FEEDBACK on HorseTackNZ Range of Treeless Saddles

SENSATIONTM RIDE SADDLE

Saddle just arrived today! I absolutely love it. (Dressage Trail). The leather  is so beautiful ... it is just superb ... I had a ride this afternoon with Leo and my new saddle. It's incredibly comfortable but we will need some time to get used to it I think ... I can see how the saddle is already starting to mould to us both ... I am finding it very strange to ride in but also wonderful. Leo moves very fast in it though. I am working hard to slow him down into a more "working" trot as he seems to either want to run or extend but we'll get there ... Thanks for all your help and advice - we are loving the squishy soft seat! ... Leo is now very relaxed and happy in his new saddle. Hope you are well, my saddle is going brilliantly!

Cathy B., Melbourne, VIC Australia.

SENSATIONTM RIDE SADDLE

Hi, I got it today! (Western Sport). It's beautiful. Can't wait to try it out. It's cold and snowing, but I'm excited to ride as soon as I can. It seems very comfortable. I bought a Bob Marshall last year, but it's stiff and rigid in spots, and my horse didn't like it. Tammy M., New York, USA.

SENSATIONTM RIDE SADDLE

Best dist. for Sensation award goes to this one. Very well versed. EXCEPTIONAL! (Western Sport).

Julie La V., Virginia, USA.

SENSATIONTM RIDE SADDLE

Hey Suzanne, well I love the (demo Hybrid) saddle for me :-) Beautiful quality too. Coming from the Isobel I find yours much the same only cushier, and I have the same thigh support I like so much. The pommel might take a bit to get my head around. It didn't interfere but was just different. I didn't really get to ride as such, the weather was still crappy, but I did manage a couple of trot outs in the drive once the rain stopped... Seemed good on my sister's horse too, the horse seemed to think so anyway :-) It is the first time I have seen that mare not look tense while mounted! After her little walk in the drive she kept touching my sister with her nose as if to tell her she was on to it. I do hate having someone else's saddle to mind, I am paranoid about harming it. It doesn't look used at all... Hey Suzanne, I am feeling really bad about having your saddle on this beautiful day! Is the weather nice up there too? Well, I am just writing to say I think these saddles are amazing. I took Kesta for a hack yesterday. I didn't bother with a breastplate or anything and the saddle sat perfect, never moved. She was so happy. What is awful is that she is showing me improvements everyday, which tells me there was trouble before that I was unaware of till now. I rode her today too, in the arena, and I got the best work ever. Now I can school her. No rushing, no pulling, just rideable. I also rode the youngster. I lunged her first with no gear, she has been out of work for a month or so, and green broke really, but I wanted to feel it on her. She didn't put a foot wrong on the lunge, so I saddled her up. She face pulls terribly, quite off putting actually, but once mounted I felt her relax too, and off we went, just mucked around in the garden. It fits her better, she is shorter backed, rounder, and has a leg in each corner compared to Kesta. Simone rode her horse in it on Thursday. Well, her horse went well in the arena, then Simone took her in the paddock for a cool down, and the horse pulled her old tricks out of the bag, first rearing, then full on bronco act. It was weird, because Simone couldn't fall off. I saw her go, then she sat up again grabbed the rope and pulled the horse's head around and stopped the behaviour. She said it was the swell that saved her. She will contact you for one too I think! She rode again today, and her horse was very very good, after a warm up in hand first (i.e., asking some questions horsemanship style). I do think Simone's horse has a fear of saddles, but is also nappy. She needs time to know the treeless will not hurt her, but first you need to stay in the saddle to get time LOL. I can't wait to have my own Hybrid saddle, I will miss yours terribly. My horses will get a rest while I wait, I won't put the treed back on any of them now. I think it will be sold also LOL.... Hi Suzanne, ...had a really great ride (in the new Hybrid saddle). I'm not sure if this saddle has helped Kesta change her way of going, or made me change my way of riding, or perhaps I can just feel more and make appropriate adjustments, or all of the above, but I am quite excited about the work we are getting. It is babyish and she can't hold it for long, but the feel is amazing. I am able to finally get her to elevate her shoulder and bring her hind under for a very soft but powerful working trot with longer strides in front, which to the ear is virtually silent. Her usual would be to drop her shoulder, get choppy in front and rush about the place with heavy footsteps all out of balance and hideous. There seemed nothing I could do before to address this way of going, and it has been an on going cause of frustration for many years!!!. I nearly even sold her once because of it, but withdrew the sale because I just couldn't give up on her, she has a great temperament and great suspension when she is balanced. I am really excited. VERY happy, and thank you for all your patience with all my questions and learning curve... Well I think I really like my new Dressage saddle for Kesta, it does allow me to go more with her huge trot... She has filled out enough under her wither that the hollows are not there!! That happened quick didn't it? She is going ahead in leaps and bounds in her work. I think several things are happening. One is that she feels me better and cannot ignore my aids, two is I can feel her better and make corrections that are appropriate, and three, she is just more comfortable...I have just had the loveliest uphill canter from Kesta, the first Ever! It is as stable as a treed saddle, even for mounting from the ground. I have to say I am very impressed with these saddles... I feel like I have struck gold with these saddles too... I rode the youngster in the Hybrid yesterday. She has always given me the feeling of holding back, which is not such a nice feeling, and she pins her ears on mounting, girthing, trot etc. She is actually a grumpy little monkey anyways...My gut instinct told me however that this is a horse that will not tolerate any discomfort. When riding she is reluctant to go forward, especially to trot. Yesterday she went tentatively the first time, then offered more and more. It was cute, as if she was really enjoying trotting finally... A friend of mine came over to ride the other day, she watched Kesta go, and was amazed. She knows Kesta very well, and she said she has never seen her go like this before. Her canter, Usually good reason for a major hissy fit, was to die for, uphill, round and BALANCED!!! Wow. I can now ride her with a softer seat, she has stopped rushing away. You are probably sick of my raving by now LOL. I am just so pleased because my horses are very
special to me. My friend wants to try one on her horse now. Kesta had some real issues aside from her gorgeous nature that we put down to her balance & conformation. To see them begin to resolve is real food for thought.

Tania P., Pukekohe, NZ.

SENSATIONTM RIDE SADDLE      

Well, the Sensation (English Trail) has the Andalusian stamp of    approval. I tried it on her this afternoon with the help  of Danielle (my 14 yo horse-mad friend). She walked Malusha in hand with it on, so her back muscles could warm up the Equalizer pad before I got on. We had fun working out the stirrups setting but think we have now got it sussed. As I rode up the race, Malusha's son pinged through the electric fence causing her to start and swing around a little, but the saddle felt stable and  I didn't get that 'stomach-dropping' left-behind feeling. So far so good. I took her up the hill to show my husband, Rob, the saddle was actually in use and it was comfy up and downhill. (This is important as we have some massive, scary hills in Woodhill Forest!) In the   flat paddock I also trotted on her and she broke into a canter for a couple of strides. This horse has been turned out over summer with a muscle problem so is very unfit, but she behaved so well and happy with her ears pricked up and really swinging in her walk. Danielle had a little ride in the Sensation (she is recovering from a spinal injury - we are all a bunch of crocks down here) and found it very secure and it didn't jar her back at all, even in her first trot since February! My 4 year old says it feels soft and comfy.            Brigid N., Helensville NZ.

CASHEL SOFTSADDLE                         The SoftSaddle is awesome ... I tried it on my standy and got on and it was so comfy ... like a couch.          Ruth W., Hikurangi, Whangarei NZ.

CASHEL SOFTSADDLE                         I was wanting to find out more about treeless saddles.  I have a 4 year old Arab and I am having trouble finding a saddle to fit him. I have tried on more than 30 different saddles from dressage to endurance with no luck the only thing I seam to be able to ride him in is a pony pad.  A 16” conventional seams to be a good size, I just can’t get anything to fit in the shoulder area they seam to pinch and put pressure on the shoulder and  just behind the shoulders restricting his movement ... Just wanted to say that I love the Cashel SoftSaddle,    I have spent the long weekend riding my young horse in it and once he got the idea this wasn’t hurting him, well what a different horse - he has now stopped backing up, his back has gone down, and is striding out in his work - this has to be the best value for money ... I've been telling some of the members in my CTR club about it and one of them who is having the same problem is going to have a look at it this weekend when we have a ride happening, and a few of the other are interested as well so I will pass on your details to them ... I just can’t say how delighted I am with SoftSaddle, it's so comfort-able and my little Arab is happy in it which makes it worth every cent! 

Tina P., Wellington, NZ.

SENSATIONTM RIDE SADDLE

Hi Suzanne, Saddle (English Trail) is here and it's beautiful. I was like a kid at Christmas opening it ... I am sure the megablocks are going to do the trick, as long as the saddle sort of 'fans out' under my knees, that's what I need. I seriously hope I'm going to get some decent weather this weekend. I will let you know as soon as I've tried it on and had a ride around...I managed a wee ride this arvo, skived off work early while it had stopped raining. Young one was full of grass, saddle kept me secure during a couple of small pig jumps, and up and down some gentle hills. Didn't get time to do a lot, but I generally found it very comfortable and easy to ride in...I had a good ride on my older horse yesterday, cantered some hills and things, and I loved the saddle. My horse was moving very freely downhill too... I have done quite a bit of riding since Xmas and am LOVING my Sensation Ride saddle, it is just ridiculously comfortable. I mustn't have been doing enough to make my young one really sweat, but last week I finally got a full sweat patch after the ride and it had no dry spots, apart from along the gullet, so I would think you could say that is a perfect fit. My young one seems happy in it, and with the super cushioned seat my tailbone has stopped being 'put out' during a ride - normally that would result in my legs going numb from the hips down, which is quite an unpleasant sensation! So my chiropractor is happier too!!

Nicole M-J., Wellington, NZ.

SENSATIONTM RIDE SADDLE

Hiya, I just went for a ride and I love it (English Trail) so much, and my horse seemed to too. This is going to sound weird but I really like riding bareback and that saddle feels just like horse!! My butt sinks into it just like it does on my horses back and it feels just the same...  Just letting you know that we both love it!! (Western Sport) Robbie came for a ride with me yesterday afternoon for the first time in [I cant even remember how long]. And he loved the saddle and seems to be a bit more enthusiastic about riding again. Funny thing is I didn’t have to adjust the saddle at all. I put it on and everything was right. He just jumped on and the stirrups were perfect, the girth was perfect, and off he went :0) Anne T., Kerikeri, NZ.

SENSATIONTM RIDE SADDLE

Hi Suzanne, I guess you have been wondering how I was getting on with the saddles! Well I will keep you in suspense no longer, the Hybrid trail was just great :-)!!! BUT I will have to learn to ride again, Lacey was SO forward I could barely keep on, she obviously was happy!!! Well, I did have the saddle positioned slightly too far forward but Sarah corrected this. This was when lacey showed how well she could move her back…it was Yeehaa all the way down the longside of the arena and a big smile on my face!!! (While I was also trying to regain some semblance of control and not impersonate a barrel racer!!!There was absolutely NO pressure on her loins at all. So the saddle is definitely not too long...Just loving the saddle and I can assure you that I can do everything that I could with my treed saddle including opening gates, getting on and off etc. 

Malinda M., Taihape, NZ.