Treeless saddle question and a question about white stitching

[indiat]

Hi guys,

As anyone knows who has been reading my posts I am dithering over saddles for my highland youngster and I am seriously considering treeless. But my daughters would like to compete and I was wondering if he would hate it if we switched between treeless and treed saddles? As he and the girls get older and stronger they would like to do x country and the like on him and practice their jumping. Eldest is also a bit of dressage diva! Does anyone else do this and does it bug your horses?

Also, I have found a lovely saddler in Kerry who is going to make him up a bridle embroidered with celtic stitching - gorgeous work, and just a bit of fun for me when I ride him. My competitive girls can have their plain leather bridles. I was thinking of black with white stiching, but obviously its going to get dirty - does anyone have experience of white stiching and how easy it is to clean it up?

Thank you all in advance!

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

I never had any issues with my mare using treed or treeless and the swapping between the two. However, she was quite exceptional and never made a fuss about anything. When she started wearing hoof boots for hacking she did not bat an eyelid, took to them like a duck to water. Thus not sure if my example is of much help....

 

[indiat]

Thanks for that. He is a VERY laid back lad so am hoping he will be the same. I am also going down the hoof boot route as I used Old Macs for my last mare and I really loved the fact she didn't slip or slither all over the road!

 

[fjordhorsefan]

I swap between treeless and treed, and it doesn't bother mine. White stitching is a nightmare to keep clean - that's all!!

 

[Oberon]

I use a treeless on my Arab but his sharer prefers the treed.

Never had any issues swapping between the two.

 

[cremedemonthe]

White stitching won't stay white for long, especially if it is traditional handwaxed hemp based for hand stitching. You can try to cheat and touch it up if you have a steady hand with tippex, which is what we used to do in Saddlery college when we had made our white stitching dirty before it was marked by the tutor!
Oz

 

[Rowreach]

If you get a Solution treeless saddle you won't have to switch, you can do everything in it

 

[OldNag]

White stitching won't stay white for long, especially if it is traditional handwaxed hemp based for hand stitching. You can try to cheat and touch it up if you have a steady hand with tippex, which is what we used to do in Saddlery college when we had made our white stitching dirty before it was marked by the tutor!
Oz

Oooooh no-one ever told me about that one. I was rubbish at keeping white thread white

 

[indiat]

Thanks everyone, note to self, no white stitching! Thanks for the tip about Solution saddles as well Rowreach.