Foxyrab said it best; I’m just going to add my own comments B[/B]…
“1. How long does a treeless saddle last, under normal, everyday conditions?” In my experience they wear like a treed saddle. Ditto.
“2. Is it true that treeless saddles flatten and lose their shape over time?” Not that I’m aware of. Ditto again. The higher quality (leather) treeless would appear to retain the same integrity for years because of the way they are made. A big plus is that you don’t have to worry about the huge expense of a tree breaking/cracking/distorting. Can’t speak for the synthetic fabric saddles – had one once for a short time and the material began to “pill” almost immediately. Sent it back, never got another. I only do leather.
“3. Do you HAVE to use a specialty saddle pad for a treeless saddle?” It depends… For the Bob Marshalls with my Arabs, I can use a generic pad. For the Foxtrotter, I use a Supracor. With the Sensation, I use a Skito with a Thinline. I don’t use any “specality” pad since all my guys are extremely round with a built in (fatty) channel for their spines. I use a Cloud Nine for the endurance horse, and a regular sheepskin pad for the foxhunter, and others.
“4. For the round mutton-withered horses, do these saddles have issues with slippage, either front to back or side to side?” Yes. You HAVE to be a balanced rider, and a breastcollar and crupper are often needed. ALL saddles – treed and treeless – can have slippage issues (either back to front or side to side) depending upon the rider’s balance and the horse’s conformation, and the terrain traveled. I would always recommend a breastplate, just on general principles.
“5. Do these saddles create pressure points on the horse’s back, since there isn’t a tree to spread the load?”. I was having more problems with pressure points when using a treed saddle than I do now. Ditto. I have never met a treed saddle, no matter how expertly flocked, that wasn’t a problem in causing pressure points, and the eventual white hairs. Two of mine are permanently scarred that way, despite my best efforts to have the treed saddles fitted to their backs. I have absolutely NO PROBLEMS using my treeless, AT ALL. They mold to fit, immediately. No pressure points anywhere. Period. Just a smooth expanse shaped right to the back the minute I sit down in the saddle.
“6. Do you need wither and spine clearance in a treeless?” In my experience, no. None of my horses have prominent spines. Ditto.
“7. What kind of saddle do you have, what brand/model?” Two Bob Marshall Endurance saddles (Sportssaddles), and one trail Sensation.What do you like about it? They are more comfortable for myself and the horses than a treed saddle, and are very lightweight. I have the Barefoot Cheyene (made in Germany) for endurance riding, and the Sensation (made in Canada) for foxhunting and general hacking. LOVE them both. Sold all my treed saddles right after getting the Sensation which I adore. I’m planning on getting a second Sensation to outfit for endurance.
“7. Which holds up longer, leather treeless saddles or synthetic treeless saddles” I don’t know. Synthetic doesn’t last anywhere near a long as real leather. If you are going to buy a saddle, buy one made of leather.
“8. On a personal note, what made you go treeless?” I couldn’t find a treed saddle to fit one of my horses, and once I started riding treeless, had no desire to use a treed saddle. The cost of continual acupressure and chiro treatment on my endurance horse caused by the treed saddle, which was always getting re-flocked and re-fitted. The overall expense was well into the thousands – far more than I could have spent on a new saddle – and the horse was still continually in pain. Finally took him to a vet that said outright - “get rid of that saddle, NOW!” Tried a friend’s treeless, and was immediately hooked. I’ve never felt anything so comfortable in my life, and my poor back-sore horse suddenly was deliriously happy, comfortable, and moving like an Olympic level dressage horse. Never looked back… and won’t ride another treed saddle for the rest of my life.
For more information, you might want to check the yahoo group “Treelesssaddles”. Ditto. Some great advice there, plus some of the dealers post so you can ask them about their demo policies.
My personal suggestion? Since you are principally a trail rider, and ride both English and Western, you might want to look at the Bob Marshall saddle, as well as the Barefoot saddles. I’d also suggest a Sensation if you want to go English. All these saddles work extremely well with the QH type of build.
