Re: RC: Re: Rigid versus flexible saddles

["Karen Sullivan" <greymare@jps.net>]

----- Original Message -----
From: <TddWil@aol.com>

> then why can't you just dispence with
> the tree?
>
> I've wondered the same thing. The Ansur saddles appear to have no tree at
all
> but not a way to spread out the weight. Kind of a heavy duty bareback pad
> like sportsaddles. Why not use one of the panels like orthoflex that has
> different firmness in different spots and use it to disperse the weight
from
> the stirrup bars and the seat bones?

Exactly what I mean-I think there are miles and miles to go in saddle
development.....

But at least it is happening, and faster in the endurance field..........saw
a horse this weekend
that a girl broke and trained with a well-known Western trainer......and
rides both english and western and shows statewide......5 year old horse
with huge whitehair patches on either side of the withers-they don't adress
the fit problem, just put the hair-dye on when the horse does halter and
showmanship-there is still lots of folks out there like this.....

karen
 Looking at whats available now, if $ was
> no object I would go with a sportsaddle or ansur. I'm a featherweight so
> weight distribution is not as much of an issue as it would be for my
> heavyweight husband.  It would be interesting to use one of the computer
> saddle pads that measures pressure and see just how good all these saddles
> are at eliminating pressure points with different weight riders.
>
>                                       Shelly
>