Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Ansur saddles and distance riding....I had an Ansur, not because I was a *real* dressage rider, but because I couldn't find any treed saddle that would fit my round-barrelled, high-withered, short-backed gelding (Crabbet Arabian).  It was just terrific for several years, and he loved the shoulder freedom.  We did mostly ring work and short pleasure rides on smooth trails.  I loved the communication, and it certainly forced me to become a better rider.  However, about 18 months ago he let me know that he really, really liked distance riding and could we please do more.  So we did.  Unfortunately, by the end of the summer something was very wrong.  It was difficult to see, and I could only tell myself under saddle, but his way of going just seemed off.  I brought him to the large animal hospital here, and he spent three days undergoing a huge battery of tests.  The result - the treeless saddle was n
 ot protecting his spine from my weight (and I'm not big).  I loved the saddle, and still miss the closeness, but we are now in an Arabian Saddle Co. Solstice, and are very happy.  I think that treeless saddles have a place, but once you start to put in multiple daily hours on rocky/twisty/hilly terrain, you may need to think about more protection for your horse's back.  One caveat - I bought my Ansur before they had the 'new' saddle pads, and before I heard about Skito's.  Those might make enough of a difference, but for us it was just too late.