Treeles saddles, has anyone had any experience good or bad.

[RACHEL100]

Has anyone got any opinions on treeles saddles, i am in a quandry as to their usefullness. I have had both good and bad comments, from fantastic, to it nearly crippling a horse, its a lot to spend if your not convinced, will they work for every horse.

 

[ajf]

Hmm don't understand your choice in graph thing above!!!
Well I have saddles with 1/4 tree (basically to attach stirrups to) and love them, won't ride in anything else!!!! If I ride someone elses horse I take my saddle with me!!!!

 

[apkelly01]

LOL Not much choice in the poll

I'm interested as well to hear about this

I've heard they are great for the horse and then I was talking to someone who said they heard after a while the stirrups cause pressure points on the horse's back. So I have no idea!

 

[jo1]

i ride a horse on my yard that is in a treeless saddle.
it is really wierd to ride in at first but you get used to it after a while. however my instructor thinks (as do i) that it pulls the rider out of position, and it is really hard to do rising trot in it as you are restricted by the high pommel. on the plus side though it is really comfy!!!!

oh just a thought as well - you cant do ur girth up while u are on as it has really long straps LOL

 

[Daphnelia]

I use a barefoot on both my ponies, I love it. Use a proper treeless pad too, and check their backs everyday for any soreness that would indicate pressure points. Find it very secure too, and a great compromise for a western saddle (which is no good as I want to jump, and so bought a treeless with kneerolls)

xxx

 

[Pedantic]

[ QUOTE ]
I use a barefoot on both my ponies, I love it. Use a proper treeless pad too, and check their backs everyday for any soreness that would indicate pressure points. Find it very secure too, and a great compromise for a western saddle (which is no good as I want to jump, and so bought a treeless with kneerolls)

xxx

[/ QUOTE ]

I am pretty much the same as above.
Seems to me that an instructor who doesn't understand treeless saddles should find out about them, of course you sit different in them, more natural position like bareback, there treeless Duh, lets face it sitting on a peice of wood on the back of a horse is anything but natural, to my way of thinking a traditional saddle puts you in an unatural position,
I have no probelm doing a rising trot in mine, cant see why it should make any diffence on whatever saddle you have for trotting.

 

[charlottenicol]

I have a treeless and I really enjoy riding in it, I also have an Abetta trail with is half tree and synthetic so depending on weather and what I am doing depending on what saddle I use, I have never had a problem with either.

 

[Nudibranch]

Sorry I don't get the vote - shouldn't there be two choices?!
Had a very mixed experience. Tried a Torsion on my TB mare, initially seemed ok and I liked the feel. However as I've mentioned in another post it caused a narcolepsy-type reaction, we assume through somehow pinching a nerve, which actually led to her retirement. It also made no difference to the way she went. They are probably better on lower-withered horses. TBH for the price, I'd rather spend the money on a decent treed now.

 

[auntyfred]

I have had two treeless saddles. A Trekker Talent and now have a Phoenix.
I ride a flat backed very wide native and have had no problems with either saddle. I am able to mount from the ground and do fast work without any slippage at all. Incredibly comfortable for me. No back problems at all for my mare. No sign of any white hairs.
There is a huge range of treeless and not all are suitable for all horses despite what the manufactorers claim. You simply cannot lump all treeless together as they are so different.
I love the comfort.
I love not having to worry when my mare changes shape.
I love the look of the phoenix but not the trekker.
I dislike the dressage girthing system. I just can't reach to tighten when on board.

One of the horses on our yard has just gone back to a tree'd saddle after having a Torsion. It was rubbing his back and making him sore.

Many places do trials of treeless saddles, copper beech and better saddles are ones I can think of off the top of my head.

 

[jacksmum]

Never had or tried a totally treeless but i do have the new semi-flex saddle which is normal at the front but treeless at the back. My chap is short coupled and does suffer from bruised back but this saddle transformed him. He is so free and forward with it the change was amazing. I also find it very comfortable and i feel very secure in it, but at £1900! they are on the pricey side

 

[Theresa_F]

I have a Barefoot London which I use both on Cairo and Chancer. I have never used my treed on Cairo since - it really does suit him. Chancer is able to grow without the worry of the saddle not fitting.

I bought the pad specific to that model and have them checked by the physio annually.

I find it very comfortable to ride in and my instructor has never said anything about my position not being different to when I rode in a treed saddle. I personally like the feeling you get of the horse moving under you.

I have done small jumps in the one I have and it was fine. Ditto having a gallop - felt totally secure.

Only thing I don't really like is the dressage girth - very difficult to adjust when onboard, but then so is my western saddle. I normally always have a leg up or use a mounting block as I am such a short arse who ain't as flexible as I used to be.

Certainly worth a try and a lot of places do sale or return - Horse & Harmony do - this is where mine came from.

 

[Bounty]

I have a Trekker Talent that I bought for a youngster I had - she was changing shape so rapidly that I couldn't keep up with getting saddles altered/buying new ones all the time.
I had her in the treeless for a few months and enjoyed it at the time. It is ultra comfy for hacking and some flatwork schooling, but I personally wouldn't want to jump over about 2'3" in it!

(Pssst!... it's for sale!

)

 

[dreama]

I used to ride my cob mare out in a treeless and she loved it and so did i but found difficulties with jumping etc and as said doing the girth up whilst on board proved a nightmare hence back in a wintec, Also rode and Arab out in a torsion which i loved!!

Ive also been looking at a few as we have so much trouble finding a saddly to fit my boy, hes WB x ID (poss with a dash of TB Lovely combination lol!!) and is broad but quite high withered with it. I like the look of the trekker talent but not sure it would quite suit him.

Has anyone had much experience of the barefoot treelesses with high withered horses?

 

[Theresa_F]

I have the barefoot but my chaps though large and hairy are fairly standard withers. I know barefoot do three pommels - high and narrow and tabletop. Horse & Harmony do a sale or return on them and were very helpful when I talked to them when buying mine.

 

[Rowreach]

I use the Solution saddles from www.totalsaddlesolutions.com which imo are the best out there. I wouldn't put anything else on my horses' backs.

 

[vieshot]

Ive ridden my boy in a torsion and am buying one as soon as ive raised the money. Very comfy for me and he seemed alot happier and moved free'r to! Seeing as it will be for both my ponies to wear, the price isnt really that bad.

 

[Donkeymad]

I have a Torsion and my boy is much happier and freer now, despite his treed saddle having been profesionally fitted. I find it great to ride in, if 'odd' initially. It also has the benefit that as his weight changes throughout the year, the saddle still fits. Be aware though that no treeless fit all horses and not all horses can wear treeless happily.

 

[charlottenicol]

Meant to add that mine is a barefoot Cheyenne, I know it's the cheaper end of the market after buying Hudson it was all I could afford and 2 1/2 years later I've not had any problems. Would love the London but need to save my pennies first and as I already have 2 saddles it would just be greedy. (Maybe once hubby has his boat I can indulge me again!!)