Re: Rigid versus flexible saddles

["Karen Sullivan" <greymare@jps.net>]

> That's where the weight distribution qualities of the panels come in - in
> other words the panels have to be firm as well as flexible. On the
> Free'n'Easy saddles the panels are made up from several layers of plastic
> and open cell foam - the former for weight distribution, the latter for
> shock absorption. The layers of plastic are harder as well as shorter and
> slimmer the nearer the tree and the fixing you get, so the panel as a
whole
> is firm along a center line from fixing to fixing and flexible further out
> and forward and back. The pressure of the rider's weight transferred
through
> the attachments to the panel gets progressively distributed by the graded
> layers of the panel. A rough simile is if you imagine standing in high
> heeled shoes on soft ground - the heel sinks in; if you put a board on the
> ground and stand on it - your weight is distributed by the board and your
> heel does not sink into the ground.
>
> I can see that it could be confusing that with all the flat panel saddle
> types the panels tend to be described as "flexible" - this they are, and
> have to be, but they also need to have a more rigid core in order to
achieve
> weight distribution.
>
Hello Agneta,

Thanks for explaining it, now I have another question. If the panels can be
made to be both firm
(weight distributing) AND flexible, then why can't you just dispence with
the tree? All you would need is some sort of system to suspend the stirrups
and girth that also distributes the weight over the panels, and the tree
becomes un-necessary.

Why would  you want to dispense with the tree?

1.  Added weight you don't need
2. rigidity that inhibits the horses movement
3.  Any saddle built with a seat over a hard tree is uncomfortable unless it
has tons of padding---
4. that padding AND tree further put you higher off the horses back and more
out of balance.

Seems all you would really need is some sort of soft and flexible pommel and
cantle to give the rider some stability.......

Karen
Karen