Thinking about trying treeless but i don't know much about it!

charleysummer

charleysummer

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Well if anyone has seen a previous thread about my mare she has developed pressure white hairs on her back (and quite bad as it would seem) after changing coat, i have had the saddle changed and two saddle fitters out and it seems that the saddles just are not comfortable.

I have been riding and jumping bareback recently and she seems so much happier- but obviously i can't hack/show bareback! when the saddle fitter came today to look at the saddle we had bought (a crosby softride) she tried on many saddles and although they seemed to fit by the measurements- she felt so uncomfortable and rushing compared to when we are bareback.

Her old wintec that caused the problems looks to fit well and has puzzled the saddle fitter as to where the pressure marks have come from- and im totally unconfident in any saddle she is in now.

When i am bareback she trots very calmly and feels more relaxed through the back and brings herself in a nicer shape, in the saddles today she was hollow. So after having about every type of saddle in the whole tack shop (2nd hand and new) i'm thinking maybe it's time to try a completely different approach. At the minute i'm putting a prolite pad underneath to help until i can find something better - and mostly i'm happy bareback as i dont like the thought of any discomfort. Sorry it's long but i wanted you to get a good idea about what the situation is like!
So can anybody tell me about treeless or half treed saddles and if they may help? also what types can i look for- keeping in mind i do alot of jumping.

thankyou
 
Have you had a vet out yet? It sounds like your mare is still in pain, so you really, really need to get a vet out to diagnose what is causing the problem. Even if it is the old saddle that caused the problem, changing saddles won't necessarily be the only thing you have to do, you may well have to rest her, get a physio out, put her on a specific exercise regime to help her build muscle, etc. You really won't know unless she is seen by a vet.

If your vet has given you the all clear, there are a lot of treeless saddles out there. Like all things you get what you pay for, so it might be worth going for one of the more reputable makes. Many makes will lease you a saddle so that you can see what it feels like to ride in one - not every rider or every horse gets on with a treeless so make sure you try before you part with any more money.
 
I woudl ditto the above and get the vet out to check your horse over first.

Then if you do want a treeless people like these

www.bettersaddles.com

will let you trial them, and if you live near to them - they'll come out and put several on for you to try. I trialled the Barefoot London, and bought it at the end of the trial period, so didn't have to pay to trial it. I wear mine for flatwork, and have a 'normal' jumping saddle, but I find my treeless is very comfy, and being a dressage model, puts me in a great position. I think my horse finds it comfy too, and my chiro/saddle fitter says he now has more topline than before (although not sure if that can all be attributed to the saddle!).

There's many different models and prices around, I went for a low-middle (£500 I think)of the range one price wise, but its perfectly fine and was fitted by my chiro :)
 
The chiro is coming out soon, and i was told to try a sports massager aswell so i may try that. I just want to make her back better soon as possible and to the best i can. i've been massaging myself and grooming alot to help recently, although it may be her back in pain- the saddles never seem to fit nicely- i walked around at the last show and looked at other people's saddles and they seemed to just sit above and distribute pressure nicely- anything that i put on Summer presses alot at the front- the fitter said she had quite big muscley shoulders.
 
I'm having the same sort of dilemma with mine: thanks for the website info, might give them a go.

I was told by a Master Saddler/saddle fitter, to be careful of treeless saddles as all the pressure which would normally be diffused by the tree and spread over the horses back, is concentrated on the stirrup bars which can cause problems; however she was at the same time trying to sell me a new £1000+ saddle! So, whilst I can hear what she's saying, I'm thinking of going treeless too.

There's a lot to think about for sure, and plenty of choice, but personally I'd want to try out something first.

Also I think I'm right in saying that it's vital to use the correct pad underneath a treeless saddle & some of these come up a bit pricey IMO.
 
it's tricky, i guess you just dont know what to do for the best for them. Just seems to me that everytime i try a treed saddle i hit a dead end and end up poking the horribly tight areas of pressure on her back thinking 'i really want to take this thing off now!' i will have to go into bareback showjumping at this rate ;)
 
I have been successfully using treeless and part treed saddles on my horses for the last 8 years.

The beauty is that when you know what suits you and the horse, then they are easy to pick up second hand online. I have bought every saddle unseen and online.

There are two styles - the traditional looking and the classic treeless style.

The higher quality and more traditional looking ones are:

Solution saddles http://www.solution-saddles.co.uk/sstryasolution.html (as used by the TB Rehabilitation Centre)

Heather Moffet Fhoenix and Vogue http://www.fhoenix-saddles.com/saddle.php

Mondial Holistic saddles http://www.bettersaddles.co.uk/acatalog/Mondial.html

Trekker http://www.trekkersaddles.co.uk/shop.html

Startrekk http://www.bettersaddles.co.uk/acatalog/Startrekk_Saddles.html (scroll down the page)

Other good ones that look a bit different are

Barefoot, Torsion, Freeform/Freemax.

It is usually necessary to use the corresponding pad underneath the saddle - although the more modern ones (I have listed) are better designed in weight distribution than in previous years. Getting the girth right can also make a difference too.

I have known many horses with very sore backs (and also riders too) find much relief with a treeless saddle - despite dire warnings from saddle fitters and naysayers!

I can only suggest you try them but stick to well known and tested brands. I could never go back to treed as I used to fret and fuss constantly that the saddles were fitting properly and drive myself potty. It is such a relief to just get on and ride.
 
i use a saddle solutions saddle now. i tried a couple and liked this best. of course i would like the expensive ones wouldnt i? lol
 
they do seem to have good reviews etc. but very expensive =/ but if i'll end up spending that in treed saddles and vets bills if i don't get her back sorted tbh. does anyone know if there are any saddle shops around leicestershire/warwickshire area that sell treeless? would really like to try one
 
Sorcerers Apprentice said:
i use a saddle solutions saddle now. i tried a couple and liked this best. of course i would like the expensive ones wouldnt i? lol
Click to expand...

Me too. I have the GP version, fine for schooling, hacking, pleasure rides, Trec and jumping what is in the way!
I'm hoping to do some Jump Cross in it too.

My horse can put on (often) and take off (never) weight and the saddle will still fit her.

I've had it 2 years now and I find it really comfortable and my horse hasn't complained about it yet, she's opinionated and has always told me in no uncertain terms if I get something wrong.
TSS4.jpg

I use a Nuumed high wither numnah with it, although the picture above is a Thorogood numnah.
 
I bought a Barefoot London for Chancer at three as I knew he was going to change shape so much. I used it until he was nearly five and then bought him a treed show saddle. I still use both. I also have used the Barefoot on both old Cairo Clydesdale who loved it and on young Farra Clydesdale.

Both of mine go equally well in either treed or treeless but some folks hate riding in them. I don't like jumping more than 2'3 in one, but hacking and schooling find them very comfortable.

The great thing is that if one of my treed saddles needs replacing or adjusting I have the treeless to use. The Barefoot comes with three different pommel sizes and I also use the pad they make for it as the correct pad is very important.

I bought my Barefoot from http://www.horseandharmony.co.uk/
as a package and they were happy to let me trial it and offered good advice. I have their backs checked annually and so far my chiro can find so sign of any problems caused by using a treeless saddle. What I would say is avoid the real cheapies off ebay. The Barefoot is probably the best of the mid range priced treeless and have various models. If you like it, then you could save up for one of the more expensive and conventional models later.
 
Sorry folks but I am really not convinced about treeless. I DID think about trying one or two when I was struggling with my horse, but after lots and lots of research I decided against. The other thing that really made up my mind was a pony on my yard who is ridden in I think a barefoot, and he now has white hairs down either side of him from pressure from the stirrup leathers.
 
I've had a Fhoenix dressage saddle for a while (for sale now on ebay - vets bills), and although I really like it, I'm not sure I would want to do a lot of jumping in one for exactly the reason your saddler mentioned.
Have a look at Balance International - their saddles are the best in the world.
 
I'm in exactly the same situation as you and am going to pick up a second hand Ansur/Solution saddle tomorrow which I am very excited about.

My horse is a very round and wide Welsh cob with a massive shoulder. I had my saddle re-flocked a little while ago as I wasn't happy with the fit of it. She just felt really shuffly and I could see that it was rubbing behind her shoulder. It took about three weeks for me to get my saddle back due to one thing and another and during this time I was riding bareback. She felt so much more forward, happier and more expressive in her movement but after about three times of riding in the saddle again she felt exactly the same as before. The saddler who I trust said it fits really well.

I did my dissertation based on the Solution saddles and never got to ride in them but the whole principle just makes sense in my mind. They are supposedly particularly good for horses shaped like mine.

Had a test ride and really loved the saddle. Jumped in it and first fence my horse did her usual clearing it without any enthusiasm and it was like she suddenly realised jumpindgwasn't uncomfortable. Every time I popped the fence after that she was flying. The saddle I'm getting is a jumper and you can happily jump the same height that you would in a normal saddle.

So..... based on my experience I would highly recommend the Solution salddles. If you keep an eye out you can pick them up second hand but you would want a test ride first to figure out exactly what size you need. PM me in a month and I will tell you if I still feel the same! The thing is the saddles hold their value so well that I will easily be able to sell it on if I decide it isn't for me.

Sorry for the rambling post I'm just really excided about my new tomorrow!!!!
 
charleysummer said:
http://www.hold-your-horses.com/epa...666/Products/290908e/SubProducts/290908e-0013

what do you think to this one? it reads quite well but i am concerned about the stirrups adding pressure- shes quite sensitive to it. i do jump fairly high would treeless work for jumping high courses?
Click to expand...

The Freemax saddles are copied from the Freeform (one of the designers went off on his own) which have a very good reputation.

I really like the saddle in the link. I have a Freeform which I have done long distance in, but I would prefer one of these if I were to buy again.

I would say this type can be long in the back if you have a short backed horse (as I do) and you do need to use the corresponding pad with this type.

I would add that pressure caused by stirrups is often bandied as a high risk but I have never actually heard of it happening when someone has a good quality, well fitted treeless with the correct pad.
 
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