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Choosing a Western Saddle - Part 2 Saddle Tree Types
By Janet Ashby
Saddles by the Tree Type Wade Tree Saddles This type of saddle is built specifically as a working saddle, for long hours in the saddle and for livestock handling. They have been very popular in the Rocky Mountain regions for some time and have now become more widely popular for western saddles.They have become popular largely thanks to the influence of Ray Hunt who has introduced many riders to Wade tree saddles. They have now become top sellers for custom saddle makers and are now also being produced by many other manufacturers. Typical Wade tree saddles are very comfortable and easy to ride. They sit very low giving good close contact with the horse. The horn is short and stout, made of wood and allows a scooped out gullet area which leads to the saddle sitting lower on the horse. The tree bars have more area in contact with the horse giving a better weight distribution and the deep seat is more comfortable over long hours in the saddle.
An optimal balance is achieved by the stirrups being hung right under the rider. Flex Tree Saddles Flex tree saddles are relatively new and are becoming increasingly popular. This type of saddle has a fork and cantle made from wood that is rigid but the bars are made from a flexible material. Some saddles have bars made from a rubber or plastic material, some are combinations of synthetic and leather materials. This gives a tree that is flexible and moves with the horse. The saddle will also fit a wide range of horses. The saddles also are lighter and lead to closer contact. These types of saddle are ideal for trail saddles but are lower in durability. There are a wide range of quality and pricing available for flex tree saddles (as for all types of saddle) so be careful to buy a good quality saddle to achieve the advantages listed here. Treeless Saddles
Treeless saddles are either loved by riders or hated! This type of saddle is relatively new and it is yet to be seen how popular it will become.
In a treeless saddle there are no bars connecting the fork and cantle. material, (nylon, leather, rubber, foam etc) replace the bars. The material must be soft enough to conform to the back of the horse yet rigid enough not to touch the horse’s spine. The saddle is designed as close contact saddle, simulating bareback riding. This type of design leads to a wide seat and should be used with a saddle pad designed for a treeless saddle to help weight distribution. Treeless saddles are lightweight and are not recommended as working saddles. Claimed Advantages Lovers of treeless saddles claim that traditional wooden trees are inflexible and cause restriction of movement and soreness. a treeless saddle will conform to the horse’s movement and shape better than a saddle with a tree. They also like the closer contact achievable with treeless saddles.
Claimed Disadvantages Critics of treeless saddles claim that without bars a treeless saddle results in less even distribution of weight leading to a saddle that rides low on the gullet increasing pressure on the horse’s spine. They also claim that the saddle is less stable and can slip sideways and also causes difficulty on mounting. Be careful of manufacturers claims that treeless saddles will cure a host of fitting problems. A good quality saddle fitted well to the horse will cure any fitting problems. A treeless saddle is not a universal solution to fitting problems as some manufacturers claim.
This intel first appeared on: http://www.usedsaddlesales.com/2008/11/15/choosing-a-western-saddle...
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The copyright for this content entitled "Choosing a Western Saddle - Part 2 Saddle Tree Types" has been specified by the contributor as:
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This intel was contributed by janetra
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May, 2012
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