Comments on: Do you ride ‘treeless’?

By: kallista

kallista — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 06:49:43 +0000

In reply to Emily.

@Emily

Really? You would rather kill your horse than learn a different way of riding (correctly)?

And yes, I mean that if you learn to try alternatives in the correct way, you may find yourself learning something new–and enjoying is merits.

Don’t be scared to try new things.

By: kallista

kallista — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 06:36:10 +0000

In reply to bad_cook.

@bad cook
Tsalegi (Cherokee) are my great-great grandmother’s people, and I learned to ride bareback from age 2, never even tried a saddle till Girl Scouts, age 9. It was an inferior experience.

Your comment is hypocritical, at best. 🙄

By: Sharon

Sharon — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 14:35:10 +0000

I showed reining horses and ranch horses for a couple of years, before that I was a trail and pleasure rider and always rode in a saddle, but as most kids I did learn bareback. A few years back I had a stroke, I am 72 years old and went to hippo therapy only to find that they use only bareback pads. I am back to riding and I am using a treeless saddle and bitless bridle. Before my stroke I was able to ride bitless and bareback through a complete reining pattern. Once a horse is trained PROPERLY he is trained, people tend to use bridles for balance they need to learn to ride with their body.

By: karen

karen — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 17:50:17 +0000

In reply to vicki. Can you tell me what brand of saddle you have been using for 10 yrs. Don't know where to start and do know the "rip off" brands! Thanks!

By: Emma

Emma — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 12:55:19 +0000

I have come to the conclusion that a well fitted treed saddle is probably best. That is the issue-well fitted. Elusive and difficult to achieve at all times of year and throughout lifespan without changing saddles a lot. Other than that …the concept of treeless (spreading load as opposed to removing weight from spine with a tree) is likely next best thing.

By: Muddy

Muddy — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 12:43:59 +0000

In reply to Jan. Jan--how do you keep the G2 saddle from slipping?! I have a TWH and havn'the figured it out. Going back to my Endurance saddle.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sun, 25 May 2014 01:23:58 +0000

In reply to Lily.

I agree Lily! To say you would rather send your horse to the slaughter house rather than riding with a treeless saddle is over kill. (no pun intended, it just happened) 🙄 And Lily is right, if you are a good rider who has learned how to ride from their seat and has learned how to balance properly, then you should have ZERO problems and NO bouncing around. This is not my opinion it’s fact. My old riding instructor never let any space come between her and her saddle or her and her horse. She rode changing between a tree saddle, a treeless saddle and bareback–it didn’t matter what she was doing because she used her seat and she used it well. I have seen this happen with all the great riders I know. Point being, if you learn how to use your seat properly, you won’t “bounce around”. And also bad_cook is correct; please do your research on Native American culture and riding before you go around spreading false ideas.
As for riding treeless, I haven’t made the switch just yet. I am currently researching it all. But I am transitioning the horses I train to bitless, and you should see them; they are so happy. Granted on the first day they were a little wary, but then they adapted splendidly in no time! I love riding bitless and cannot wait to start riding treeless and riding bareback more often! 🙂 Sorry for this long rant but it needed to be said. 😀

By: kathy

kathy — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 20:18:03 +0000

In Englahnd, the winter has been so wet my horse’s hooves were very soft,and he wore his toes down too much so he has shoes on the fore feet only and is much better for it.

By: Jay

Jay — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 22:59:39 +0000

I ride treeless – my table-top mare is almost impossible to fit a treed saddle to. Treeless was the best thing we ever did – I don’t have to tighten the girth right up and it stays put, it’s secure, comfortable, and she strides out well. Actually I only use it if we go on the road, normally I ride bareback, she is a cob – tough and wide-backed. I wouldn’t ride e.g. a TB bareback though, lol!

By: Lisa Warner

Lisa Warner — Wed, 25 Dec 2013 21:18:34 +0000

In reply to Jill. Treeless saddle are meant to be rode with a smaller cinch. All 3 of mine have come with a size 30 ". This makes it fit tighter. None of mine have ever rolled and they fit all three of my horses who are built different. I also run barrels and have never had an issue. :smile: