Well, my princess mare will concur with Tad on this. I bought her a TC based on the fact that her previous owner rode her successfully in one. A review of fit on the saddle would tell you there were some issues…and yet she loved it. By the book DID not work for her. I ultimately did not like the saddle and ended up selling it and getting a PJ Delgrange that she works for her (I had used a few others on her, so I knew it general it should work).
Saddle fit is a bit like ergonomics: there is a ‘textbook’ you can follow and it will work for some people and it will cripple others. Ergonomics is very personal for both horse and rider, as is saddle fit.
I get no kick back of any kind from him. I have no relationship other than I have rented the Thera-Tree. My background is in training, retraining and rehabbing horses.
I know you would love to see some kind of scientific evidence that would prove these saddles and the Thera-tree have a certain effect. So would I. But at this point, there isn’t any so I am going off of the results that I see–since I got the thing last Thursday. So far, almost every horse I put it on seems to relax more, close their eyes, lick and chew and even yawn while wearing it for 20 minutes. I have several older horses with significant physical problems and I wanted to see if it would have any effect on them and especially on the one rideable horse I have who is just coming back from soundness problems. He has been more relaxed than normal the two times I have ridden him after he wore the Thera-tree.
Many of the horses I work with have had significant behavioral and physical problems that this thing might help.
I became interested in Tad’s saddles after we found one for a client’s horse that he really liked. The saddle fitter called this horse “The Prince and the Pea.” He would threaten to buck as soon as you got on if he didn’t like the saddle. We tried a Tad and he loved it. I tried it on my horse and he liked it too. After that horse went home I found out more about the saddles and thought they were interesting but to expensive for me. My horse developed soundness problems which we seem to have now resolved and I liked the sound of the Thera-tree so I rented it.
I have had Bemer and PEMF done on one of my other horses who had a severe neck injury last spring. This seems to have a similar effect–horse gets quiet, sleepy and relaxed. I cannot afford to buy one of those so here I am renting this. Does it help heal things? I hope so! As a rental, it is reasonably priced and I work with many horses who could really use some healing.
@vxf111@lookmaNohands
Yes, I think it is similar to PEMF.
What made me sit up and take notice was a mare I had in the barn for many years who was a no-sweater. Had tried many various supplements, acupuncture, old horseman tricks, etc. over the years to no avail. She struggled for many years in VA humidity and we basically just arranged her life so she didn’t have to work very hard…and when the saddle was upgraded to the SmartRideRx tree, (which is the one with claims of the health benefits,) she began to sweat, both in and out of the tack. No supplements, no other changes to her lifestyle or hydration habits. I am convinced.
The other horses seems to “enjoy” how the technology feels, but this horse starting to sweat (as a 23 year old) made me think that there could be a cellular element in fact.
@LookmaNohands, I also am renting a Thera-Tree and have two horses in the barn that wear it to be shod, and I no longer have to tranquilize them to help keep the process easy for the horses and safe for the farrier. They and several other older horses that wear the Thera-Tree before they are ridden come out of the barn like they have had a 20 minute walk already. So I believe it is clearly doing something. I too am eager to learn more about the science behind this, but since the horses tell me it is really helping them do what we ask in an easier way, I’m going to keep using it in the meanwhile.
Hah! Very true. And keep in mind that not every horse loves the super wide channel, either. My saddle fitter got a good laugh over the TC “fits all horses” saddle. The “evidence” posted on the site is marketing speak. That’s not to say that they aren’t nice saddles or that they don’t work on many horses. I have a Roosli dressage saddle that has fit a large number of horses over the years, but it wasn’t sold to me as a magic solution. Currently my jumping saddle is a Jeffries JMX. That also fits a nice variety of horses.
Another source for the wide channel is Schleese. You can sometimes pick those saddles up for short $ because they are a love 'em or hate 'em brand.
I’m quite intrigued by the “Butterfly tree” which uses hinges to dynamically adjust to a horse. I almost bought a saddle that had one installed, but realized I had too many saddles already. https://dt-saddlery.de/en/saddles/bu…ddle-tree.html
Not for nothing but subjective, anecdotal, no-control observations like “I think my horse is more relaxed” is hardly support for the broad (BROAD) claims made by TC about the Thera-Tree…
I would love to see any shred of actual evidence that suggests something that sits on the back can “increase hydration” and “reduce digestive disorders.” None of the cited studies support the claims being made. And the fact that some horse licked his lips is, frankly, pretty sad evidence from a scientific POV.
Have to make sure firstly that you have the right size saddle depending on shape of horse, wither distance, etc. of the horse. If everything appears right and fits the horse well, try a different tree material. My horse noticeably went and felt better immediately after trying a composite tree. I tried carbon fiber and wood from multiple manufacturers and same size. Horse preferred the composite. You can do topography to help you get size necessary from a local fitter but different tree materials feel and sit differently as well as have more flexion than others.
