Off-Brand Treeless Saddles - Yay or Nay?

[Char]

I guess this is actually a 2 question post:

1. Is there a ‘type’ of horse that cannot go treeless? My guy is a TWH, slim build, and fairly narrow. He has an “A” frame back. I’m hoping that as he continues to muscle up, his back will become more round. I’ve recently read that treeless saddles are not recommended for horses that have any prominent backbone at ALL. Is this true? Are there pads/fits, etc. that you need to get for these horses?

2. Has anyone had any luck with ‘cheap’ treeless saddles? Were they disasters? Just didn’t hold up to regular use? Sore your horse?

I’m looking at trying a treeless saddle on my guy (obviously), but I’ve ridden in a Barefoot before and didn’t like it. Too much poof under my butt.

I’m wanting to get something to just mess around with, and the thought of dropping >$1,000 for basically a toy at this point is really daunting. :eek:

Here’s what I’m looking at and wondering about:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TREELESS-SADDLE-16-17-18-SYNTHETIC-NET-SUEDE-NEW-/150698097926?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item23164e7d06

Any thoughts/advice would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks!

[Auventera_Two]

With regard to my high withered, narrow, A-framed Paso Fino, the folks on the treeless yahoo board said that the Black Forest Shasta would probably be my best bet. You need something with really robust built in panels and you can’t rely on the pad to do it all. Even still you would have to combine it with really beefy inserts in a good Skito or Toklat pad.

My Paso absolutely despises the Equipedic pad + Bob Marshall combo. But he gaits like a rock star in the Bob Marshall + Toklat combo. However, long rides, particularly those incorporating steep hills, he just doesn’t stay comfortable. After a couple hours and a dozen big hills, he begins to halt and refuse to move on.

I really truly hate treed saddles but I went ahead and took a gazillion measurements and photos and worked with CTK Saddlery to custom make him a treed endurance saddle. It should hopefully fit him nicely and I can suffer through with it until I can figure out which expensive treeless to order.

I personally do not like the Black Forest Shasta (borrowed one from a friend), so that one is not going to work for me at all for the long run. It just feels too cheap and plasticky, stiff, I don’t know. I just did not like it well enough to keep it as a full time working saddle.

EZ Fit, Freeform, Startrekk, Trekker, or even the Mackinder Endurance etc… are supposed to all be decent options. I just wanted more time to decide which route to go for him so I’m going to use the CTK in the interim and see if I can demo some of those other treeless options next year.

You definitely CAN have success with treeless on the A-framed back, based on everyone who does, but it takes a little more trial and error.

Oops sorry - about your original question - I owned a cheapie “barefoot styled” treeless that I bought on Ebay for around $100 (don’t remember exactly now.) Anyway, it was ok. Not horrible, not great. It was good for going in the river swimming, and using as a backup saddle. It was comfortable and made well enough that it wasn’t dangerous or anything. It looked cheap, but it served my purpose well. I ended up selling it for around $50 more than what I paid for it.

With those really cheap ones though, you have to be careful because the stirrups are just attached with a single strap going over the withers. Good treeless saddles attach the stirrups to a yoke type configuration that spreads the pressure over the entire saddle from front to back. Also I would be very cautious about relying on breast collar rings. The cheapo that I had did not have very sturdy rings.

[Char]

Thank you for the advice A2. I went through the whole saddle purchasing this spring, shot my wad on the one that I thought was a good fit, would last, etc.

Everything seemed to go well this summer. He didn’t seem uncomfortable, i was fairly comfortable, etc. I went with a flex treed saddle. After my last ride, about 5 days post, I noticed 2 rub spots on his back, right under where the seat of the saddle would be. :eek: One on either side of his spine. :no:

I’m freaking out, and I’m not sure if it’s from the saddle fit, or the pad. (I use a woven wool blanket under a regular fleece pad.) I got lazy here at the end of riding season, and allowed the pad liner to get grimier than usual. I usually wash it every other ride or so.

[Auventera_Two]

It might be the pad. I gave up on anything except soft pile type wool. I do have a felted wool Equipedic but I really don’t like the pad at all.

[PRS]

I have heard very mixed reviews regarding those EBay cheapies. Most of them are bad. The thing about them is while they might LOOK like the more expensive name brand saddles they don’t have the research and design behind them. They are often sewn crooked and with poor workmanship and sub standard materials. They might not distribute a rider’s weight as well as the name brand either thereby soring your horse.

When using most treeless saddles the pad underneath the saddle is just as important as the saddle itself and the whole thing should be thought of together as a saddling system. Most treeless saddle pads are there to help distribute the rider’s weight and provide spinal clearance. Going with a quality name brand is just as important for the pad as for the saddle.

[candyappy]

I would probably stay clear of a cheap saddle. I don’t have any experience with treeless, but I have heard good things about Crest Ridge Saddlery. They don’t make treeless that I know of, but they make affordable gaited horse saddles and mule saddles and I am planning to get a mule saddle from them as soon as I can get the cash. You should look at their site .

[chebeau]

How about a good used treeless? If you look carefully, you can find them. My first Heather Moffett soft tree/treeless was maybe 700.00. I even resold it for more money. Good luck in your saddle hunt!

Happy riding,
Jessie and the Stinky Pony aka Bosco

[chebeau]

Another thought is the Baretek. http://www.baretek.com/

For playing around, these are great. It is one of the things that led me toward treeless.

[Bogie]

I would avoid the cheap saddles. They are cheap for a reason.

When I wanted to try treeless i started with a Hilason. What a piece of crap :lol:. Stiff as a board, uncomfortable and cooked.

I would go with a name brand and look for one used. I’ve had several – Barefoot (put me in a chair seat), Torsion (didn’t work on my TB but great on my WB) and now I have a Freeform (great saddle and so comfy) and a Heather Moffett (also a great saddle but a lot more padding).

If you are patient, the deals are out there. Try endurance.net and the Yahoo treeless saddle group.

I think the best bang for my buck was the Freeform.

[Char]

Thanks for all the great replies so far - lots of food for thought. I’ve washed my wool pad liner, and will see if keeping it cleaned after rides helps for now.

In the meantime, I guess I’ll keep my eyes peeled for a used one, and am going to check out the brands recommended here as well.

[siennawilliam012]

Bob Marshall treeless saddle fit a wide variety of horses Treeless saddles offer riders an approach to horsemanship from a natural perspective. These saddles provide maximum comfort and enjoyment for riders and their horses.

treeless western saddles

[Cindyg]

I guess $875 is pretty close to $1000; but I’ve been happy with this saddle: http://www.rebeccatreelesssaddles.com/

It doesn’t feel at all like a “toy” to me (your term). It’s very comfortable both for me and my horse. In his old age, I do have to ride with an additional spine-clearing Skito pad under it. But the saddle comes with a very good pad.

The only way I’d be interested the $85 saddle is if somehow I could try it before I bought it.

[Malda]

I’ve had a Baretek for years, the english style. Love it. The knee rolls and cantle make going up and down hills easy. It’s lasting well too.

[QUOTE=chebeau;5965428]
Another thought is the Baretek. http://www.baretek.com/

For playing around, these are great. It is one of the things that led me toward treeless.[/QUOTE]