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Re: [RC] flexible panel saddles - Linda Marins----- Original Message ----- From: Robert R Anyone have any experience with switching to these types of saddles. One of the saddles I am demo'ing is a Timberline that is supposed to be just like the old Orthoflex saddles (same people, same factory, different name.... Just looking at it, flex panel or not, it seems that most of the pressure is going to come through the pedestals where the panels attach to the saddle but the claim is the panel evenly distrubutes that force over its surface. Is that correct? I really, really like the saddle and want it work but how will I be able to tell if the soreness really "worked itself out" or my poor good natured horse is just learning to live with it? Ortho-flex saddles (not to mention Len Brown) were one of the most talked-about and controversial saddles on Ridecamp for many years. To see the discussions, go back to the archives and scan forward from 1995 through around 2001 when the original OF closed. The actual geometry of post/panel/horse's back interaction is very complex, subtle, and difficult to visualize. It is lot more complicated than the simple model in the sales literature. Here are some posts I made about different OF widths and the role of the angle and position of the posts on saddle fit: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/archives/past/99/34/msg00112.html Also, the earlier post that prompted my measuring experiment: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp/archives/past/99/33/msg00072.html Ortho-flex subsequently offerred a "adjustable" mounting posts for an additional $300 per pair. Using an allen wrench, you could increase the distance between the two posts by up to 1". (So claimed the OF web page. When I saw the adjustable posts at my dealer, it looked to me like both together would adjust a maximum of a little over 1/2", but I could be wrong; I didn't measure.) Other changes OF made, which I'm not sure Timberline duplicates were to change the solid "System II" flexible panels to a "System III" panel where the leading edge of the panel was split into fingers. The idea was that it would yield better to heavy-shouldered horses. Ortho-Flex's were always a love-em or hate-em saddle, for both horse and owner. They worked great on some horses, and were hopeless on others. I *hated* mine. In general, they seemed to have the most trouble when the horses were either very short-backed, or the horse had a very wide shoulder with a slight hollowing behind the wither (panel wouldn't ride on top of the shoulder, would pinch the shoulder as it came back, or just plain jab it). No amount of shimming would fix this. If I were to try a flexible panel saddle again, I'd try a Reactor Panel precisely because they can change the location of the "mounting points" where the saddle/panel/horse's back connect. Whatever you decide to buy, make sure it has good resale value! It's one thing to pay $3000 for a saddle, then have to resell it for $2500 when it doesn't work out; quite another to pay $3000 and discover noone will give you more than $1200 for it, even barely used. Linda Marins =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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