keep your heels down and your eyes up

Or the assumption that just because you can read well or you like math class, you’re somehow more EMOTIONALLY mature than your little kid brain is actually capable of being.

old riding place: we’re going to shorten your stirrups so you can canter more easily

Hi, yes, I actually still ride in a treeless saddle (the total contact saddle). That is a truly treeless saddle, with no support or structure on its own, though I have a special physio pad to provide spinal clearance and some padding. Before the total contact saddle, I was using a Barefoot Nottingham. It is marketed as treeless, but it is more appropriate to call it a soft treed saddle, as it is structured. I did not have a fitter out for either of these saddles, though if you are unfamiliar with saddle fit it would be a good idea to get one out for the Barefoot saddles. They have interchangeable pommel sizes that can still cause problems if they are fitted too narrow or too wide. For some horses it is also necessary to play with the pad shimming.

Overall I would recommend both saddles. The only thing with the Barefoot is that the billets are in a forward position, which sets the girth forward. For Amba this was a problem because she already had a forward girth groove to begin with, and it caused rubs with countless girths. But, it had excellent spinal clearance and produced very even sweat patterns. For a horse without a forward girth groove it is probably a good choice.

The saddles have benefits such as being very lightweight, and giving the horses much more freedom of the shoulder and back. Using special treeless pads with these saddle is integral. Also be aware that for soft treed saddles like the Barefoot, it will take a few rides for the saddle to settle and mold to the horse's back, so the first ride should just be at a walk.

Treeless saddles can be very variable, though, and while I have good things to say about the brands I've used, I'd avoid others like Hilason and Ansur.

Hi, yes, I actually still ride in a treeless saddle (the total contact saddle). That is a truly treeless saddle, with no support or structure on its own, though I have a special physio pad to provide spinal clearance and some padding. Before the total contact saddle, I was using a Barefoot Nottingham. It is marketed as treeless, but it is more appropriate to call it a soft treed saddle, as it is structured. I did not have a fitter out for either of these saddles, though if you are unfamiliar with saddle fit it would be a good idea to get one out for the Barefoot saddles. They have interchangeable pommel sizes that can still cause problems if they are fitted too narrow or too wide. For some horses it is also necessary to play with the pad shimming.

Overall I would recommend both saddles. The only thing with the Barefoot is that the billets are in a forward position, which sets the girth forward. For Amba this was a problem because she already had a forward girth groove to begin with, and it caused rubs with countless girths. But, it had excellent spinal clearance and produced very even sweat patterns. For a horse without a forward girth groove it is probably a good choice.

The saddles have benefits such as being very lightweight, and giving the horses much more freedom of the shoulder and back. Using special treeless pads with these saddle is integral. Also be aware that for soft treed saddles like the Barefoot, it will take a few rides for the saddle to settle and mold to the horse's back, so the first ride should just be at a walk.

Treeless saddles can be very variable, though, and while I have good things to say about the brands I've used, I'd avoid others like Hilason and Ansur.

Hi, yes, I actually still ride in a treeless saddle (the total contact saddle). That is a truly treeless saddle, with no support or structure on its own, though I have a special physio pad to provide spinal clearance and some padding. Before the total contact saddle, I was using a Barefoot Nottingham. It is marketed as treeless, but it is more appropriate to call it a soft treed saddle, as it is structured. I did not have a fitter out for either of these saddles, though if you are unfamiliar with saddle fit it would be a good idea to get one out for the Barefoot saddles. They have interchangeable pommel sizes that can still cause problems if they are fitted too narrow or too wide. For some horses it is also necessary to play with the pad shimming.

Overall I would recommend both saddles. The only thing with the Barefoot is that the billets are in a forward position, which sets the girth forward. For Amba this was a problem because she already had a forward girth groove to begin with, and it caused rubs with countless girths. But, it had excellent spinal clearance and produced very even sweat patterns. For a horse without a forward girth groove it is probably a good choice.

The saddles have benefits such as being very lightweight, and giving the horses much more freedom of the shoulder and back. Using special treeless pads with these saddle is integral. Also be aware that for soft treed saddles like the Barefoot, it will take a few rides for the saddle to settle and mold to the horse's back, so the first ride should just be at a walk.

Treeless saddles can be very variable, though, and while I have good things to say about the brands I've used, I'd avoid others like Hilason and Ansur.