Why wouldn’t you own one? I don’t mind hearing why or about the spinoff brand.
[QUOTE=Dressagelvr;7743229]
The HM Vogue Mark II is hands down the best treeless saddle I’ve ever ridden.
Wouldn’t own an Ansur, but one of the prior owners, Peter something, spun off into a new company a few years ago that makes some lovely models. I can find the info if someone’s really interested.[/QUOTE]
What do you like about the Vogue? How “rideable” is it? I ask because over the years I’ve tried various treeless saddles, but they seem too bouncy. Looking at that saddle with the gullet and the ability to use a regular pad, I wonder if the past bounciness I’ve experienced is because of the special “treeless pads” (Equalizer, Skito, HAF) that I used with the saddles. I found the saddles practically unrideable in the past except for moseying down the trail (in which case they were very comfy under my bony butt!) - any more and I’d be bouncing all over the place!
Why wouldn’t you own one? I don’t mind hearing why or about the spinoff brand.
When Ansur first came about they were selling glorified bareback pads for outrageous prices. They also had the business practice of claiming that they originated the treeless concept (never mind that it had been around in various forms for nearly as long as people have been riding horses). What they would then do was sue & try to put out of business other brands. The good partner left over this practice & formed his own company www.solutionsaddles.com
What do you like about the Vogue? How “rideable” is it?
First, I will say that no “one” saddle, treeless or not, is right for every horse & rider.
What I like about the Vogue is that it has a narrow twist, something I cannot be completely comfortable without. It has structure & rides more like a saddle w/a tree. It has a very soft seat and is a great ride (for me). I will say that it does get hard in the winter if not in a heated tack room. You can put it on the horse w/a cooler over the top & allow the horse’s body heat to warm the foam if you don’t have a heated tackroom.
They have great reps & you can try one w/no obligation.
Do the Solution Saddles have a gullet like the Excel / Elite? My girl hated the Carlton but loves the Excel and I think the gullet is the reason.
He also moved to England? Ansur’s are sold out of Washington state. Was the partner already from Europe?
The solution’s certainly look more traditional.
[QUOTE=Dressagelvr;7744345]
When Ansur first came about they were selling glorified bareback pads for outrageous prices. They also had the business practice of claiming that they originated the treeless concept (never mind that it had been around in various forms for nearly as long as people have been riding horses). What they would then do was sue & try to put out of business other brands. The good partner left over this practice & formed his own company www.solutionsaddles.com[/QUOTE]
My saddle fitter had a client kind enough to let me try their treeless dressage saddle. I don’t remember what brand or model.
It had a removable strip that filled the gullet. We tried it with the strip in first and made it about 30 yards before my horse started to pop up his front end.
We tried it without the strip and made it maybe 15 yards before he is doing little rears.
He quite clearly hated this particular saddle in either configuration.
My horse is an arab cross with high withers, hollows, big shoulders and a flat back.
I have a Solution Treeless and yes, it has a gullet.
It is a very nice saddle. I couldn’t ride the Ansur Excel as the thigh/knee blocks were too straight and my hips are too stiff to open in that way. The Solution allows you to put the blocks where ever you need them.
My mare (Andalusian cross) has filled out behind the withers nicely since I have been riding the Solution. Prior, in her old treed saddle she went fine one would say but I didn’t realize just how hard I had been “peddling” to keep the forward. In the Solution, she just goes and I can give much more refined aids instead of pumping all the time just to get forward.
Idaho is pretty much a saddle fitting wasteland…as in we have no fitters within 300-500 miles and their appearances are few and far between. I use a Thinline shim pad to balance the seat for me and I am a happy camper.
Susan
Kyrabee, how did you get the Solution? Did you get it from the UK or is there a US rep?
The Ansur I have allows the knee blocks to be moved using Velcro.
I ordered it from England. It took, from order to receipt only about 4 weeks if I recall. It ended up still being less than an Excel, even with the shipping costs and duty (about $3100 total). This was 4 years ago I think. I wasn’t able to ride it for a long time due to a physical condition with my tailbone which seems to have finally somewhat resolved and I haven’t had any problems with riding in it this year.
I trialed a HM saddle but that one just didn’t work. I was perched way too far above her back. I didn’t like being that far away from her. There was a learning curve with the Solution as my previous halt aids in the Solution would elicit a sliding stop:lol:. After a couple of weeks, I got my act together and can aid with much less effort and much better results:winkgrin:.
Susan
Just thought I would mention the Sensation Treeless saddles. I have their Formal Dressage model and all 3 horses I have owned since I bought it have loved it and it is very comfortable and secure for me. I has worked for a high-withered TB, and medium-withered, huge-shouldered WB, and my current QH with very long withers and uneven shoulders. The price is very reasonable and I have found them to be very durable. Everyone who has sat in mine find it very comfortable. They are made in Canada (by Nickers Saddlery) and were initially designed for just endurance. A fair few have competed the Tevis Cup so I figure the riding I do can’t compare to that! My horses have always had excellent “back reports” from their massage/body worker.
I used to have a Fhoenix Vogue and wasn’t a huge fan - it sat somewhat high above the horse and it was super hard and somewhat uncomfortable in the very cold weather I experience in winter (and never warmed up through a whole ride).
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