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Re: [RC] [RC] re: treed versus treeless - terry banister

The American-Flex saddles (www.american-flex.com) all have the ability to level the seat if the horse is rump high. They come with an Allen tool that just cranks the seat up in front . You can also raise the seat on just one side if your horse has uneven shoulders. The wide, flexible panels still sit the same on the horse's back and distribute the weight over a large surface area, leaving the spinal channel completely open. The panels not only flex with horse's movement, they adapt to growth/body changes over time.

I have the "Cutback" model, and it has a narrow twist so that the rider's legs can drop into position without tweaking knees and hips. And of course, the cutback design is great for horses with high whithers.

Terry
"May the Horse be with you"

From: "M. Paul Latiolais" <latiolp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [RC]    re: treed versus treeless
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2003 09:08:45 -0800

I tried a Bob Marshall treeless last- weekend. Karla Watson was kind enough to lend me one. The horse felt good underneath me. Unfortunately the saddle did not fit my anatomy.

One of the things I was impressed by synergist is that they make the saddle fit the rider as well as the horse in areas that other saddle makers don't consider. The Bob Marshall (and others) sure is a lot cheaper. If I were not planning to ride A LOT next year I might get a less spendy saddle.

-Paul L.

On Wednesday, November 5, 2003, at 08:42 AM, Karen Sullivan wrote:

Wendy, you don't explain exactly what kind of "slope"this horse has from withers to croup?. If he has truly downhill conformation (croup higher than withers), I doubt you will ever get a good fit on any kind of saddle, as any saddle will tend to slide forward into the shoulders....I hate to say this, but it is the honest truth; a good riding horse should have a relatively level back......
?
That said, I have ridden sport saddles for 10 years, with very good luck, ln a variety of shaped horses.? Our Anglo Arab had very high withers and a short back, and the saddle worked fine with a top shim skito pad.? Even English saddles that appreared to fit dug into her shoulders on downhills,and there is no way on earth a standard Western saddle would have ever fit this horse as she had a dip behind the withers.? The sport saddle worked on her with the right pad.
?
I have used them on horses shaped like propane tanks, really narrow horses, and a really sway backed pony.?
?
Again though, on a horse that is really rump-high, it is possible that the hard pommel on the sport saddle might jam into the shoulders eventually.? Then maybe something with a flexible pommel (like a torsion) would be the only way to go.?
?
However, using the saddle fit issue as a jumping off point to discuss back conformation....it is a critical thing I have looked as with any horses I consider buying....if that back of the horse is suitable to carry a saddle.? I have seen far too many Quarter Horses, AND certain lines of Arabs that are rump high (again, not claiming your horse is, just had asked above).? Beside being almost impossible to fit for a sadlde, rump-high horses?can tend to be heavy on the forehand, hard to collect, and from my observations, tend to often be the ones that get jiggy....
?
I give a real thumbs up on treeless saddles, but you still might have to do some tweaking with pads,shims and rigging.
karen

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