honest opinions on treeless saddles on chunky table-topped horse

N

nemlin

New Member
Apr 3, 2006
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weymouth, dorset
Am getting to be at my wits end with regard to my horse's saddle fitting nightmare and am considering going treeless BUT I really want to know if it will be of benefit?

My horse is a 15.2 traditional and has a back like a tabletop. My current saddle was professionally fitted (6 months ago) but slips sideways and backwards. I ride with a breastgirth (so slipping back isnt a problem) and have a "Non slip" pad underneath but it still slips :mad: My horse hasnt changed shape in last 6 months (have had him for over 10 years so know his shape quite well) and obviously I dont want to continually wrench the saddle over his spine whilst i'm riding to stay straight:(

My question is, are treeless saddles really as stable as some claim to be, and would they actually help in my situation? I've emailed quite a few companies regarding various types but of course they all tell me what I want to hear, I need some honest opinions from people who are not trying to get at my purse!
 
OK I use a treeless and a treed saddle on my 14,2 completely flat Haflinger.

Heres what I think

You get what you pay for, the cheap ones are just like any other cheap saddle, not nice
Get one with a spine clearance and a special treeless pad that is made for that saddle that gives the clearance
get one where the stirrup leathers are attached each side and do not bridge over the top creating spine pressure eg Treefree ones
They do need girth done up quite firmly in order not to slip on mounting, so would avoid if horse is funny about girthing/mounting area
I dont like them so much for fast work and jumping, only because I find it easier to take up defensive dont fall off position if it all goes pearshaped in a treed saddle. But lots of peeps use them fine for that
They are suitable for most disciplines although very high SJ or very long endurance/XC would prob not work so well (the SJ because of the long leg length /deep seat you have in the treeless, the endurance/XC because you would be doing quite a lot of standing in stirrups for extended period and that could bring pressure on spine

I can really highly recommend the Treefree Dartmoor one I have (bought second hand from eBay), I reckon a high quality second hand one beats a new cheap one. One of the things that really impressed me was the honesty on the Treefree website, it didnt say as all the others I saw did that treeless was fantastic for everything and the answer to every horses every problem!

If you dont go for treeless but are fed up with your saddle, Haffie goes great in her Thorowgood maxam cob which are about £100 second hand on eBay or £200 odd new. And if you want leather my pals have a tank like 16 hand cob with flat back and she has a beautiful Ideal H&C (Highland and Cob) XXW but that was about £800 new, but you might be able to find a second hand one.

good luck and hope above is helpful!!!
from another flattie rider!
 
Ive had quite a few treeless saddles (13 in all) and have 6 horses, 6 of which have been ridden in treeless saddles.

Sometimes treeless saddles slip, ones ive found slip the most are the barefoot saddles.
If you get the right saddle and pad combo for your horses shape, then they are no more likely to slip than a treed saddle.

I have a fhoenix saddle, fit my ex racer really nicely and didn't move at all, not even when I hung off the side mounting, used the same saddle on Shay, welsh cob x, and it did move a little when mounting. Shay now has a startrekk western treeless saddle, this saddle doesn't move an inch on him.
I have 2 treefree saddles (dartmoor and exmoor) and they have not moved on any of the horses I have used them on.

Usually treeless saddles with a gullet are more laterally stable, and for a very wide cob a saddle that sits lower to the back will be better for stability.
 
My friend has a table top cob very similar height to yours!

She had a saddle fitted but it slipped everytime she rode her!

She tried on of those torsion saddles, and as long as it is placed directly centre before anyone gets on it doesn't move! Plus the lazy cob has got a tiny bit more energy!

Torsion did do a trial service, you had to pay £45 and then you got the saddle, girth, saddle pad etc delivered to your door and then you can try it for a couple of days and then if you didn't like it/want it they pick it up and thats it! But if you like it, then you can keep it and pay the rest etc!

Worth a look I would say!
 
If your cob is really wide in the body as well as over the withers then you'd be better looking at something like the SBS or Fhoenix that has some twist, or Freeform which doesn't have so much but still better than some, unless you have very flexible hips!

I've had a few treeless saddles and while they aren't amazing things that never slip they aren't any worse than treed saddles on my coblet and better than some treed saddles.

Changing padding or girth might help with slipping of current saddle, polypad type things are terrible and elastic end girths don't help at all. Also check the panels are a good shape, some less than brilliant saddle fitters might check width at the front and not pay enough attention to the shape of the panels side to side further back.
 
My boy has a wintec wide saddle with the widest of the 3 purple gullets in it. I would like a freeform but need to wait for finances to improve (although I haven't actually ever ridden in a treeless saddle yet:eek:).

Regarding slipping in your other saddle, mine slipped with umpteen "non slip" pads. Finally someone recommended the rubber non slip sheeting you get to stop stuff sliding about your car (among other things) and a bit of that under my numnah has totally solved my problem:D. And it lets his back breathe!!

got to be worth a try (only costs a couple of quid out of a hardware shop):)

Hope this helps (even though its not really what you were asking about)
 
Girth wise with the Treefree dartmoor I use a wintec girth which has elastic along the length not at one end and that works really well. Bear in mind it will be shorter than normal girth more like nearly dressage length cos of the longer panels.

BTW I managed to find my Treefree second hand on eBay (hurrah!) - it is possible tho rare :) Theyre so well made (and in GB!) that they go on for years and years and look like new.
 
I have a Freeform SB treeless and love it!! It is quite stable compared to the last treeless I had which was a Barefoot London. My pony has a very wide smallish wither and flatish back, this saddle stays in place if I go up or down steep hills as well.:)
 
I have either owned or Demo-ed just about every make of treeless saddle out there.
Also have to add the "Treefree" is by far the most stable of all treeless saddles.
I used it on all types of horses and from the very wide..were I use it now to the odd shaped to the average width...was very stable on all of them.

With the wide horses... I would highly recommend "Not" using an Elastic girth...just not safe.

I use a girth that is no longer made but it works very well.
Think any kind of balance or shaped girth would work well.
 
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