Tag Archives: Sensation Hybrid

SENSATION SADDLE TRIAL!

I tried the Sensation Hybrid saddle today!

Gosh, having a brand new saddle to try really made me nervous. I felt like I had an egg in my arms all day!

To be fair, the rep at Ride Treeless, told me NOT TO . This was a demo and demos get used!

But, I knew it was brand new and didn’t want to be the person who messed it up…

SADDLING MY MARE

I put it on Gwen. She is an average sized Morgan mare, now 17 (how time flies!), with a normal back. She doesn’t have a high wither or a particularly wide barrel. Most saddles usually fit her fairly well.

(Yes, I know she needs a good grooming. She has been out all winter and this was the first time I brought her in…)

Anyway, the saddle fit nicely on her back. No issues. It slid right into the sweet spot. Gwen didn’t flinch or make any faces.

A good start.

I reached into my tack room and found a nice, smaller dressage girth.

It fit and worked easily.

Gwen was fitted and saddled in a nano-second.

She was calm and fine.

Yay. This was going well!

It slid right into her sweet spot. No saddle issues at all.

It took no time at all to fit her. She was happy. (I cropped her mane and face out of this photo because I grabbed her out of winter pasture for the first time today – she needs an overhaul…)

RIDING IN THE SADDLE.

I mounted using my mounting block.

Yes, the saddle was very cushy. Immediately I was comfortable.

Appearance and Feel: This saddle felt lux.

You know how sometime a saddle has leather that is rough, heavy or non-pliable? Well, this saddle had none of that. Everything was soft and comfortable.

The stitching looked firm. All the edges matched. It was put together well. I felt confident with the construction.

Here you can almost feel the soft cushions. I chose to use the pommel and cantle bolsters. It felt very secure and comfy – instantly. The saddle was well put together. The stitching was well done.

Seat Bolsters: I had added seat bolsters to the pommel and cantle which I liked very, very much. I felt as if I was in a very soft bucket seat. Very secure. Nice.

Here I have my hand on the pommel bolster. It was nice. I felt very secure.

Padding: There is padding in the seat and double padding under the saddle – next to the horse.

If this was my saddle, I think I would add sheepskin to the seat to protect it and to add just a bit more separation between me and the horse’s spine. I felt fine during my 2 hours in this saddle… but if I was to ride all day, I think I’d like more padding.

Or, I’d get more padding inserted into the underside of the saddle (this model had two layers) because I think it might not be as comfortable after several hours in the saddle. Not sure.

To be fair, I am a bit of a ‘princess and the pea’ kind of a rider. I have a bony butt and I always wonder if that bothers them… I know it bothers me. I like lots of padding.

Close contact: looooooooved the close contact. Gwen was very, very responsive. She could feel my every move. The ride was smooth, happy and trigger easy. She was perfect.

Very nice. Excellent.

Here is a photo of the rear bolster. The seat can be removed and you can add bolsters. Additional padding can be put on the underside of the saddle or ordered for the seat – if desired.

Stirrups: I was given a new design of stirrup. It attaches right by your calf and hangs there. I liked that the stirrups didn’t have huge play. I could move my feet up and back but not all over. And standing was easy.

However, I did need to drop them a few times when Gwen came too close to the fence or a barrel (and I wasn’t paying attention). So, I think on a trailride, if you are the kind who likes free legs, this type of stirrup might not work.

Also, I had a tough time picking them up – maybe because I had to have them on the shortest rung which put my searching foot at a disadvantage. Again, I’m short. I generally have issues with stirrups… I think this new style of stirrup is very popular with endurance riders.

So for me, I might choose a different type of stirrup attachment or a different actual stirrup than the Easy Riders.

There are several different styles of stirrup attachments on the website…

This new stirrup hanging design was nice because my foot was secure. I could stand easily. However, I had to have the stirrups on the first rung and I had trouble finding them with my foot.

Echogold Saddlepad: It came with this new type of saddle pad that offers spine clearance and spine venting, velcro to attach the saddle to the pad and tackytack underside.

It was very robust with a nice shape. However, the velcro made me crazy. It was so strong that I couldn’t move the saddle without moving the pad. Or, vice versa. They were stuck together. And it was a chore to separate them and make nuanced changes.

For me, I would not purchase one of these pads with the insane amount of velcro option. I’d go with the regular type of pad with maybe one velcro per side. Something less pervasive would be better – for me.

Riding: My horse liked it. I liked it. I felt very secure and very comfortable. My feet were in the correct position. I didn’t feel like I was pitched forward or back. I could stand in the stirrups easily. My back didn’t hurt. My knees didn’t hurt.

All good.

Handling: I could carry it with one hand – the pad and the saddle. It weighed less than my purse!

The saddle comes with a handle and you can carry it right off your horse and into your trailer with no effort at all. Very light. Lovely!

I’m carrying the saddle and velcro’d pad with just a few fingers. I’m taking the photo with my other hand. The weight is DREAMY!!!! The lightest saddle I have ever felt. It weighs less than my purse.

Mounting: This was the only issue I had… I could not mount from the ground. Of course, thousands of people use Sensation saddles. So, it must be me. But I could not figure out a way to mount without having the saddle slip.

Or maybe my horse is more round than I think…

However, to be fair, so many people ride (especially endurance riders who mount and dismount often) these saddles and love them – the mounting issue has to be me.

There are movies on the website that show how to do just about everything – including mounting. But for me, I think I’m a bit short because I really tried.

Or maybe I’m just not coordinated. But whatever it is, I had to use the mounting block.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I think anyone 200lbs or lighter, should demo this saddle. My horse was happy (no soreness) and I know it felt good for the rider – me. I was very comfortable and the ride was wonderful because she was sooooo responsive. Dreamy.

If you do demo this saddle, please tell me how it goes.

Thousands of riders who ride the Sensation say they would never, ever use any other saddle…

True story.

Thousands of riders loooove the Sensation. You should demo it and see for yourself! Please let me know if you do!

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DEMO SADDLE EXTRAVAGANZA, Part 2 — Treeless Saddles!

In my previous post (2/21/10) I spoke of my Treed Demo Saddle Extravaganza. Today, I’d like to chat about my Treeless Adventure!

For me, I prefer treeless if it works for the horse. I say that because in my experience, I have had sore backs with treed saddles but not with treeless. Now, I’m not trying to convert anyone… so please no worries or ruffled feathers. I’m just reporting what I found in my demo process. So, here we go!

First of all, I am short (5’4″) with an even shorter leg. I don’t weigh that much (113lbs) but I do have a large thighs. (All that speedskating… ;) ) For me, I tend to prefer a very lightweight saddle that is easy to rig, stirrups are forward, sturdy enough for me to mount from the ground, I can stand in the stirrups when I need to and it has to have a spine channel and adequate padding for the horse. I also like close contact so I don’t like much fluff under my leg — like long/thick flaps. My biggest question is regarding weight distribution. Most people argue that a treeless saddle will sore the horse because the rider weight is centered in one spot on the back (I wonder what the Indians did… ). But, you know, I had this very wise Cavalry Expert and he said to me, “The Indians never wore saddles and they were always ahead of the Cavalry…” So, hmmmmm….

Anyway, let’s start with the list of Demos – and there are many more out there. I just ran out of steam…

Sensation Hybrid
Sensation Harmony Element
Freeform Enduro X
FreeWest
Kuda Endurance
Startrekk Comfort
Startrekk Western
Startrekk Espaniola
Barefoot Cheyenne
Barefoot Atlanta
Black Forest
Ansur
Cashel Soft Saddle
Torsion
EZ Fit
El Companero

Here are my top 5.

1) SENSATION HYBRID:

Pros: I liked this saddle because it is built well, uses quality leather and addresses most of my issues. Truly, these saddles are very carefully designed, easy on the eye and you can pick just about any color over several styles. One of the models is sure to fit most any horse, even gaited shoulders. And, it is easy to adjust, is very lightweight (7 lbs) and easy to clean. I preferred the Hybrid because it suits my needs as a trail rider. However, I think all the styles have the same quality and attention to detail for you and your horse. And, you can speak to the manufacturer to request what you’d like in your particular saddle. They have a great demo program going with several of their US reps. I strongly suggest demoing several styles until one is juuuust riiiiight.

Cons: For me and my shorter leg, I found the stirrups, in any position, were not quite right. I know that the manufacturer is looking into this for the shorter legged rider. So, they will probably fix this in time. In the meantime, I have cut off their stirrups and added one from the Freeform that works well. You will need a very good pad (an investment) underneath this saddle – as with most treeless saddles. And, for me, I wish this saddle had a version with waaay shorter flaps. I hear that is in the works, too. The biggest drawback for me is if you have a higher withered horse, the Sensation may not work for you. Make sure to demo it.

2) FREEFORM (ENDURO X AND FREEWEST)

Pros: I like this Italian made saddle because it has structure and it feels like a treed saddle. (Some people don’t like that about the Freeform.) It is very adjustable as the seat and stirrups are all velcro’d on so you can put them where you like them. The Freeform saddles allow me to mount from the ground and have no bulk under the leg for good contact. And, it does not get in the way of a gaited or high stepping shoulder. They have a few different seat styles/sizes and stirrup leather styles so you can mix and match. I like the short flaps on these styles but they do have dressage models and endurance/trail models with longer flaps. I can see how the weight distribution would work with this saddle.

Cons: Because these saddles feel more formed, you do need to have a pad that is adjustable if your horse is uphill, downhill or whatever. The seat isn’t cushy but I just added a sheepskin. The manufacturer is in Europe but there are several reps here that are very knowledgeable.

3) EZ FIT SADDLE

Pro: I might call this my favorite saddle if I had more rides in it. I just got my demo and love the volumes of adjustments available. Literally, you get the parts and you can move them all around. The girth strap and stirrups are velcro’d on so you can move them anywhere. You can remove the fenders if you want less bulk. The pommel is very stout (it is fixed) so you feel secure. The cantle is also movable so you can adjust the seat after holiday meals….and there are two sizes of cantle should you want a 5″ or a 3″. You can have several choices of fenders or stirrup leathers as well as stirrups. It comes in a multitude of colors, English or Western rigging and has several D-rings for trail riders. The foam against the horse is durable and won’t compress to nothingness. I also love the tacky tack underside. It stays where you put it. And, because it has such nice padding, and a nice spinal channel, you don’t have to have a really thick additional pad. So, that feels more close contact for me. I also like that it feels substantial, had a wide weight distribution yet is treeless. I like that you can speak to the saddle maker directly. He modified my saddle to my specifications and is a really nice guy. He uses all Amish leather and has put years of thought into his saddle configurations.

Cons: The velcro is really, really strong. So, adjusting the stirrup placement and girth can be a 2-person job. Since the seat is virtually a “skin flap”, it is difficult to get it as smooth as they do at the factory without practice. Also, I use a sheepskin seat cover to make it more cushy. Probably the biggest con is that this saddle looks different than most saddles. I don’t care but some might…

4) STARTREKK COMFORT

Pros: I like many attributes of this saddle. The pommel is adjustable in that you have a choice of three different sizes to fit almost any wither and shoulder. The rigging is easy. The leather is nice! I think the construction is very good. It feels like a treed saddle. The spine channel is open and available. It also comes in a “shorty” size for shorter backed horses. And, it really does give huge wither clearance, which is rare in a treeless saddle. You can also grab onto the pommel and many people like that security in a treeless. There are several styles of Startrekk which are very different from each other so one will most likely fit you and your horse. There is a great demo program, just go to this website.

Cons: Changing out the pommels can be time consuming. But, not that bad. The leather isn’t soft and cushy but the seat is very comfortable. You cannot speak to the manufacturer directly however the rep is very sweet and goes out of her way to accommodate.

5) EL COMPANERO BAREBACK PAD

Pros: The is the best bareback pad I have ever used! It isn’t a saddle, it is a pad. However the El Companero is made of excellent suede that keeps your hiney glued right in place. It has a ohjeez handle and lots of tie straps. The girthing is easy and it stays put. If your horse has a fairly comfortably shaped back, this pad is wonderful to ride and FEEL everything. I love, love, love mine.

Cons: The material has a huge footprint. It is like a blanket instead of a pad. I cut mine back to a reasonable area. Also, Bareback pads are not for everyone. They challenge your balance and take time to provide confidence. But, this is the best one I’ve ever used. If you like the close contact feel and love the bareback experience, this is the pad for you!

HONRABLE MENTION

Kuda Saddle: I tested a Kuda and really liked it. It is strong and supportive, has great weight distribution and is comfortable and secure. However, when I went to the website, it had totally changed. I wondered if the saddle company has been sold? Anyway, they now call it a Leather-Flex Tree. There is no tree but it has thick leather as a base. It sounds like it would be hard and nasty but it isn’t. I quite liked it, actually. Since this is made for Pasos and horses with a high step, it really gives shoulder space. And, it is a great trail saddle. The Con was that it didn’t fit my wider withered horses. But, if you have a Paso or an Arab, this might be the perfect trail saddle for you. When I ordered mine, I got to speak to the importer himself. That was nice. He offered to make any changes I wanted.

So there you have it! Please ask any questions! Do you have any treeless saddles that you love?