Thoughts on treeless saddles please?

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Bright_Spark

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I am thinking of getting Ambi (tb) a new saddle and was considering a treeless one, mainly because she can change shape quite a bit throughout the year (depending on work, seasons etc).

I am slightly more swayed towards the 'traditional' looking ones as I want to compete next year (only local level though), but am not sure if they are any good?

Any advice, pros, cons, recommendations etc would be much appreciated :D

Thanks in advance :)
 
I hope you're ready for an onslaught of divided opinion!! :D

I love my treeless for my cob. Could never find anything to fit until I swapped onto it. It helped both his movement (blocked shoulder with treed saddles) and reduced his headshaking slightly. I'd never have him in anything else. :)

I also like it on my mare. She changes shape a lot now she's a happy hacker and both she and I are uber comfy in it. That said her treed saddle suited us both as well - up until it was stolen anyway; hence the swap into a treeless :)

However, I loathed it on my high withered, knife blade oldie. No matter how it was adjusted it just didn't suit him so we went back to his high wither synthetic.

Like most tack issues I think it's 'horses for courses' - they work for some and not others.

All my treeless are Heather Moffett which look just like a 'normal' saddle and can be competed in without anyone noticing. :)

I have never fancied the ones like Barefoot (although some people love them) because I don't think they're very attractive. just my opinon though! :)
 
Here you go:
No advantage to treeless saddles?
By Amanda Stevenson Gear news 09 April 2008 15:03
The Society of Master Saddlers (SMS) has carried out a pressure testing survey to see if treeless saddles have an advantage over traditional saddles with trees. Having purchased the latest pressure mapping system from German company Novel, the SMS carried out a comparative test on four types of treeless saddles.
As a result of two days’ vigorous testing, the Society has concluded that there is no advantage of having a treeless saddle over a traditional treed version. In fact it claims, as a result of its findings, that a well-fitted treed version could be more beneficial to the well-being of the horse than a treeless saddle.
The full report is published below.
Society of Master Saddlers Report on Treeless Saddles
The Society of Master Saddlers (SMS) joined forces with the British Equestrian Federation in 2007 to purchase the latest pressure mapping system from German company, Novel. Part ownership of the system has allowed the SMS to start to compile data collected from using the Pliance system.
One of the first, ongoing, assessments carried out is that of treeless saddles. To date the SMS have carried out two full test days for treeless saddles. On both occasions the same horse and rider were used and the tests were carried out in the same indoor arena and therefore on the same surface. Four different types of treeless saddle were tested and, where it was advised by the manufacturer, the appropriate pad was used. The horse was walked, trotted (rising & sitting), cantered & jumped on both reins.
Thus far, the information gathered has indicated that, without exception, there is no advantage to the horse in being ridden in a treeless saddle over a well fitting traditionally made treed saddle.
All of the saddles tested were found to exert pressure onto the horse’s spine under the rider, something that a well fitting, well balanced treed saddle does not do due to the tree distributing the rider’s weight either side of the horse’s spine.
All of the saddles tested had high, localised pressure under the stirrup bars. This was improved, in most circumstances, when the saddle was ridden without stirrups or with single thickness, dressage style stirrup leathers.
Also tested was the effect of a different weight rider. The regular rider was substituted with a heavier rider. Whilst the second rider’s actual weight was heavier, they could be described as having a ‘lighter’ seat. The Pliance system showed that the pressure produced from a heavier, ‘lighter’ seated rider was less than that of the lighter weight, regular rider thus indicating that the rider’s style has an influence on the pressure exerted under a treeless saddle.
In conclusion, the SMS have not found any advantage in using a treeless saddle over a well fitting treed saddle and, in most cases, would consider the use of a well fitting treed saddle to be more beneficial to the well being of the horse.
As stated previously, this is an ongoing collection of data and the SMS will continue to publish any new findings.
 
It does need to fit the horse properly and I would get a good name and have it properly fitted. Don't just but any old treeless and then 'bung' it on your horse (I'm sure you wouldn't but some people do) and expect everything to be fine and dandy.

I personally don't like them for my horse because she is very flat across the back and I ride in a very hilly area. I found that I need more sideways stability (especially if she's being nappy), which you get with a treed saddle. Having said that I have happily (and very comfortably) ridden in them on other horses on the flat. Although one horse had to go back to his treed saddle because he got pressure spots under the rider's seatbones.
 
In conclusion, the SMS have not found any advantage in using a treeless saddle over a well fitting treed saddle and, in most cases, would consider the use of a well fitting treed saddle to be more beneficial to the well being of the horse.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what my saddler told me.
 
Thanks Three, I quite like the Heather Moffat ones and am not so keen on the Barefoot ones- I think its just how they look.
Thank you for the article irish_only, that is very interesting reading.

Thanks Faracat, its interesting to read that the saddles can be more comfoatable on some horses more than others. I know what you mean about getting the saddle fitted properly- this one will hopefully last her a long time so want one comfortable and correct for both of us.

Ok, one other question, would an adjustable gullet saddle be 'better' than a treeless?
 
I love mine! I have a treeless GP and a treeless dressage, and Faracat they were just "any old treeless I bunged on them" but I have had them both checked for both the ponies and they are fine :) It means that instead of having 4 saddles I can get away with 2!
 
The problem with that SMS report is that it doesn't say which "treeless saddle" they tested. Treeless saddles vary so widely it makes the report meaningless to me.
I really love my HM Fhoenix saddle, particularly the feel of riding on memory foam, which of course helps with good weight distribution. Having said that, my Freeform from Goldfinch also performs extremely well, and my Sensation saddle is just about the comfiest thing I've ever ridden in. For me the advantage of treeless is the ease of fitting (I'm trained). Much easier to adjust myself, and no need to call out a saddler. The saddles also all fit many different horses.
 
I'm glad that yours fitted and that you had them checked. :)

My comment was due to someone I know who had terrible trouble with a cheap saddle from ebay.
 
Absolutely LOVE my Barefoot Cheyenne.
Wouldn't swap it for a treed saddle in a million years!
Feels like I am sitting on a black of wood if I get on a horse with a treed saddle now.
Mine is super comfy expecially on lang hacks, and I can jump in it too.
Plus I can use it on the TB I ride or on my cob, it fits both and the even sweat patches and dry spine after riding prove it too :D
 
I have a Trekker Pro Endurance treeless - with a gullet :D - the pads can moved as they are attached with velcro so is suitable for high withered horses as well as the fatties whose weight goes up and down like yoyos.

Not the prettiest tbf but could be used for local showing and while I have jumped in it, it's very dressage cut so not really suitable.

I love mine mainly because I have a damaged spine and I find a treed saddle hurts and I end up collapsing over one hip to compensate so am sitting very crooked which isn't good for the horse. I've ridden in most of the original treefrees - fitform, barefoot etc and like them but the pony didn't so this was the perfect compromise......

http://www.equinewhispers.co.uk/sho...-227.html?v7=1ad93edd2cc4132c6df7c0ad9a21d862

PS The handle on the front can be removed easily - I've left mine as I had a bucker ;)
 
Irish_only I think you will find that that survey had an awful lot of flaws in it, not only because it was carried out by SMS saddlers with a vested interest in slamming treeless saddles, and that the manufacturers and designers of the treeless saddles tested were not invited to take part in the survey or allowed to fit their own saddles, but in the small sample of horses and riders used in the trial :rolleyes:

I have no doubt that a properly fitted treed saddle can be absolutely fine but it would mean having the saddle and horse properly assessed on probably a monthly basis and any adjustments made as and when required - a saddle that fits your horse today in all likelihood will not fit the same in 4-6 weeks time, let alone 6 months or a year.

I've ridden all my own horses in treeless for about 5 years now, and I ride all the schoolers in them and do all my backing in them. I have far fewer issues backing horses in treeless than I ever did over the many years of backing them in (supposedly well-fitting) treed saddles.

All my horses have improved in their way of going in treeless, and my riding is more centred and balanced. They have fewer back problems and much more developed muscle and topline. Personally speaking I can't see myself ever going back to treed saddles:)
 
I love my HM fhoenix dressage saddle and my horse moves much better in a treeless than a treed. I got mine off ebay but researched it by reading about them on www.enlightenedequitation.com.

I purchased a barefoot london to try my horse with before spending more on a HM and he went really well in it I just found the twist to wide for me. The HM fhoenix has a twist so doesn't hurt my hips and I can ride for hours.

Treeless saddles are like marmite.... you either love em or hate em!! :rolleyes:
 
I have a treeless I bought of ebay, it was fairly cheap and I didn't expect much of it but bought it anyway for a very overweight pony that I was struggling to get a treed saddle to fit. The idea being I would get the weight off her and then buy her a treed saddle that fits.

It is by a long way the most comfortable saddle I have ever ridden in, I loved the closer contact also, the pony also was really happy in it.
I dont use it anymore as I have now sold the pony, and the rest of mine all have treed saddles.

But I'm glad I've got it, and will keep it as it would fit most horses, and its good having it as a back up and knowing its really confortable.
I will also use it on my youngsters when it comes to them getting used to a saddle on their backs, treeless tend to be quite lightweight and as they aren't rigid they can be handy to start with. It will also give me the opportunity to wait until I actually plan on getting on their backs to buy a treed saddle, which wont be until 4 years - meaning the treed ones I buy stand a much better chance of fitting longer term.

One thing I have found is they tend to make your horse feel wider, so if you have a real wide horse to start with, you end up feeling like you're riding a barrel lol, but equally so they can fill out a slimmer horse for a more comfortable ride.

Not good for mounting from ground, they slip. You also need good balance as again will slip when riding in them so I wouldn't suggest treeless for beginners x
 
I have had treeless saddles, do not currently have one. I do love them though and would have another in an instant.
They are very different indeed but I love them, it is as suggested horses for courses and they may not suit, but you don't know until you try :D
 
I've had a couple and plenty of tree'd saddles.

Like rowanreach said, a VERY WELL FITTED 'treed' saddle is probably slightly better than a treeless saddle. But how many saddles are very well fitted? And remain well fitting during weight change, muscle development etc? treeless's on the other hand, if the design suits the horse, adapt and change with the horse.

Some treeless's (the cheaper ones) are rubbish and give treeless saddles a bad name. And not all treeless suit all horses, depsite some manufactures claims. And most need carefully fitting with correct pads.

I would not hesitate to use a treeless on most horses but high withered, hollow, TB's are hard to fit. They are better on wide flat cobby types, though the more expensive ones have special saddles for that type.

I've got a freeform that I used to break my welsh cobx and now my traditinoal cob. LOVE it - so comfortable and horses love it. Good weight distribution and very secure. OK for high withered horses but not ideal. Not massively traditional looking.

My friend has a HM saddles. Lovely saddle BUT the set back stirrup bars are difficult to get used to as some have VERY set back bars. They have a gullet and various panel options so the right combination will fit high withered horses.

I also had a Freemax saddle which is very similar to the freeform but looked like a normal saddle.

If you want something 'traditional' looking then have a look at Solution saddles, Heather Moffet saddles. And have a look at Freemax saddles too - they look like normal saddles and with a proper pad they would be suitable for withered (but no knife edge) horses too. AND they're massively cheaper than HM or Solution saddles - there's some on special offer on ebay at the more for under 300 new!

Steer clear of the cheap india imports - they are made of cheap glue and foam which quickly disintigrate
 
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