What are your experiences of treeless saddles? Good/bad?

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mystiandsunny

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Just wondering :). I have an old, trusty Torsion, which hasn't ever caused any issues in the last 8 years, despite jumping, loooong hacks, and much use in general. I bought another make some time ago - much more expensive, but more 'conventional' in appearance, and it was a disaster with horrendous pressure issues - checked out by manufacturer and fitter - no defects so sold it on at a loss. That put me off trying anything else tbh.

However... I now have a youngster who emphatically prefers the Torsion to any treed, well-fitting saddle, but is very sharp and I'd prefer something with knee rolls tbh! I know Freeforms are endurance tested so must be ok in theory, just very wary of spending £££ again to end up with a disaster.

So - experiences pls?
 
I like the concept and over the last 10 years have owned and ridden in various different treeless saddles. Points to note:
1) Not all treeless saddles suit all horses or riders or disciplines.
2) Although most treeless saddles can be made to fit most horses, in some cases, the sheer amount of padding required to gain wither and spine clearance can make the saddle unstable and a well fitted treed may, in that instance, work better.
3) You get what you pay for - buy a £50 treeless off Ebay and chances are it will be horrid.

I've owned a Fitform, Diddi Pad and two Freeforms. I've also ridden in a Torsion, Barefoot, HM SBS, Fhoenix, Vogue and FlexEE (and indeed have placed an order for a FlexEE).

I'm not a hardcore treeless fanatic - my last horse had a Saddle Company saddle that she went very well in, and my first pony was swapped out of a Freeform and into a Saddle Company saddle when I got a sharer for her and she went equally well in that.

IMHO, if you want treeless, you'd be unlikely to go wrong with a Freeform - they're really nice, well made, sturdy saddles which have stood the test of time, being very popular over very long distances in endurance riding.

Good luck :)
 
Personally I like them, I love that I dont have to worry about it not fitting when my mare puts on weight/muscle. I dont have to think about any rigid metal points digging in her back.

I have a HM Vogue and thank to that a very spoilt derriere that complains if I get on anything else!

As the above poster said, if you buy cheap off ebay, expect to get what you pay for!
 
Unfortunately that's back to my point 1, and possibly also 2. No saddle will fit 100% of horses or riders 100% of the time. It's an unfortunate truth and all you can do as an owner is make an informed decision, and if it doesn't work, sell it on.

I loved my Freeforms and practically had my hands bitten off when I advertised them, as secondhand they're like hens teeth :p
 
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