occasionally one reads articles about treeless saddles being bad for a horses back ..
i thought i'd say that Molly's back has improved a lot over the last while since i've been using a treeless saddle (mostly a fhoenix or vogue, after a short spell with a barefoot)
I did that as would never have got a treed to fit molly anyway and having read up on them decided to go that route.
I think if you buy one that isn't from a reputable manufacturer/name, isn't properly constructed (i've seen pics of some horrors with e.g. cardboard where the memory foam shoudl be!) and don't put a proper pad underneath whatever you use, then yes, you'll have problems. in the same way that if you use a treed saddle that's too narrow/wide/unstuffed/other fault you'll have problems.
but i think a properly made treeless saddle, properly fitted to the right horse with the right pad/numnah, will not be bad for the horses back and in fact will be positively good.
there are some good before/after photos about of horses whose muscles have come back to their proper form/place/state after use of a treeless
and we've all seen awful atrophy at the wither of horses ridden in ill fitting saddles...
guess I'm a convinced convert?
i don't believe they do work for all horses, and i don't believe they suit all riders...
but they're not bad for the back!
and molly? muscling up much better than she ever has, after some good work in a treeless saddle! i'll never get rid of the congenital asymmetry, but no more hollows and is looking good!
7 comments:
Me comealookin' Claire...
Yes, I suppose there are differences in quality and fit here too.
And I do agree with you that to some horses it is difficult to find any normal saddle that fits well enough.
It's just that I last read it in Gerd Heuschmann's book, and he is a person that I respect.
ah! i must have missed that in his book (unless it's in the newer edition?)
I have to say that the local agent for EE saddles is also a horse massage person .. i asked her how she got into saddles, and she said, on courses, when asking people what saddles seemed to be best for horses, answer was usually fhoenix.
and if you check out jean's blog (follywoods, link from here) she's an ansur agent ....
anyway, more to link to, LOL
Is this correct, Heuschmann is against treeless saddles? He is someone I respect also. As you may know I'm looking for a treeless for Remy as he is a difficult shape at the moment so this is a very interesting subject for me.
well I don't remember reading any such thing when I read his book at Trudi's last year - hopefully, trudi will read this and check!
and if he is... it may be he saw the results of ill made ill padded treeless saddles!
I am a treeless convert too. Similar problems to yours with my first treeless......rubbing on the back..now use phoenix (3 years) and no problems at all. I am not a lightweight rider either.
The thing that irritates me most is that people often lump all treeless saddles together.... Do they lump all tree'd saddles together? I think not.
Can't recall anything in the book about treeless saddles (assuming it's the book I have) could you give us a page or chapter reference HofC.
My thoughts are that a saddle that fits well and is made well will be good whether treeless or treed but I've only sat on Claire's HM one and that would be top end quality!
Agree Claire that there are saddles which are badly made and are likely to harm the horses back - both treed and treeless. I guess "good" treeless have less potential for harm but I personally prefer a good and correctly fitted treed saddle - lot more work though (especially with a body changing youngster!!)
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