they change shape as often as some natives, then an adjustable gullet is a very useful thing. Also, I have 'altered' Wintec gullets to custom fit wider horses or horses with high withers. So if you know a blacksmith, or someone who is useful with a vice and a big hammer (that's me), then there is a degree of fine tuning that can be applied.

As for Wintecs being hard, I have never experienced anything that would indicate this and my OH has been riding her horse with a Wintec for seven or eight years (not the same saddle!).

Saddles are VERY personal things, so you may need to try a few before you find one that fits both you and your horse.
 
The difference between synthetic and leather is really just a matter of looks nowadays. However, there is a much wider range of decent quality leather brands to chose a correct fit from.

There are really only two makes of synthetic saddle worth thinking about - the Thorowgoods and the Wintecs.

Thorowgoods are by far the best saddles in terms of design and fit for the horse. Wintecs are VERY limited in their fitting, as the only thing you can change on them is the width - the tree shape and panel shape cannot be altered, and they're a bloody stupid design at that!Thorowgood saddles on the other hand have various different tree designs, with various different panel combos's meaning you can usually get a good fit.

Unfortunatly wintecs are the more comfortable saddles to ride in. Typical.

There are hundreds of top quality leather brands to chose from, each with a slightly different tree and panel shape, meaning you will eventually find the perfect one (usually after a lot of searching). If the thorowgood or wintecs don't fit, there's nothing else to chose from and sadly many people (inc 'proffesional' saddle fitters ) will 'make' the saddle fit as best they can, regardless of it's suitability.

All the arguments about synthetics 'slipping', not fitting, 'bouncing', being 'hard', hurting the horses back etc etc blah blah has nothing to do with the fact they're synthetic - its that they just don't fit! A leather version of the exact same saddle would be exactly the same. Being covered in leather rather than plastic doesn't make it a wonder saddle!

Treeless saddles are a totally different kettle of fish. There are so many to chose from, but if you want to do 'proper' riding rather that mainly hacking, you'd need to look at the top of the range saddles, which are horrible expensive. And they need just as much fitting as a normal tree'd saddle, with shims and pads and all the rather of the faff involved.

Echo who others said about a good saddle fitter, but they are very hard to find. Just because thy have letters after their name doesn't mean they're any good. I know way more crap 'qualified' saddle fitters than I do decent saddle fitters. Question everything they say and satisfy yourself it fits, don't just take their word for it.
 
i've got a wide pony mare, wasted my time with 'cheap' but new synethtic saddles as i needed to save money and didnt think i could afford an expensive leather one... all i ended up doing was buying endless synth ones that didnt fit very well (saddler was crap)... in the end got an Ideal leather and it fits beautifully shouldve just done that in the first place.
 
There is no difference between a leather, synthetic or a treeless.... if the saddle fits correctly, they will all do a great job and they will all last well if you look after them.

Different makes of leather saddles fit some shapes of horses better than others, so its a process of elimination, as with synthetic or indeed treeless.

Treeless saddles are fantastic providing great care is taken when fitting them (not only that put great care when fitting the pad to accompany the treeless saddle are there are various ones) horse/pony that are more suited to them. There are couple fo good treeless saddles out there that do look like traditional saddles which if your wanting to do showing they will look fine, better than the other treeless styles like a Torsion etc, but the Torsion is wonderful for schooling and hacking if you are a balanced rider with a good seat because these types feel a bit like riding bareback but with stirrups.

It is true that you will get a little more flexibility with synthetic while they are changing shape, so yes it does make sense in way to buy synthetic BUT you will still have to have regular 6 monthly checks/re-flocks just like any other saddle which over a few years will cost around £300 to £400 depending on your saddles prices etc....in which case if you do prefer or find a leather saddle that fits, you just could keep changing that one and just go through a selection of good second hand saddles while your horse is changing shape.

Some saddle fitters will turn their noses up at treeless....others will swear by them, you really have to find a saddler that fits/sells all types to ensure you find the best for your horse.

Synthetic saddles can be re-flocked just like leather saddle if you know the right people.
smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top