Flex tree or gaited tree??
I have a question! I have a short backed stocky wide withered saddle horse who does a stepping pace. I am looking to spend around 600 to 700 dollars for a saddle. What would be the better of the two, a flex tree saddle or a gaited tree saddle, assuming that they both fit properly! Any suggestions! Thanks in advance..
In my experience a flex tree is by FAR the better choice. The gaited tree trees have more flare in the shoulder BUT the front bar also comes way foreward. I have an actual Steele gaited tree, as well as the molds they make available. We've set both on the backs of dozens--maybe hundreds--of horses, and have found them to fit only a very, very few.
If your budget is limited, go with a flexible tree, but invest in a Supracor or Skito pad to help take any 'pinch' out of it. Some of the less expensive saddles do have a bit too much give to the bars, but the pad will alleviate any problems you might have with that.
Re: Flex tree or gaited tree??
hello all
If i were you i would save up a little more (or sell your children) and look into the Brenda Imus saddle. i have been through many saddles and this one gives me more surface area on the horse's back (and my horses back is short) then any other i have tried. And as an added plus she uses Supracore padding in the seat and on the bars, eliminating the added expense of an expensive pad. i have one now and it is working so well on all of my horses that we are going to get a second one for my wife.
Edited by: trailgaiters at: 4/14/04 9:19 am
Saddles
Hello cclarsencc,
I have a 4 beat saddle on order and hope to be as pleased as you seem to be. I would suggest that the second saddle might best used by your wife's horse!
Saddle question
I was wondering if the enduro saddle listed on Brenda's website has a flexible tree. Also, is ralide tree synonymous with flex tree? I am also considering an Abetta Endurance. My 5 year old gelding is narrow with high withers, 16hh, and too sweet to have to continue putting up with the old synthetic hunt seat Avia I am using, as the forward seat nature of the saddle throws us both off, balance-wise. Thanks!
Re: Saddle question
Someone set me right - is it the flex-tree or the treeless saddle that you really have to be HONEST about rider weight? (I think it's the treeless...but now I'm not sure) Whichever it is, I read that if one is a bit more than 'just on the heavy side' it will really HURT the horse rather than benefit him.
Re: Saddle question
Beeswood,
It's the treeless saddle that you have to be careful about the rider's weight. It's the tree that helps distribute the rider's weight evenly. In the treeless saddle, all the weight rests exactly where it rests; something to watch.
I have a Imus 4 beat saddle and I am very happy with it. It is a flextree saddle. It seems to fit my MFT very well and they workmanship is very good one it. I have the breast collar too and the ride and tie bridle is on order. I have the western version withe the leather stirrups and they have the padding in the foot of them like the saddle padding and seat have. Edited by: trailgaiters at: 5/6/04 1:52 pm
Quote:In my experience a flex tree is by FAR the better choice. The gaited tree trees have more flare in the shoulder BUT the front bar also comes way foreward. I have an actual Steele gaited tree, as well as the molds they make available. We've set both on the backs of dozens--maybe hundreds--of horses, and have found them to fit only a very, very few.
ut oh! I have a Steel Plantation that I absolutely love. I was thinking of selling it and my Simco to get a new one, this one has a few miles on it. It's treeless, so I'm hoping this does not apply.
It sets me back of of my horses shoulders and I have never witnessed any tender spots even with a thin neoprene pad and it rides awesome.
Re: Saddle question
The Enduro saddle does not have a flexible tree-so we sell the supracor pad with it at a VERY deep discount.
We are currently checking out english style saddle trees, and plan to design some flexible english/plantation style saddles this coming year. The folks at a recent horse show convinced me that they're as much in need of better tack as the trail riding crowd. Most saddles just aren't made to fit OUR horses !
Re: Saddle question
Treeless saddles have their place, Beeswood. Usually, though, a rider is better off using a saddle with a good flexible tree in conjunction with a great pad. The treeless saddles generally don't distribute the rider's weight as well as they should, resulting in pressure soreness unless a rider is quite light weight, and the rides not too long. For that reason bareback riding isn't always a good idea over long rides, either.
The Ansur (sp?) saddle seems to be a decent treeless design, with some weight distribution properties built right in. One of our MN riders had one, and I must confess I was quite impressed. We did, though, improve things with a Supracor pad (which the rider ended up buying, since she was also impressed with the results).
The Steele saddle tree company, and the Steele saddles, are two DIFFERENT companies (though I believe the owners are related). We use a custom flexible Steele saddle tree in our Imus 4-Beat saddles, and think they're GREAT.
On another note: if your horse isn't sore, and gaits out nice and loose, then don't worry about your saddle.
Re: Saddle question"Treeless saddles have their place, Beeswood. Usually, though, a rider is better off using a saddle with a good flexible tree in conjunction with a great pad. The treeless saddles generally don't distribute the rider's weight as well as they should, resulting in pressure soreness unless a rider is quite light weight, and the rides not too long. For that reason bareback riding isn't always a good idea over long rides, either."
I am not a rider that is quite light weight and I have not had pressure soreness from my Bob Marshall saddle. My Paso Fino & I have ridden for 5 to 6 hour trail rides in Western PA. The terrian is easy to rugged with mostly moderate. Very hilly and rocky in most spots. He has a very wide back for a Paso & is built like the old time Pasos & is very stocky. I will admit that I feel much better since having a Skito pad & a back cinch. That makes the treeless saddle more stable.
I also ride with a mechanical hackamore. These are usually very harsh, so I'm told. Yet, I don't use mine hardly at all. My hack has a flat leather nose band with a leather chin strap. I don't know of any other type that is flat leather that I can use.
I am getting a custom made saddle from David Genadek at About The Horse. So this will be my first experience with a treed saddle in 10 years. Hope I can adjust.
Brenda, have you heard of a Minihan saddle & if so what do you think of them? I have a MPH that is young & I would like to ride him in traditional KY tack when he matures.
Re: Saddle question
don't know about Minihan saddles, But If you want to ride traditional Ky tack try a Buena Vista saddle. Mine is over 80 yrs old and still fits my mountain horses better than any other saddle in the tack shed (we have about 10 saddles 2 are old buena vistas). These are old fashioned plantation saddles and were made in Buena Vista Ky (on Herrington lake in Garrard county) until sold out to Simco (I believe sometime in the 40's [1940's]). These sort of look like an english saddle (english tree and girth) with a wide hard seat (very comfortable just hard). Feels like riding in an old fashioned rocking chair. These were the typical saddles of buisness men, doctors and others through to the age of auto's (they usually had fenders on english type stirrup leathers). Several makers still make versions and the Amish are making a rendition in central Ky which works well and aren't very expensive (usually $600-800). One of the Amish makers is Eli Miller and many people around central Ky love his saddles... we have 2 (not buena vistas) but they don't fit all the horses (we love them even so). My main Buena Vista (by the way it's pronounced Buuna Vista not Bwena vista) was supposedly ridden on several international champions at the Tennessee Walking horse international fest during the 50's so is really very traditional.
Hope it's not too late to respond to your question about the Minihan saddle. I do have some experience with these--in fact, we purchased one a few months back in order to study it as we liked many features of one of these old saddles on a horse at a clinic last fall.
The Minihan has a great seat position (actually identical to the 4-Beat). The bottom contours of the saddle are very good for our more rafter shaped gaited horses, though they often don't fit today's horses very well since, like most things in the US, our horses have become overall larger. The type of padding used in the restored saddle I purchased is rock hard, much like some Aussie saddles, so I would be very hesitant to ride it for long, even with a superior pad.
What we are doing is having our Amish saddle maker take the saddle apart so we can analyze it further. There's a tremendous need for better English/Plantation style saddles for our horses, especially something with a price within reason. So we're going to be looking at that over the next year. Right now I'm searching out English style saddle trees that offer flexibility, and the ability to build saddles of various designs on. (Input welcome--write me at bimus@gaitsofgold.com if you know of a promising source for such trees.)
I've also tried out/bought many other styles of the older plantation saddle, but so far have been most impressed by the Minihan. Will keep you posted as/if things develop!
Plantation Saddles
I have an Eli Miller saddle and it has some similarity with the 4 Beat Saddle. It is an excellent saddle in quality but doesn't quite compare with the ride of the 4 Beat. Anyone interested in plantation saddles should look at the Hillcrest saddle. Very interesting!
Fred
I have to admit I was very disappointed to read that you are taking apart a old Minihan to study it. That is unless it's in not the best of shape. These saddles are truely works of art & have a wonderful heritage. I had an opportunity to buy one from a girl in VA & didn't do it. Now I am regreting it. Maybe when your Amish guy is done ripping it apart, he'd put it back together & you can sell it. It's such a shame to see a true treasure destroyed. Anyway, good luck in your studies
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