Treeless saddles you can JUMP in? PLEASE Read! Thank yoou :)

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Leg12

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Basically if you don't want to read the ridiculously long essay of a post I just wrote here's the cliff notes :) :P :

Prepared to pay for a Solutions (GP -cos can't afford two) if its the only way but if there is a cheaper alternative (Dres&Jump) to Solutions I would be very pleased :P ! (Which is the best model of Solutions and why? What do you have?)

Best for horses back but also able to get on from ground if had to/ minimal lateral slipage etc. Secure seat.

Cheers!!! ...please read on for full ramble...


I have been researching going un-treed for a while now and am struggling to decide the best way forward.

I am aware of the majority of the different types of treeless (Barefoot, Treefree, HM etc) etc out there or half treed (like Strada) or unusual treed (like Wow etc).

I am looking for something to do a bit of everything in.
(I would love to have a dressage and a jump but that would cost more money than I have especially If I invest in a Solutions which I think is the way forward...maybe...they are so expensive!)

So the plan is to get a really good GP which you can ride with a good dressage position in (some (normal gps) persuade you to sit in an armchair position which is hard to correct) but also jump fairly high in (some treeless the stirrup bars aren't in the right place for both).

SoOo...

Is it worth investing in a Solutions? If you have one which one and why?

Can you jump in a Heather Moffett, or more to the point is it a good idea? (some horse riders can 'do' anything in any saddle but its whether you 'should' lol :P ) The Solutions people would charge a lot to come all the way to where I live and HM is just down the road so would much prefer to go to her if they are as good or better.

Are there any others which are used by professionals and make their pressure testing documents available (not that Solutions do that part)?

If you have any research on pressure testing and treeless vs tree I would really want to read it because I am doing a degree in Horse Stuff :P so have assess to scientific journals. And I've read the master saddlers review of treed saddles...and wasn't very impressed with their 'testing'. Not a bonafied test if they have a vested interest and yada yada don't get me started :P ! Also have read some of the test by Mary Ann McPhail and am not very convinced but if someone provides me with conclusive scientific evidence that a treed saddle is unshakably superior to a good treeless than I will have a god think about it!

(...although I have yet to see any decent extensive and conclusive evidence of proper pressure testing on any kind of saddle in all three paces but hey ho...I suppose if we are gunna sit our fat butts on horses its inevitable we are going to cause some discomfort somewhere :/ ! )

And before anyone says don't buy cheap cr*py ones off Ebay I won't I promise :P :) ! And I will try before I buy I just don't want to have to try too many at £50 PLUS a time! :)

THANK YOU to anyone who has read this ridiculously long post and replies :) !!!

<3 :)
 
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Hi - cant help as have no experience of treeless - but have you had a look at the Enlightened Equitation page on Facebook? :)
 
The problem you'll find is that everyone has their own preferences. I have a Smart Solution GP and wouldn't swap it for the world - I love it. I had a HM in the past, hated it and wouldn't have dared to jump in it.

If you're considering a Solution, definitely have a rep out. It swung me the moment I tried riding in one.

:)
 
I've jumped in a HM, can't say I really noticed any difference to a tree'd saddle, the jumps were fairly little though (about 2' - 2'3") and I don't jump regularly so maybe its just my un-tuned riding that thought it was ok.
 
I have a Flexee that I have jumped in but even over a little log I felt it put my leg too far back. That said mine is a prototype so the newer ones could be different . If you look on the Flexee fb page there are people on there who have happily jumped in them
 
I've had a HM in the past and jumped round BE Novice in it, so 1.10 but I've also had both. dressage and jumping Solution saddle and have to say they are a million % better to jump in!
 
I have a hm, I have jumped in as in I've schooled Xc and had a jumping lesson but I've never done anything like a jump off yet. I don't find I feel like I don't ride very well in it but it is a fairly new horse and I am a bit rusty so I can't solely blame the saddle, I just don't feel as balanced in it as I would like. I have managed to sit a few broncs and spins in it though. I would love to try a solution just to see if my balance is better in one.
 
I have a Solution GP with 2 sets of knee blocks so I can adjust it for either dressage or jumping. Works a treat!

I have hunted in mine, done backing etc, mounted from the ground and never felt insecure in it. In fact I hate riding in anything else now....

Whereabouts are you? Most solutions agents only charge £50 for the fitting which is refunded when you buy a saddle.
 
I have a soultion freestyle and change knee rolls from dressage to jumping. It's brilliant and pony goes amazing in it. I do however always jump in brestplate as he is a bit 'expressive' over his fences and between so there is a slight bit of slippage.
 
As with several of the above posters, I jump in my HM vogue (the dressage version too). Not high, 2'6 to 3', but it's secure and comfortable.

Bluewhippet - I use treeless on one of mine because I went through 5 treed saddles in 18 months, all professionally fitted, even tried different saddlers, and could not keep her comfortable. I tried a Vogue at one of Heather's clinics and my girl went so well I figured I had nothing left to lose. A year later, she's still totally comfortable in it and I love it.
 
Thanks, just exploring the options for mine. He is very hard to fit and changes shape regularly and is very lopsided....
 
bluewhippet said:
Do you all have treeless because your horses are difficult to fit?
Click to expand...

Partly, and partly because Rods was changing so quickly at that age. I couldn't justify buying new saddles every 3 months, and Solutions are so damn comfy to ride in!

He was also very downhill, and it was easier to shim a treeless to balance myself up than fight with treed fitting, which never seemed to fit properly anyway. Massive weight off the shoulders to not have to panic every time he dropped / put on a couple of lbs, too!!
 
Only Solution saddles give you enough stability for jumping treeless imo. Son and I have Freestyle, Jumper and GP and fight over the Jumper ;) If you are going for the GP then ask the agent to bring the whole selection of knee (and thigh) blocks so you can try them all out and maybe have sets specifically for flat and jumping. My personal preference is for the original models but that's because I find the SMART's make my back ache whereas loads of people love them, so again, get them to bring you out a range of saddles to try.
 
Resurrecting this thread as after travelling down the treed saddle route again for jumping, I have come to the conclusion that a Solutions jump is the way forward.

I'm after second hand size 5, but for those who have jumped in these saddles, would you go for a smart or an older ansur/solution? I have a smart dressage and like it, but her blummen shape and forward girth groove mean that it slips forward so ends up tipping me backwards a little. I'm thinking the non-gulleted older versions won't do that? I already have acavallo non-slip pads and a riser, but a shaped girth might help too I guess.

I'm enjoying jumping in the dressage at the minute (!), but a jumping but saddle might be more helpful I guess! :) Just might have to wait a while for one to come along, as I certainly can't afford a new one!
 
As many people have said saddles are a personal choice but I love the HM Pheonix,
I can jump 3'3 happily and can go higher and thats on a wobbly/gangly baby, my mother can also ride in one happily and she has muscle weakness.

Best bet is to find out if people have one of the various saddles and see if you can either borrow/hire it or ride in it for half an hour or so?
 
Thanks Melysfach, but I think you are missing the point of my Q a little bit :D

If I buy any treeless jump saddle, it will be from the Solution/Ansur stable, as I know the horse and I like them (as I said, I have a Solution Smart dressage). I know a few folk on here do have the solution / ansur jump saddles, so was hoping they might let me know what they think of them specifically, which model they prefer and how the older / newer models fit. I'm hoping to borrow one to try from a friend, but won't be able to try all the range, so the H&H knowledge base is always good to tap!
 
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