Freeform Treeless Saddle Trial (borrowing)

newforest

newforest

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Mar 15, 2008
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ok i'm borrowing this off my friend/freeform agent

Day one

Didn't alter anything with the saddle and only shortened stirrups a bit. So left the set up as she had it. Set off and mounted from ground, it stayed put, normally i use mounting block. But it's stable and didn't move.

I found straight away the seat slippery to what i'm used to and the seat had a shape. I've got libra. However i decided that i could change the seat to suede or pop on seat saver. Other thought was to retry with full chaps as i found riding long with these better and i was riding long. Plus i'm not used to the seat shape if you follow. So chances are it's due to how i sat.

Love the stirrup leathers, bloody easier than crap i have, so searching for pair of t bars, also liked the stirrups though i like cages on the front of everything. They were comfortable and i can imagine being great for long rides. They did have some give in them, i spent fair bit of ride losing them, but didn't alter as i wanted to let my body get used to the new style plus see how the saddle and myself balanced losing stirrups.

Met up with friendand went for plod, did fit in two canters and i found it easy to ride in the forward seat just as easy as to not and go with pony. So plus point for freeform i had the option.

Jack being Jack spotted open gate and thought lets really test it out, i said no and spun him round, and the saddle didn't move. It didn't slip it didn't go forwards either. Excellent plus point, think decided then i was gonna get one! Due to Jack's shape and fact he does have history of spinning, can stop dead and can buck the freeform didn'tt budge. I did think i was a gonna and i was almost off the side and thought if saddle moves i'm ****!

Friend liked the saddle said suited Jack. He liked it, I liked it. Day two will follow:) with pics
 
That was the major selling point for me with my Freeform - no matter what Arnie is doing the saddle stays put:D

You can buy them with suede seats if you prefer that.
 
Im def interested in the pics. i dont know anything about freeform. do they come in synthetic (this isnt a must have - just a pref), can they accomodate heavier riders (not just seat size - good weight distribution too)?

i like your threads, they're always so informative & always give me food for thought.
 
so in relation to what clippi said about allowing greater movement, & also what that link says, would you class them as suitable for a friesian (ie. very large shoulders that would *usually* require straighter cut saddles)? they do do a vsd type one (not sure i want to go dressage as i havent really got an interest in it), but would their gp one allow the freedom?

im quite interested in these - have never tried one though. something else to think about! i also like what it says about the Y system. this is one thing im put off with torsions - as they dotn have this therefore are risky with heavier people in them. let us know how day 2 goes new forest!
 
Pretty much all treeless saddles allow greater freedom of movement through the shoulders due to no tree points.

The moulded foam allows for greater weight distribution, the stirrups are on a velcro plate.
 
Good post NF - look forward to seeing how you get on with it.

Tazanne - my horse has big shoulders (upright too...), and big movement - I find treeless saddles (this post is about generalised and not specific to freeform at all - never seen one in flesh never mind tried =] ) usually provide more freedom, but personally have found the ones with wooden pommels are more likely to get pushed back, where as the ones without hard pommel don't as will flex out the way of the shoulders rather than being shoved back...
(just my experience though =] - others may say different :) )
 
Arnie has enormous shoulders. This saddle sits over them but still allows full freedom of movement for him as there are no solid points on it. They come in various models, from gp right through to dressage - including a vsd.

I am a heavier rider and have no problems whatsoever with his back although it did take a bit of tweaking to find the right pad to use. I hated the 2 haf pads that I tried, liked the Christ pad but it slide around slightly, then got a mattes treeless pad with the pressure relief panels which cost me an arm and a leg but has been worth every penny. I love, love, love it:D
 
Hi.
I am sorry I am changing topic but I like Freform classic cinnamon (black and red colour) but can´t find it elsewhere than in the USA. Would someone know if it is possible to get it in the UK or on continental Europe? Would it be suitable for hi withered horse?
Thank you.

Monika
 
Day two guys:D
Firstly took another pic but being on new computer it's not uploading, bear with me:)

This time I shortened the stirrups a few holes as spent some of last hack with them in mid flight. I also rode in my suede full chaps as i found the seat a tad slippery, this is likely to be due to fact i've had my derier on suede and synthetic suede for last 4 years:D I think it's a mental thing that i think i may just slide off, if yesterday's spin was anthing to go by i nearly did but didn't.

Now the stirrups are set forwards at the moment and so i was doing sort of western seat, i did pop over a small jump to see what saddle felt like and it was comfortable. I am however borrowing stirrups and much as i like them day 3 will be using my own endurance ones, this saddle is closed ring and i like a cage on front if not got release thingy on, which when i remember the name i'll edit this drivel out:rolleyes:

Jack also has big shoulder movement and a treed would be a wh straight cut, the saddle sits fairly near but if anthing he is going more forwards in this saddle than he was in the libra.

I changed from the pad it came with to my equitex pad, and i hope i didn't get odd looks, as i rode with my hands on or under various parts of the saddle to feel if it was pressing or lifting anywhere.:D

This model is the sb one, i have looked on the website at the others, and i would get a synthetic suede seat/suede seat.

As someone has said i also liked the girth system, my chap has a slight forward groove and the girth sits nicely with this saddle, i'm using a roamer girth and ordered a trekker banana one. Not that need another girth but i've not tried this type of girth, i did try a moon girth but it went back with the dream i tested.
 
They do take a bit of getting used to (they are tricky to jump in till you get the hang of them) but with a bit of tweaking you can get all the wee niggly bits sorted just the way you want them.

Newforest, remember you can move the stirrup hanger back if you feel its too far forward.
 
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at last got pic up, your have to be happy with the one, it took me long enough to find the file:):)

yes by all means add your pics from your freeform, which model are you opting for hashrouge

ETA seen saddle withthigh blocks which i haven't any idea why i would want these? Not had knee rolls for years but decided i want saddle that is designed to cope with some jumping. So would thigh block, do something?
 
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Thigh block is to stop your leg moving too far back, so if your like me and have massive hills to ride up it stops you kicking your horse in the bum,lol.

I didn't really find the kneerolls on the freeform I had any use at all, but if you are used to not having any these might be of some use?

It looks really nice on him and looks like you have good wither clearance. How many shims are you using with it?
 
Those little knee rolls won't give you much support for jumping. The ones I have on my Freeform, on the other hand..
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newforest said:


yes by all means add your pics from your freeform, which model are you opting for hashrouge

[/QUOTE]
I'd love to go for the Elite, but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to afford it (though I'm working all summer so I'll have to see how things work out). I think, if I like it, I may have to settle for the Classic BTF.
The saddle looks great on your lad - hope it suits my girl as well!
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