I was in a car accident which wasn’t my fault. I had some minor injuries which resulted in a trip to the er to get checked out. So the insurance company is giving me a settlement of paying the hospital bill plus $1000 for pain and suffering. So I’ve decided to turn my “pain and suffering” into a new saddle. I’ve been wanting a Fabtron Lady Trail saddle for the longest time but I can’t decide if I want a flex tree or regular tree. I looked at an older thread on the subject but it seemed to be dealing with English or endurance saddles, not western. Horse is a rather mutton withered paint.
I cannot speak for the Fabtron Lady Trail as I have not ridden in one myself. I do know that a lot of people like that saddle.
I myself have two of the same saddle, Lisa Lockhart Circle Y Flex 2 (in the WIDE) and I absolutely love them.
Is there a way you can try the saddle on your horse? That will be most important, of course, to make sure it fits your horse. Even a flex tree has to “fit”.
Personally I couldn’t stand the Fabron saddles. The seats on them are super wide and I felt like I was being split in half. I have the same feelings about the Abetta saddles.
I also really like the Circle Y Flex2 tree, but I think it has more to do with the horse than the rider. Also, there are flex trees and flex trees and flex trees. They are not all made the same nor do they all function the same.
I too have a Circle Y Flex2 tree and I LOVE it. I haven’t yet found a horse that wasn’t comfortable in it. I have a wide tree.
How about the Dakota flex trees? They are good quality for the price, and I am pretty pleased with mine. Keep in mind that flex trees are actually very rigid, while I like my flex tree, it is pretty hard, I will use it to ride youngsters. Also, even though it “flexes” it’s realm of flexion is very small, and at the moment the saddle does not actually fit either of my horses, which is making me consider a second Western saddle, which is again silly because I ride mostly English now. Every saddle fits every horse different, and I am actually in favor of Dakota’s. If you literally have back pain you may want to consider a Western treeless saddle. They are actually SUPER comfy, I had a used one on trial once, and loved it it was just too small (for me). But again, even treeless saddles have rigid parts that need to be fitted.
I have a Dakota Flex Tree saddle. It has been on several horses and it has fit them all well despite being very in different shape. I have back, knee, and foot issues and I have been able to ride comfortably for several hours. I can’t ride 10 minutes in my Simco without pain. My daughter won’t ride in my Dakota. A saddle has to fit both the horse and rider.
I have a Fabtron lady trail, but the sad fact is its probably the highest valued saddle I have ever owned or ridden in ha. I would love to upgrade to a nice circle Y in a few years.
I have absolutely horrible knees, so synthetic saddles worked best for myself.
I am also pretty much a midget. I was able to order youth fenders for it and man It is the perfect fit. It does have a much narrower twist, and that alone makes it a much nicer ride than most the other saddles I have ever been in.
Mine is a flex, and so far it has comfortably been on my stocky QHs to a small Morgan. All horses worked happily and relaxed in it.
[QUOTE=RoyalRain42;8430084]
I am also pretty much a midget. I was able to order youth fenders for it and man It is the perfect fit. [/QUOTE]
Do you mind telling me what your inseam is? I’ve been sort of thinking about buying a new saddle since the custom one I have doesn’t fit the mule very well anymore. And I don’t want to go the custom route again right now.
(I thought I was safe waiting until he was 6-ish to get the saddle, but no, he got a bit taller and filled out more post-saddle fitting.)
Anyway, I’ve been wondering if I would be happier with youth fenders, since I’m somewhat short, which is compounded by having most of my height in my torso rather than my legs. (I believe that build is commonly referred to as “short and squatty.” :lol: )
