Treeless saddles

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Highflinger

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Hello all
I would be interested in your opinions/experiences of treeless saddles. I have a flat backed cob and use a thorowgood cob saddle which has been great - does not move at all - even my in agile mounting from the ground! He does however fluctuate with his weight and I have changed the gullet from xw to xxw and back again depending on his figure!! I just wondered if a treeless would be a better option. He is a stoic little chap and I don't think he would object if the saddle was not fitting as it should so the thorowgood may not be all that comfortable for him at times and maybe a treeless would cope with his changing shape better?
 
A treeless will make it easier to cope with changing shape. The first one I had was a Torsion close contact. I had it on a VERY wide cob and it was hell. He loved it but I think it wrecked my hips for evermore. I tried Heather Moffats Vogue and I liked it but couldn't stop it from slipping. Used the Vogue on my next cob and it still slipped. Likewise with the HM Flexee (leather tree) but I lost faith in the HM fitter who put so much stuff underneath it I felt a mile away from the horse AND it still slipped. Got sick of all the messing about with shims and pads and so on. Finally ended up with a Ghost Quevis after a very generous trial period and lots of help with the fitting from Louise at Equine Whispers. It has a bit of a twist so is comfy for me and the little cob moves very well in it. She has been difficult to fit - short backed, approx. 2-3xw and croup high. The weight distribution on the saddle cloth looks better with this than it has with anything else. Like your horse my mare is very stoical but the fluidity of her movement in the Ghost is really what sold it to me and gave me the confidence to buy it. I am not sure about mounting from the ground - it was a no no with the torsion and Vogue and I always use a block now. Whatever you go for make sure you get to try before you buy. I think Treefree do a trial period, too.
 
Hi I have just completed a trial of the Treefree saddles. I have a Exmoor and Tor saddle. The company are based in Devon. They were by far the most comfortable saddles I have ever ridden in. The Tor was the best looks like a normal GP saddle but treeless. I am in the midst of ordering one. It must be good as my 74 years old father in law used it a few times and loved it. I have also heard good things about the ghost saddles.
 
Try a Ghost. they are very cheap for what they are and seem to be much more adjustable than other saddles. My fitter stripped it down and rebuilt it to fit my tricky pony.
 
Also consider going a little further and look at the Total Contact Saddles. Absolutely adore mine and never any issues with fit.
 
Rosiebelle said:
Hi I have just completed a trial of the Treefree saddles. I have a Exmoor and Tor saddle. The company are based in Devon. They were by far the most comfortable saddles I have ever ridden in. The Tor was the best looks like a normal GP saddle but treeless. I am in the midst of ordering one. It must be good as my 74 years old father in law used it a few times and loved it. I have also heard good things about the ghost saddles.
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I have a TreeFree Tor. Its the ONLY saddle I can ride on comfortably for more than an hour and still be able to walk afterwards!

Very impressed with Johan and Andrea who came out to fit my old boy and my youngster with the saddle.

Have heard some good reports of Trekker and Ghost too.

Important to try before you buy; and bear in mind that where the stirrup bar goes you can actually get a lot of damage done to the horse, due to the fact that in a treed saddle the weight of the rider is dispersed throughout the whole tree area, but you don't have this in a treeless saddle.

Try Better Saddles, they have details of companies that offer a trial period. I tried the TreeFree Tor before I bought it, for about fifty quid for a week I think it was. Essential IMO. OR snap whatever saddle you want to try on e-bay, and then sell again!

(Oh: Edited. Meant to say that with treeless you MUST use the appropriate pad with them. These are essential, and you should not ride treeless without them. They will be specially designed to the saddle, and will hopefullyy protect the horse's back).

Good luck!
 
I would also say there there is a ton of other options, just because a TG slips doesn't mean another treed saddle wouldn't be great. Have a google around and see what the options are for wide saddles. Treeless can slip too, and quite often, worth bearing in mind!
 
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