Treeless saddles

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1alex1moose

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I'm looking at buying a treeless but i need one that will stand up to some jumping (and even XC) without rolling about. I'd also quite like to avoid paying a fortune! I tried an Ansur (solution saddle) which was fantastic but i nearly had a heart attack at the price tag. I think the Freemax ones look ok but i've never heard anything about them.

My horse is a cob x and has uneven muscle on his shoulders which i suspect is a combination of him moving unevenly due to old back problems and the saddle he has not fitting too well as it's rather tight. (yes i will get back probs sorted before i get a new saddle).

I've always been more of a traditional saddle person but this horse changes shape quite a lot and this seems to be a good way to ensure his saddle always fits reasonably well.

Before anyone recommends a wintec i have tried two on him and they sit too low at the wither even when they are too narrow on the shoulder as he is quite high-withered but also really round and very big shouldered.

What experience do people have of treeless and any recommendations?

All information greatly appreciated, Thanks,
Alex
 
I don't have any experience of them but I know someone who jumps in a Hoobee treeless saddle to at least 1.10, they are based in Devon but that's about all I know.
 
I've recently bought an Ansur - they trade in the UK as Total Saddles and I know they do a 'part payment' system that I think is interest free though don't know quite how it works. I also think you can hire one from them for six months.

I use a tree'd saddle for jumping (can't afford two treeless) but a friend of mine has just bought a jumping treeless as well as dressage and events in it.
 
Try eBay, some good saddles for good prices, I just sold one for £111 so there are some bargains
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been there and tried a few, the concept that they fit most horses and are good for ever changing fatties true, however, they nearly all slip and in fast work are not very secure
 
the Walsall Saddle Fitting company makes them, and i tried one of their treeless dressage saddles. tbh my mare didn't go any differently in it at all compared to their (with tree) Madonna saddle, which is amazingly comfy for every horse i've tried it on anyway, so i didn't splash out. i'm not sure about jumping in one, never having tried.
i tried the treeless on my old retired eventer, who, in his 20s, had a bit of a dipped back, and while he was perfectly happy and comfy in it, i found that it sort-of folded up around my seat after about 10 minutes, following the contours of his back a bit more than i needed!
i'd like to try an Ansur jumping saddle, really. i'm not sure at all whether a tree is necessary for jumping... coming down from a big drop, say, do i want all my weight coming down on the horse's withers? is it better with or without a tree? *very puzzled*
 
I've used a Torsion treeless but not for jumping. I loved it - very comfortable - but it didn't stay put any better than anything else on my barrel-shaped little native. I tried the same saddle on another horse - bigger, proper withers etc. - just to see what it was like. Again, I found it comfortable, but she obviously hated it! It does fit most horses, as advertised, and I found it no better, no worse, at staying put. However, the Torsion uses a dressage girth and I find it impossible to tighten when I'm on. Not sure if all are like that. So... mixed feelings really!
 
got a copperbeech treeless canter saddle approx 8 weeks ago. me and my boy love it.

copper beech do a weeks trial too, which i did to make sure we got along with it.

My boy more relaxed in this saddle ans seems less edgy. You are much more in contact with ur horse and as he is quite nervy, it seems to make him feel more secure.

Not a bad price too at £350 with all the bits and the owner of this outlet is really helpful.

We have not jumped much in it, but a little and have had not probs, though only over small jumps.

it is really worth a try though and if you don't get along you can send it back and you have only lost the postage.

if you want to look it up go to google and put in copperbeech saddles.
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i have a barefoot treeless. have been galloped off with (due to very excited horse and open field), saddle stayed put, didnt move and i felt secure. Have jumped in it and not found any problems, ok jumps werent massive but his jump over them was. have yet to go on a long fast hack in it but am sure it will be absolutely fine. honestly dont think id go back.
 
You've tried Wintec so I won't go there
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Have you tried Thorogood? They do a synthetic saddle with some adjustment designed for warmbloods, so should fit high wither plus big body.

No comment on treeless from me as I haven't tried them personally, although I know people who have them and love them, they don't jump with theirs
 
I have a Barefoot treeless, the London (dressage) model and I personally love it. Cairo has never gone better when being schooled, Chancer will never outgrow it and is doing a tiny amount of schooling and hacking now in it. He was intially backed in a treed saddle, but shortly changed to the treeless which is a great saddle for starting out a youngster.

I have only done a tiny jump (about 2') in it on Cairo, but felt fine but imagine it would be ok on bigger stuff but cannot comment. Happy having a gallop on a hack and feel very secure.

Treeless do take a little getting used to, but I regularly swop from western to english so for me it was not a huge change. Lower leg feels less secure at first and probably is compared to a treed saddle but I am happy with this as am a fairly balanced rider.

Do make sure you get the proper saddle pad for the saddle. My saddle, pad, girth and leathers with delivery was £550 from Horse and Harmoney. A good starter saddle and maybe one day if Chancer excels at showing I will splash out on one of the more expensive and conventional looking types.

As is, mine is perfectly adequate for day to day general use and does not move or slip on either Cairo or Chancer.
 
I have a barefoot treeless and have used it for years now. I'll never go back to a regular saddle. I like the feeling of riding the horse not the saddle. Its so much easier to feel your horses movements, even subtle ones.
Its very, very important you have the right saddle pad other wise they can slip. Mine has never slipped in fast work or jumping. In fact, even with the girth a bit loose mine stays where it should, it's all down to your seat!
 
I have a Fhoenix. It costs less than the Ansur but is still expensive so it really depends on how much you want to spend.

My horse goes really well in it and I'm jumping 3ft classes atm. I've been xc in it too. The set back stirrup bars take a bit of getting used to but it's worth it and I have no problems jumping bigger fences in it.
 
I have the Solutions Jumping saddle and I wouldn't swap it for the world. They are expensive but are absolutely worth it. It has made such a difference to my horse and I don't have any problems with it slipping. I'm eventing this season and will be BSJA over the winter.

I know they do a payment scheme where £500 gets the saddle made and sent to you and then you pay the rest over 6 months.

Definitely worth the price tag in my opinion and I can ride any horse on the yard in it!

Also have the Dressage one but apparently the new GP is very good as an all rounder.
 
I've been treeless for about 8 months and I love my Torsion for hacking , I've never felt so 'secure' TBH.

She's been on/off lame and we're awaiting another lot of X rays (machine broke
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) to see if she has navicular so I can't help with the jumping question.
 
A horse I ride has an Ansur jumping - got it off ebay for around £900 so look around, they do pop up.

As for its fit. That horse has plenty of padding and an umpteen-point breastplate but jumps much better in it.
 
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