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Re: [RC] Torsion Saddle - Ericka Nelson

i am riding a torsion treeless, trekker model.  as many of you know, this is the fourth saddle for my much loved arab, artie.  he and i both love it.  his back has shown no sign of soreness since we started using the torsion. 
as catherine said, it does take some relearning to mount without a block, but i seem to have mastered this.  i do prefer a block or a bumper or a rock as i feel it is better for my horse's back.
yes, my balance is better than ever (so far...knock wood).  it does seem to throw me forward, so i have to concentrate on sitting or standing up straight.
i have no problem holding onto the pommel at the start of a ride, in case of bucks or jumps.
i added custom western fenders from a local guy, and a sheepskin cover.
i use a mohair girth from sportack, as the billet buckles are wider than most out there.  it works fine.
i have done one 50 in it and lots of hills in training.  i've almost come off the back more than once, so i suppose it's all a matter of getting used to it.
i will use this saddle for all my riding.  i'll let you know how it holds up on multi-days after the high desert ride.  i hope we love it, as if it doesn't keep working, i guess i'll have to learn how to drive this horse.
ericka
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, October 10, 2004 7:25 PM
Subject: Re: [RC] Torsion Saddle

I have one and used it on CTR once.  It is very comfortable.  You definitely need to have good balance.  I find that it is forcing me to learn balance.  If you are doing any steep hills you will need a crupper because there is nothing to keep it from sliding forward.  It fits around the horse, not down into the groove behind the withers. Also difficult when the horse is watering and the reins are not long.

I like where the stirrup leathers hang, very natural placement.  Definitely buy their stirrup leathers and girth because it is designed so that nothing else will easily work. 

Some people struggle getting on without a mounting block because it can easily turn.  I am 125 and find that if I have it cinched tightly, I can mount from the ground if I do it quickly and curve my body over her back putting as much weight on the other side as quickly as possible. It is great feeling her back movement. 

I would NOT recommend it for a horse in training because even though there is a pommel, there isn't anything for your legs to press up against when it gets a little "western".  I found that if I pull the velcro underneath the pommel away from the saddle, I can wrap my hand around the pommel and get some security but that leaves me only one hand for the reins.

I am having problems fitting my horse with any treed saddle because of her wide ribs (see recent email with subject line ?Saddle for wide-backed horse?).  This saddle works for her, but is more of a fancy bareback pad with nice stirrup setup. 

I recommend you try one first.  It has its advantages but is not a replacement for a traditional saddle.

Catherine

Replies
Re: [RC] Torsion Saddle, Sonshine575