I'm considering going back to treed saddles...

tasha

i'd rather be riding.
Jul 10, 2001
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Petersfield, Hants., UK
Sigh. Im seriously considering selling my SBS and investigating Saddle Co saddles. Has anyone else done the same? I dont want this to turn in to an SBS-bashing thread, but Im just not happy with it.

I've had it since new (it was 24th off the production line) and yes I did notice some slight changes in Kal, but it certainly hasnt been a wonder saddle. Her strides are longer, she was generally more willing and her bascule improved (despite it being a dressage model!).

But in 2004 I came off and sprained an ankle and gave myself good enough concussion to stay in hospital overnight (I still have no memory of that day). This was because I lost control in canter, circled Kally and the saddle slipped round her belly. Admitted I was using a polypad and was having difficulties with lateral stability anyway. Changed to Hi Wither numnah and stability improved, but never great. A year later I was advised to try one of those cork filled pads (cant remember the name) to help stability and muscle damage.

Pad didnt make much difference and I eventually sold it last year as I was fed up of having to keep the cork damp all the time. Now I used a Prolite pad adjustable front riser as Kal has more muscle damage on one side than the other. Marginal improvement in muscle damage but I am fed up with trying to get the saddle in the correct place all the time.

I have to line it up at the wither and then check the gullet is over her spine at the cantle end. Its so easy to put it on skewif and I only realise after 10mins riding when I have a back ache from sitting unevenly. Even with a tight girth it can still shift from mounting unless I get on from the top of the fence.

The big thing is Kal will still buck in canter in the school. Admittedly it is not every time and I do believe my riding has a lot to do with it (complicated - but she is one of the most difficult horses to ride I have ever seen). But the SBS was never the wonder saddle I thought it would be.

I know that the chances are I will never be able to say Kal's bucking has completely stopped, whatvere saddle I ride her in. But Im getting tired of spending 5 mins making sure it is exactly in the right place and having to get off and readjust it when I fail. I guess the reasons I bought the saddle havent really been ticked off and Im finally realising that.

I still love lots of aspects of it - its so comfy, looks like new after about 5 years, puts me in a great position. And Im sure there are many people happy with theirs. But Im not sure its for me and Kally.

Cookies for reading - I cant believe this is so long!!
 
Is this the only treeless saddle you have tried? If so, why not try another style/brand, even the latest version of Heather's saddles. Just because you have an early version of her saddle, doesn't mean her latest design will be the same in function and feel. Things have changed a lot in the last 5 years and we all continue to learn so there might be elements of the newer saddles that aren't present in the model you have that might resolve the issues you are having. There's also much more choice.

If people have a negative experience with one treed saddle, it doesn't stop them trying another treed saddle so the same should apply to treeless. Whilst they all strive to follow the same principle, they all differ from each other in design and the way they feel and fit so there might be something else that's more suitable.
 
Must admit, yes it is the only treeless Ive tried, but I can only afford to spend on a new saddle what I get for the old one. Hence I cant try a newer model as I cant afford it.

Forget to mention, Kal is a TBx with high withers. I dont think many opther treeless brands would suit her shape. Its definately something to think about though.
 
Tasha

On the internet the main buz is treeless in the real world its treed. If you thought not having a tree would make a BIG difference dont you think competative riders would use them?

I know ever one whose into treeless will say ' oh but they are sponsered by saddle makers' but if it made a difference believe me the saddle makers would go treeless pdq!

To date I have tried the following treeless saddles;

Bob Marshall endurance model which I imported 10 years+ ago when hardly any one did treeless so with purchase , import VAt and duty if cost me £1,200 TEN years
Trekker Treelesss
Balance half treed thing
Arizona barefoot

I LOVE the idea behind treeless it makes so much sense as how can a wood tree move with the horse ect. However my horse hated them all!

I currently use a humble Farrington WH saddle (very treed!) my horse loves it, and at 18 years old having owned him for 13 years I know he can make his feelings known!

Interestingly treeless is used a lot by long distance riders but last years champ used a treed saddle as did Barbara Elwell who was a top ER rider for years.

I am not out to knock treeless it offers a great alternative to horses who hate treed saddles , but that aint every horse and I really really get annoyed when manufactures say a saddle will suit every horse. Sorry, thats not the case wether its treed or not.
 
I have a Freeform treeless saddle and its been the making of me and my horse. I finally have lateral stability which I didnt have with treed. I can even mount my round boy from the ground (it aint pretty but we can do it at a push:eek:)

As far as I am aware from my research (which I did for months before I went for the Freeform), the SBS is very much in the "some love it, some hate it" category. Its highly possible it just doesnt suit your horse.

For me, its not a case of having to be treed or treeless. I just want what happens to suit my horse best regardless of what that happens to be.

Brychen, you will actually find that treeless saddles are making their way into the competitive world. The American and Italian endurance teams all use Freeform saddles.

Having said that, its true that not all saddles will suit every horse but most of us can see past the hype (mainly on the likes of ebay) and sort the wheat from the chaff. Freeforms website actually states that their saddles will not fit all horses.

I did consider a SC saddle prior to getting my Freeform but decided against it due to several factors, mainly the difficulty in getting a fitter in my area. Is it possible to get a trial of the saddle you are interested in before you have to commit to purchasing? You will find that most of the reputable treeless companies now offer this service.

Good luck in the hunt (its not easy:))
 
I've gone back to a treed saddle from my SBS. I still have the SBS and use it when pony has changed shape so can't use the treed one or just for hacking when we're not doing fast work because its really comfortable. I use the treed for fast work, jumping and schooling. The SBS feels wider on my coblet than a treed saddle and it slips a lot more than treed saddle, its a nice saddle but no wonder saddle and i can't see the difference in coblet between that and her treed saddle and overall i prefer the treed one. Coblet bucks when we're really going fast in company and its all just too exciting and does it whatever saddle she's wearing. I had a saddle company saddle for a while and it was nice, just not quite the right shape for madam in a way that couldn't be adjusted, i have a farrington for her now.

I did try my SBS on Mia a couple of times as well but she hated it so she's sticking to her Thorowgood saddle until i can find the stressage saddle i want for her at a good price on ebay :)
 
Been there, done all that, treed, treeless, back to treed and now treeless again.

One idea is to hire a PLIP, then you can see exactly where any pressure points may be?

Slipping is a weird issue, the same combination of pads and saddles can stick like glue on one horse, and roll around on the next. My mare is terrible, the treed all slipped too, and rode up her neck. I must admit that slipping saddles is one of my pet hates, two things moving is enough without the blimming saddle trying to join in!!

There are so many saddles out there now, both treed and treeless, try as many as you can before you hand over vast amounts of cash would be my advice, I shudder to think of how much I've spent on saddles over the years. (No doubt OH would shudder even more, or have an embolism maybe!!)
 
Not an SBS, but I went back from treeless to treed, just much more stable and my horse went consistently better in it. You've got to find what works for you and your horse and go with it regardless of the claims people make about any particular model or type of saddle.
 
I sell both treed and treeless and each has its place. No one make works for all be it treed or treeless.

Why hasn't treeless caught on amongst competitors? Alot of it is fashion and trend. They really can be fantastic. I went to see a customer who had two very well known saddles - one treed, one treeless. The treeless pressure tested (with PLIP) MUCH better than the well-fitted treed with that particular horse/rider combo.

So do not discount treed/treeless on what you hear. Try it for yourself and listen to your horse ;)
 
I've got a couple of SC saddles for P & I really like them :) I tried an Ansur Konklusion treeless on her & gave up in the end, it needed an awful lot of padding to get it off her wither (she's another pointy hoss!) and although I liked it and in the end I thought I'd got the fit sorted, it was a PITA because every time she changed shape I had to mess about with pads again. She was also very grumpy to tack up when I had the Ansur, although I have also ridden her in a treeless Fitfrom (Yann's old saddle) and she seems to like that. Trouble is I don't especially, it slips if I mount from the floor and I find the stirrup bar placement, slippery seat & lack of knee rolls a bit disconcerting!

After a over a year & a half of being ridden in SCs P seems to be comfortable, is going nicely and her back doesn't seem to give her any gyp :) SCs do seem to need more attention than a 'normal' treed saddle, espacially on a youngster which is changing shape, so my advice would be to make sure you have good support from a SC fitter if you go down that route.
 
Am sorry you came off and was hurt. Is no fun I know.
Hope you are feeling better.

Due to my accident I have trust issues with saddles,, ......even the ones that fit my grey mare,I know silly..I now ride mostly bareback.
Anyway....

Best treeless saddles for high withers is the "Star Trekk" Treeless saddle. Is also more like a cross between a treed saddle and a the average treeless saddle.

But which ever way you go.. I would highly recommend Demo's...that way you can make sure you and your horse like the saddle before you buy.
 
I must admit that slipping saddles is one of my pet hates, two things moving is enough without the blimming saddle trying to join in!!

(No doubt OH would shudder even more, or have an embolism maybe!!)

:D Not laughed at a post all day.

Best treeless saddles for high withers is the "Star Trekk" Treeless saddle. Is also more like a cross between a treed saddle and a the average treeless saddle.

I have one (pic on link in my sig), horse moves beautifully in it... but I don't like it, will be sticking with Tree'd thanks.
 
I considered going back to a treed saddle with my cob, I looked at loads of saddles, but in the end I couldn't do it, and for my own piece of mind got another treeless saddle.

I have tried loads of treeless saddles, I had a fhoenix which was fantastic on my high withered ex racer with an Equitex pad, very secure and stable, but it was very wobbly and high off Shays back, so I sold it, and now he has a Sensation which we both love and is brilliant on him.
I have a few Startrekk saddles and they are very good for high withered horses, they are more structured saddles and have more of a treed appearance and feel for the horse and rider.

Treeless saddles with flexible fronts can be hard to fit to high withered horses as you tend to need quite a bit in the way of padding to keep it off the withers, and the more padding you add the less laterally stable the saddle will become.

Another thing to add is, if your horse was doing ok in a treed saddle before, you most probably wont get that sudden drastic change some people get with treeless saddles, when the horse finally gets a well fitting saddle, with 5 of my horses who had been ridden in treed saddles before, only one of them showed any drastic changes in attitude and performance when tacked up and ridden.
 
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