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The one thing that worries me is that the stirrups connect to a strap  
that goes over the withers. Is there enough weight distribution or is  
it a really expensive glorified bareback pad with stirrups?
Opinions?
Tiffany
On Jan 10, 2006, at 5:24 AM, Ridecamp Guest wrote:

> Please Reply to: S. Smith shaynesmith01@xxxxxxx or  
> ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> ==========================================
>
> I did all the research, called/e-mailed and bugged a lot of people  
> including Chris Martin many, many times before deciding I was going  
> to purchase a Freeform saddle.  I had been through five  
> unsuccessful saddles in the last two years.  And between all the  
> money I was out and an unhappy pony, I was very frustrated.  I even  
> bought an Impression pad to help me out
>  which is a wonderful tool to use!!  Boy was I wrong on a couple of  
> saddle fits!  No wonder my gelding got pissy with me every once in  
> awhile, his back hurt.  He didn’t show it, no dipping, no  
> tenderness, he was a trooper.  Only tail swishing, which I learned  
> to listen to real quick.
>
> So as I decided to purchase a Freeform, one popped up for sale from  
> a really nice lady in North Carolina.  I sent and check and waited  
> for the saddle to get here.  And waited.  It took UPS nine days to  
> deliver it.  Bummer, address mix up.  But I finally got it.
>
> So off the barn I went to fit it up to my little 15 hand Arab.   
> Saddle wasn't too long (which was the case for another saddle I  
> bought), breast collar was good, no crupper needed, stirrups placed  
> correctly and lengthened to my height.  Ready to girth up.  Uuugh!!  
> the billets were too fat for my Wintec girth I was planning on  
> using.  I need to use a 22" for my little guy and no one at the  
> barn has a girth that size.  So I was stuck.  No girth, and no  
> riding that day.
>
> I called Chris Martin about 4pm that afternoon in a panic and asked  
> him to Sat deliver me a girth that would fit.  Bless his heart; he  
> immediately got it to me.  I needed to ride and try the saddle in  
> order to let the seller know a decision.  She too had been waiting  
> almost two weeks for a sale.
>
> So Sunday morning off we went to Del Valle Lake to try out my new  
> saddle!!  Yippee!  Fussed with new stirrup leathers and mounted  
> up.  We rode out and back from the Dam about 10 miles worth of  
> trail on a gorgeous day.  Four times I stopped and readjusted  
> things.  First it was I set the stirrups too far back.  Then my  
> Equipedic pad slipped back too far (my mistake).  Then the pommel  
> of the saddle started to swish down a little too far for my comfort  
> level.  I later learned that I didn’t have the saddle pad far  
> enough forward to hike it up into the saddle column.  But I can’t  
> do that with my current Equipedic pad, it’s not long enough.  So, I  
> ordered the HAF pad.  Should work.
>
> My overall impression of the saddle was “I love it!”  I felt very  
> balanced and secure.  Trotting and cantering took some extra inner  
> thigh muscles (and yes, I am very sore today), but I also felt  
> closer to my gelding than ever before.  I do take dressage lessons  
> in a beautiful Kieffer saddle and still, the Freeform saddle gave  
> me more of a feel for my guy.  My gelding was even a bit of a pill  
> Sunday, so I really got a chance to see how I would stay in the  
> saddle.  No problem.  I do need to work of mounting from the  
> ground.  The one time I tried, the saddle slipped on me.  I  
> tightened the girth again, but found a really big rock to get on  
> instead.   My gelding also really liked it.  I could tell he was  
> moving out better than he has in a year and a half, especially  
> downhill.  He moved like he did when we had a saddle that fit him  
> properly.
>
> So far, so good.  Thanks a bunch to Chris and Freeform USA!!  If  
> nothing else, I would encourage to at least borrow one from a  
> friend and try it!   I will keep everyone informed as to make next  
> adventure with the correct pad!
>
> Shayne and a much happier pony!
>
>
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Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
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Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

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