HM saddle problems?

Kite_Rider

Kite_Rider

Cantering cabbage!
May 18, 2009
11,159
9,496
113
Having just read the thread about Solution saddels Im now very curious about some of the comments on the above?
I have one and have used it on three different horses now with no ill effects at all, in fact Oscar preferred it to the bloomin expensive, expertly fitted saddle company saddle I bought for him.

I have had a treeless saddle fitter out to help me with fit for Belle and it's now been tweaked as discussed. So far all seems well, in fact Belle moves far better in it then she did in the treed saddle she was wearing when I tried her out.

So please those of you in the know enlighten me? What is terrible about them? Am I going to cause my poor neddy all sorts of problems if I continue to use it?
And if anyone can find me a good treed saddle and most imortantly a good saddle fitter who can come out to fit Belle and I won't have to break the bank to do it please let me know as everyone around my neck of the woods balks at the idea of trying to fit a Haflinger! Either that or they tell me the only saddle that will fit her will be some incredibly expensive make - and thats all without even seeing her.
 
Some people have had distribution issues with white hair developing under stirrup bars - and the new flexEE has a problem with the stirrup bats coming away.

IMHO its always about the rider/horse/saddle combo. Many use the hm stuff without any problems. I use a libra - people have problems with them yet I don't - it's about riding style etc that impacts it all
 
I had pressure marks under the saddle bars on Moet, she had white patches develop. I had an old GP Fhoenix model.

I LOVED the saddle, but when we changed to doing a lot more faster work for longer (2-3 hours hacks with lots of cantering/galloping) and therefore half seat cantering there was a lot more pressure in the stirrups than originally, so the saddle didn't suit our needs any longer.

That being said, i would consider a newer model now that i have been having lessons more focused on my position and ways to have less weight in my stirrups!
 
Glad you are getting on well with your saddle :happy:

I've ridden many different horses, in many different treeless saddles, and am yet to have any of these horrible issues other people seem to have. I've had saddle's not suit certain horse and rider combinations, or need different padding. Same issues as you would have with a treed saddle.
 
Last edited:
What I am curious about is why tree'd saddles were invented if treeless are so good at distributing pressure, for instance the saddle that has just launched a 'leather tree' saddle based on an old design, if the design was so good why did no one use it for so long?

Saddle fitting fasinates me and originally I was really enthusiastic about treeless but the more I read and learn the less enamoured with it I become.
 
Treeless saddles are a very old design and are still being used, treed saddles took over in this part of the world but other cultures have been using treeless saddles for centuries, as well as leather tree saddles.
 
popularfurball said:
Some people have had distribution issues with white hair developing under stirrup bars - and the new flexEE has a problem with the stirrup bats coming away.
Click to expand...

Ahem! One stirrup bar has come away on one saddle!

See the statement on the EE Page.

http://www.enlightenedequitation.com/

The FlexEE Flexible Synthetic Saddle: Update 3 August 2012

It is with considerable regret that that we have to announce that we have experienced a problem with a stirrup bar on one of the FlexEE saddles, which we could not have anticipated. The high tensile stainless steel strapping that holds the stirrup bar and attaches it to the tree has given way on one stirrup bar. This is one stirrup bar too many and although this is a common way of attaching hook bars to treeless or leather treed saddles, we do not feel it is safe long term and, therefore, need to recall all prototype and first batch saddles sold. We will replace them as soon as we possibly can with brand new ones of the latest model, at no extra cost to the buyer.

I realise that this will be a disappointment but this is a new product, and as with all my previous saddles, even with extensive product testing, the first year threw up some issues that we hadn’t anticipated, but were quickly addressed. The current problem will also be rectified by changing the stirrup bar to one that is not attached by strapping of any kind, but will be all one piece metal construction, that cannot create friction against itself or the attachment.

Therefore, as a responsible company, with safety of horse and rider paramount, we have recalled all prototype and first batch saddles and have contacted all those who have purchased already. I hasten to add that this is not the fault of my manufacturer in India, who has been totally honourable and a delight to work with throughout and is totally committed to producing a saddle for the riding public, that is extremely reasonably priced and of high quality. It is one of those things that can simply happen in new product design and whilst it is a setback, it will be a better saddle in the long run.

To this end, we are not taking further orders for the next few weeks, purely to enable us to clear the backlog as we have experienced unprecedented interest in this saddle which caught us out with production capabilities. Horsekraft Equestrian, our manufacturers, have moved to larger premises so that production can then be increased exponentially over the next three months. I can only apologise for this latest hitch in getting this saddle to the market. I feel as always, that complete honesty is the only policy, and hope that you will bear with us.
 
I can understand the recall of ALL of them but to me that suggests doubt that more WOULD snap.....
 
I fit lots of Haffies - and please don't feel that I'm telling you that only expensive saddles will fit, but you need a specialist saddle. We're proud of our quality but to that end they're not cheap. I find Haffies go in our flattest trees - if XXW or wider then our wide twist, if XW or narrow then our narrow twist. You might find the latter used (happy to help you identify them, we rarely get them used, our used stock list is on our Facebook page) but not the wide twist which was only brought out properly 18 months ago.
 
domane said:
I can understand the recall of ALL of them but to me that suggests doubt that more WOULD snap.....
Click to expand...

Although unlikely, there is that possibility, which is why they are all being recalled and the design changed. I consider that this is a sensible, responsible decision! There are only approx 60 saddles that have been delivered so far, so luckily not too much of a problem to sort out.
 
domane said:
I can understand the recall of ALL of them but to me that suggests doubt that more WOULD snap.....
Click to expand...


'Therefore, as a responsible company, with safety of horse and rider paramount'

Thats what the recall suggests to me, but then I guess some would say Im gullible and naieve (sp)
 
I think people being people are always going to disagree on what is better treed or no tree, horses for courses as far as Im concerned, what matters to me is firstly that the saddle, whether treed or treeless FITs my girl and is comfortable for her, secondly it has to be comfy for me and not slip sideways or up her neck which so far so good my HM hasn't done either. The only reason I would be happy to consider a different saddle is I like jumping as does Belle and I can't jump in my dressage saddle cos Im just not good enough. One reason why I don't want to spend a fortune is because I can't afford to spend lots of cash on something that wont get that much use.
I can't see how riding treeless is any worse for a horse than riding bareback in terms of pressure? I mean if your riding bareback you have all your weight in one small area, more so than a treeless saddle to my mind.
Hey ho like I said each to their own and all.
 
domane said:
I can understand the recall of ALL of them but to me that suggests doubt that more WOULD snap.....
Click to expand...

It sounds like they were recalled as there was internal friction that caused the strapping to snap, something you'd have hoped would have flagged up in testing (what else has got though testing that hasn't flagged up?)
 
Lots of saddles have production/design problems as do many new products that come on the market, but you don't always hear about them and companies will not always admit them. If people are worried, there is a simple answer don't buy one or wait a few years and see what the feedback is. No saddle suits every horse and every rider, although if someone know of one that does I am sure we would all like to know!

Kite_Rider, far more people have been happy with the Fheonix than not, otherwise they would not still be being made especially as they are far from being a cheap saddle to buy.

As to your question re a saddle for jumping you could try a Flexee (if you don't mind the wait!). Where are you based?
 
My friend has a Highland and is getting on ok with the Freemax.

It is still saddle, rider, weight, workload and build, also suitable girth and pad.

I have just purchased a different pad for my treeless since the cob has gained weight. Being 1/4 Shire she is generously built.
 
Last edited:
I think as with everything some saddles suit some horses and riders, and not others.

I also think it very much depends what you want to do - and the thing to be especially aware of, is what the saddle was intended for.

For example the Freeform has been used successfully for endurance, the HM for dressage. Probably best to look at that as a guideline.
 
A lady i knew got chucked off the cantle of her dressage hm saddle and blamed the saddle. I would look at the fact it was designed for anything but jumping. There is a model for jumping.

I snapped the stirrup attachment off a treeless saddle, there was nothing wrong with it, just the write up version of small jumping was not my version. Up until then it had been brilliant. So i outgrew that particular model. So changed it.

My Freeform has been swimming in the xc water complex, well and truly tested. It has yet to move accept with the horse. So i would tend to go for a gp type to be able to do a bit of everything.
 
Ansur make the Konklusion and Sensation make a jumping model. I would advise both saddles be used wit a very good quaility saddle pad with shock absorbing material inserts because of the extra pressures placed in the stirrups.
 
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back