Prevention of saddle sores and the use of treeless saddles

The treeless saddle has been increasingly popular because of its ability to not restrict the horse’s movement while being ridden due to its lightweight and bendable materials. The saddle will make the horse comfortable. Without a bar lying on its back, it can easily move around as it has a closer contact with its rider and is more able to react to the leg cues of its rider. Also, it only has to adjust with the weight and natural body shape of its rider, without giving a thought to any thick bars positioned on its back.

Aside from using this type of saddle with the proper treeless saddle pad for added support, there are other factors that will help prevent the horse from having a sore back. Proper cleaning is the first rule before you place the saddle onto the horse’s back. Brush thoroughly the areas of the horse’s back which are likely touched by the saddle pad and saddle parts. The withers and the girth are the body parts that are usually prone to soreness, so make sure that as you do the brushing you are getting rid of any dirt that may rub against the horse’s skin once the saddle is placed.

The second rule is to make sure that the saddle fits the horse properly. Too large or too small saddle is extremely unhealthy for the horse. A saddle bigger than what the horse’s back can bear will definitely make the weight of the rider unevenly distributed beyond weight-bearing areas. A very small saddle will put too much pressure on the horse’s back.

Lastly, make sure that when you ride the horse, you are in the correct posture. Sit erect and make sure that you are rested on the central part of the saddle. Never lean too far to the front or back. Stay at the center so your weight is equally distributed throughout the saddle.

Treeless saddles: principles of seat size and weight distribution

Treeless saddles have certain guidelines should you decide to put aside the use of the treed saddles. Perhaps the basic thing would be the use of padding onto the saddle. Since the treeless does not have the luxury of a bar holding together the cantle and pommel the padding becomes very important to keep the horse away from friction at his back eventually leading to a serious health condition due to stress and trauma. Other than that, the use of added accessories to make the saddle become comfortable as much as possible to the horse and the rider is essential as well. In this article, we will be dealing at two key points determining the correct saddle fit on your horse.

First is the seat size. The saddle must not be too long for the horse because when it does, the weight distribution will extend beyond the weight-bearing parts of the house. And that is immediately a big no-no or else the horse will suffer a lot by the end of day, exhausted due to a long travel and some back pains out of unequal weight distribution. The seat size is just determined by the size of both the rider and the horse. Refrain from saddles that are too long for the size of the horse. It will have the tendency to sit far back. It will cause pressure, discomfort and movement restrictions. The rider should be centrally located in the saddle seat for precise balance and movement freedom.

Secondly, balance is another consideration. Make sure that as a responsible rider, you are seated comfortably at the center of the saddle (lowest point of the seat, and knees placed on the kneepad). A correctly fitted, well-balanced saddle has the lowest point of the saddle slightly lower than the highest point of the cantle.

Most barefoot treeless saddles for sale are capable of fitting perfectly most breeds of horses. Yet, not all horses have similar shapes on their backs. It is always best to try a saddle onto your horse before you buy to assure that its features easily complement with the horse’s body shape, most especially its back.

Benefits of treeless saddles

If you are new to horseback riding and are still in the process of getting more knowledge on this new hobby, then you have probably heard of the debate about which is better to use both for the rider an a horse between a treed or a treeless saddle. There are plenty of articles surrounding the Internet that discuss about the superiority of one over the other. There is really no direction in this type of writings because in reality even before men have decided to put the saddle on the back of the horse as, our ancestors were pretty okay with bareback riding. As a matter of fact, ancient people didn’t have all the luxury of sturdy materials to secure them as they are mounted on the horse, and yet they are flexible with it and their horse still manage to complete their normal lifespan. With regards to the use of the saddle, it does not really matter too much whether to select a treed or treeless one. Whichever you choose, the important thing is that the weight of the rider in not distributed to areas where added support is not bearable by the horse.

One advantage of the saddle such as the Bob Marshall treeless saddle and the Torsion treeless saddle is that it acts like a second skin to the horse. Its materials are very light, and provided that it is properly fitted on the horse especially to those with wider backs. Another advantage with the treeless is that the horse’s movements are not restricted thereby allowing him the freedom to move without any strain on his back and shoulders. Also, the horse can easily react to its rider’s leg cues and so they have a closer contact when riding. Lastly, most saddles of the treeless type can fit most variety of horses therefore choosing a saddle for your horse won’t be too difficult provided that you are very much aware of the contour on your horse’s back.

Treeless saddles for different riding purposes

Treeless saddles today are chosen by both amateur and professional riders because of its major feature of providing the rider a feel of bareback riding. When you are new to horseback riding, there are plenty of ways for you to enjoy it according to which form of riding you are most interested in.

On the other hand, there are certain guidelines in the selections of saddles for your horse, as much as there are important facts about how each part of the saddle contributes to the overall performance of the horse with attention to its certain conditions that will either make or break his duty of providing you with the most comfortable ride. One of these guidelines is to make sure that the padding on the saddle is accurate enough to provide clearance on the withers and spine so as to protect the back of the horse from too much stress.

Dressage riding is one of the many forms of riding that requires a saddle that properly fits the contours of the horse’s back. It is not just some form of simple riding as it involves classical approaches and techniques to horseback riding. Just like any sport, dressage riding is a step-by-step process of learning how to ride properly; giving you the opportunity to learn the basic ideas in dressage competition should you decide to join one day.

Barrel racing is another form of horseback riding where a rider mounted on his horse makes three quick turns around barrels in a cloverleaf pattern. This is a very quick sport thereby requiring the horse to quickly react to its rider’s leg cues.

Western riding is when you desire to quickly adapt that form of riding the way cowboys did. This is also pretty much a complicated form of riding in that it requires speed, focus, plus a whole of exceptional skills and method to survive the basics in running a huge farm.

Trailing is a perfect horseback riding form to maintain as a hobby especially when you are fascinated with nature’s beauty and discovering new places.

Endurance riding is a great way to test your skills in long distance riding.

Features of Barefoot and Torsion treeless saddles

Treeless saddles have become popular these days as the need to ride a horse with the feel of bareback riding is increasingly demanded by even the newest riders. We all know that there are many purposes for riding the horse. Whatever the purpose may be, using the saddle of the treeless type is just as effective as the treed saddles. The only difference is that the absence of bars and the use of adequate padding instead in the treeless improve the movement of the horse thereby making room for quick reaction to its rider’s leg cues. Ongoing debates have flourished regarding which among the treed and treeless is better to use. People say that the absence of bars can cause more friction or strain onto the horse’s back or that the treeless cannot give adequate clearance on the withers and spine. This is not really true. Whichever one you choose, treed or treeless, the basic approach here is to make sure that the saddle’s pommel and cantle adequately blends with the contours of the horse’s back, the weight of the rider is properly centered on the seat and not distributed on the front and back arts of the saddle, the saddle is not too long for the horse, and most of all, clearance on the withers and spine is exhibited. When these guidelines are not followed, whether you use the treed or treeless, the horse’s performance cannot meet your expectations and worse, your horse will suffer from serious conditions.

The Barefoot treeless saddle is one of the very popular and widely used saddles. They fit the horse like a second skin. They have a high spinal clearance making sure that both you and your horse have movement freedom. They have plenty of models to choose from according to which purpose our riding is for.

Another brand is the Torsion treeless saddle which is exposed by most amateur and professional riders as one of the finest saddles ever made. They are made of leather and synthetic materials, and are available in different colors.

Is a Treeless Saddle Right for You?


Bareback riding is something that many people would like to experience, but the fear of falling off a moving horse is just too much to overcome. One of the closest experiences possible to bareback riding is using a treeless saddle instead of a standard treed saddle. This allows you to get the closest feeling to bareback with a little something to keep you on the horse. A saddle of this type puts you in close contact with a horse as physically possible, while riding with some type of tack on the horse.

Treeless saddles as a whole are basically the same as a standard saddle, minus the tree of course. A saddle tree is simply put, the “framework” of a saddle. This is the plate around which the saddle is constructed for even weight distribution and giving it the ability to hold its shape. The treed saddle will also aid in relieving certain pressure points along a horses spine and back.

Here are our top treeless saddle picks:

Premium Forest Green Treeless Saddle By Sydney Saddleworks

Hilason Western Treeless Trail Pleasure Saddle

Premium Blue Suede Treeless Saddle by Sydney Saddleworks

Leather Trail Horse Bareback Pad Treeless Saddle

Hilason Treeless Trail Endurance Pleasure Saddle

Hilason English Treeless Saddle Trail Riding Endurance Pleasure

Hilason New Dressage English Treeless Saddle

16" Premium Treeless Leather Horse Saddle with Brass Hardware + Dressage Pad + Girth (Black)

Premium Black Leather Treeless Saddle By Sydney Saddleworks

Barefoot treeless saddles are an anatomically designed saddle to fit to the horse like a second skin. These saddles are made to have a high spinal clearance, yet allow freedom of movement for you and the horse. A treeless saddle like this will shape and mold itself over time to the exact contours of your horse insuring a perfect fit for years to come.

Saddles, treeless or otherwise, are needed to be chosen for comfort. Yours and the horses ultimately, as he is the one wearing it and the more comfortable he is, the more you are and that makes for a much more pleasant ride. Finding one to fit your particular horse is not as daunting a task as it may sound and with the addition of a treeless saddle pad, the comfort is increased that much more. Many manufacturers recommend that you use a pad with your treeless saddle and normally have a line of these to choose from.

There are treeless saddles for sale both on the internet and at your local tack shop. The internet, however, will give you a much wider range of choices and prices, giving you access to every major manufacturer and supplier there is. There will also be consumer reviews by horse people who may have already used the particular saddle you are looking at and you can get a better feel for which one may be right for you. This saves you buying one and finding out later it was not quite right when someone may have already had the same experience.

For those more serious about their riding, particularly if they ride dressage, they may want to consider changing from a standard dressage saddle to a treeless dressage saddle. These saddles fit much closer to the horse, thereby giving much more contact and communication, which in turn leads to a much cleaner looking dressage session as the horse is receiving signals much quicker. This allows much more freedom of movement for the horse and lets them move about without feeling restricted or adding any unnecessary pressure.

The Bob Marshall treeless saddle line is a work of art on top of being very function. These are constructed with a mix of fabric and very intricate hand tooled leather to make them unique in their own right. There are also basic models available with the same high quality as the hand tooled ones. Bob Marshall treeless saddles are one of the leading sport saddles in the industry and an investment that will be well made.

The Torsion treeless saddle is considered to be one of the finest made. Manufactured in Italy, and available all over the world, these treeless saddles are touted by amateur and professionals alike as being one of the best all around treeless saddles on the market. These are available in leather, buffalo leather and synthetic materials and in a wide range of colors to suit anyone’s taste.

The Trekker treeless saddle is made in Europe by master saddle makers and each is hand crafted to rigid specifications. These saddles are very unique in that the underside is constructed with memory foam that returns to its original form once removed from the horse. They also are individually numbered, making it easy to identify and retrieve in the case of a theft of misplacement among other saddles.

The one thing that all the manufacturers agree upon is the use of treeless saddle pads under their products. Each one has more than one recommendation and usually has some to choose from. There are many companies that specifically make only the saddle pads for use with multiple manufacturers. These are constructed from simple padding material and even gel type pads that will give both the horse and rider the most comfort possible when using a treeless saddle.