Treeless saddles, anyone have one?

I've used Torsion many years ago on one that I used to own, I was quite impressed, with the obvious freedom of movement, certainly wouldn't knock them providing the horse has the right sort of muscle and comfo to take one and that the rider is on the light side with steady seat, but boy are they ugly!

Also tried Solution Saddles, again not a bad saddle, if they are fitted correctly and suit the horse and what you are wanting to do.

On the other hand, I can also see how they could cause problems and not suit probably if I'm honest, alot alot of shapes and some riders may get along with them, it's like riding bareback but wit stirrups, is the only way I can explain, but it does make you ride and use your legs how your supposed to!, your certainly never a passenger put it that way and if you have the tendency to have back problems (as in the rider), you may suffer more so with a treeless until you have got used to one.

Forgot to say, don't ever every be temped with any of the cheaper versions if your wanting to try one or have one fitted, total waste of time and money, also you must invest in a good pad to go underneith which works with the saddle.
 
Kenzo said:
Forgot to say, don't ever every be temped with any of the cheaper versions if your wanting to try one or have one fitted, total waste of time and money, also you must invest in a good pad to go underneith which works with the saddle.
Click to expand...

I second that. For a new treeless if it's under £500 it could do more harm than good.
Stick with the tried and tested 'big names' - Ansur, Heather Moffett, Freeform or the best budget buy, Barefoot.
 
I use Torsion. Great for comfort, unconventional maybe but not ugly. The dream team sell Torsion in GB and designed this saddle to be more 'conventional' I assume. It is a bit cheap, but they are breaking into the market. I like it's look and I bet it's comfortable. I'm a happy hacker, I would not use treeless for active, conventional competition riding. My horse happily carries both and for comfort I opt for treeless. Excellent for reducing jarring for rider too! :)
 
Thanks for your replys,

They have the option for trying one out, this is the only one i find atractive, I like the high back on it, others just look wierd!

Im going to try out some normal leather GP saddles when my saddler comes out next week,and il ask him what he thinks about the treeless ones.
 
I have the barefoot london, which I bought to see if my lad liked the treeless and he did so I upgraded to a Heather Moffett fhoenix dressage. Love both the saddles.

The HM does feel and look more like a traditional saddle and doesn't hurt my hips like the barefoot did. The HM can be used with a normal high wither pad underneath but my barefoot needs to have a special pad under at all times even though it is the VPS model.
 
I have a treeless, theres no way I would ride my girl in anything else! I feel 'perched' on top of a tree'd saddle, and Melly moved (Out of work at the moment) very strangely in one. I was bolted with, bucking etc etc, however with the treeless she is soft and moves nicely, I can feel what she is doing under me and can ride her much more sympathetically as a result.
Gratuitous picture :) (sorry!)

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Please excuse both my and her horrid fatness! We have both lost weight now!
 
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Hello,

I have tried alot of different types of treeless saddles, in the end I bought a Heather Moffett Vogue Dressage. I loved it so much I have just bought another one for my other horse after having my first for a year.

I use a suber pad under saddle on one horse and the normal panels in the saddle for the other both. Both have a normal saddlecloth. These saddles are really called soft treed instead of treeless.

I even jump upto 2'6" in my vogue.

They are expensive but in my opinon I have never sat on anything else so comfy, it puts you in a wonderful position, my horse moves more freely and I have no problems with it not being stable as it stays in place while hacking, jumping, spooking etc, I do not mount from the floor tho (I do not even in a treed saddle either) and in can be annoying to do the dressage girth up whilst onboard.

Anyway, take a look at the website

http://fhoenix-saddles.com/index.php

if you like them you can get them cheaper on Heather's forum website or ebay, but you really need to make sure they fit as there is different pads and panels you can use.

Some love them, some dont.....I doooo.

:D
 
im actually buying one at the moment... having to pay in installments lol. but nearly there!! Barefoot Cheyenne. :) I love it, since i've been using one (borrowed my friends) its like riding a different horse, hes no longer bucking me off, hes going in straight lines, and longer strides.!! Cant believe I didnt have one ever before!!

So comfy to ride in, felt weird first time, like bareback with stirrups!!
 
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