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[RC] [RC] going from treeless back to conventional saddle - Deanna German

Karen wrote:

Are there others who have gone from conventional to treeless, and then returned
back to conventional?


Yes!! I tried a Sports Saddle the first couple of years of CTR. I had to
sell it because I couldn't ride 5 miles without my hips screaming at me to
get off and walk. Not only that, my position wasn't centered and I couldn't
get my legs on my mare. It was just a bad match of saddle/rider/horse.
Treeless works great for a lot of people and horses, but you have to use
what works for you and your horse. If both aren't happy, ain't no one happy.



I am much quieter, more balanced, and therefore more effective in a
well-fitting treed saddle. I think because I have short, muscular legs, and my
mare is so flat and broad, that without some help from a tree, I just cannot
correctly get my legs around her barrel.


My mare is a leggy, narrow tube and I'm on the tall side of average with
average length legs. Still the same problems as what you had with leg and
position. I bought a used OrthoFlex Endurance Cutback and found heaven in a
saddle.

I recently bought an old, very used Wintec Pro Dressage as a spare saddle. I
love it! I tried out lots and lots of English type saddles and found that
this seat is most similar to my OF and I'm very secure in it despite the
lack of thigh rolls. >ggg< It reminds me of treeless saddles in one aspect:
I can feel every movement of my horse beneath me which is a good thing when
schooling on the flat and trying to feel those subtle improvements in
carriage. I admit I can't feel squat through my OF, one must be very in tune
with the body moving through space to feel the horse round up. (A lot of
people will say that they feel like they are too far above the horse in an
OF. I think what's really happening is that they simply can't feel their
horse.)

Yup, I need a tree. Bareback and treeless isn't for me either. But I also
need a dressage seat with stirrup bars in the dressage position. Tried to
ride in a hunt saddle recently and felt like a bumbling idiot, so
unbalanced. And the seat was so HARD! >ggg<

I looked and investigated and have concluded that Wintecs are a good saddle
at a good price; therefore a good value. (They sure do have good resale
value on eBay!) If I didn't have the OF, I'd give the Wintec a try for at
least an LD.

Take care.

Deanna



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