when i first got my cob he had just turned 4 and been lightly backed so i rode him in a barefoot cheyenne because i thought he would bulk out and the saddle would allow that. it was old and worn in and i still use it today, 4 years later. However, i dont feel very secure in it, my position feels like im sitting in a chair. He has never had any back problems and it suited him well. Last year i purchased a new barefoot Cherokee and hated the bulk - i couldnt feel anything so sold it. I recently tried a ghost which was super light and comfy but i couldnt get the right fit on him and it felt a little tippy and it moved laterally when in trot. I liked the close contact feel, better twist and no skirt so ive been looking at similar saddles. does anyone have experience of black forest ponderosa town and country / treefree western, torsion close contact (not sure about the pressure distribution of stirrups), specialized ultralight? im even considering a thorn deluxe pad. bob marshall gets good reviews but is out of my price range. My pony is a cob 14.2 with a slight wither and im 5’2. thanks
I have a Ghost and like it a lot. It took some fiddling with it to make it secure. I suggest you contact Marlene at Badlands, she might be able to help you. I think it’s a very good option for the price and what I’ve heard is that the new rigging system is more secure. I’ve also owned a Barefoot (didn’t like the stirrup placement), a Freeform classic (I like it but you feel a bit perched, and there is no gullet so you need a Skito pad or similar), Torsion (I liked it but again, no gullet), and a Heather Moffet Phoenix (it was the only one that made my horse’s back sore).
