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Welsh part bred - coloured

After owning and riding thoroughbreds most of my riding days, I bought a Welsh part bred coloured, Walena Cherokee Warrior, AKA Chunk, who is a 6 year old 14.1 gelding.

I tried several different makes of saddles and struggled to find one that Chunk and I felt comfortable with, so I tried a Friend’s Solution saddle.
We both fell in love with it straight away!

I then bought my own Solution saddle and we have come on in leaps and bounds.

We have also qualified for the Trailblazer Showing Championship at Stoneleigh.
 
Stacy Ritson

Update: Congratulations to owner Stacie and rider Sue Chapelhow who qualified Walena Cherokee Warrior for HOYS 2011! - with a lovely write up and photograph in Horse and Hound.

I own a 6-year-old Welsh Section D, purchased in April 2006. During this time I have struggled to get a treed saddle to fit him.
Every saddle I have owned has moved sideways and made me tip forwards, resulting in endless back pain and trips to the osteopath.
Jumping has always been difficult as I constantly get pinged out of the saddle, resulting in us both losing our confidence.

I decided the best way forward was to have a made to measure saddle for him, as it should fit him like a glove and would be the end to our saddle nightmare. When the saddle arrived I was so happy and excited, but very soon I became disappointed when I discovered I was not one bit better off.
The saddle was perched, moved around and all he did was buck and canter on the wrong lead.
I persevered with the saddle and decided to do some jumping. My horse hated jumping in it and as a result he put in a very dirty refusal, the saddle tipped and I went flying off, hitting myself quite badly on the wing.
My horse loves to jump and this was the first time he had ever refused.
After a battle with the saddle fitter, I arranged for the saddle to be sent back , leaving me with no saddle and the only option of riding bareback.

My horse suddenly became a happy horse. He loved being ridden bareback; he lifted his back and moved in the most incredible outline. There was no more bucking and I didn’t have any back pains.
I knew this was not ideal long term, as we both love to jump and we couldn’t do that bare back!
All I wanted was a saddle, that made my horse move the same way he moved when ridden bare back, but offered me the security to do everything I would do in a treed saddle.

That is when I decided to try a treeless saddle and came across the Solution Saddles website.
My initial thoughts were “how much??!” but to be honest, I had gotten to the stage that I didn’t care how much a saddle was going to cost, so long as it stayed put, my horse was happy and we were both pain free.
The moment I sat in the saddle I thought ‘wow!!’’ It was so comfortable and I knew in time, my horse would realise it was no different to being ridden bareback.

I attach a picture show jumping in the saddle one week later.
He got a double clear, I didn’t get pinged out of the saddle, which made me stop thinking about the saddle and get that clear round.
I love the saddle and just wish I found it sooner.
It is now time to move forwards, build up our confidence and enjoy a lovely summer together and hopefully we will be in the ribbons soon.

I would just like to thank Jo Dunnett, the Solution Saddles Technical Advisor, who came to see me on a boiling hot Saturday afternoon. Jo did a fabulous job and provided a fabulous aftercare service.
I would also like to thank Amanda in the office for answering my 101 questions by email.

Thanks again,
Gemma Wilson

“I have over the years had many problems saddle fitting to rotund native ponies...

I have tried many different makes and styles of treeless saddle, but I was struggling to find a saddle that not only fitted me, but also my range of ponies. As a very short adult, I found that some of the other makes did not fit me at all well, let alone the ponies and we had lots of issues relating to equine behaviour. My black mare Bella was a really good indicator, because if she didn’t like a saddle, you soon knew about it from something imitating a rodeo.

I have chosen a Solution saddle as I have four other ponies and I liked the flexibility the Solution has to offer. The same saddle can be fitted to my Section D, my 13.3hh table top cob, the 12.2hh Exmoor and the dinky 11.2hh Dartmoor.

Although I am mainly now a happy hacker with the exception of the odd show, it is good to know I have invested in a saddle that has such a positive impact on all of my ponies and my riding.

Bella is now lovely to hack out with much less spooking - she may look like a little old cob, but she still is full of surprises!

So although my husband needed smelling salts when I told him the price of the Solution, I have now many other treed and treeless saddles to sell on as one saddle really can do it all!

I am happy to recommend the Solution saddle to anyone; it is well worth the investment and the Technical Advisor was very helpful.

Angela Pick,
Derbyshire, November

All fitted well until she started to move, her large shoulders pushed against the tree making the back of the saddle swing side to side causing patches of hair loss.

Her stride was short, she wasn’t straight and we went around with her head in the air. She had obvious muscle wastage. I was starting to think that due to her confirmation we wouldn’t find a saddle to fit.

I first came across The Solution whilst training at Ingestre stables, Staffordshire. I rode a horse in the Energist and thought it may be worth a try for Mavis. I had a test ride, decided on the Jumper, and have never looked back.

Mavis is much more relaxed, has a huge trot and I don’t have to correct her straightness. Her outline is much improved as well.

I now have a much happier horse and would ride in nothing else.”

I won’t go into all the details with this saddle, but quite frankly it was horrific! Tramado is sensitive and so he did have ‘tantrums’, but in the back of my mind I wondered: “Could it be the saddle?” He would also spook at the smallest of things which would result in bucking, rearing and spinning.

I have a friend who also has an Iberian and has now been through 3 different saddlers and quite frankly I felt I had been palmed off with another ill fitting saddle.

Luckily for Tramado I broke my ankle in May 08 and so he had the whole summer with hardly any riding. This sent me on my search for an alternative saddle. I’d never been that keen on treeless saddles; the few I had seen didn’t look very nice, and I couldn’t work out how they managed to avoid pressure points. Most looked really bulky and required padding and non slip pads etc.

I spent hours on the internet looking at different saddles and came across the Strada saddle - a flexible tree – they even had an Iberian fit!

I booked Ilga from Strada, but alas even after 2 visits and various different sizes, there was no way that this would work for Tramado. It was then that Ilga suggested that maybe Tramado would be a candidate for a treeless and I was aghast!!! However, Ilga talked about the Solution saddle and recommended that I give them a try.

In the meantime I tried a few other “treeless” saddles, but Tramado hated them, especially in rising trot, so I didn’t hold out much hope. They still moved forward onto his neck, my legs were in the wrong place; I was at a low.

A Solution Saddles Technical Advisor, came for the saddle fitting in April 2009 and immediately advised Tramado would be best in The Energist as it was close contact and she believed that anything with panelling would be propelled up his neck.

I loved the Solution from the start! After a few minor adjustments we were sorted and I couldn’t believe how easy it was and rented the demo model for a longer trial.

I did find it strange to ride in at first, as this was a whole different position for me since my old saddle had me perched towards the front of the horse. My legs flapped all over the place for the first week, but then it all clicked and it was brilliant. Tramado had a much bigger trot; his front end was suddenly ‘freed up’.

I gave the demo saddle a thorough working out; we hacked, schooled, even jumped with no movement forward of the saddle and my position improved. At last I was happy about riding my horse!

Since riding in my Solution saddle, Tramado has felt so much more relaxed. Gone are the bronching, rearing, charging episodes in the school and out hacking. I am now convinced that these issues were associated with him feeling the frame of a treed saddle digging into his shoulders when he tensed up.

The change in Tramado when ridden in the Solution saddle was instant, so I’m convinced his change in behaviour when ridden is the result of the Solution saddle.

Nowadays, we are even able to hack out with ‘naughty’ horses, which was previously impossible. Tramado is so much more relaxed, we can enjoy ourselves and are finally having fun! At last we are now starting to compete, something that I had previously was impossible!

Thank you so much to the Solution saddle team, the Solution saddle is the best horsey investment I have ever made!”

I changed livery yards in August 2007 and by the September, my riding instructor and I became concerned that the saddle was causing problems and may not fit properly any longer. My equine physio confirmed this.

Coincidentally I had been talking with a local rider, Kay Murrell, about her treeless Solution Saddle and being open-minded, was intrigued by them.

I decided to compare the two types so arranged for my regular saddle fitter to visit with standard GP saddles and for a Solution Saddles Technical Advisor to visit the next day with the treeless saddle.

When I tried Piki in the treed saddles he seemed tense and hurried, as if trying to escape something but when I tried the Solution Energist saddle he relaxed, stretched and seemed calmer.

I agreed to trial the Energist for about six weeks, and despite my instructor’s initial scepticism, bought it. I still have an opinionated little Arab, but we’ve had no back problems since.

The physio checked his back six months later and was very pleased. He is calmer; more supple and needed no treatment.

A year on, our confidence has grown so much that we’ve started jump training, something I swore I didn’t want to do. Unfortunately the Energist just isn’t cut out for show jumping – I’ve tried!

So, a quick email to Solution Saddles Customer Services Advisor, asking about jump saddles, I’m now trialling one. Early days yet but watch this space…

Many thanks for all your help and support.

After meeting Anne and having a test ride in a majority of the models, I was convinced.

Conor’s muscles had to re train, but we are now competing again. He used to be uneven on his feet and heavy on the forehand, but my farrier has even commented that the wear on his shoes has improved and a set can now last up to 3 refits.

This has helped save the pennies!

There is definitely no way that I will be returning to the old days. It has been the best financial investment I have ever made and I have a much happier pony to boot!

From a very satisfied customer(s).

I was initially quite sceptical about The Solution Saddles - not that there seemed to be anything wrong with them, just that there are many innovative saddlers around all claiming that their product is the best thing ever for the horse's back - but I had to change my mind when Listy lent me this one to try.

I have a Highland pony and like most of his breed he has big powerful shoulders and huge scapulas.
Listy and I both felt my treed saddle was constricting his shoulders and making it hard for him to extend his front legs and bend correctly. I also felt that the energy coming from behind was getting stuck at his shoulders rather than going through into his neck.

The most immediate effect of the Solution Saddle was the greater freedom in his shoulders. I was amazed to feel how much movement there was in them, especially going up and down steep hills. He now feels much more connected and after only a month is beginning to develop the correct muscles in his neck and carry himself better. (I practice Equine Shiatsu and am very sensitive to all this).

And as for me - I find The Solution Saddle the most comfortable saddle I have ever sat in. Not only that, I feel completely secure and much more confident.

I'm no longer bracing myself against the discomfort of rigid parts and my riding has improved no end.

So thanks very much: your saddles certainly work for us.

With our first saddle, it shot up her neck – she lost her balance and bucked – I had a nasty fall and was unable to ride again for a few months.

A custom-made combined western/endurance style saddle design followed – but again would slip forwards and left me feeling perched and unstable.

We called in a master saddler, a GP English saddle with point straps was prescribed which stayed in place – but soon white hairs began to appear either side of her withers and following a longer-distance ride one day, the same area came up in horrible pressure weals.

The next saddle was adjustable and better for her back, but we had to resort to a crupper to keep it in place. She absolutely hated the crupper from day one, and never became used to it - and in this saddle even a simple canter was an extreme challenge. I would have to get up on my knees to manage at all and it was bumpy, uncoordinated and uncontrolled. Zippy would slow down to a trot as soon as she could, and I would sigh with relief.

We began to stick to walk and trot only and I resigned myself that the situation may not be ideal, but at least I could still get out and ride my horse.

I began to investigate treeless saddle designs. One seemed to stand out among the rest, in my view – and I arranged a trial. When Anne Bondi, the Solution Saddles Advisor arrived, I prepared her for disappointment, explaining that nothing worked on my horse and I certainly wouldn’t be able to canter.

Yet from the moment I got on Zippy in The Solution saddle, she felt like a different horse. She felt lighter in front, lighter in my hand, freer and more forward-going. The biggest surprise and delight was when asking her for a slightly faster trot – in a heartbeat she offered a gentle transition into a light, rocking horse canter that I had never experienced on her before.

I’ll always remember Anne’s voice across the arena: ‘So what’s wrong with that then? It looks perfectly normal!’

I listened to my horse and ordered my new saddle then and there. We have not been disappointed since that first trial. Zippy’s back is in excellent shape, she shows no signs of discomfort, and she is a pleasure to take out. I’ve found the lateral stability to be excellent too; on the occasions of those famous Arab spooks and spins.

We have enjoyed participating in a number of sponsored and pleasure rides of 15 to 20 miles, indoor Le Trec trial, games days, and various training clinics... But above all, I can say we now truly are happy hackers.

I have American Quarter Horses and ride them both English and western and although I have no problem fitting them with western saddles, English saddles are always difficult. I am currently breaking a 3 year old QH filly and was having the usual problem finding a saddle to fit her from my collection.

I was reluctant to buy her a new saddle, which she would grow out of and as a result of a small advert in the Yorkshire Post, I came across your web site, Total Saddle Solutions and started to look at treeless saddles as an economic solution to my problem.

I remembered a friend had imported a treeless saddle from America so gave her a call to find out what make of saddle she had bought and how she felt about it. It turned out to be an Ansur and she offered to lend it to me to try.

I tried it on the filly I was trying to fit with a saddle, I disliked the feel of it, but the horse was clearly much more comfortable. I rode in it each day and by the third day I was hooked. I absolutely loved it. We tried other horses in it and they all liked it.

About 18 moths prior to this I had bought an 8 year old Quarter horse mare, Annie, which was unbroken. Clearly people had tried to break her and failed. I strongly suspected they had used a badly fitting saddle and hurt her. She was seriously traumatised when ever a saddle was even brought into her sight, let alone put on her back. She had absolutely no objection to a rider with no saddle. Although we had progressed to a level of acceptance, where we could ride her, she remained so frightened and unpredictable, I decided to sell her as a brood mare.

Having seen such fabulous reactions from my other horses, I just HAD to try Annie in the Ansur before she retired to stud. She had not been ridden for 4/5 months, fresh from the field and she went like a dream the very first time she was ridden in the Ansur. I stood in the middle of my arena, watching my daughter ride her and had tears running down my face.... I made an embarrassing phone call to a prospective buyer and kept the horse. She is going from strength to strength.

I have been deeply involved with horses and riding for 50 years. I did not know there was ANYTHING left that could have such a profound affect on my perception of saddles in relation to horse reaction. I bought two saddles for myself at your demo/clinic in Yorkshire. I am also happy to say, the owner of the Ansur, was introduced to the front riser pad by your rep and is now enjoying her saddle too.

Although the saddles were expensive, I cannot thank you enough. A beautiful horse, with a doubtful future is now a valuable asset to our team...that even pacified the husband/supplier of funds!!!

My Friesian and my Solution Saddle. The two most favourite things I have ever owned!

After wanting a Friesian most of my life, I finally bought Joshua and had him imported 7 years ago, when he was 3 yrs old. I had tried other saddles but I really wanted The Solution.

My poor Friesian had to put up with a treed saddle until I could afford one, but 4 years later I finally own one - it's perfect and I love it!

Friesians are difficult to find the perfect saddle for, as they are really carriage horses.

Josh used to fidget when getting on but with The Solution, I've never had any problems with him. I'm in love with my saddle and even though it is very second hand, I know it will still out last him and I can use it on anything. (I've even had it on my little 13.2 and she's fine in it.) Perhaps in another 5 years I could afford a new one!

Friesians are well known for being very difficult to saddle fit, which is why I gave up and bought two of yours! I'm now saving up for one of your new SMART saddles as I very much like the look of it.

The Solution Saddle is so successful with the breed: it has been the best move forward for my Friesian.

The picture is of a friend of mine on him trying out the saddle, and now she wants one for her horse!

“I have never been more amazed in my life! I could feel so much! All his muscle movements under the saddle!

Because he's so big and round the close contact aspect was great. The amount of saddle between you and the horse is reduced making him easier to sit on.

He was immediately softer and more free moving, so obviously happier about being ridden.
Thank you to you all!”

Lewie had serious back issues that we were unaware of, as the previous owner had used a badly fitted synthetic saddle to break him.

We had Issues when being mounted & when asked to walk forward he acted cold backed & was reluctant to move.

With back treatment, correct schooling & The Solution Saddle, Lewie is fighting fit, has competed this season at affiliated level & is always in the rosettes.

Wraheem is ridden at home in my treeless Solution Saddle all the time. He is a good advert for a holistic way of management as he is treeless, barefoot and fed grain free, yet has been produced in show condition and done really well in his first season.

I have 2 Arabs; the other is 22 and has had around 11 treed saddles in his life, most brand new made to measure or template and none being problem free for more than a few months. He now has quite a dropped back and The Solution is the most comfortable for him.

The saddle is very lightweight and I like the overall design – it looks smart and very much like a treed saddle in appearance. I like the straight cut flap of the Freestyle – its great for dressage and has a very secure seat.

Other features I like are the removable knee blocks, the dark havana colour and the smooth, supple, good quality leather.

It is comfortable for me to ride in and I can feel the horse better under me. When I put my treed saddle back on, I felt that the horse could not bend as well and I felt further away from him. I can use it on many horses and save money on re-flocking and adjusting a treed saddle. I like its versatility and flexibility.

I would recommend it for any horse, but especially one that is difficult to fit with a conventional saddle or has had a back problem.”

She used to be very tense, short striding and almost uncontrollable in canter and whilst jumping.

It wasn't until I had a test ride in a Solution Saddle that the true extent of her back problems came to light.
I had her checked by a different osteopath who discovered that she had injuries consistent with having fallen over on a treed saddle.

It was about 2 months before I began riding her again and I immediately saw a change and the treeless Solution Saddle has obviously helped no end, having no rigid parts.

At home we are now working at elementary level and doing county level showing. These are both things that I would never of dreamed of doing previously, as it was a regular occurrence not to even get into the showing ring after a rearing fit!!

Whilst she is still very sharp whilst jumping, I don't end up on the floor quite so often…we got there in the end!!