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Post by tinastephenson on Jun 30, 2008 19:31:25 GMT -1
Charity needs a new saddle.... Stacy has just been trying a freeform which a girl on the yard is selling but, she would need to buy a new numnah which takes the shims, plus she would also need a contoured girth! The lady at the saddlerty has been great as Stacy sent loads of photos in. Both Stacy and I are shall we say generous in the posteriour.... the saddle is an 18" and the fitter thinks that she should go bigger.... Please can you all give your opinions? should Stacy go treeless at all, she does hope to get a second horse at some point in time, if so can anyone recommend one for a warmblood, so high withered? This freeform is £550 plus numnah £85 plus girth  so not really cheap. Any advice really gratefully received...... |
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Post by southerner on Jun 30, 2008 20:07:11 GMT -1
I could not use one as I weigh over 12 stone and this is never mentioned!
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Post by dollylanedales on Jun 30, 2008 20:26:16 GMT -1
I know a lot who weigh over that that ride in treeless saddles.
I cannot comment on the Freeform as I have never ridden in one.
Molly has a Trekker treeless, which she goes well in, and I just love it. I go on long rides over the moors, and find that very good for this type of riding. Its obviously not suitable for showing in.
Oliver has a Torsion. Personally I am not as keen on this as the Trekker, but Rick likes it better!
The reason I got treeless was that all the treed saddles we had fitted on Molly, were not right. Most of them slid forward. I bought the Trekker second hand off E Bay, thinking if it was not right I would not be losing too much money. I think I got a bargain!
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Post by olivia on Jun 30, 2008 20:57:51 GMT -1
The SBS has an upper limit of 15stone - I did write to them to find out how set in concrete this was, but they didn't bother to reply, even to say dunno. :/ Wasn't impressed with the customer service there.
Tilly has gone back to a tree-ed saddle now (albeit a non conventional tree) partly because the SBS dressage saddle was going to kill Mair one day, and partly to safely carry my huge posterior!
Olivia
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Post by dollylanedales on Jun 30, 2008 21:05:30 GMT -1
Yes, I rave about my Trekker, but I do like the WOW saddle!!
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Post by Debbie on Jul 1, 2008 1:45:37 GMT -1
I'm another who raves in favor of the WOW saddles!!! They're really worth the money for the fit for rider and pony.
As for treeless for Charity, have you tried Charity in this treeless saddle? What does Charity think of it? I'd imagine she'd give you a very clear yes or no answer.
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Post by tinastephenson on Jul 1, 2008 13:01:48 GMT -1
Stacy tried Charity in the treeless, but, although Charity did seem fine, the distance between saddle and wither was just not enough, also, her girthing area did not seem to fit!
we took loads of photos and sent them to goldfinch, they said basically, she needs a contoured girth and this all singing and dancing numnah to put shims in.
I dont know..... the treeless is perfect in so many ways but works out incredibly expensive with all the extra gear, or should she go for something like the wintec 2000?
sorry for being ignaramous, but what is the wow saddle?
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Post by dollylanedales on Jul 1, 2008 14:35:27 GMT -1
www.wowsaddles.com/index.htmThey are not cheap, but I was impressed by the fact they could make it fit Tilly - and also it could fit a lot wider horses than her. She has plenty of room behind her shoulders, and the WOW has not moved forward or anything even on our big hills. It is a big difference after riding in the SBS - you do tend to feel a bit perched, but soon get used to it. I am well impressed and also it looks nice.
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Post by Debbie on Jul 1, 2008 14:58:42 GMT -1
The treeless saddles are like a regular treed saddle in that you don't have one style/brand that can fit all horses/ponies comfortably. I remember CarolineC's pony Sam styling the SBS I think it was (or possibly a predecessor). I couldn't put a finger on what exactly was wrong, but the saddle simply did not fit Sam ~ at all! She tried a different treeless style (I think it was Freeform, but you'll have to ask) and the photos were night and day. The second saddle fit him so well.
That's interesting you feel perched on the Wow, Mair. I didn't feel perched at all in it when I rode Heather's Drummer. I'm trying to remember if it was MerlinAlison who has one as well? Extremely comfy saddles!!! I could ride all day in them, and I was duly impressed with the comfort for the pony's back.
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Post by olivia on Jul 1, 2008 15:31:52 GMT -1
I don't think the WOW makes you feel any more perched than any other tree-ed saddle, but it's definitely not as close as the treeless saddles. I know the first time I sat on the SBS I was amazed at how I could feel every muscle of Tilly's back move underneath me.
WOW now do two types of saddle. The Competitor which is completely modular and you can change every component part to get the perfect fit. There is also the Club which can be changed quite a bit, but you can't change the flaps from (for example) dressage to jumping. The Club is cheaper.
I was VERY lucky that Jacqui's WOW was almost a perfect fit for Tilly apart from needing a wider head plate and a special girth to account for a her still being croup high with a very forward girth groove. Although Mair is still having to use a normal dressage girth as the new one hasn't arrived yet and I understand the saddle is still performing well. I was very impressed with how clearly the saddle fitter explained why I have had problems with saddles pitching forward and getting in the way of her shoulder.
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Post by southerner on Jul 1, 2008 18:37:28 GMT -1
I cornered them at olympia and they admitted 12 stone was the limit on sbs.
The phoenix and the sbs tested badlywith pressure tests, so would not use them if I was heavy. A treed saddle to spread the weight is far better for the horse
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Post by southerner on Jul 1, 2008 18:38:35 GMT -1
I have the thorowgood L6 which I am testing and which is nice. Love my jessica above all else!
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Post by nyjinski on Jul 1, 2008 18:53:44 GMT -1
I was using a treeless on my boy for 3 months when all of a sudden his back legs would feel like they were just dropping away when I rode him. I got the vet out and she said that the treeless was not lifting off his spine enough and it was causing a trapped nerve when I rode him. Now I have changed him back to a treed saddle he is back to his old self without any of the problems in his legs. My vet said that treeless saddles are known for causing this problem and unless your horse has no withers at all it is advisable to steer clear of them.
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Post by tinastephenson on Jul 1, 2008 19:27:54 GMT -1
tonight both Stacy and I rode Charity out in the treeless! decided by the end that it is not the saddle for Chas......
Back to the drawing board, do not want to spend a fortune, especially if we do manage to find loan home for the little lady, but obviously it has to be right for her.
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Post by rachelg on Jul 1, 2008 22:48:35 GMT -1
wellll....i have a treeless barefoot cheyenne for marley for every day riding,its great and inexpensive www.horseandharmony.co.uk they are very helpfull...i dont know about the weight limit..hes happy,im happy... we use it occasionally on milly too,and at the moment lizzie is using it on merlin,they are all a bit different in shape and are all fine in it...we too have thorowgood saddles,beautys has lasted fantastically for 10 years and thorowgood put new panels on it for me a couple of years ago and only charged me £15!!!! merlin has changed shape unfortunately and now his thorowgood doesnt fit him anymore but im still evry pleased with them...we also have a wintec for milly and that too is fine,personally i prefer the thorowgood saddles out of those 2.....we also have treed saddles for showing (all getting a bit old and tatty now tho!) but im very pleased with my cheyenne for an inexpensive every day saddle... |
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so not really cheap.
