Wide Tree Saddle Question

[Patricia A. Farrell]

I would like to buy a wide tree endurance or plantation saddle for a TN Walking horse. Any suggestions or possibilities?

Thank you,

Patricia Farrell

[Robin Murray]

Bob Marshall saddles are Treeless and fit any horse I use the same saddle on my wide back horse and my high withered horse. Excellent saddle for a gaited horse.It has no tree and is lightweight and VERY comfortable for both horse and rider.  Go to the Bob Marshall site on the web or Sportsaddle.com and they have trail, endurance and barrel saddles. You can customize it any way you want. I reccomend the suede seat  as it keeps you from  slipping if your horse spooks. I love mine and all my friends ride in one. It is a NO BRAINER!

[Patricia A. Farrell]

Seems people like the Bob Marshall saddle a lot. I'll check it out. Thanks.

[Laura]

National Bridle Shop in Lewisburg specializes in gaited gear, so they may have something that you are looking for.

http://www.nationalbridle.com/

 

I would beat someone up for a Bob Marshall saddle, but they are just too far out of my price range :(

[Patricia A. Farrell]

I'll check National Bridle when I make the trek to Bedford Tack. Thanks

[Nancy L. Garwood]

Hi Patricia,

I got an "extra wide tree" Tucker endurance saddle a few years ago when I had Goliath the draft horse, he just about outgrew it.  I still use it on my TWH's and really love the Enduro-balance rigging which creates a triangle on each side to the girth and feels very secure on the horse.  I am using two pads under it because of the wide tree.  -- My neighbor tried it on a mare she had that was "mutton-withered" and she liked it very well.   It came from Bedford Tack.  --Nancy

[Patricia A. Farrell]

I'll be heading to Bedford Tack in a couple of weeks to see what they have. Thanks.

[Nora]

Wintec makes a nice variety of wide tree saddles, though I am not sure if they have actual "endurance" or well padded seats.

 

I just bought a treeless Black Forest Aspen for my wide TWH.   This brand of saddle is the only one (possibly with the exception of Bob Marshalls) that have a special neoprene suspension system for the topline, as well as fiberglass panels.  Also you need to get the "treeless" pad to offer a channel for spine relief (although I rode without one for a year and just used a good foam CSI pad as well as a thick fleece pad, and the horse never had a sore spot).   I plan on doing some NATRC rides in it this year.   Treeless is the *most* comfortable saddle you will ever sit in, hands down, lol.   Horses love them too. :)

[Patricia A. Farrell]

Thanks so much for the info. I'll check into it.

[Dawn]

Patricia, While you are at Bedford Tack, take a look (if they have one in stock) at the new Circle Y treeless - Just Be Natural. This is not the old treeless Circle Y that looks like the Bob Marshall. This looks just like a normal Western saddle. It has a fleece pad built underneath it to create the spinal clearance channel, so you do not have to use the special Skito or Equipedic pad as with most treeless. Also I have found that I can mount from the ground without it slipping like treeless tend to do. It is so comfortable!!!

Take your horse with you when you go to Bedford Tack and ride around in the saddle there.

[Patricia A. Farrell]

Thank you. I hope to be able to take my horse with me when we go to Bedford Tack. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate. It will be the end of February by the time I get back. Thanks again, Pat

[Nora]

Thre are a lot of treeless options out there if you decide to go that route.     I rode in a Bob Marshall, and believe it or not, I was very uncomfortable!    However, I bought a diffrent style "cheap" treeless, and loved it.   I just replaced that one and bought the Black Forest.   I also rode in a Barefoot brand treeless, and it was super comfy too, but they only make them in 2 sizes and this one I was using was too small (many treeless companies only make 2 sizes, but the Black Forest makes them in 4 sizes.   The "cheap" one I had was the next size up, which was too big!   Go figure.....).    The Black Forest has a "middle" size which is perfect.    I am really really pleased with the quality of the BF.     And I am very comfy in it.     So, my suggestion, because treeless saddles aren't cheap (Bob Marshall being the most expensive.....), is try before you buy.  Borrow saddles, see what size seat you will need, see what style feels the most comfortable to you, and then go shopping :).    They are not all created equal.