RE: RC: Info on new treeless saddle

["Thomas, Barb" <thomas@amgen.com>]

I went, I saw, I pony-rode a 16.2 hand Dutch Warmblood in one!  They're
kinda neat but may need some modification for endurance.  Peter was a really
nice guy and we spent about an hour discussing the saddle.  He's only been
selling them for 2 months and is behind in production already.  He's looking
for a distributor in this area and then I can contact them.  I want to try a
demo on some tough trail and give him some feedback.  He seemed interested
in the endurance market.  He is also very concerned about the comfort of the
horse, far above the different appearance of the saddle.  He doesn't have
demos out yet, so I'll have to wait on that.

The saddle:  It's layers of padding that are bonded and covered with
leather.  The pommel and cantle are made of the padding that they use for
football shoulderpads and gives the saddle some form.  Since there is no
tree, the pommel is flexible enough to spread to fit across withers of
different shapes.  My concern here is that it sits right on the withers.
Since it is so flexible, the only way to tell if this is a problem is to do
some long rides in it.  The stirrups are set back and the rings are high
under your leg.  It had the standard long dressage billets.  The most
curious thing about the saddle was the way he pulled the front and rear
together.  Since the seat has all the padding and the pommel is a bit more
firm, he brings the leather which covers the front back and overlaps the
seat leather, which is stitched down, then where the two meet is a button
joining it.  It looks like you'd be sitting right on the button, but you're
actually behind it and it's not in the way at all.  

Riding in it was fun.  You can feel the muscles of the horse's back under
your seat with every step.  It was very comfortable and you could not feel
the stirrup leather buckle under your leg.  It really is like riding on a
firm bareback pad.  I walked and trotted in it on a leadline without any
problem.  There is no pressure against the horse along the knee roll like
there is in so many english saddles.  This horse seemed quite happy about
the saddle and it was obvious when we tacked him up that he had some sore
back issues.  It will take some getting used to on the part of the rider
since you don't have the rigidity of a tree under you.  (Well, for most of
us anyway... there is ONE ridecamper who would hop on and take off without a
problem : ), but she has to pay for those teeth first!!)  I can see where it
would make a wonderful dressage saddle.  

Here's my reservations about this model as an endurance saddle.  The pommel
sits on the withers but it is soft and flexible.  The stirrups are attached
with rings that are on a strap sewn across the pommel.  I don't know if this
could potentially be a pressure point in a long ride, since many riders
spend a good bit of time in a two point position.  The finished edge of the
cantle is stiff and it may rub.  I still would like to try this saddle when
it is available because I think there is some potential, given the right
modifications, and I think Peter would be willing to look into endurance as
a potential market.  One thing, sorry Jerry...he does not recommend this for
a heavy weight rider.  His sizes now are petite, small, and medium.  I rode
in the small which is what the average woman, 5'2" to 5'6" would take.  The
sizing is based both on seat and leg length.  When he gets demos out and I
can really test it, I'll post about it again.

Barb




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