Saddles - Let's hear it

shelbie350 · Saddles - Let's hear it

Hi everyone,

So I am relatively new to your forum. I have been riding for about 6 years now on a couple different horses in mostly one western saddle. I have studied PNH and think I want to buy the NP. Am I crazy? I certainly won't pay for a new one. I see them at clinics at they just seem to fit peoples horses so nicely. I also like the stirrups and fenders they use. i am relatively short and had to chop up my fenders on my Court saddle to get them to fit my legs right and I still have trouble with one of them every ride.

So, I want a new saddle. I would love to hear peoples opinions on Western or Hybrid saddles. Why do you love your saddle? Also, let it fly on the PNH saddle please.

Thanks!

PasoBaby_CarolU

I saw the NP when it was debuted at a Savvy Conference. Of all the treed or panel-treed saddles, I like it the best. I think that flexibility in a saddle is a good thing. We expect the horse's back to bend or round and then strap a tree to it that does neither. I definitely don't like saddles like Ortho-flex or American-flex that pivot on hinges. The panel may pivot to lay flat against the shoulders, but those hinges are still in the same place all the time. The NP will bend out.

Saddle fitting is probably the most difficult part of owning some horses. If all the horses you ride fit under the same saddle now, then you are very lucky. Even the NP has to fit the horse you ride to be comfortable for the horse. Many horses are very stoic about pain but many others aren't. Many "behavior issues" are really saddle fit issues.

As for the NP, I will probably never buy one. I like treeless, but I'll be the first to say they aren't the best saddles for many people, especially beginner riders, or those with balance issues. I have four treeless saddles now, and all four are by different companies. I have a couple horses I can use most of them on, but I also have two horses that are particular to particular saddles.

If I bought another saddle, it would be the flex tree by Kuda Tack. It has many layers of leather for a tree, so it is mostly rigid but still retains some flex. Even it comes in narrow, medium and wide for different shoulder/wither horses. It's also very comfortable for women riders, which many saddles aren't. It does not come in western though, as far as I know.

ErinR76

I have a treeless (barefoot cheyenne) I like to ride in, but I also like my Professionals Choice western craigslist find. I wish its tree were a little more flared in the shoulder though. Don't know much about the parelli saddles. Have heard good and bad things about them but can't recall anything specific, sorry. I think the saddle fit videos by Dave Genadek and also the one by Joanna Robson DVM/chiropractor, acupuncturist, massage therapist because they tell you exactly what to look for in saddle fit and you can then, armed with that knowledge, check out saddles that fit the criteria. Just offhand, its important that the tree lie in a certain area of the back, not impinging on certain nerves, the tree must be flared at the front and back appropriate to the horse, and should have a channel width of at LEAST 3.5 fingers wide. There's lots more though so try to get your hands on the videos.

bit

Black Forest treeless, and waiting for new saddle that shipped out today. Hoping it fits, had it made to fit Eclipse. It's a Henderson, round skirt western saddle. I'm liking treeless a lot. It fits everyone but Shaun. Big withers, I don't know what will fit him. Love my treeless saddle. If you get one, get a good one.

misstux

Horseshoe Creek

Shelbie350, my friend has a NP and loves it for her draft cross horse. But she also believes that if it doesn't say Parelli, it's no good, so I am happy for her, but temper my enthusiasm because of that. For me, I cannot justify spending that much on any saddle, even used.
I am in the process of having a saddle made by Allegany Mountain Horse. They sent out 10 Fit Forms (fiberglass forms) from the same company that makes Parelli saddles (Steele) so I could try them all on my two horses. Staci has been great to deal with. They have a variety of saddles and the price is very, very reasonable. Every review I've read on the saddles has been very positive.
I've bought way too many saddles over the years that just didn't fit my wide horses. Hopefully this will be the last one.

Best of luck finding the saddle of your dreams!

PasoBaby_CarolU

Chris, what a great idea. I know of no other company that does that. It was putting plain trees on Rosie that made me not buy the Freedom saddle. Please let us know how the saddle works for you. Wide shouldered horses are SO difficult!

I would say IF anyone really wants a treed saddle, that what Chris described is probably the best way to go. Once you strap on all the leather skirts, fenders and seat, you really have no idea if the saddle fits or not until long after you buy it.

Great idea!

Horseshoe Creek

We have it narrowed down to the HA tree - which is the draft/haflinger tree. It was a real eye opener to see exactly where all the trees dug in, flared out, bridged, etc.
I did have a cheapie Hilason western treeless and it was the most comfortable and secure feeling saddle ever. Too bad I have way too much butt and way too little balance for a treeless!

whisperingwindfarms

I've only had it a couple of weeks but I love, love, love my Bruce Meier ranch saddle. Fits different horses and is very comfortable for me.

Chablis

I still have my NP and love it.

becky b

I have the Flagstaff from Circle Y, it has the Flex 2 tree and I got the wide tree. I love this saddle. The fenders are short enough for my short legs, the padded seat is very comfortable. I got the round skirt with the dropped rigging (I forget what it is called) The overall length of the saddle is only about 24 or 25 inches which works perfect for my horse. I do have to shim right in the middle, he has wide shoulders, a short back and a dip right in the middle of his back. He is a TWH/Draft cross. It took me years to learn enough about saddles to know that I was riding him in a saddle that was not comfortable for him. He is much calmer now not rushing and jigging like he used to do in the poor fitting saddle. My horse loves it and I love it too! I love the idea that a saddle manufacturer will send you trees to try on your horse, wish I knew about this when I was saddle shopping. Good luck finding the right saddle for you and your horse, I know how hard it is.

shelbie350

Thank you so much for all the comments so far. It will absolutely help me in my journey. I actually have borrowed a Circle Y to try out this week while discussing the NP with a former owner to see if it will work out for us.

The more I read, the more I almost think each horse should get their own saddle????

My Paint's back is very different from my QH's back. The Circle Y was his saddle. It has round skirt like the Parelli, not sure what tree. I need to research this. He has an old injury just before the croupe (sp?) and needs this shorter skirted saddle.

I like the idea of a flexible tree for sure.

I used to have the Parelli Airpad and absolutely hated it. I could never get that dang pad to work right and I always felt like the texture that made contact with my mares skin was unfair.

I like the idea of a company that will send you stuff to try too

Oh the journey...

Clarissa

I've decided to sell my handmade half breed stock saddle with swinging fenders that was made for Sonny because I won't need it anymore. I have the Barefoot Cheyenne now which is all I need these days.

I can't see us doing any sort of fast or hard work anymore & the treeless seems to suit Sonny well. It is certainly a lot lighter than the stock saddle. I'm also going to sell the PNh theraflex too. No need for it anymore. I haven't used it or the stock saddle for 2yrs at least.

shelbie350

Horseshoe Creek. Did you get your saddle? I was looking at their saddles this weekend. They have so many to choose from.

Also, this weekend, I took my two horses, no pad and 3 saddles and did a saddle fitting with a good friend.

I have a well muscled, good confirmation QH and an older Paint who has a heavy muscled neck and kind of hollowed out shoulders. I have only owned the Paint for a year and gave him most of the year off. He was ridden in this Circle Y mostly.

Court Reiner - Looked good, but very little room at the front of the tree for shoulder movement. Actually would cause pinching and choppy strides. This is what I have been riding in for years. My levels horse has choppy strides.

Circle Y - Round skirt. Fit better than Court on both horses. However, it had a very interesting pinpoint tight spot exactly where the Paint has hollowed out shoulders...hmmm how interesting? Rode it tonight and has a real hard time turning his fore. Makes sense.

Parelli NP - clearly more room for the shoulders of both horses. Fit well everywhere else. Rode for just a brief ride.

So I really like the idea of this flared tree

Staring to think their saddle might be worth it. It seems like the custom saddles are just as expensive and the NP is flexible enough to fit multiple horses.

Hope you are all enjoying your holidays.

Today I rode in 12 inches of snow and drug around downed tree limbs with my old Paint. He is such a cool guy.

Horseshoe Creek

I don't have the saddle yet. The haflinger/draft tree takes a bit longer from the Steele company so Staci said she could give me an estimated completion date once the tree got there. I noticed the other day that my Billy Cook reiner - Full QH bars has caused a few white hairs on my gelding. So much for that being a second saddle. And I thought for sure I had the shimming right on it. Sigh...

Has any tried the draft Abetta saddle? Or any of the Abettas? A seasoned horsewoman, who is quite knowledgeable about saddles told me the Abetta was probably one of the most comfortable saddles to sit it. The only thing she didn't like was there was too much play in the fenders for her - she likes them stiffer with less range of motion. I like lots of movement in the fender, so that was a plus for me, not a negative. Anyway, I thought the Abetta might be a good alternative for a spare saddle.

Merry Christmas!

shelbie350

Thanks Creek. Keep us posted.

May I assume people trying draft saddle because of wider trees? Are the entire tree wider or just the flare at the shoulder?

Or is this something todo with saddles fit for women?

Horseshoe Creek

The draft bars themselves are "flatter" side to side when looking front to back and usually have a little less rock to them. Picture the flat back Haflinger. My QH mare is very flat backed (side to side and front to back) and my QH gelding is just plain wide. There is just enough flare at the back not to dig into my gelding's loins and to provide lots of freedom for the mare. The full QH bars dug in along the bottom part of the bars all along the side and on either side of the withers just before it flared - which is exactly where his white hairs appeared.
I'm getting a wade tree as I know that style fits my gelding best and should do fine for my mare too.

Chris