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Veteran
Posts: 171
 
| What are the advantages and disadvantages of a flex tree compared to a solid tree?
I am considering purchasing a saddle that has a flex tree, but my concern is it will sore up a horse.
Thoughts |
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 Expert
Posts: 4625
 
Location: Desert Land | Solid tree for me! I do NOT want my saddle bending and flexing on my horses back while I'm riding it. I'm not knocking anyone who uses them, but they are certainly not something I would ever use. |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | I would be interested to hear more opinions on this as well, since I am considering a FlexTree for my horse. |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | I had asked a chiropractor about it once... he did not care for them, as se said he thought the trees would "sag" and "stretch" when they became older and not hold tension after a while... thereby causing soreness
ie, the trees become wider over time/don't hold their shape
I have no idea if this is true, but it does make sense. I like the treeless saddles though. He had said he did not like the english ones, but didn't know much about the western models. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1552
Location: PA | I have always rode in flex tree's.... I absolutely love them! |
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 Veteran
Posts: 160
Location: Outside of Larryville, KS | i switched from a solid tree to a flex tree and it made a huge difference for my horse! The fit was so much better, and it is so light! I have had mine for about a year and a half. |
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 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | I'm not a fan but you do what you have to do and right now I have a Jackie Jatzula as nothing else fits and the wide Jackie does.
I think using a real good pad underneath them is a key to success with them. JMO
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| I had a debra sibley and it rode really well and it fit my horse great, the quality okay. But having a little give especially since all horses bodies are not the same, seems to me it would fit a lot more horses. I think in a few years they will figure a way to put more give in a solid through like carbon fiber and mare the saddles lighter. I think carbon fiber will be our friend. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| The flex trees have a solid base so they cannot sag, a flex tree gives a little more freedom in the shoulders.
If you take your horses leg pull it forward then all the way back, look at the difference in the width of muscle In that shoulder, the flex tree gives or moves out of the way of the muscle when the horses leg is back, where as a regular tree cinched down does not move or flex which if the saddle is ill fitting any way is not forgiving. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 989
| I have a flex tree and my horse runs much better and likes it... except I need one with a pommel a bit wider. They do have fixed pommels and cantels, so the angles have to fit there. As well.. the 'flex' bars have to be the correct angle for the horse to be comfortable. You just dont have to worry so much about the rock or flatness of the bars because they flex. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| Puddy - 2014-01-09 7:49 PM
I have a flex tree and my horse runs much better and likes it... except I need one with a pommel a bit wider. They do have fixed pommels and cantels, so the angles have to fit there. As well.. the 'flex' bars have to be the correct angle for the horse to be comfortable. You just dont have to worry so much about the rock or flatness of the bars because they flex.
The biggest flex tree I have seen is the Lisa Lockhart wide fit, the gullet is 8 and angle of bars is 120 |
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 Expert
Posts: 1229
Location: Royal J Performance Horses, AZ | HATE flex trees thats all there is to it. I had one and it was awful lamed up all 3 of my horses it was used on. and NOTHING else was changed on these horses but the saddle... stopped using the saddle had them adjusted as usual gave them a month off and they were back to normal with a regular treed saddle
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