The other big break for Dakota and I was finally finding a saddle that worked for both of us. The bitless bridle solved 70% of our problems. Our Barefoot solved another 25%. We went through 6 saddles within the last 2 years before we went treeless, and finally arrived at "just right." Because Dakota has a very short back with a good deal of curve, he never correctly fit the "standard" tree. It would fit him width-wise, but not front to back, and was forever leaving dry spots. I knew he was ouchy because a.) the better a saddle fit, the calmer/quieter he was, and b.) above saddles would cause him to "sink" under the fingers-along-the-spine test around the hip area, like he was trying to cope and causing his hips to become sore. Saddle fitting really is an art, and I had a hard time believing that a hard, fixed tree was the best thing for a moving, fluid back. I mean, you wouldn't run in wooden shoes, would you?? Ouch! If you are roping cows, yes, anything less would be unstable. But I don't rope cows...and Dakota was happier and quieter when I rode him bareback than under even the best fitting treed saddle with uber nice and expensive pad.
The argument for standard saddle trees is that they are the only way to properly distribute the rider's weight over a wider area, and thus keep pressure from becoming too great in one spot, which causes soreness and muscle atrophy. But, modern materials are quite advanced, and a well-made treeless saddle and proper pad can distribute pressure just as well. Seriously, check the pressure tests online. Dakota's sweat pattern under saddle now is almost perfect, and he never fails the finger at the spine test. Ever. Even after really hard rides. And think about how much more comfortable it must be for the horse?? No saddle sores for us, thank you!!
So, after looking into treeless and reading the reviews, I talked with Brita Rizzi, the US distributor for Barefoot Saddles and one of the nicest people on the planet. Seriously, call her! She is Awesome!! I digress...after consulting several times with her, I decided to buy the Tahoe, like a treeless version of an English all-purpose saddle. I won't lie, the price tag hurt. All in, with leathers/irons/girth/and pad, the cost was about $1300. I had never spent half that on a saddle, but the reviews were good, and it would allow me to use the saddle on any horse for many years to come. So, I took a deep breath, sucked it up, and bought one.
First ride was- OMG OMG OMG this is the most comfortable thing my tush has ever encountered AND I'm sitting on my horse!! OMG! Trotting kinda sucked, as it was squishy and weird to grip onto. But, Dakota was calmer and quieter than ever and stopped on a dime, letting me know he appreciated it. It was wonderful to "feel" my horse underneath me, as I had only been able to do bareback before.
The girthing system took some getting used to, and for the first 5-7 rides I did have some slipping, probably due to the fact that is wasn't broken in and settled yet. Now, I have no problems with it (I can ground mount on the trail, and have many times without issue) and it is super soft and comfy for both of us, as well as being about as secure as an english saddle can get! I did add a grab strap for those hairy moments, and am forcing myself to get used to grabbing it - it saved my bacon during a spook the other day! :) It's easy for me to forget how sore I would get from a standard treed saddle after a couple of hours. I can hop off now after 3 hours and my tush, legs, and back feel like I did when I started, not sore at all!!! Yeah, it's really that amazing!!! Plus, Dakota is still fresh too. It's fun to go up and down embankments and such, I can feel him balancing and able to use his whole back and body without effort.
I have spent enough money on Dakota that many people will probably say that I am spoiling him and babying him, and that I shouldn't and he would "get used to it". However, these items have been a godsend for the both of us, and have changed his personality from stubborn and difficult to hard-working, soft, compliant, and tremendously giving. I have been off-property to several places and gotten compliments on what a well-behaved, easy-going, good horse I have. It was not always this way!! So, if your horse is trying to tell you something is bothering him, please listen!! This may be by racing, bucking, being stubborn to turn, advoiding the saddle, or pinning ears during cinching. If your horse if getting cranky about something, it is probably because it hurts!! Find out the problem - He will repay you tenfold for your kindness and thought. The whole idea is for you to accomplish things as a happy team. :)
P.S. This is one place to be careful of bargain shopping! A treeless saddle should have research about proper spinal clearance and weight distribution, as well as a good (and yes, expensive) saddle pad underneath, so beware the ebay cheapies as they can cause serious problems!
Go to Barefoot Saddles to check them out! They have both English and Western Saddles
http://www.barefootsaddles.net/
And a close competitor:
http://www.blackforestsaddles.com/
And one more popular treeless option, for the western crowd...
http://www.sportssaddle.com/
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