Posted 2009-10-30 8:08 AM (#112606) Subject: Modified Association Tree or others?
Veteran
Posts: 243 Location: Maine
Leave it to me to get yet another hard to fit horse.
I brought my horse to the chiropractor yesterday because I noticed asymmetry in her shoulders and I was very sure my current saddle was causing her pain. Now my current saddle is one of several saddles I've tried...after a trying an off-the-rack saddle built on the regular off-the-rack tree; a couple of Billy Cook saddles (non custom) then a used black rhino with #2 bars as suggested by a clinician familiar with those saddles, and finally a used Dan Daude-built gaited horse saddle, figuring the flared gullet would help over her bulldog shoulders and mutton withers.... nope - None of the above....
So, the chiropractor stated the horse was in good shape chiropractic-ly speaking - no amount of adjusting was going to fix this asymmetry - it's just the horse's confirmation. (My hoof trimmer is aware of the situation and claims the hoof angles and heels are symmetrical.) There's a possibility that one leg is minutely shorter than the other.
We tried on a bunch of saddles and found that an old ranch saddle built on a modified Association tree fit her pretty well, and after adding a medium-thickness pad, we were pretty ok. Of course, the chiropractor's husband was not interested in selling his saddle to me (it was too big in the seat anyway).
So, I hop on the internet, bound and determined to find a nice, used ranch saddle with a modified association tree.... hmmm - few and far between and almost all are too big for me (I need a 15" seat with a 4-5 inch cantle) - The new ones, as are all new custom built saddles, are simply out of my price range at this point - but something I will eventually get when funds allow...
To get to my question: Are there other trees out there that I could consider, similar to the Modified Association Tree? I saw a picture of a Bowman and thought that might go well on a wide-shouldered, mutton withered horse....
I live in Maine and there are very few, if any, saddle shops in the state that have decent-made ranch saddles. They are mostly production saddles made on the same type of tree: Simco, Billy Cook, Reinsman - all the same trees that DO NOT fit this mare.
Oh, any one interested in a well-made Dan Daude saddle?
Posted 2009-10-30 8:38 AM (#112608 - in reply to #112606) Subject: RE: Modified Association Tree or others?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 792 Location: East Tennessee, USA, Planet Earth
Originally written by barstow on 2009-10-30 8:08 AM
asymmetry in her shoulders and I was very sure my current saddle was causing her pain
My Ice Pony Huginn also has this problem and on top of that, we discovered that one of his shoulders had been broken at one time. Most likley when he was in Iceland.
I had a very hard time saddle fitting him. Took me over one year to find a saddle for him. I worked with a saddle fitter, a few vets and finally got a Reactor Panel Endurance saddle for him. The RP saddle is a flex panel saddle that sits over the back of the scapula, this allows his huge shoulders to move/slide under the saddle panel. Works great!
Posted 2009-10-30 1:01 PM (#112618 - in reply to #112606) Subject: RE: Modified Association Tree or others?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 368 Location: Georgia
I know I sound like a broken record, but I LOVE my Bob Marshall Original Treeless saddle. Some people love em, some people don't. As for me and my horse, it was an answer to many many attempts to find a conventional saddle to fit him. He is comfortable and moves out better than he ever has before. I am an avid trail rider and can ride anywhere between 2 to 6+ hours on a ride. I was using an equine chiropractor for my other horse and that Dr. even rode his old sway back horse in a Bob Marshall. As far as I know, the only type of horse that it for sure does not fit well is a wide flat backed horse. The downside for the treeless is that you can only ride in it, it is not made for dallying to the horn AT ALL. So if you dally at all, the Bob Marshall would not work for you. I was lucky enough to be able to try my cousin's Bob Marshall saddle on my horse. Prior to getting my Bob Marshall, I had taken my horse to a nearby western store and we tried between 20 to 25 saddles on him and only ONE fit. Even though it was not what I wanted for myself, I ordered it because it fit him. It was a Tucker Gen II Cheyenne Frontier with a flex tree. (I have it for sale if anyone is interested.) It worked for him, but after riding in it for a while I decided there had to be a saddle that was comfortable for us both. Borrowed my cousin's Bob Marshall and that was it, my saddle fit problems were solved for both me and my horse. I hope you find something that works for you and your horse.
Posted 2009-10-31 4:48 PM (#112655 - in reply to #112606) Subject: RE: Modified Association Tree or others?
Veteran
Posts: 112 Location: ohio
Barstow, try a Brenda Imus 4beat saddle sold at National Bridle Shop. They will help you fit one to your horse and you won't believe the comfort for you and your horse. No one else builds a saddle like the 4Beat. Go to infor@gaitsofgold.net for more information.
Posted 2009-11-02 10:15 PM (#112743 - in reply to #112606) Subject: RE: Modified Association Tree or others?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 378 Location: Nebraska
The gullet width and height along with bar angle should be your only concern. The swell type as nothing to do with fit just comfort for the rider. Most trees have a gullet width of 6.5 in and a height of 8 in for semi quarterhorse tree and 7 in width and 8 in height for full quarterhorse tree. The swell width for a Mod Assoc tree is 13 to 13.5 in, a Bowman is 12 to 12.5 in and a wade is 10 in. Try seating your pad befor you cinch up.
Posted 2009-11-03 4:45 AM (#112750 - in reply to #112606) Subject: RE: Modified Association Tree or others?
Veteran
Posts: 243 Location: Maine
Thanks Conley -- If I am reading your response right, the only thing that makes this Modified Association tree "modified" is the swell height?What do you mean by "seating" the pad. I do hike it up in the front so it comes up, off the withers, filling the gullet (this is hard to explain).Another friend has a Bob Marshall treeless. I may try that. I am really not a fan of treeless saddles, but I did try hers a long time ago and did find it quiet comfortable. She still loves hers after many years of riding in it.I will also check out these other ones that people have mentioned here. Thanks to all!
Modified Association Tree or others?
