Hoobee saddle...one year on

[Riablo]

Just re-reading an old post on the Hoobee saddle from nearly a year ago.

I replied to that post, but hadn't read later posts that said I might be something to do with the company and marketing their saddle for them...not at all, I'm a bonefide genuine customer and a year on I couldn't be happier with my Hoobee!!

Genuine opinion seemed to be that the Hoobee was not liked on this forum, not much more than a pony pad.

Before I had my Hoobee I could only ride bareback or long rein my horse, 6 master saddlers (at least) tried to fit a saddle to my mare and noone could find anything suitable, then I tried the Hoobee, it looked odd, but rode wonderfully.

A year on I have a lovely horse who is working well, striding out well and jumping very well. During that time we have had a fair few bronking sessions and some dodgy jumps and the Hoobee was very secure, my instructor is not a fan, but she's becoming a convert having seen how well it has worked for me and my horse.

The biggest test for me was my physio, this is the first visit I have ever had on any horse and indeed this horse, where she has found no pressure points, no tension and no soreness under the saddle, behhind the saddle or through the shoulders. She was incredibly impressed and now recommends the saddle!

A picture of my mare at her first BSJA, please be kind, we were both a little nervous!!

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y157/riablo/BeaverhallBritishNovice2.jpg

[martini55]

I'm glad you have found that this saddle suits your horse and has solved your saddling problems. I don't have a really informed opinion of this saddle, I personally just did not like the way the manufacturer was saying that no fitting is needed and that it will fit every horse. I thought this was a bit irresponsible as all saddles do require some fitting and even treeless saddles do not fit every type of horse. Has there been any pressure testing with this saddle as I would be interested to read about it if there has been :)

[Riablo]

As far as I know the saddle has undergone pressure testing, but as I already have mine and am happy with it I haven't enquired about it.

The saddle, and I'm not entirely sure how in all honesty does fit the majority of horses and just requires slight adjustment with thicker or thinner numnahs as necessary.

I love mine, she jumps very nicely in it and it doesn't hit me up the backside if it goes a bit wrong!!

[Pink's lady]

I'm still very unconvinced about it and the question asked in the old thread weren't addressed:rolleyes:

The saddle, and I'm not entirely sure how in all honesty does fit the majority of horses and just requires slight adjustment with thicker or thinner numnahs as necessary.

It doesn't. It CAN'T. It has a fixed angle gullet in the front which can't be altered. It will be fine for the 'average' build horses but will be too wide and drop onto the withers of shark-fin horses and dig into the withers of very wide horses. Even with points reduced it still can't fit the very narrow or very wide.

When you stand in the stirrups the pressure has to go somewhere and that somewhere is down through the rather small fixed half-tree which will dig into the back. If you're lucky (which you might have been) then the half-tree is the right width for your horse and nothing in particular digs in. If you have very broad horses like mine then it is going to dig in. The half-tree is fine when you're doing dressage and have very little weight in the stirrups (although from the pictures I'ev seen of it, it puts the rider into an appaling position:eek: ) but as you start to use your stirrups or jump all your weight goes into the small area half tree.

I'm definintly not conviced - it is basically a glorified bare-back pad and I would never consider putting it anywhere near my (very broad and well muscled) horses backs.

[Riablo]

Pink's Lady, I can't answer all of your concerns with the saddle and can only comment from personal experience.

My mare is certainly not a regular shape. We tried many saddles and could not find a saddle that fitted her well, neither could the numerous master saddlers that came out to see her.

She was tender in her back from ill fitting saddles previously and very under developed through her right side. My physio was amazed at the results in a year, my horse (Teabag!) is now leveling up nicely and showed no signs of pressure at all.

I doubt that this saddle would fit every horse and in my previous post I said it should fit a majority of horses. When I tried the Hoobee out it was tried on 4 other horses all very different in build from cobs to warmbloods and TB. Without exception all of the horses went well in the Hoobee and better than in their conventional saddles. One horse so much so that having been unable to jump for over 6 months without bolting at the fences within 10 mins with the Hoobee the horse was jumping without rushing and catleaping and the rider felt confident enough to keep putting the fences higher.

As for where the pressure goes, I couldn't tell you!! All I know is that after a year of use my mare had no pressure points on her back and is riding better than ever. We have always had to have minor physio manipulation when riding with treeed saddles.

I can only speak from personal experience.

I took a risk on the Hoobee, it was a new saddle from a new company, but I couldn't find another alternative for my horse...now I wouldn't be without it, I love my Hoobee and more importantly so does my horse.

Interestingly the company have just signed a deal with one of the mounted police branches.

[Herbie's mummy]

Love the pic:D
FAB horsey :D:D
How big is your horse?
And how big are the jumps?
Just wanted to know as i may just get a ticket : tnanx.
xxxx

[Riablo]

My horse, Teabag, is 15hh Appaloosa x Welsh Sec D.

This was British Novice, which is meant to be 2'11" but expect them to be a bit bigger, these went up to nearly 3'6" in the jump off! Main difference to unaffiliated is the spreads.