Treeless Saddle User's Guide

WHY GO TREELESS?

Riding in a high-quality treeless saddle provides a secure and deep seat for the rider while offering flexibility and comfort for the horse. The absence of hard internal parts allows for a deep and intimate connection with your horse, empowering the horse to move with grace and freedom as nature intended.

This experience has significantly improved saddle fit for thousands of riders and horses. It has enabled a deeper connection for many hard-to-fit horses that struggled with traditional treed saddles. We have embraced this experience when rehabilitating horses through our sanctuary, and we enjoy sharing it with others to benefit riders and their horses, especially in terms of improved balance, feel and comfort.

HORSE AND RIDER
SUITABILITY:

Good quality Treeless Saddles can normally accommodate 99.9% of all horses, ponies, and their riders. They are available in various sizes suitable for junior riders through to adults that fit from ponies through to draft horses and most types, shapes, and sizes in between.

While some of our brands have an 85kg recommended weight limit, other models can accommodate heavier riders with no weight restrictions.

BREAK IN
PERIOD:

Most treeless saddles generally take about 10 hours of riding to compress and shape to both the rider's form and the horse's body. During the initial first few rides, it's advised to ride your horse in a smaller area so that you can make any necessary adjustments. Additionally, please be mindful that your horse may be more responsive and mobile due to the freedom and flexibility provided by the saddle.

TREELESS SADDLE PAD:

When using a treeless saddle, selecting a specialised treeless saddle pad is essential to provide optimal protection for your horse's back and ensure the saddle's effectiveness. Look for a pad that offers breathability, anti-slip properties, and padding on both sides of the horse's spine to promote spinal clearance. Additionally, consider using pads paired with shims for a customised fit. Shims are designed to create a level surface, facilitating a balanced fit for the saddle by accommodating irregularities. It's advisable to avoid using a regular saddle cloth or standard pad with a treeless saddle, as doing so may result in potential harm to your horse's back without the necessary protection of a suitable saddle pad.

POSITIONING:

When opting for treeless saddles, it's important to note their unique design, which allows the majority of models to be positioned slightly further back than traditional treed saddles. To ensure the best fit, placing the saddle on your horse's back and sliding it back into a more centred position between the wither and the last rib is recommended. Avoid positioning it too far back onto the loin area, as the horse lacks skeletal support. Additionally, the girth should be positioned at least 1 hand's width back from the armpits and aligned in a straight line with the saddle to ensure optimal fit and comfort for your horse.

GIRTHING:

When tightening the girth with a treeless saddle, it's important to do so in three separate stages to allow the saddle to gradually adjust to the horse's unique back shape, which happens through compression and helps prevent slipping. Start by tightening the girth and then walk the horse around for a few minutes. After that, tighten it again, repeating this process three times. You might notice that the girth tightens significantly between the three stages. If your horse has a standard ribcage, we recommend using a straight-shaped girth, and for horses with larger, more rounded middles, a crescent-shaped girth is highly recommended, as they can help to prevent the girth from slipping up into the armpits. Incorporating a girth that contains some elastic is recommended to prioritise your horse's comfort and support flexibility in the torso.

MOUNTING:

If at all possible, we recommend not mounting from the ground, as the weight of the rider can injure the horse's back and risk slipping of the saddle. It's best to always use a mounting block to prevent this.

ADJUSTMENTS:

The seat can be removed in any of our treeless models, and the stirrup bars can be adjusted to suit you. Please place the saddle on a flat surface, such as a table, to ensure that the seat is properly aligned.

CLEANING AND
CONDITIONING:

For Leather Models: It is highly recommended to clean and condition the leather and strapping with a purpose-made saddle conditioner before use and maintenance.

For Vegan Models: Please wipe down with a soft cloth. This helps repel dirt and water, maximizing the lifespan of the saddle.

Avoid using detergents or household cleaners as these can damage the saddle materials.

MAINTENANCE AND CARE:

Please check the saddle, including all straps and fasteners after each use, to assess for wear and tear for your and your horse's safety.