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Veteran
Posts: 102
| I have a 4 year old who is narrow, no withers. Had a saddle fitter tell me he needs a flex tree and that no treed saddle would work for him. I tried a Marlene reinsman on him and hated the way the stirrups aren't hung forward. Killed my back. She suggested a just b natural but I'm not too crazy about treeless. Are there any flex trees with forward hung stirrups or any treed saddle that actually would work? He's built downhill. So would need something with good spine relief |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
 
| Many colts are built this way. Try an older saddle with Semi-QH bars and a narrower gullet (real gullet, not someone's goofy measurement way out in front). Like a 6.25 or 6.5 gullet.
Flex-trees IMO, are a joke.
A treeless might be the way to go, but be selective on which one. A JBN rides SO similar to the treed saddle, but way more comfortable. My JBN does fit my 2yo just fine. |
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Veteran
Posts: 102
| Thank you SO much! The JBN was comfy I just wasn't 100% sold on the treele idea. And I haven't ever liked any of the flex trees for me. |
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 I'm Really Boring
Posts: 4505
 
| I don't buy the whole "flex tree" thing. IMO, they don't flex enough to make a difference. Just another marketing buzzword.
As someone else said, try something with semi QH bars. Some of the Shiloh saddles are narrower.
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | I love my Circle Y Lisa Lockhart Flex2 saddle. However, if you have one that is more narrow, the Flex2 probably wouldn't fit. It is designed more for a traditional quarter horse beefy type, even the regular size. And I guess I wouldn't all that one a "true" flex tree because it's not. Honestly, I can't tell any difference with it than a normal treed saddle. Feels the same to me.
But a downhill narrow 4-year-old sounds pretty typical to me! I wouldn't plan on spending too much money on a saddle b/c chances are he's going to grow and fill out! I'd try as many semi-quarter horse bar saddles that you can get your hands on. Ask friends or go to a tack shop if you have one near you.
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| If you think based on bloodlines he’s going to do a lot of growing and shape shifting I’d consider a treeless and a CSI pad to go with it (all my friends who ride treeless have gone to using CSI’s with them and swear by them). Let him grow up and fill out and try again. I’m afraid if you go treed and he starts to grow up you’ll be saddle shopping a LOT. |
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Calling all saddle gurus!