Posted 2008-10-08 5:19 AM (#92746) Subject: Bob Marshall Saddles
Elite Veteran
Posts: 662 Location: Vanzant, Missouri
Who rides in one? I just bought one used and my question is...Do you have to have the skito pads with these saddles or can you use traditional saddle pads and/or blanket type? I would hate to spend alot of money on a pad.
Posted 2008-10-08 7:12 AM (#92748 - in reply to #92746) Subject: RE: Bob Marshall Saddles
Elite Veteran
Posts: 648 Location: Coconut Creek, FL
Spend the money and get the skito pads with the ultracel inserts. Remember this is a treeless saddle and your horse needs the extra support they provide. I first bought my BM back in Sept '96 and it's held up well and has never sored a horse. I've ridden it on at least 25 different horses and the only one it didn't fit real well was a very overweight TW.
Yes, the pads are pricey, but well worth the money. I still have and use the original pad I bought back in '96 (remove the inserts when you wash it) though I have bought more pads and inserts through the years. email tom@skito.net
Posted 2008-10-08 7:41 PM (#92793 - in reply to #92746) Subject: RE: Bob Marshall Saddles
Veteran
Posts: 140 Location: Ft. Lawn, South Carolina
Second that, Dunoir! I have a BM also and use the Skito pad. After some time in your saddle, the pad will conform nicely . I had a little trouble with it slipping at first (but it IS treeless ) however; not so bad now. I probably take a hair longer to get up due to a knee replacement thingy , but it's much better about not slipping. I have a hard-to-fit gelding that prompted me to check out the BM. A friend rides in one and I "test drove" my horse for a weekend in her saddle....bought one the next week! You'll like it...my horse does too!! Keep us informed .
Posted 2008-10-09 5:07 AM (#92810 - in reply to #92746) Subject: RE: Bob Marshall Saddles
Elite Veteran
Posts: 662 Location: Vanzant, Missouri
Thanks for the info. Looks like I will be getting a skito. Another question the BM that I bought is a 16.5 trail saddle. So is there a particular type pad to get? I'm totally dumb about tree less.....TIA
Posted 2008-10-09 6:37 AM (#92813 - in reply to #92746) Subject: RE: Bob Marshall Saddles
Veteran
Posts: 270 Location: Roanoke IL
Maybe my skito is defective. I really don't like it. Once it gets warm, it's very smooshy, and I feel like my butt bones are probably still poking my horse. When the pad is cold, the foam inserts feel somewhat firm, which is good. Then, after a ride, it's as limp as a wet rag with little to no cushioning qualities. Whatever pad you choose needs to have spinal clearance. There are others aside from skito, such as Haf, mattes, and I believe tolkat that make pads designed for treeless saddles. There are some available on ebay for much less than a skito. As far as ride, I noticed no difference between a skito and a regular pad. I've used a normal pad for short rides, but I only weigh 110lbs and ride a draft horse with no visible spine. Actually, I think her spine is inverted some...but my bob marshall never slips. Use a neoprene roper style girth and you'll be set.
Posted 2008-10-09 6:42 AM (#92814 - in reply to #92746) Subject: RE: Bob Marshall Saddles
Member
Posts: 8
Location: Palestine, TX
I've got a question for those of you with a treeless saddle. Without the "tree" to distribute your weight evenly on the horse's back, what stops all the pressure from your weight being just where you sit. Like I've heard that it's really worse to ride long distances bareback because of this. Is this what that saddle pad helps?
Posted 2008-10-09 7:13 AM (#92816 - in reply to #92746) Subject: RE: Bob Marshall Saddles
Elite Veteran
Posts: 648 Location: Coconut Creek, FL
The inserts come in "firm" and I've never had the problem you mentioned with the pad squishing down to nothing.
There are many styles of treeless saddles and you need to specify which one you have. I have one of the original ones, so the billets come down quite aways and 99% of other pads aren't designed with the extra piece, so I am glad to have the skito pad. I do have one made by Toklat as well.
I have ridden in this saddle on a week long ride at Buffalo River (TN) and all over Fla - yes no hills but some fairly long rides 5-7 hours and have my horses have never had sore backs.
I used to have a very wide mutton withered muscular QH gelding that was pretty impossible to find a saddle that fit him. I even trailered him to a saddle shop and tried on 35 saddles to try and fit him properly. The BM fit him wonderfully (no white hairs, no soreness, no dry spots). They are very useful saddles and comfortable. Some people say it feels like you're riding bareback, but since I rode bareback as a kid, I like the feel of them. Treed western saddles feel very bulky to me and I really dislike a horn.
There will be people that will bad mouth every saddle out there - so I say if it fits your horse and you, then use it. If not, try something else.
Posted 2008-10-13 6:17 AM (#92962 - in reply to #92746) Subject: RE: Bob Marshall Saddles
Veteran
Posts: 270 Location: Roanoke IL
I've done a lot of riding this year and I have noticed a patch of white hairs on my horse's back where most of my weight sits. I only weigh 110, and ride properly. I'm getting rid of my bob marshall for a sensation saddle that has some better spinal clearance. Many of the newer treeless saddles are incorporating more of a panel system that frees up the spine area and distributes the weight better.
Posted 2008-10-13 8:30 AM (#92965 - in reply to #92746) Subject: RE: Bob Marshall Saddles
Veteran
Posts: 141 Location: Helena, Ohio
The Barefoot Treeless Saddles have a spinal channel also. I ride in a Barefoot Tahoe. It is a mix between an english and an endurance saddle. No horn with a deep seat. Take a look at them. They are more reasonably priced but extremely well made.
Posted 2008-10-21 5:51 AM (#93325 - in reply to #92746) Subject: RE: Bob Marshall Saddles
Elite Veteran
Posts: 662 Location: Vanzant, Missouri
Well I got my BM and I'm alittle disappointed that the cinch tie ring isn't very big. I can't tie it off like I do my western saddles. Any suggestions?
Posted 2008-10-21 7:41 AM (#93328 - in reply to #92746) Subject: RE: Bob Marshall Saddles
Elite Veteran
Posts: 681 Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
I had trouble fitting my rocky mare as well..She has very low mutton withers. I ended up buying a Bates Caprilli all purpose english saddle on ebay.. Bates has adjustable gullets like the wintec, just in good quality leather..I am able to tailor the gullet size to my mare fat or thin (like she ever is!), muscular or not.. I can also change the gullet size to fit my daughter's pony any other horse. The Caprilli has a very deep seat and adjustable knee blocks for your comfort, as well as what they call "cair panels" in place of flocking in the panels on the underside to prevent any pressure points.. Cair panels are tubes of air on either side of the saddle, again, where the traditional wool flocking would be,, The air is of course flowable and prevents any pressure points by dispersing the weight evenly along the spine. I trail ride only, and it has been very comfortable for both of us.. It is light. About the same, I guess as your average english saddle. There are saddle packs available from longriders.com, sportack.com or other endurance websites.. that provide more than adequate saddle bag room.. I've seen them on ebay as well.. I think even country supply may have them, I don't remember for sure..I use my saddle when we go camping (riding out from a home base) and can carry more than enough water, snacks, or other sundries. For those of you who are not leather purists like me, there is a wintec sinthetic australian saddle out there now with an adjustable tree.. It is enough like western to satisfy those who prefer a horn.
Posted 2008-10-24 5:32 AM (#93521 - in reply to #92746) Subject: RE: Bob Marshall Saddles
Elite Veteran
Posts: 662 Location: Vanzant, Missouri
Well I'm dissapointed. The BM I got doesn't fit me. Guess I should have done my homework. It's a 16.5 and the lady I got it from said it was equal to a 16 in in a western. So like a dummy i believed her.. I didn't know that you had to measure your thigh etc for sizing. So now I have a a saddle I can't ride in. So anyone want to buy a BM? I think now I will just stick with my Eli Miller.. I had also bought a skito pad and they sent the wrong one. Maybe this is an omen..
Posted 2008-10-25 2:42 PM (#93622 - in reply to #92746) Subject: RE: Bob Marshall Saddles
Regular
Posts: 81
BM saddles run one size smaller than a treed saddle. So since you bought a 16.5" BM it fits like a 15.5" Treed saddle. So if you need a 16" saddle you would have to buy a 17" BM saddle. Sorry that it doesn't fit you. But you shouldn't have any trouble selling it. They sell really well. Try ebay or even just Tacktrader.com.
Posted 2008-10-26 7:40 AM (#93647 - in reply to #92746) Subject: RE: Bob Marshall Saddles
Elite Veteran
Posts: 662 Location: Vanzant, Missouri
Thanks for the info..I have a friend that rides with me and a total begginer. She is riding my paint mare and she started out with a CY, and then a synthetic. And she felt the difference between the 2. I put her in the BM and she was ohh and awwing over how it felt and that she feels every movement of the horse. So I told her to buy it....She's thinking about it...But I did put it out on tack trader.. And the skito pad I got was wrong they sent a round instead of square. So now waiting on that..This hasn't been my month...
Posted 2008-10-29 7:32 PM (#93902 - in reply to #92746) Subject: RE: Bob Marshall Saddles
Elite Veteran
Posts: 644 Location: Odenville, Alabama
I love my Bob Marshall. My Arab is round and mutten withered. I too, have had a hell of a time finding a saddle to fit him. I bought a new Bob Marshall Endurance and I really like it. I also have a skito pad, but I still find myself using a good Toklat sheepskin over felt endurance pad I bought years ago. I still have some problems with the saddle slipping when mounting. I believe this is because this horse is so round. I have to use a 28" girth on a horse who wears a 33" western girth. I don't believe these saddles are for everyone though. You need to be a pretty balanced rider. I think if your horse took to bucking with a Bob Marshall saddle, you might come off since you don't have the stability of the tree for support.
Posted 2008-11-02 11:12 PM (#94114 - in reply to #92746) Subject: RE: Bob Marshall Saddles
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385 Location: washington
I ride in a Sensation Hybrid treeless saddle and use the Skito Dryback pad with extra firm foam and a felt liner inside the pockets for the foam inserts. I ride endurance and need the extra support for my horse. He's an Arab, 14.3; I weigh about 165... 185 with all my tack so I need to make sure his back is okay. I usually ride 30-50 miles but rode 62 miles last weekend, in 12 hours. He finished with all "A's" including his back. I used the firm foam insert but switched to the extra firm due to some back soreness in the beginning. My horse was accustomed to trying to avoid the previous saddle and so hollowed his back while riding. I finally got him to bring his back up under the new treeless and he has been okay ever since. I think it does take them a little time to transition to the treeless. The Skito pad has been great. I use a mohair dressage style girth and tighten the saddle as tight as I can get it. It will squash down a bit when you are mounted up. I always check the girth before getting back on, if I get off to retrieve something or walk alongside for a while. I don't like to ride with a tight girth but it has to be tight enough to get on! After 25 miles, it's going to be too loose to get back on unless you snug it up. Lots of fellow riders ride the the BM saddles. I have not noticed what pads they are using though.
Posted 2008-11-03 7:07 PM (#94176 - in reply to #92746) Subject: RE: Bob Marshall Saddles
Elite Veteran
Posts: 662 Location: Vanzant, Missouri
Well My friend bought the BM. She loves it and it fits my fat pony mare well. Finally got my correct skito pad and it's nice.But I hated throwing that nice clean fleece on my dirty horse. I usually use a wool pad and blanket..But I used it with my Eli Miller and it seemed ok..I'll probably end up selling it to my friend to go along with her BM So I have decided that I'm getting another Eli Miller saddle. But I'm torn between the Old Timer and the Trail saddle.. I have a friend that has an Old Timer so I'm going to see if I can borrow it for a trail ride this weekend. I do love the look of the western type saddle and I know how comfy my Buena Vista is..
Bob Marshall Saddles
I'm totally dumb about tree less.....TIA
The BM I got doesn't fit me. Guess I should have done my homework. It's a 16.5 and the lady I got it from said it was equal to a 16 in in a western. So like a dummy i believed her.. I didn't know that you had to measure your thigh etc for sizing. So now I have a a saddle I can't ride in. So anyone want to buy a BM? I think now I will just stick with my Eli Miller.. I had also bought a skito pad and they sent the wrong one. Maybe this is an omen..
She's thinking about it...
This hasn't been my month... 
Well My friend bought the BM. She loves it and it fits my fat pony mare well. Finally got my correct skito pad and it's nice.But I hated throwing that nice clean fleece on my dirty horse.