How do I know if my treeless fits?

[dwi]

Daisy has been treeless now for 5 months on the advice of a saddler and seems fine. I'm probably being silly about nothing but how do I know that the treeless saddle is comfortable for her? I have regular lessons with an AI who is also a mc Timoney chiropractor so I'm sure she'd notice if there was anything horrendous but I didn't know there was anything wrong with her old saddle until the saddler said. Could a 'normal' saddler tell me if a treeless saddle fitted comfortably on my horse?

Its not this exact model but this shows you what it looks like
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Treeless-Saddle-17-Black-Leather-with-Suede-Seat_W0QQitemZ300199152943QQihZ020QQcategoryZ72594QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Snow_Pony]

You can check it yourself to an extent, it shouldnt restrict the shoulder or extend past the last rib. There should be adequate room over the withers, and of course there should be no weight on the spine.
Perhaps you could call a few saddlers and ask if any are experienced with treeless. You dont want any biased opinions. Some saddlers hate them

xxx

[Iron Maiden]

I used to ask myself the same question when I had a treeless! Ideally you get a fitter to check, but as an owner it's a good idea to keep an eye on things yourself. I guess it's a combination of taking it from 1st principles, so making sure the saddle is in the right place, that there are no pressure points & that the weight is distributed evenly in the correct areas, & listening to your horse. My treeless saddle seemed to fit OK from first principles once I'd messed about with various pads, but I stopped using it because my horse wasn't happy & was grumpy to tack up. She seems happier with a treed saddle. I regularly check her back for tightness too, once you've got used to how your horse's back feels 'normally' you can sometimes pick up tense/tender spots by feeling along their back.

[aeron]

I ride in a Barefoot Cheyenne (http://www.barefootsaddle.com/)and really like it. It fits all my horses and is very comfortable to ride in. However, when I am doing a lot of jumping or galloping, I will switch back to my treed (County) saddle. Treeless saddles are not meant for spending a lot of time in your two-point, or jumping, position.
I am about to test out a new saddle made here in the states called a Specialized (http://specializedsaddles.com/new/index.php/saddles). It is adjustable so supposedly can be adjusted to fit nearly any horse, and also the stirrup position is adjustable. It has a tree but distributes weight more evenly than both traditional treed saddles and treeless saddles. They have a cool thermal image (http://specializedsaddles.com/new/index.php/treeless)illustrating this.
I'll let you know how I like the demo!
Happy horsing!

[western-saddler]

I would be interested to hear your findings on the Specialized Saddles. :)

Regarding treeless - the best way to test fit is with a Port Lewis Impression Pad. This will show up any areas of pressure. :)

[No_Angel]

I like the look of the specialized saddles, but are they actually treeless?

This is a good website to start with
http://www.freewebs.com/alternativehorse/fittingatreeless.htm

but basically no pressure points anywhere, some clearance of the spine, about one fingers clearance on the whithers is usual, but it really depends on your horse and their conformation and how the saddle wants to sit on the hose.

[dwi]

Thanks No Angel, that website is really clear