Can you endurance ride in a Cashel Soft Saddle?

[Auventera_Two]

http://www.cashelcompany.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductID=9634&45

They are selling one of these at my local tack shop and I really really liked the looks and feel of it! It looks like a nice quality “saddle” but their website says it’s for a nice peaceful trail ride, or for improving balance. ??? I believe they intend it to be a glorified bareback pad, but it is pretty thick with a nice cantle type deal and felt pretty secure.

Do any of you have this “saddle”? What do you think?

My mare has really nice withers and even when my girth is really loose, the saddle never slips, so I’m guessing this would be a fairly secure fit on her.

The more I look at this thing, the more I really like it! Any comments please?

[citydog]

Unless they’ve changed the design, I think it’s next to impossible to sit in the thing without being forced into a chair seat. It’s squooshy yet supportive, I agree, but the stirrups are waaaay far forward.

And I’d definitely use a breastplate with one if you’re going to use the stirrups.

[Auventera_Two]

I guess about 2 years ago they moved the stirrups farther back. Have you tried it recently? I read that that was definitely a problem.

I just talked to Cashel and the rep said she knows of people who do high country mountain riding and love it, but never actually heard from any long distance riders.

I’ve seen where one woman cut out a spine channel in it.

[pandorasboxx]

I don’t know of anyone riding one in distance competition. I agree, looks like a glorified bareback pad. Guess it depends on how balanced a rider you are and how well it fits the horse. I need more structure but p’raps it might work for you.

FWIW, I’ve seen someone riding bareback at a competition before though I can’t remember if she was in the LD or the 50.

[gothedistance]

I’ve never seen one at an endurance ride. Even an LD. :no:

I think they are really designed for strolling down the trail around home. A friend of mine has one - she loves it. But she only rides once every two weeks, about 2 miles, at a walk.

[Auventera_Two]

Ok. So I picked up the one from the tack store and took it on a 4 mile test run. Let’s just say I will not be buying this thing! :eek: :no: Sure, it was squishy and comfortable like lounging on my sofa, and my mare really strided out. But the stirrups were kicked way forward leaving me to fight for balance every step. She spooked at a giant ant hill and leapt sideways at the canter and it didn’t even slip. That was nice! But when I was riding, I tried sliding my hand under the pommel, and NO WAY was it going in there! It was so freaking tight. I can easily see how any amount of serious use would cause a major wither swelling or sore.

So nope, definitely not for me. It’s going back tomorrow.

[ScarletGypsy]

I’m actually using one right now for our 5-10 mile conditioning rides without any problems. As per some of my previous posts, we’ve had major saddle drama–treed saddle didn’t fit, switched to treeless, hated that, went back to different treed saddle, which also ended up not fitting well, etc. etc. So at present the SS is the only thing that’s truly working well for both me and Scarlet.

I wouldn’t use it without modifications, though. I cut out a spine channel, had the stirrups moved back a bit (simple procedure with some extra nylon strapping), replaced the dinky SS stirrups with EZ Rides, covered the top of the saddle in sheepskin, and I use an orthopedic treeless saddle pad with it (Grandeur or HAF, to assure extra spinal clearance). Of course, my mare has nonexistant withers, so I can see how it would be a problem on a horse that did have withers to speak of. The size of the SS in relation to the horse’s conformation (i.e. short-coupled) can also be a consideration–I use the smallest size but I’m sure we’d have issues if I were using a medium or large.

I guess different things work for different people (and horses). I hadn’t heard of any on endurance rides either, but then I hadn’t heard of someone completing 50 miles bareback, and didn’t a guy do that at Big South Fork? Never say never!

[Just_Wondering]

[QUOTE=pandorasboxx;2706679]

FWIW, I’ve seen someone riding bareback at a competition before though I can’t remember if she was in the LD or the 50.[/QUOTE]

We had one in our region that was in the LD.

[Auventera_Two]

SG, neat observations. Does yours slide back? I had to rely heavily on the breastcollar to keep the darned thing up where it belonged. That breastcollar was pulled really tight because the saddle was pulling backwards so much. And she’s 3 inches downhill. If anything, I have problems with saddles sliding forward over her withers but this thing just kept creeping back farther and farther.

I mean, I admit she really moved out nicely and was very happy with a long stride. She’s a pissy thing that will tell you right away if something hurts. But it just didn’t seem right.

What treeless saddle did you try? I’m thinking of that Barefoot Cheyenne.

[ScarletGypsy]

Mine slid back a bit before I cut the “gullet” into it, but now I think the spine channel gives it enough stability. A good pad helps. I still have a good four fingers’ worth of slack in the breastplate after a ride. You can get the Soft Saddle Pad that Cashel makes, which has a D-ring for a crupper if needed (I use mine under the expensive pad to keep it clean and give me more things to tie things to).

I tried the Barefoot Cheyenne–it just wasn’t really for me. I would probably give it another try on a horse that wasn’t as oddly shaped as Scarlet is though .

[HorseTrouble]

[QUOTE=Auventera Two;2709075]

What treeless saddle did you try? I’m thinking of that Barefoot Cheyenne.[/QUOTE]

I’ve heard nothing but good things about the Barefoot Saddles.

[DopyDgz]

The problem with these sadlles is they do nothing to distribute your weight. I’d worry about back soreness (the horse, not the rider) after a long ride in one of these. I also think theyd be hot,

[Bogie]

The barefoot Cheyenne put me in a chair seat :no:. I have a Torsion EL and a Freeform now. With the freeform you can adjust the stirrup placement (and change the seat size) which is pretty neat. The Torsion allows me to keep my leg underneath me.

With a treeless saddle, and especially one without a gullet, you must pad appropriately to create the spine clearance.

[islandhorse]

[QUOTE=Bogie;2732366]
The barefoot Cheyenne put me in a chair seat [/QUOTE]

My BF Cheyenne did the opposite. My legs were always behind me and I had to fit to keep them underneath me.