Re: Rigid versus flexible saddles

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

Hi Agneta,

Hope you don't mind the discourse, it's not meant (from me) simply to
critisize or argue, but to play around with these ideas and really look at
what is happening with saddle fit.....

 Agneta writes:

> Hi again Karen -
>
> You said: " 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."
>
> Well, "a system to suspend the stirrups and girth that also distributes
the
> weight over the panels" - that's just what a tree is, when you think about
> it. In addition the tree provides the opportunity to balance the rider
> relative to the horse - in the case of the Free'n'Easy saddle we do this
by
> raising or lowering the cantle end of the seat via the adjustable
> screws/bolts until the seat is level so the rider sits in the middle,
above
> the centre of the horse's movement, whether the horse is croup-high or
> wither high.

I'm going to jump in here with a few comments and points.........I still
don't understand
why you can't suspend the stirrups and girth from the panels, if the panels
have the ability
to distribute the weight, then the tree is unecessary.  Really, all it will
do is add extra weight,
and confine and restrict a rider by inserting an unyeilding, stiff frame
between you and the horse-no way to have "close contact" with a tree.....

To give you an example of why the tree is not necessary-people who have the
muscle strength and pure balance to ride bareback-they don't need "a tree to
balance the rider relative to the horse." The proof is there, in those that
can ride long distance, BAREBACK, and not sore their horses backs.

Keep in mind, we are again, talking distance riding, not an equestrian sport
where some rigidity of saddle and tree is necessary (stadium jumping or
roping).

Here is another thing to look at.......if you can "raise or lower parts of
the tree" to balance the rider on a croup high or wither high horse, the
rider may be balanced, but pure gravity and the make-up of that horses back
is going to jam the saddle forward into the shoulders, or slide it towards
the hips!

My point here is that a horse that has extreme downhill or uphill
conformation is NOT suited as a riding animal, and all the shims and padding
in the world will never make the saddle fit perfectly. I have seen this for
years.....Even my perfect bareback rider would have a hard time staying in
position......Better to spend the money on a new horse than monkeying with
saddle fit!!

 Many English style saddles tend to ride high over the withers
> and leave the rider sitting towards the back of the seat, which makes hard
> work of the posting trot in particular, as well as being tough on the knee
> joints.

....And people place them too far forward and tighten down that
breastcollar......and most english saddles have the stirrups hung from the
stirrup bar right next to the front forks.....

>
> Have a look again at the pictures of saddles and riders on our website -
> this might help to clarify (www.free-and-easy-saddles.co.uk).
>
>
> All the best,
>
> Agneta
>