Treeless.... fitting a Torsion to a pony (and is it ok to stuff the pommel?)

[maya2008]

I've had treeless saddles for years - on bigger, more 'withery' creatures! We had a Freeform, which I love to bits and fits older brother fine...but is just too long on mini mare. So I'm experimenting with our smaller Torsion on her. We have the 'wide' Barefoot pommel in it, which is correct according to their measuring instructions. It fits ok, if it is in exactly the right position and the saddle is dead straight - but I'm worried about it putting pressure on. If I take it out, the saddle sits much lower, but doesn't pull down on her withers. Is it ok to take it out and just stuff it with foam (it arrived with a foam pommel when we bought it)? Or what if I raised the whole thing by using a 'meatier' pad? Have Equitex at the moment. She loves the feel, but I could put something chunkier underneath instead. I need to do some serious miles this summer as she's in the grassy paddock with mare and foal, so will need to run off the calories!

In an ideal world, I'd find that they do a child version of the Freeform, with a shorter base than extra-small. But they don't, do they?

Eta: she's nearly 6, goes through treed saddles like sweeties, I went back to treeless to get something that fitted for more than 8 weeks!

 

[Ownedby4horses]

Personally I would be getting a fitter out, I wouldn’t be stuffing anything with foam or anything to make it fit. ?

 

[catkin]

In an ideal world, I'd find that they do a child version of the Freeform, with a shorter base than extra-small. But they don't, do they?

Eta: she's nearly 6, goes through treed saddles like sweeties, I went back to treeless to get something that fitted for more than 8 weeks!

There was a child version of the Freeform a few years ago now, I had one, and very useful it was too on ponies who could take a 17 inch saddle (though I ended up stripping the kneerolls off as they were in the wrong place for an adult).
The base was the same as the extra-short though and it was a bit long on a pony who could only take a 16 inch saddle. The short backed pony is fine in an ancient Ansur/Solutions for a small adult.

 

[maya2008]

There was a child version of the Freeform a few years ago now, I had one, and very useful it was too on ponies who could take a 17 inch saddle (though I ended up stripping the kneerolls off as they were in the wrong place for an adult).
The base was the same as the extra-short though and it was a bit long on a pony who could only take a 16 inch saddle. The short backed pony is fine in an ancient Ansur/Solutions for a small adult.

What size ancient Ansur/Solutions? My mini mare only takes a 16" treed - just. Her predecessor was ridden mostly bareback until she turned 8, settled into her adult body and was a predictable size so we could get a treed to fit her.

 

[catkin]

The one I have is one of the original models so rather old - a size 4. It is an Ansur classic (straight/dressage cut) with the flat base and has been on two short backed ponies with changes in shimming. The Solutions equivalent is the Energist. We've got a smart native gp too - that's also size 4 but that's a current model.
They can be wide for the rider but as you are used to treeless then thats no surprise to you.
The current pony is very wide, has a bit of a wither, flat backed and is 16 inch in treeds, maybe a tiny bit more with the right panels

 

[Gloi]

I took the wooden pommel out of mine and stuffed it with wool. It worked ok. Used it with the thick pad on round pony.

 

[BlackRider]

I also took the fixed pommel out of a barefoot and stuffed it with soft toy filling - it was fine.