The Alternative Horse

Freeform Trial and Review 25/11/2005

I have this saddle on loan from Better Saddles and intend to give it a good trial!

So far I've only ridden on it for 15 minutes but here's what I've got so far :)

Dolly wearing the saddle prior to our ride. I'm using it with a Prolite Comfort saddle pad

and a Stubben neoprene girth. I ADORE the girth and Dolly who's usually very

fussy about girths (humane girth with a prolite girth sleeve is her usual favourite)

is very patient and happy about this one.

This saddle gives oodles of wither clearance to barrels like Dolly who don't have any...I could fit 4 fingers into the pommel whilst unmounted and only slightly less once mounted - even whilst walking and trotting! I'm hoping to try this on a friend's horse who has a spine and withers, to see how it is on him and will report back once I've tried this out.

The saddle is very stable for mounting and stayed put beautifully when Dolly spooked and leapt sideways.

She was very forward going and comfortable in this saddle and definitely seems to approve.

I thought I'd feel miles away from her but I still felt her movement really easily and although

the saddle does have a pretty defined twist, I felt wrapped around rather than perched on top - excellent!

I found the pommel to be very high and trotting quite awkward at first. The second trot was better.

Tomorrow I shall try this again with different stirrup positions and lengths to see what works

best for us (the joy of this saddle is that I can put the stirrups wherever I want!)

More tomorrow but so far I'm very impressed! 

26/11/2005

I LOVE this saddle!!!  Myself and 2 friends took it in turns to ride Dolly today.

We went for a fairly long hack and I cantered/galloped her in it.

She was soooooo pleased with herself, went beautifully, didn't buck, and I felt really

secure although I had a bit of lateral slippage to the right (due entirely to my terrible

position in canter...the saddle is generally very stable, even with a less-than-tight girth.)

I've decided that the saddle is ever so slightly too long for Dolly as it scuffed her

hair at the back of the saddle. Although it didn't seem to bother her at all, I think

she'd fit better into a Freeform SB.

I'm used to the pommel now - moving the stirrups back a bit definitely helped to

make me more comfortable although they'll be great for jumping and lots of fast

work when moved forwards again.

I'm going to try this saddle with a different numnah tomorrow to see how Dolly

goes with a small alteration (the numnah supplied with the saddle for the trial slid

back under the saddle when cantering which isn't a big deal really, but not ideal).

This picture shows how easy it is to adjust the stirrup position.

You simply peel them off the base, reposition and reattach the seat. Pretty neat huh!

Myself on Dolly - doesn't it look "normal" from this angle!

And from the side.

27/11/2005

Had another great ride today! Only 20 minutes and did lots of cantering.

Again, slight lateral slippage to the right - definitely my riding!

This saddle hasn't budged other than cantering - not even when mounting

(I mount Icelandic style) so I feel very confident in saying that it is a really secure and stable saddle.

I used my Fitform numnah under the saddle today and that also slipped back.

The saddle didn't but numnahs do seem to disappear under it!

Of the 2 numnahs, I think the Prolite one was better but would need small

modifications to the front straps to help hold it in place properly. With both numnahs,

I've had lovely, even sweat/dirt patches on Dolly's back.

I'd love to pressure test this saddle, I'm sure it would do really well.

Official consensus: Thumbs Up!

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Barefoot London Review by Marylou's Mum

20/4/2006

First let me tell you a little about my girl, she is an 8year old ex racer, flat raced for 3 seasons and then a winter over hurdles, she is a sweetie, great to hack out and just starting dressage schooling.

Main issues - very unsettled with head, pulling and twisting it whenevre ridden.
Difficlut to get even flowing paces, has had a sore back, and allways without fail rolls after being ridden, sometimes trying to do this before being untacked.

Right, tacked up this am, shoulders obviously clear of saddle pressure, saddle looks good, takes her into school, first walk about good, naps when asked for trot. Dont know if its a 'I want to be in the field with my friends' nap. so back to walk. Her walk suddenly gets very long and settled. Her ears start wagging and her head is still(ish). Head higher than I would have like but heyho. Asked for trot, got a steady nicely paced trot, very smooth, definitely trotting up, going long and low, head still reasonably still.

When I got off to take photos she stood perfectly stll, no messing and looked like an old nag ( Sorry Marylou, love you really). Walked or plodded down road back to stable, no fuss no messing.

When I took the saddle off no signs of any hair movement what so ever and..... no rolling.

Have a lesson in the morning so we will see then, no so far so good. Oh and for rider comfort it is incredible.

21/4/2006

Right, update following my lesson today.

Lucy, my instructor has no treeless experience, but she is a BHSII and 3 day eventer. She teaches me flatwork, and Marylou is green on the schooling front.

Her first comment was wow, thats different.

she was amazed at how my riding position had altered, how my hips and knees where relaxed and I was more secure in my seat. she thought the saddle moulded to me. She was also surprised that I was no longer either infront of or behind the trot.

She felt Marylou was happier, stated she had never seen a horse with such a huge over track ( which has never been there before) ML's bends where much improved and with 20 mins we got her working into the bit and she was in self carriage. When Lucy sat on the saddle her first comment was, ooh its like sitting in a leather arm chair.

All in all a very positive lesson, with a much happier horse who was letting me know that too.

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Barefoot Cheyenne Review by Nicxf

21/7/2006

Saddle: Barefoot Cheyenne with fenders, sizes 1 & 2 tested.
Horse: JoJo the M�rens horse - French breed native to the Pyrenees, extremely similar (size, shape, colour) to the British Fell & Dales ponies. Small ( about 14hh) but strong! I'm told JoJo has a particularly short back, even compared to others of his breed. Temperament: very laid back, tend to look half asleep most of the time: though they do wake up nicely when ridden.
Rider: 176 cm tall, 61.5 kg weight, size 40/42 (depending on brand!) clothing. "Happy hacker" type (confident on a mountain with sheer drops, goes to pieces in an enclosed riding school), fairly unfit.
Terrain: Lower Alps ("Les Alpes Maritimes"), Provence, France (about 45 minutes' drive from Nice International Airport). Very steep tracks, some wooded (lots of brambles and hawthorn - ouch!), others open and wide. Generally very stony and uneven, one or two grassy bits.
Duration: 2 hour trail ride with each saddle.

Pictures below, left to right: the saddle, horse & rider, the terrain:

Barefoot Cheyenne Size 1:

First impressions:

The saddle seems very well made - the only (very slight) criticism I have is that I would have preferred it to be all leather, rather than synthetic edging and fleece underside: but you can't have everything! Looks great for the money they're asking.

Tacking up:

For this first ride, I kept the fibreglass pommel and cantle that are standard to the saddle - this trial one was an older model, with a lower cantle than the new one (which has a softer and different shaped cantle, I think). The saddle was used with the supplied 'Grandeur' pad, and a suber pad on top of that. Barefoot 75cm dressage girth. Also had a breast collar and crupper for extra security.

Pictures below: left: JoJo models the size 1; right: with me on board the size 1.

Riding:

� Extremely comfortable. Wow! First time I'd ever sat on a saddle (in almost 20 years of riding, on and off) and not had my backside start to ache within a matter of minutes. Oh, the relief....
� Felt very secure: Loved the fairly high pommel and cantle - had a bit of spooking from the horse and had no problem at all in staying put, even though I was attempting to adjust a stirrup in the middle of one spook.
� The saddle didn't slip at all when I had to re-mount after getting off to re-attach breast collar which had come unclipped from the girth.
� Trotting: first sign of a problem here: JoJo seemed uncomfortable; taking very short, stilted steps, flicking his ears, and generally didn't feel too happy. I began to wonder if the fibreglass pommel was restricting his movement. Tried to get my hand under there, and it was very tight. One slightly squished hand later decided I wouldn't try that again. Apologised to JoJo.
� Rising trot: ouch, that hurt. I continually whacked my thighs on the extremely solid fibreglass pommel. Ow, ow, ow.... decided to try to remember how to do sitting trot instead.
� Finally remembered how to sit properly to the trot after an hour and a half, and found an instant improvement - no smacking of anything where it shouldn't be smacked!!! JoJo seemed a little bit happier with me sitting to the trot as well, but still had a weird action.
� No cantering as we had too many beginners on the ride.
� Fairly quickly into the ride, I noticed my thighs start to ache, as the set-back stirrup bar put my legs into the (to me, unaccustomed!) correct ear/shoulder/hip/heel alignment. Kept telling myself it was a good thing! I had no problems walking the next day (I'm usually stiff as a board after riding), so I was very impressed.

Overall:

I loved the comfort of the seat, and the fact that you can feel the movement of the horse's back through it, but I decided that I'd like to compare it with the bigger size and replace the fibreglass next time, so I sent the size one back, and received the size 2 instead. Off we go to the next weekend....



Barefoot Cheyenne Size 2:

First impressions:

Whoa, it's big. Hope it fits little JoJo okay. Took out the fibreglass pommel and cantle and replaced both with cushion foam. The zip broke on the pommel (the first time I touched it...grrrr...wonder if the last person who tried the saddle pulled it about a bit too hard), so I spent an hour faffing about, unpicking the stitching so I could replace with a new bit. Looks good, hope they won't notice....did my best bit of sewing ever!

Tacking up:

As before, saddle was used with the grandeur pad and the suber pad (a bit small, but it was under the necessary areas) on top of that, with the barefoot 75cm dressage girth, a breast collar, and crupper. JoJo was not at all keen to have a saddle put on, but it was impossible for me to tell if this is usual for him or not (he's not mine and I haven't ridden him before these saddle trials, and I can't precisely remember what he did last week, though I don't think he was exactly keen that time either). However, he settled very quickly once the saddle was on his back, and it didn't completely swamp him after all. He's usually ridden in a very heavy western saddle, so it must have been a BIT of a relief, even if he wasn't entirely sure about it to start with.

Pictures below: left: JoJo in the size 2 saddle; right: with me on board.

Riding:

� I found the saddle much more comfortable with the solid parts removed!
� I almost instantly noticed JoJo's ears waving all over the place - back to me a lot, forwards, out sideways and back to me again. Does this mean he's thinking about things? It certainly looked like it: he didn't do this nearly as much last week.
� Trotting: JoJo initially started off with his funny little stilted trot (and I started to wonder if this was normal for him after all), but toward the latter part of the ride, he did seem to be making much larger movements, as I could feel his back moving more. No banging thighs on the pommel for me, this time either!
� We rode on some much steeper terrain this time; the breast collar and crupper were definitely being put to work helping to hold the saddle in place. It is VERY steep though, and the Western saddles slip too, if not held in place. I wonder if it would be more stable with less padding underneath - maybe the suber and the grandeur pads together are a bit of overkill?
� Cantering: woooooohoooooo!!!! Unfortunately I had a bit of trouble staying with the movement initially - I had to work very hard to not get left behind. When I did work out how to stay with it though (and oh boy can I feel my stomach muscles today...), it was great - it was amazing to be able to feel JoJo's back moving; and surprisingly after the canter he seemed to suddenly realise that the saddle wasn't restricting his movement, and his trot became much bigger and longer. He also got quite a lot bouncier over the steep bits, which was an interesting experience. A mountain pony merrily scampering down the steep bits looks great until you're actually sat on it whilst said scampering is in progress....
� One very annoying thing: I kept slipping to the back of the saddle!! The seat is a good few cm longer than the size 1 seat, and although it was more comfortable in terms of not hitting myself on any part of it, it was extremely difficult (and impossible on the steep bits) to stay in the centre of the saddle; I ended up sitting on the cantle and kept having to shunt myself forward. Which, when your horse is clambering up a boulder-strewn 45 degree slope with a precipice on one side, is a little worrying. I began to wonder if the size 1 wasn't better after all, with perhaps the fibreglass removed to make it softer. I also found that it was harder to keep my legs in the correct place when I was constantly re-positioning myself.

Overall:

Comparing the two, I have to say it's a difficult decision! I found that, in as much as I could tell by his way of going, that JoJo definitely seemed to prefer the softer pommel and cantle, but that's a moot point since whichever size I buy, I'll replace the fibreglass with soft stuff. However.... I much preferred the (perceived?) security of the size 1, as I found the constant slipping in the bigger saddle a bit uncomfortable. I did however prefer the fact that, at rising trot in the size 2, I wasn't hitting myself on any part of the saddle - however again maybe that could be solved by replacing the fibreglass in the smaller one. Both sizes (I think) look fairly large on JoJo, but the 1 looks a bit less huge. I have to say, looking at the photos, I look more comfortable in the size 1 (in my opinion, anyhoo) - my leg seems to be in a better position (and my knees hurt a lot less afterwards as a result). I couldn't keep my feet in the stirrups with a longer leg on the size 2, because of the aforementioned sliding about in the saddle thing.

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Barefoot Cheyenne Review by Kelly and Jack

21/11/2006

Jack is a 4 1/2 year old arab gelding. He's 14.2hh, wide, flat back, round barrel, slight withers.  He was backed at 3 1/2 years, brought on at 4, hacked out 2-4 times a week for 1 - 2.5 hours during summer, mostly in walk, little bit of trot, infrequent canters.  Terrain - roadwork, bridlepaths, steep hills, stony and even ground.  No jumping as yet. I'm 27, 5'4 ish, 8 stone 3lbs, size 8-10.  Normally happiest in a 17.5" saddle seat or equivalent.

I bought a BF Cheyenne to back my youngster in, as I knew how much he wouldchange shape.  I didn't want to be continually worrying about the fit, and having to change saddles regularly.   I was concerned about the reports of pressure problems and did a lot of research on it, and asked for a lot of advice/experiences.  Our combination seemed to make it least likely that we would have problems - Jack is flat backed without a protruding spine, I am fairly lightweight, and we wouldn't be riding for long periods of time.  In addition, the fact that the stirrups of the Cheyenne are attached to a diamond shaped piece of material helps to spread the weight over more of the back.

I loved it immediately, and Jack strode out very happily on his first time being ridden in a saddle.  It feels very very secure and comfy, and I love
the close feeling I get with it, so that I can feel his movements better. I also like the way it looks (for hacking), though I know some people
don't.

Cons:  It is tricky to place in the right position - even after a year I occasionally mess it up and have to get off again!  I don't mount from the
ground, even though Jack is only 14.2, as the saddle rolls slightly (and I don't like cutting him in half with the girth).  It also sometimes moves
laterally during a ride.  I don't feel it would be good for a rider whose balance wasn't very good.  Now Jack has filled out somewhat, I am finding
the lack of twist uncomfortable - difficult to drop my legs.  Possibly unsuitable for much jumping, due to fear of/risk of the pommel banging you
in the stomach.

Of the saddles I've ridden in over 25 years, including Jack and other horses, this saddle is my favourite.  I've owned it for a year now, and
hacked out fairly regularly since late spring this year.  However, I will be more concerned about pressure points when we start jumping, and when we up the mileage.  I would like to do long distance at some point, and am unsure whether this saddle will be suitable.  I would love it if it were,
but I have to be realistic.

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Freeform Review by Kelly and Jack

21/11/2006

I had a visit from a Freeform rep, with a 3/4 hour ride included.  I loved the look of this saddle when I first saw it on the internet.  The way
it is manufactured suggested a better weight distribution than perhaps other treeless saddles, and it also looks more conventional, so could be
used for showing.  Better shape for jumping too.  I wasn't keen on the stirrup attachment though - just a strap over the spine - not much weight
distribution, and I would probably have changed that if I had bought it.

The saddle didn't disappoint when I saw it in real life, and is incredibly light!  Jack was very happy in it, but unfortunately he can only take a
Short Back (SB) model, and although I am quite small, the 17" seat was too small for me!  I felt I was sat on the rise of the cantle, which was
uncomfortable, and my knees were off the front of the flaps!  It also felt harder than my Cheyenne, but that is most likely because it was a
demonstration model - would probably soften with use.

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Sensation Review by Kelly and Jack

21/11/2006

I had a 3 day trial of this saddle and managed 2 x 3.5 hour rides.  This saddle looks like a cushion on the internet, and I thought it would feel like one to sit in.  Again, it is a more conventional shape, so could be used for lower level showing, and for jumping.

When it arrived, I was impressed at how light it was, and it's shape, but it didn't feel as though it would be as comfy - it is harder than it looks.
The stirrups have 3 different attachments, which I was attracted to, as I would like to do long distance.  I also liked the fact that there is a
fibreglass 'shape' in there that provides a gullet, though I still used it with my Grandeur pad (for the Cheyenne).  I soon found that it doesn't seem
to be cut very well for women - the insides of my thighs were pressing on a swell in the saddle where the stirrup 'bar' is!  After 3 hours, I was
holding myself out of the saddle as it was so uncomfy.  The saddle also slipped back on my round barrel shaped arab (the makers do advocate the use of a breastplate).   However, those two rides were perhaps the best we've ever had, so Jack obviously went well in it!  I would be interested in
trying one again, with a breastplate and possibly a seat cover, but can't afford it right now.

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Torsion Island Report by Beckie and Deej

8/12/06

Trekker Talent Report by Lisa and Tex

3/1/07

I have been riding Tex in a Trekker Talent for about seven months now and have been really pleased with it. His topline has developed a lot better than it did in a treed saddle.

Fitting it was initially a problem as he has high withers. I solved this by using a Mattes Correction Pad (which has four pockets with removable shims) with extra shims to lift up the front off his withers. The Trekker pad which I bought with the saddle has not been used on Tex as it's not shaped, so could only really be used on a flat backed type.

Riding in the saddle felt strange initially as my legs felt very wide apart, but after five minutes I had got used to the different feeling. I now feel very secure in the saddle and have even popped a little jump in it! I like the feeling of being closer to the horse, and not perched on top of him which treed saddles can do. I have also found a lot more 'feel' with this saddle and can feel any tenseness in his back immediately.

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Fhoenix GP Suberpanel Report by Helen, Winky, Dandy and Honey

10/2/07

Periwinkle is a 13.3hh Highland mare. She turns 15 this year, and in the 3 and a half years I�ve had her she�s had 3 saddles (plus 2 borrowed ones). 

After she outgrew her Thorowgood Cob Selecta in less than a year, I began to seriously consider the idea of a treeless for her.  I�d wanted one since I first heard about the SBS, but as at the time all my ponies were happy in the saddles they had I didn�t really think about it.  I did trial a prolite Fhoenix (with the now old-style panels) in January 2006, although I didn�t think I could afford one, and Winky didn�t seem to like it, so for a while I forgot about treeless and bought the Thorowgood instead.  While her demeanour under saddle did improve for a while (she became much more willing to bend and engage herself than she had been, and bucked a lot less than she had in her old saddle), this didn�t last, because she continued to change shape and gain muscle, and as she outgrew the saddle, her old problems came back. 

As I�m a full-time student, I can�t afford to keep buying saddle after saddle for her each year, so I began again to consider treeless.  However, I�m a fussy sort and after a lot of contemplation decided that the only one I really liked the look and idea of was the Fhoenix, so when I found my local agent Amanda Martin�s website I decided to try the Fhoenix again, with the expertise of a trained agent there this time.  The consultation was November 2006, and started with Amanda confirming that the Thorowgood didn�t fit, as it was too tight at the front and was squashing the muscle there.  It was also too straight for Winky�s slightly dippy back, which made it move up and down in trot, which obviously caused discomfort.  We tried the prolite Fhoenix first, and while it wasn�t too bad a fit, I didn�t feel very happy in it, and although Winky was happier than she was in her old saddle, she didn�t seem as relaxed as she could be, so we moved onto the suberpanel Fhoenix.  It felt strange at first, higher up than usual, but very comfortable, and Winky seemed to prefer it.  Although you�re slightly higher up off the horse, it gives a nice narrow twist, and sort of makes you feel glued to the saddle, even though you�re not (and I deliberately didn�t wear full seat jodhs to make sure I wouldn�t have any extra security).  I decided to tell everyone I could think of that Winky and I wanted a Fhoenix for Christmas.

I placed an order for a Fhoenix on November 21st and was told there would be up to a 5 week waiting period for the Fhoenix, so I wasn�t expecting it to come before Christmas.  However, it came on December 12th, so I was very impressed with the speed of the service. 

The next day I took it up to see her, and she was initially less than impressed but I persevered and she warmed to it, even in canter! 

I felt a little perched at first, but once it had warmed up and moulded to me it felt fine, and it was very stable, even when I mounted from the ground.

It�s now February 2007 and Winky and I are still happy with the saddle.  It�s mostly very secure, although when she did a huge buck once it did slip forwards a little, and as she�s moulting at the moment I do have to be a little more careful about security, although we still haven�t had any major problems, just a tiny bit of lateral slippage when mounting from the ground.  It�s also worth mentioning that I�m using it with a Stubben neoprene girth and usually either a Shires or Eskadron saddlecloth, rather than the ones recommended by Enlightened Equitation for maximum stability. 

I took the saddle with me when visiting my mum over Christmas and New Year, and rode her two in it, Winky�s daughter Honey, who has a very similar conformation to her mother, and Dandy, a 14.2 Welsh Cob with a very normal conformation. Neither of them have had any saddle issues, so they didn�t make any fuss about wearing a different saddle, they just seemed a little surprised. 

I mostly school on the flat and hack out in it, and it�s been fine for some fairly extreme hacking conditions � it�s certainly very comfortable for longer rides, and copes very well with going up 1/4 hills (although I�m not brave enough to ride down them so I can�t comment on that), going down more normal hills, sitting the occasional buck and shy, and jumping up to about 2�3.  I�d be quite happy to jump higher in it, I just haven�t had the chance to yet.

I haven�t had many comments on it, probably because unless you stare hard at it you can�t tell it�s not �normal� � the few comments I have had have been on how soft the leather is � and the leather is lovely, by far the nicest I�ve seen on a saddle (and I have the butt leather option, which isn�t supposed to be as nice as the Italian leather option).

I�m very happy with the saddle.  It was expensive, but you pay for excellent quality and a happy pony.

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Startrekk Dressage Report by Tasha and Susie

23/2/2007

Saddle- Startrekk Dressage Saddle
Horse- Susie, 12hh Welsh Section A
First impressions- Nice looking saddle, very 'normal' looking. Leather a little stiff. Very comfortable seat, lots of twist, like a treed saddle to sit on. Flaps look quite small.
Riding- Feels a lot like a treed saddle to ride in, seat very comfortable. Has 2 stirrup positions to chose from, and detachable knee rolls and movable velcro panels underneath.
My pony is built downhill and this is the only saddle we have found that doesn't slip forward down steep hills, it also stayed completely still whilst mounting from the ground.
Overall- Nice saddle and fits pony nicely. The saddle flaps seem quite small which is good for this pony as she is small, the seat is about 18 inches, so this saddle lends itself perfectly for an adult riding a pony.

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Hilason Western Report by Tasha, Murphy and Shay

23/2/07

Saddle- Hilason Barrel Racing Saddle
Horse- Shay, 14.3hh Anglo Arab x Welsh cob and Murphy, 15.1hh HW cob.
First Impressions- Beautiful looking saddle, nicely made. Very heavy.
Riding- Has no twist so feels wide to ride on. Feel ery secure int he saddle as the pommel and cantle are very high and hold you in.
Slipped a bit whilst getting on on my wider horse Shay, but was very secure whilst I was on. I swapped my cinch straps around and the saddle seemed a lot more secure whilst mounting. The saddle has a suede seat so I have put a sheepskin seat saver on it to keep the suede from being rubbed.
Overall- I love this saddle. Keeps me very secure but I've had a few knocks in the stomach with the horn when cantering and mounting. Hips can be stretched a bit when riding for a while in it. Shay seems to prefer it to his Fhoenix saddle.

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Trekker Dressage Master Report by Jaimee and Lilly

18/03/2007

This is saddle is relatively new on the market, having only been around for about a year. It is manufactured in Germany. Well I have tried it and am ordering my own! I thought I'd get this review out there for people who like me want some info when looking around.

It is a dressage saddle, and it actually looks like one too. You wouldnt know it is treeless. It can be ordered custom as well with shorter flaps, different gullet, seat size and colour. I got mine on loan from the New Zealand distributor.

It is a truly lovely saddle however I'd need a few changes as this model doesn't fit me as well as it could. It looks to sit you high off the horse but it soft and you do sink somewhat. You would have NO IDEA that it has no tree to be honest.

Lilly went pretty well in it. Well, as well as you can expect an out of work 3yo to go.

It felt incrediby stable and the seat is really soft. It looked like it was a really wide twist saddle, but I was surprised when I sat in it it felt quite narrow.

The flaps were too long for my little legs but thats ok because you can get a shorter option that takes off 60mm. I may also go for a smaller seat.

In terms of quality it is what you would expect of any treed saddle, lovely soft leather etc. The only negative is you must know what gullet size your horse needs, it does flex a bit but you've got to be in the ball park at least, much like the barefoot or similar. The rest of the saddle will move with your horse.

If you want the benefit of treeless with EVERYTHING else of a treed saddle go for this one! I like the price too!

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Freeform Review by Vicki, Red and Shanti

24/07/2007

I became interested in the idea of treeless riding when I bought a bareback pad. I couldn�t believe how much my horse�s back moved with it in comparison to with the saddle. As a Mctimoney-Corley therapist and Equine Sports Massage therapist I had always been aware of the importance of good development of the back muscles in the horse, as essential for riding. However I found I could never really get the development I wanted in the muscles along the �topline� of either my pony or my part bred arab endurance horse. Despite trying to develop these through correct work (I hope, unless my riding is rubbish! ;-). All the information about treeless saddles appeared to imply that through being able to use his back more freely the horse would in turn be able to develop these muscles through correct work.

I have had the freeform now for about 6 months. When I first got it I initially had one of those rides where you get on ride for a minute, think �No, that�s not right.� Get off, redo the stirrups, get back on, get off. Then I rather stupidly reached down to do up my very loose and rather too small girth and the whole arrangement slipped round and so did I. However that was NOT the fault of the saddle! But my own stupid fault!

Once these teething problems were sorted out, I believe we have all benefited from using this saddle. Although at first I found it difficult to balance in the saddle and looked like a complete idiot! I know find it puts me into a very good position (well, I think so). The differences in my horse and pony were immediate. Obviously at first great annoyance at me riding like an idiot! Then both seemed to find it easier to canter. To reach under with their inside hindleg. They have developed much better back muscles. And for the first time ever a riding teacher who came out, instead of always saying this horse has no topline, said to my excitement.� This horse has a very good topline� Hurray!!

Since we have all got used to it I have done lots of training miles with both my horses. With my pony I recently did the 3 Moors Ride, across Devon and Cornwall 150miles, in aid of MS, riding for 7 days. Across Exmoor, down to Dartmoor across that and onto Bodmin. There was no sign of muscle spasm, rubbing or any back pain. With my horse I have done numerous endurance rides including two 25 milers at the Golden Horseshoe Exmoor Experience, a right toughie on Exmoor, where we gained a Bronze. Forty milers in Cornwall and Wiltshire. He moves well in it and seems happy with it.

For me I find that I become fatigued much less quickly. This only became apparent when I recently went back to try my old treed saddle to compare. I found the experience extremely interesting as it felt incredibly inflexible and uncomfortable. I used to suffer from numbness in my feet on endurance rides and I had totally forgotten this! Until I rode in my old saddle again! Another thing I realise I have forgotten that used to happen with a treed saddle is that after a while my horse�s footfalls would start to sound as though he was occasionally dragging a toe. He did not square a toe off his shoe so it was not very much, just occasional. I would see this as a sign of fatigue, and am amazed that I had forgotten this, and even more amazed that I had not heard it for so long with this saddle. I think it gives good support to the rider and definitely in comparison to another treeless saddle I tried which made me feel as though I was sitting in the horse rather than on it. It also seems to distribute my weight well, there are no problems with this as yet. I have in the past had some muscle pain in my horse�s backs from long hours in the saddle plus problems with pinching of narrow points in the saddle�s gullet causing pinch lumps. This has not happened with this saddle. Watch this space.

I would not like to say that this saddle would suit every horse. Its horses for courses. I would say that it is important to have a proper length of girth, if like me, you are riding long distances. As I would not want too great a length of the girth straps to be in contact with the horse encase of rubs. And an endurance horse can change shape a great deal so it is important to have a range of girths accessible! A correct girth will keep the straps lifted away from the horse�s sides rather than against it. Especially if riding through water which may splash up. The other thing is that initially the saddle did slip back on the numnahs. (Plenty of hills on Dartmoor.) So as recommended by Goldfinch I but some rubberised liner (a mesh for airflow) and placed it between the saddle and numnah. This has worked a treat! I also think it is very important to make sure that you have enough shims to give correct spine clearance. I take extras to endurance rides so I can add more if I feel that there is not enough clearance as the saddle settles over the miles.

However, overall I have been very impressed by the saddle and delighted by the muscle development so far!

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Equinelibrium Hackabout Review by Wendy and Ember

05/11/2007

The first thing that I noticed when I first tried the Hackabout was how soft the leather was. Already pliable so no wearing in period required.

The second thing was how comfortable it was. I have sat on several treeless saddles since then and none of them have rivalled the Hackabout for comfort.

Despite the softness and comfort you can�t help but sit in the correct position, the stirrup bars are placed correctly, and the support in the seat keeps you sitting correctly and doesn�t allow slouching, yet because of the softness the position is very relaxed. I have now had the saddle about 4 months and it is still excellent, if not even better as the seat has now moulded to my shape.

This saddle has been a great boost to my confidence with my mare as I now feel part of her instead of perched atop her back like all other saddles I have tried.

The foam in the pommel and cantle are a great idea as it makes the saddle truly flexible reducing any pressure points that would occur from more rigid structures. But with the moveable/removable panels it is also very versatile and allows a wide range of fitting options for different shaped horses. The moveable panels also mean that for the majority of horses, no special treeless pads with shims are needed for wither clearance. I just use a Polypad or more recently a Griffin Nuumed Endurance numnah for a bit of luxury for my horse.

Traditionally I have always had two saddles, a GP and a dressage. The Hackabout has small unobtrusive, but very handy kneerolls so is great for jumping and fastwork and I have always thought of it as a GP saddle, so was thinking of buying a treeless dressage saddle. But with the correct but relaxed seat position that the Hackabout promotes I see no need for a separate saddle and shall continue with just the one saddle, so it is economical too!!

Lastly but most importantly, my mare (an opinionated red head) has no problems with it, and she would tell me if she had. She moves freely in it at all paces.

I have tried to think of a but, of a negative point, of something I don�t like and this is it � because it is slightly longer than a traditional saddle it is a fraction too large for my saddle locker!!!!

So for a quick 7 word summary:

Comfortable, Versatile and Great value for money.

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Star Trekk Western Review by Tasha and Shay

11 Feb 08

The Startrekk Western is a lovely quality saddle and is very adjustable with movable panels underneath, changeable pommel section and 2 stirrup positions for the rider to choose from.
It provides some twist for the rider so does not stretch your hips as some saddles do.
It has a very secure, deep seat which gives a lot of support for the rider.
I really like this saddle and after trying quite a few (13 in all!) I think this saddle may be 'the one'!
It fits my horse very nicely and he moves well in it, I have tried it on a few other horses, mostly wider types like my gelding, I have not tried it on my TB's yet, but I think with the right padding it would fit nicely, and it gives a lot of room by the horn for withers.