Treeless saddles - experiences?

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maya2008

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My old horse had a Torsion for years and really liked it. For various reasons, treed is not working for a couple of my younger ones, and they aren’t that keen on the Torsion. We had a horrendous experience the last time we tried a different treeless make, so I am wary. Experiences?
 
We have used various.
You can't go wrong with a Barefoot, Freeform, Sensation in terms of quality.
But depends what you both suit. We tried a Solution, I loved it, cob hated it. She hates too much panel underneath and likes more of a close feel.
 
I like the Solution and the difference when the Draft mare first tried it was amazing, her movement was so much freer. She had very big shoulders and treed saddles didn't allow her to move half so freely as treeless.
 
I totally loved my Sensation on my mare and so did she, before illness forced her retirement and seriously gutted that my new big boy just is not the right shape for a treeless. It was like riding in a Bentley as opposed to a Clio (so sorry Clio owners!) so although I am very happy with his newly fitted Ideal saddle, and he is very comfortable and goes well in it - my comfort is sort of OK'ish - but nothing like the 'floaty on a duvet cloud' feeling of the Sensation.
 
I liked Torsion but also found they didn't suit some. These days I have HM flexee, which while not strictly treeless is super comfy for me and seems to work well on mine.
 
I've got a Barefoot which everything went in, and now have a freedom Holistic which just looks like a normal treed saddle. I find it very comfortable, and I jump and show in it. Very good leather, and nobody would guess it's treeless.
 
I have a barefoot which is amazingly comfy! Bought due to my fells massive shoulder, it is the only thing he seems to move well in. Physio always comments on how well muscled his back is and his range of movement. Only downside is as he put on weight it became trickier to fit.
 
Another with a large-shouldered Fell in a Barefoot (Atlanta) and I like it well enough with the knee-rolled fenders and hip saver. I didnt care much for the Cheyenne though. I liked the Ghost Firenze I had but would prefer a different model I think.

Others I've tried include Treefree, an old Soultion which I really disliked as did the pony and a Vogue (which wasnt mine, it was nice to ride in though).
 
I had a very expensive treeless that initially was good and we were both happy with (about a year or so) but then my horse changed shape and despite changing to a different model it gave my horse a sore back to the point I had the approved fitter and physio every 8 to 10 weeks and virtually didn't ride. Very glad I've changed back to a tree'd saddle, my horse is so much happier as is his physio! I'd been told that I would never get a saddle to fit both me and my croup high short backed horse but thankfully that is not the case.

I do have a couple of friends who have the same make of treeless and they love them but I personally wouldn't let one near my horse again.
 
We have had Bob Marshall treeless endurance saddles with Skito pads for the past 20 years and I would hate to ride in anything else. The horses move well in them. We used to put them on horses with treed saddles for people and there was an immediate difference in the movement.
 
The first-ever treeless saddle I tried was the Heather Moffat ones, Vogue and Phoenix, and after riding in them I could hardly walk for a week!!

Have ridden in Barefoots; but they're not ideal for wider horses and my hips were not happy!

Came across the TreeFree Tor saddle, and having tried their Exmoor saddle I trialled the Tor for a week. Bliss! Horses and myself very happy with their saddles; and as an older rider theirs are the ONLY treeless saddle that I can do a Pleasure Ride in and still be able to stagger along at the end of the day!
 
I also used Barefoot Cheyenne on my ponies. I loved the close feel of them and found them comfy and the ponies liked it but not everyone liked the position it places your legs. I even did the Mary Towneley loop in it.
A word of warning though, I once took my pony out on a long and fast hunt ride the day after he had been clipped, and a few days later I saw the white hairs caused by pressure points that followed the line of the stirrups exactly on both sides. I was mortified! I think it was a combination of freshly clipped and lots of trotting that highlighted the problem of a treeless saddle. The white hairs grew out and never came back but it was a lesson. This happened nearly 15 years old now and I am sure that treeless saddle technology has come on hugely in that time. I now only use it as a backup now as I have Strada saddles now.
 
Tarragon said:
This happened nearly 15 years old now and I am sure that treeless saddle technology has come on hugely in that time. I now only use it as a backup now as I have Strada saddles now.
Click to expand...

the Barefoots have VPS now and should really be used with a Barefoot pad although I did use mine without (not without a pad, just without a Barefoot pad) when I first got it. We mostly pootle about, not sure how it would do if we were putting in serious miles. I like it but if I ever do have the time to get super fit I'd be looking for a decent treed-I just really hate showing and WH type saddles (and dressage saddles). My dream saddle is this one currently
https://www.myselleria.com/P2813-endurance-podium-saddle-extra-light
 
I did use a proper Barefoot (grandeur?) pad with mine at the time. I think it was a set of exceptional circumstances but it did highlight the argument that people have against treeless in that there is not enough to distribute the pressure placed on the stirrup bars
 
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I ride in a Total Contact Saddle which is pretty much like riding bareback but with the benefit of stirrups and a saddle pad, which is distinctly less slippy than my horse's back.

It is classed as a treeless saddle but it is the most minimal design I have ever come across. Not that I think that is a bad thing at all! I wouldn't want to go back to riding in a normal saddle (treed or treeless) now.

Pressure points are a valid concern on both types of saddles in my view. The fitting of the saddle, irrespective of its design or make is always of the utmost importance.
 
I would say don't tar all treed saddles with the same brush, there is a huge variation and, just because your local fitter(s) has/have told you that you've tried all possible options, don't think there can't be better ones. There are many specialist brands out there that may cater to your particular issues. I see massive improvement in shoulder freedom etc when fitting treed saddles correctly, even if they've been in treeless previously, but especially if they've been in some of the more common brands of treed.
 
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