Sensation treeless saddle

[Laura+Phantom]

Has anyone got any experience of using one of these?
http://www.bettersaddles.co.uk/acatalog/Sensation_G3_Saddle.html

I haven't seen one before, it's cheaper than the Fheonix etc but still looks traditional, and looks like you could jump in it...

[ShariN]

Nicely made saddle, the dressage model is the best of the two. Is comfy.
But saying that I sold mine to a friend.
I ride some very steep hills and it was not secure enough for me.
My friend however, loves this treeless...and I know many Icelandic horse owners that also love this saddle.

You might want to see if they will allow you to Demo this saddle to make sure it would be something both your horse and you would like.

[carrieh]

I've heard that it's a great saddle but can tend to slip a bit without the correct padding. Although that seems to be the way of most treeless saddles - finding that padding that suits your particular horse is all! Get that right and you've cracked it ;)

[No_Angel]

have no experience of it, although i was, and still am interested in it, but opted for a freeform instead.

[Crystal Fire]

I have a Sensation and like it a lot. I'm not sure it's a jumping saddle, I think you would be best to try one and see what you think. I use the Sensation saddle pad and haven't had an slippage on my round ponies at all yet :)

[Showjumper]

I was sent a short review of the Sensation saddle last night and have added it to my website: www.freewebs.com/alternativehorse :)

[Mariaana]

You can have the Sensation on loan from Better Saddles. If you wanted to know how it works, please pm or contact me through the website (www.bettersaddles.co.uk).

[ShariN]

I was sent a short review of the Sensation saddle last night and have added it to my website: www.freewebs.com/alternativehorse :)

I have sent a couple of Treeless saddle reviews to your site...but I do not think they went through?

[Laura+Phantom]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320053144202&fromMakeTrack=true

What about this one? It's very cheap and clearly isn't a 'freeform', but opinions on it? It doesn't state a seat size either...

[carrieh]

I have no idea about that particular saddle Laura, but be very careful of all these cheap saddles on eBay. They are simply cheap copies of the 'real thing', often made in Pakistan or India, from very poor quality materials and stuffed with goodness knows what. They are incorrectly balanced and likely to do your horse some harm in the long term. I am not saying that this particular saddle you mention is like that, I don't know it at all, but I would honestly stick with a reputable make like Barefoot [all saddles designed by German equine physio Sabine Ullman], Freeform, Phoenix, Sensation, Trekker.

[Showjumper]

Hi ShariN - got them last night, thanks! Will add them one evening this week :D

I'd avoid the unbranded saddles, Laura. Far better to pay that bit more and have the back up of the manufacturers and distributors.

[Laura+Phantom]

Ok that's what I thought showjumper and carrieh, thanks :) Am now going to perseude OH to buy me no_angel's trekker talent for xmas :D

[mayoguinness]

I used to have one for my arab gelding but one day when I got on and it slipped sideways and the girth ended up on his back and the saddle was under him! This spooked him and he went galloping round and round the padock for about 10mins! Maybe the girth wasn't tight enouth I don't know! I now have a cashel saddle which is very light and just like a thick foam pad with stirups! Treeless and lets you feel the horse! I like it but the stirups are a bit far back.

[Crystal Fire]

I hope you don't mind me asking mayoguiness - but are you sure you mean the Sensation saddle? It's just that when I imported mine from Canada earlier this year it was one of very few in this country. If you did have the Sensation made by Nickers saddlery (:rolleyes: the name makes me smile) - were you using their saddle pad? It's just that so far the Sensation is one of the most stable and stick-able treeless I've ever ridden in, the other is the Freeform.
I can't see how the Cashel is going to distribute weight effectively for longer distance and long-term use. We have one at our stable and there is no attempt to distribute the weight from the stirrups at all. Just an observation :)

[mayoguinness]

Ooooops! No I didn't use a pad as I didn't know I needed too! Well that was proberly the problem! Oh well. The cashel is still very good and I think I prefer it anyway!

[Crystal Fire]

Where did you get yours from?