Treeless saddle questions

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AmynPeanut

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Hi, after having my saddler out to check my saddle yesterday he's told me i have a very difficult horse to fit and that he's 99.9% sure i wont find a conventional saddle to fit unless i have one made (he's a very close family friend so not after the money).Any way funds are tight so thats not a option.

Peanut is a very chunky, round (but not fat) welsh d, and it was suggested that i use a felt pony pad or maybe try a treeless.

I looked at treeless saddles but all are also out of my price range for a while except one called libra trec
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Treeless-Saddle-LI...1QQcmdZViewItem

Any thoughts?? Looks ideal but i'm worried as it would appear to sit directly on the spine?

Also i'd looked at the bareback pads but contacted the seller and she didnt recommend using stirrups so i dont think i would feel safe!

Help!
 
im pretty sure they dont sit directly on the spine. a friend at the yard has just brought one for her chunky cob and its similar to a conventional saddle whereas you can see daylight thought it when its on.
 
My YO used them (Dressage ones) on her horses for a while. There was no problem with the horses but the riders suffered alot! Neither I or YO (who is 60+ hope shes not reading this!!!) have the best hips but they crippled me and to quote YO "Split her in half" please excuse the choice of vocab!

If you can cope with that then I think they definatly have a place!
 
Try getting on waiting lists at as many saddlers as possible for notification when a XX-wide tree saddle comes in as a second hand trade in. You may have to wait a while and try a few, but your horse isn't the only one of his shape in the world and sooner or later something should come up.
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Sorry to sound gloomy... but treeless saddles are not cheap. Ther are a lot of very dodgy cheapo ones out there which are not properlly designed or made. They can do one hell of a lot of damage to the horses back. Also, it is a myth that treeless saddles fit every horse... they need fitting just like any other saddle and some designs suit one type rather than another.

A bareback pad with stirrups will create a pressure point in the worst possible place (not that there is a good place for a pressure point!) Used regularly they will destroy a horses back. They are fine for a bit of fun once in a blue moon, but are not designed for regular use.

Treeless saddles have had a bad press because they do not suit all riders. Unless the rider is balanced with a good independent seat and light (not talking about how much they weigh, but how lightly they ride) they will find a treeless saddle agony and their riding will damage the horses back.

General consensus is that if you buy a treeless, buy one of the branded ones and use the physio pads... all will be well, if your riding is up to the job.

Personaly I would look at the Wintec xxx Wide saddles with changable gullets and girthing arrangements.
 
There is nothing wrong with a treeless saddle if it fit the horse correctly and the rider rides correctly just the same as there is nothing wrong with a conventional saddle if the same applies.

People have got this thing in their heads that if its not got a tree in then its going cause damage and pain to the horses back, where in fact the percentage of horses with muscle/spine/back problems would be no doubt be any different to the amount caused by conventional saddles.
You can wear any kind of shoes or trainer but if they don't fit they will cause the same damage to your foot.

A good treeless saddle will have panels and will distribute the weight across these, your seat bones are not in the middle of your backside they are set at each side where the centre of your weight it spread which is either side of the horses spine. Personally I wouldn't dream of putting a treeless on some certain breeds and confirmations, however with some horses/ponies they will be fine.
I tried a treeless on my cob on demo and I not kidding you he was like dream to ride, I could tell after a couple of weeks how he worked through his back and he must of been so more comfortable in the torsion than my other saddle with a tree.

All I'm saying is, don't knock it till you've tried it and make sure you have good saddle fitter and back person to check that a treeless will be suitable for you and your horse.
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Personally I would save up and buy something better.

I bought a barefoot treeless London. I have a young gypsy cob that has so much growing to do, hence the decision to use a treeless saddle.

I personally love riding in it and several others have said how comfortable it is. It is great for hacking and schooling at the level I do - basic and you can jump small jumps in it fine. Takes a little getting used to at first.

I bought the latest model, complete with dressage girth and stirrup leathers, specialist pad for the saddle - the package was the cheapest way for me.

Whatever you do, don't skimp on the pad - a specialist pad is essential to avoid hurting the back.

They also do the cheynne which is a great hacking saddle, again if you want the package it is £500.

They did offer me a refund provided saddle was in excellent condition when returned if I didn't get on with it.

I have used with saddle for over a year and so far there is no sign of any problems with either the clydesdale or the young gypsy cob's backs - and they are annually checked by a physio.

The barefoot saddle has three different pomels - I am using standard but they also do ones for very narrow and xx wide horses.

This the site

http://horseandharmony.co.uk/shop/

They were really helpful.

You could also try looking out for them on ebay.

Now if money is not an issue, then go for the Fhoenix - I am seriously considering saving for one next year to show my little chap in. I have several friends with trads that keep changing shape and are xx wide who use them.
 
I have a treeless, well actually I have two and both are really comfortable and I have no problems with them. We got one of ours from copperbeech saddles, they're not too expensive and I think they have a website with prices etc on.
 
Sorry, I think you are going to have to spend a bit to get a decent treeless. My one is fantastic, I recommend it to everyone. I bought it 2nd hand from my horse's previous owner, if I had bought it new it would have been nearly £2000. From what I've heard of the cheaper brands they do more harm than good.
 
Equine Whispers < These people do a few different treeless saddles, and they know quite a lot about treelesses in general so they can answer all of your questions about them.
I've only ever heard good things about their saddles, and they range in price so there are affordable but decent ones on there.
Good luck whatever you decide
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there are native pony saddles which might work. personally i am not in favour of treeless, i have researched them a lot and am determined to get whatever is comfiest for my horses, and have stuck with tree'd saddles, for lots of reasons.
 
Treeless saddles are fab! As someone has said horse and harmony are good and there is a lady in Cornwall that is fab she is on ebay and does a trial for £45. My treeless was £400 odd from her, cant remember the name, oh yes, Copperbeech saddles, she is on the internet.

I rode Trojan in one, he is a suffolk punch and I would never want to use a tree'd one again.

I also rode my friends horse the other day in a tree'd saddle and could really feel the difference, when I got off it was awful!
 
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