Do you need special stirrup leathers for a treeless saddle?

The short answer is yes.

A traditional treed English saddle has a recessed metal stirrup bar affixed to the tree of the saddle. It is recessed into the tree so when the buckle of the English stirrup leather is right up against the stirrup bar, you won’t feel it under your thigh. It is covered with a small skirt of leather. Sometimes this still results in a bulge over the buckle, but it’s slight, and most people can tolerate the small lump under their thigh.

Treeless saddles do not have a tree, and therefore the stirrup attachment is most often under the seat. If you put your English stirrup leathers under the seat in the traditional way, the buckle will be a lump right under your thigh and you will be very uncomfortable. The solution is to put the buckle of the stirrup leather down by your ankle.

Barefoot English Stirrup Leathers with buckle down by the ankle and stirrup leather keeper.

Basically, you are turning the English stirrup leathers upside down. Under your seat will only be the fold of the leather, and it will lie flat and not bother you. Now that you have the buckle down by your ankle, what do you do with the excess ends of the leathers so they don’t flop around?

To answer this question, the illustration below works better than words. Simply tuck the ends of the leathers back into the buckle and then between the two layers of leather and slide a stirrup keeper over the whole thing to keep everything neat and tidy. Ta-da!

 

Barefoot English Stirrup Leathers are rigged so the buckle is at the ankle and comes complete with the stirrup leather keeper. They are nylon lined so they won’t stretch, and made with soft and pliable leather for comfort.

 

Action Rider Stirrup Leather Keepers

You can use regular English stirrup leathers with a treeless saddle if you put them on as the above illustration shows. You can purchase the Action Rider Stirrup Leather Keeper separately.

 

A traditional western saddle with fenders has the buckle for adjustments down by the ankle. The western or endurance fenders for a treeless saddle has a similar design. It is important for the top of the fender to be thin and pliable enough for it to lay smoothly under the seat of the western treeless saddle. The Barefoot Western Fenders and Barefoot Endurance Fenders are made with a nylon section that goes through the stirrup attachment to allow it to lay as flat as possible under the seat.

In Conclusion

The most important element for success with your English stirrup leathers, western fenders or endurance fenders with a treeless saddle is to eliminate the bulk of the buckles from under your thigh. To do this, the buckles need to be positioned down just above the stirrup, near your ankle. The result will be a smooth transition under your leg and you will be comfortable and in close contact with your horse.

 

 

 

 

Is a Treeless Saddle Right for You?

Barefoot Nevada Treeless Western Saddle

There are so many saddles in this world, where does one begin? Saddle trees were traditionally made of wood, which is why it’s called a tree. Today, treed saddles are made out of various materials. Saddle trees can be made with wood reinforced with spring steel, wood combined with other metals or rawhide, fiberglass, synthetic polyethylene, and even plastic. Treeless saddles are often made with leather, foam, fiberglass, felt and other materials to create panels for spine protection and a stiff pommel for wither protection. The decision to choose a treed or treeless saddle is most often based on what works best for your horse.

Action Rider Tack has been selling a variety of treed and treeless saddles for years, and through our experience with success and failures we have developed certain guidelines to determine whether a treeless saddle might be good for you.

First, let us state clearly that treeless saddles are not for everyone. However, when they do work it can be a great experience.

Here are a few reasons why a treeless saddle might be a good choice for you and your horse:

• You have a low withered, wide horse, or other challenging conformation issues, and every treed saddle you have tried digs into your horse’s shoulder or creates a sore back.
• You have a big moving or gaited horse that is restricted by the tree of a treed saddle.
• You love to ride bareback and the close contact feel, but want more security that a saddle can provide.
• You are a competent rider and feel a treed saddle is too bulky under you.
• You want a lighter weight saddle.
• You have a young horse that is developing and changing shape.
• You want to use a saddle on more than one horse.
• You love the idea of being in closer contact with your horse and are willing to take the time to make the adjustments necessary to get comfortable riding in a treeless saddle.

Here are some reasons why a treeless saddle might not work for you:

• You are a heavy weight rider on a small/medium horse.
• Your horse has prominent withers and an exposed spine. This type of conformation can be difficult to achieve proper wither clearance and spinal clearance on horses with a treeless saddle.
• You require a lot of security in the saddle. A treed saddle with knee rolls, poleys, a pommel and horn are going to provide more security than a treeless saddle. There are treeless saddles with deep seats, knee rolls, and a horn, but compared to a treed saddle with the same design, the treed saddle will most likely feel more secure.
• You cannot rope cattle or dally a horse on the horn of a treeless saddle.
• Mounting from the ground is important to you. Treeless saddles on some horses will slip when you mount from the ground. This is most often a problem on really round horses. (However there are some mounting aids that help with saddle slip)
• You stand in your stirrups a lot or like to jump. A treeless saddle cannot provide the support under the stirrup area that a treed saddle can. This also depends somewhat on your weight.

Is there a weight limit to a treeless saddle? Generally speaking, the weight limit is around 170 lbs, but keep in mind, there are plenty of exceptions. Depending on the size of your horse, it is certainly possible to go over that limit. Riders who weigh above 170 lbs have ridden successfully in treeless saddles, but usually are on bigger, stout horses that can carry their weight with relative ease.

Barefoot Arizona Treeless Saddle

You can also increase that 170 lb weight limit with a proper saddle pad using a combination of open and closed cell foam inserts or other materials. The weight limit is also influenced by the position and skill of the rider, as that effects how the pressure from the rider is influencing the back of the horse.

 

The US Cavalry came up with a useful guideline for how much weight a horse can carry without stress. According to them, the weight of the rider and his tack should equal approximately 20% of the weight of the horse. So, if your horse weighs 1000 lbs, both you and your tack should weigh approximately 200 lbs or less. This is only a guideline and there are exceptions of course, but this 20% figure has been backed up by recent stress testing.

In conclusion, we know that in the world of horses there are no hard and fast rules for fitting a living, breathing animal with an inanimate object on his back. We recognize there is a need for treed and treeless saddles, as the variables and needs of horses and riders are infinite.

Five Things Your Mother Told You to Keep Your Horse Healthy

Habits for keeping yourself healthy can apply to keeping your horse happy and healthy as well. And what your mother told you when you were a kid – brush your teeth, no candy, eat your vegetables, well… uh… it’s true!

Most people acknowledge as fact that if we eat nutritious food, supplement our diets with essential vitamins and minerals, drink plenty of water, and exercise regularly that we can live a healthier and more active life into our golden years. But what about our horses? Surprisingly, it’s pretty much true for them too!

1. BRUSH YOUR TEETH!
We don’t question that brushing our teeth daily will pay off in the long run for our health. Your horse benefits from some dental checkups as well. Even slight irregularities in how his molars meet to chew food can affect his nutrition. So keep up on his checkups to see if he has a sharp edge that needs floating. Keep an eye on his teeth even more vigilantly as he ages to avoid loss of weight and condition.

2. NO SNACKS BEFORE DINNER!
Eating junk food has never made much sense. Feeding your horse poor quality hay or grain doesn’t make sense either. Efforts to obtain quality feed for your horse will result in his long term health and happiness. The horseman’s rule to “feed little and often” applies to humans too.

3. TURN OFF THE TELEVISION!
Sitting in front of the TV or computer, in essence – not moving – is not healthy for humans. The older, spry, active seniors in this country are those who have kept walking, jogging, golfing, riding horses, mucking stalls… you get the picture. It is also essential for your horse to get regular exercise and turnout. Every day. If you don’t ride, or even if you do ride – turn him out. The bones, tendons, ligaments, as well as the digestive and circulatory systems of the horse need to keep in motion.

4. NO SODAS!
Be sure both you and your horse have access to plenty of fresh, clean water to drink to stay hydrated. Horses that stop drinking can colic, especially in hot weather.

5. TAKE YOUR VITAMINS!
Most people find they need to supplement with some vitamins and minerals they may not be getting in their diet. Both horses and humans require sodium for maintaining good health. Salt is the main source of sodium that is essential for nerve and muscle function, regulation of fluids in the body, and more.

LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER!

Yeah… your mother was right. Follow these common sense health habits so you and your horse can grow old and gray as you travel the trail together.

Do Stirrups Make a Difference?

 

Andrew Marlen riding in EZ Ride Stirrups with Cage

The short answer is yes! Stirrups now come in all shapes, sizes, and materials. Personal preferences and style of riding have quite a lot to do with your stirrup of choice. However, safety stirrups are often preferred by trail, endurance, and recreational riders and safety should always be a consideration around horses. The worst train wrecks with horses are never predictable. That’s why a helmet will only provide protection if it’s on your head at all times. Same applies to safety stirrups. Safety stirrups can help to enable you to get clear of the saddle and the horse when needed.

One component of being safe in the saddle is how your foot is placed in the stirrup. You should strive to only have the ball of your foot in the stirrup, no further. This is a safety measure to help your foot come out of the stirrup when necessary. Also the old “heels down” rule is not just for looks. When your weight is in your heel, your foot will slide out of the stirrup easily. It amazes me to see Grand Prix jumper riders ride with what looks like only their toe in the stirrup as they fly over five-foot fences.

If you choose to ride with safety stirrups, there are so many more choices today. It’s like we’ve had a stirrup explosion. But first, let’s not forget the tried and true Peacock Stirrups.

Fillis Peacock Stirrups

One would think that the elastic bands on the outside would come off all the time, but actually, they do not. Generally, a rider doesn’t put their weight on the outside of the stirrup, so your foot rarely touches the outside of the stirrup which is where the elastic bands are. Peacocks are a favorite choice for children in English saddles, yet many ladies also choose this stirrup for peace of mind. It does require an English 1” leather to go with it.

Icelandic Stirrups

Icelandic Stirrups have the top bar of the stirrup at a 90 degree angle to the base of the stirrup. This allows the stirrup to hang perpendicular to the saddle, so you are able to slide your foot into the stirrup easily without fishing for it. It also has an S curve shaping to the sides that allow your foot to come out of the stirrup more easily. They also require an English 1” stirrup leather.

EZ Ride Stirrups with Cage

EZ Stirrups with Cage prevent your foot from sliding through the stirrup, much like western Tapederos stirrups.  Riders have told me that small twigs and leaves can get caught in the cage holes when you are brush busting. However, there are many happy people riding with EZ Ride Stirrups with Cage with no problem, and they are very popular with endurance riders. You can use a western or endurance fender, or 1” or 2” leathers with EZ Ride Stirrups.

Flexible Stirrup Irons

English Flexible Stirrups have a rubber covered hinge that flexes when you put pressure on it with your ankle. It helps to absorb the motion of your horse’s gaits, particularly in the sitting trot. The flexible hinge will release your foot to slide out during a fall. Many people find them more comfortable than a traditional English stirrup iron.

EZ Ride Aluminum Ultimate Stirrups with Cage

Easycare came out with a new EZ Ride Aluminum Ultimate Stirrup with Cage that is a lightweight safety stirrup that prevents your foot from going through the stirrup. It has a nice cushion pad and wide platform for your foot. It can be used with any size fenders or stirrup leathers.

So, when you are considering your choice of stirrups, consider your own comfort. But also keep safety in the forefront of your mind.

The Startrekk Treeless Dressage Saddle

I recently took home the Startrekk Treeless Dressage Saddle to try on my TB cross that I ride on the trail and in the dressage arena. Action Rider Tack has carried the Startrekk Western, the Comfort, and the Endurance models for years, but we just recently stocked several dressage saddles.

Startrekk Treeless Dressage Saddle

First, I have to say, the Startrekk Dressage Saddle by DP Saddlery of Germany is a good looking saddle made with quality leather. It looks like a traditional dressage saddle and sports a deep seat, prominent knee rolls, and traditional wool flocked panels. The panels provide good wither and spine clearance, so you don’t have to pair it with thick saddle pad inserts in your saddle pad. It also has quite a bit of structure and is stiffer, if you will, than other treeless saddles that are a bit squishier. (Squishier is a technical term.)

My Thoroughbred cross has a bit of a wither, but is also fairly wide in the wither and shoulder area. I didn’t take the time to swap out the gullet plate for the wider one that my horse needed, but with an extra half pad underneath, it sat level and rode comfortably.

Startrekk Treeless Dressage Saddle with size 1 seat,  on 15.3 TB/Cross

Treeless saddles feel different. It takes a couple of rides to get used to them. I immediately felt the closer contact, even though I felt I was sitting in a traditional dressage saddle with support. As I let my horse warm up at the walk, and he took his very first step I could feel his back legs moving much more clearly. I could also feel his sides, his breathing, his ribs and his back moving.

After fifteen minutes or so, I began to settle in. I have found through the years that riding on a 15-20 meter circle, continually doing transitions between the walk and a slow sitting trot, is a great way to sink into a saddle and get in tune with your horse’s rhythm. It’s seems like it would be boring, but actually, I find it very relaxing as it makes you stay in the center and sit upright to stay balanced for the downward, then the upward transitions. Repeat. Your horse also relaxes and becomes in tune to your forward aids and your half halts, balancing back into the walk.

The great thing about the Startrekk Treeless Dressage Saddle is it’s adaptability to your horse. If your horse’s weight or muscle tone decreases, or he develops more muscle through the years of training, the saddle will still fit. There are six different gullet plates that bolt into the firm leather in the front under the pommel that you can order if you need them. When you put in a wider gullet plate, the channel under the saddle also slightly widens. The channel, or gullet, is about 3” with the average gullet plate fitted in the saddle.

Wool flocked panels, and 3″ channel

I rode with my normal English leathers with the buckle up under my thigh on the stirrup bar. Some people might prefer Barefoot English Leathers with the buckle down by the ankle, or the Barefoot Dressage Leathers with a T-bar at the top and the bottom for a seamless transition under your thigh.

Saddle fit can be a nightmare. Treeless saddles like the Startrekk Dressage Saddle can solve some of these saddle fit problems and can also be a saddle you can take to the next horse. Because we all know, you can’t just have one horse, right?

Saddle Fitting is Evolving

A variety of DP Saddlery endurance and trail saddles.

There is so much going on in the world of saddle fitting that it’s overwhelming. We get people calling us in total frustration – trying to get a saddle to fit their horse. These are customers who have had custom saddles, tried numerous saddles, and just can’t get anything to work. It can be challenging, as there are so many options. There is usually a conformation challenge involved with their horse, and some specific requirements that the rider needs.

Do we solve these saddle fit nightmares? Sometimes! We don’t just sell saddles from one saddlery, and Action Rider Tack is probably one of the only companies in the world with such a varied selection of treed and treeless saddles. We find we need a wide variety of saddles, saddle pads, shims, girths and cinches to be able to help customers make selections that make sense for their particular horse and horse activities.

Saddles are an investment, but an important one for your horse. A quality saddle can last up to 30 years or more! I know that for a fact as I have retired an over 30-year-old saddle reluctantly. It was an old friend. My butt knew that saddle and it was hard to replace. However, getting the right saddle regardless of the money invested is well worth it. You and your horse must be comfortable. Poor saddle fit can be the cause of resistant behaviors, sore backs, sour attitudes, and even lameness.

There are some new tools in the saddle fitting shed. DP Saddlery of Germany has introduced to the United States their adjustable gullet saddles. These saddles have truly revolutionized the saddle fitting world.

One of DP Saddlery’s Baroque style adjustable gullet saddles.

There is a strong gear in the pommel area of the saddle tree that can be incrementally adjusted, millimeter by millimeter with the simple turn of an Allen wrench. This is superior to different replacement gullets or different tree sizes. What if your horse is in between sizes? A rider can turn the allen wrench, no strength required, until the saddle sits level, clears the spine, and does not impede the shoulder. The tree is a flexible carbon fiber, and the panels are attached at the front and the rear of the saddle to aid in the saddle flexing and moving with the horse.

The selection of DP Saddles styles will appeal to almost everyone – English all purpose, dressage, endurance, Baroque style, western, and trail saddles. It’s very exciting. It might be the last saddle you will ever buy, as obviously you can easily adjust it from horse to horse. The panels underneath are traditionally wool stuffed and can be reflocked or restuffed to customize it to your horse if necessary.

Winter Fun Time With Your Horse

Take advantage of winter’s relaxing barn time – grooming and just being with your horse.

Take advantage of some down time with your horse during the coldest winter months. Enjoy the relaxing, therapeutic visits with your horse on days when riding is not possible. Without the expectation of riding, there is ample time for an extra-good grooming. Grooming is valuable for bonding, checking for lumps and scrapes, and assessing your horse’s muscle tone and weight. I find blanketed horses especially love a good currying to itch those places they can’t get to with the blanket on.

If your horse is stabled, you might take him for a walk in-hand around the barn, or lunge him for a short time without getting him too sweaty. It’s better to keep exercise short and more frequent when there is the possibility of your horse sweating too much in his winter coat. It takes a while to dry out that thick coat, and walking him around with a cooler is helpful to dry the coat and keep him from chilling while still wet. If weather permits, but it’s still cold, ride with a rump rug to warm up muscles and keep them warm while exercising. Plan for a bit more time at the end of the ride for walking to be sure he arrives back at the barn nice and dry.

Free access to water is very important as always, but especially when it’s cold as horses tend to drink less in colder weather. Check for ice and broken pipes several times per day. When I take boiling water out to the barn to warm my horse’s water, my horse comes over for a nice long drink. He has started to look forward to it, so I make sure I warm up his water at least twice a day. Extra carrots are a good way to supply succulents when fresh grass is not accessible.

There is truth to the old horseman’s rule to feed your horse “little and often.” It is advised that to help keep your horse warm feed sufficient quality hay. What type of hay depends on your horse, but foraging on hay throughout the day will help keep his body warm by turning hay into warming energy. A haynet is especially handy in the winter, as it can save your hay from being stomped into the mud, and also extends the time it takes your horse to eat it. In very cold weather, depending on your horse, you might slightly increase the amount of hay you feed him as he burns energy just staying warm.

Your horse’s winter coat will keep him warm, if he can stay dry and have shelter from harsh winds. If it rains hard and blows hard, his coat can become completely saturated. Generally speaking, once it falls below 40 degrees and starts heading to freezing temperatures, it’s appropriate to take extra measures to keep him warm and dry. There are waterproof horse blankets that are designed to keep your horse comfortable. Re-adjust the blankets in the morning and again at night to be sure they stay in place and are not rubbing.

Excess moisture in the field, or standing around in a wet stall can play havoc with horse’s hooves. Pick out his feet often to remove mud, manure, ice and snow. Apply some kind of thrush treatment as a preventive measure against thrush and abscesses.

When was the last time you braided your horse’s mane and tail just for fun? Play around, make him beautiful, give him a special hairdo, add a red ribbon and take a selfy of the two of you. It can be your Christmas card next year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Action Rider of the Month – Trish Terry

Trish Terry on a trail ride with her mustang mare, Star.

Trish Terry is married with four kids and lives in Brighton, Colorado. Her horses are kept at her home. She works for the City of Boulder full-time,  and also has her own business called 100% Mohair Horse Tack, where she hand makes custom mohair western cinches, English girths, and breast collars. All of that keeps her busy, but she makes the time to go out on trail rides every weekend. She rides in the surrounding areas of Boulder, Lafayette, Louisville, and Adams County. Colorado offers many beautiful places to ride that are horse friendly, so Trish never runs out of new adventures.

Star is Trish’s 11-year-old domestic mustang mare that has been part of her family for the past six years.  

“Star is an amazing trail horse and she has a silly pony type personality. I ride her in my Barefoot Cheyenne with an upgraded sheepskin seat, and a bitless bridle. She is also barefoot herself, because I try to keep my horses as natural as possible, and I use the kindest tack I can.  No bits for me, and definitely no treed saddles, and mohair all the way.

“She was a very hard horse to fit in a treed saddle, due to her barrel shape. Star is 15 hands and 1,250 lbs, and quite the easy keeper. I tried a variety of treed saddles, which she always balked at, until I finally went treeless. The Barefoot is actually my first new saddle ever! I just love it. I can mount from the ground, it doesn’t slip, and it is the most comfortable saddle I have ever used. I use a Diamond wool pad with cut out spine with it too.”

Trish continues, “Our older mare, Silky, was 38 and she just passed away last November. So we recently acquired a two-year-old black and white pinto filly named Indie. She is in the training process right now, being ponied and saddled, and one day she will wear a Barefoot Treeless saddle too!

The NEXT Generation of Action Riders – Photo Contest!

Large Marge and her foal Gracie, born in early April. Send in your photos for a chance to win one of the saddles pictured above!

It’s been a big year for us here at Action Rider Tack! We celebrated the grand opening of our brand new retail store front, as well as the birth of Megan’s baby Riley, and of course Carla’s very first grand babies: Gracie and Drew! In an effort to celebrate the ever-expanding next generation of Action Riders, we invite you all to share photos of your own Barn Babies and their Buddies, for a chance to win a brand new Barefoot Bellis or Barefoot Lilly Children’s Saddle, just in time for the holidays!

Baby Drew – Carla (owner of Action Rider Tack) welcomed her first grandchild on August 9th!

Whether they walk or crawl, on four legs or two, submit your photos to info@actionridertack.com with a short caption introducing your new Action Rider to the world! All photo submissions will be archived on our Next Generation Pinterest Board, available to browse on Facebook!

Miss Riley – Born in January to Action Riders, Megan and Tyler.

Each entry will be submitted into the pool of names, with one winning name to be drawn on October 20th, 2015. The winner gets to choose between a Bellis (blue) or Lilly (pink) saddle. The Barefoot Bellis comes in blue and black, and can also be ordered in a western version. The Barefoot Lilly saddle is available in pink and brown or blue and black, English only.

Please note, by sending in your photos to Action Rider Tack, you’re giving us permission to share photos and captions in an online photo collection.

Action Rider Stacy Motschenbacher and Jim on the Road to Tevis

Stacy riding her Mustang, Jim.
Photo credit: Jessica Wynne

Stacy Motschenbacher and her Mustang gelding, Coyote Jim, are sponsored by Action Rider Tack in partnership with Toklat, Inc, on their road to the Tevis Cup 2015. They have been working hard toward their goal of participating and completing the Tevis 100-mile ride, and have completed the Nevada Rides of March 50-mile ride in March, and the Oregon Grizzly Mountain 75-mile ride in April. In May, they completed the Oregon Outback Hallelujah Trail Pioneer Ride which included three 50-60 mile rides in three consecutive days.

Stacy explains, “Jim is a 10-year-old BLM Mustang. I purchased him in 2011. I wasn’t looking for another horse, but the ad said ‘Forward mustang’. I had never been on a ‘forward mustang’ and I was intrigued. He is my 3rd mustang, and my husband has 2 mustangs. None of the others could really be described as ‘forward’ unless they were on the wrong end of the pasture when their mash came along.

“Jim’s previous owners gentled him and started him under saddle. I told them I wanted to do endurance on Jim, and my long term goal was to do this 100-mile ride called, Tevis. They had others looking at him, but figured that I would be the best fit, mainly because he was so forward.

“Well, they were right. The first three out of five rides we did together he took off on me and I couldn’t stop him. The last time he ran off with me, when he first stepped onto pavement, he slowed to a walk on his own and calmly walked the rest of the way home. This was quite reassuring. I figured if I could stay on top, I would survive. That afternoon I took the snaffle bit off his bridle and bought a Myler Combination Bit that gives him several warnings, then, puts the brakes on.

“I needed this Myler bit at 67 miles out on our last ride. Apparently turning on a headlamp while riding, when it is pitch black, isn’t quite the same as wearing one when delivering hay. Not in the eyes of a Mustang. I didn’t know a horse could buck, fart and start running in mid air. But I was pretty darn happy with his energy levels for three reasons: 1. It was 67 miles into the ride. 2. I stayed on. 3. Even though we were about 300 yards from the Vet check he still pulsed down.

“Don’t get me wrong, he is still a Mustang. Wasting energy isn’t his thing. Well, unless he is heading toward camp.

“He is big, has legs like an Angus bull, and a head that mocks those little Arab-sized halters. However, considering his size, he has decent heart rates and he is extremely sure-footed and very light on his feet. When we come to rocks, I stop looking at the trail and just focus on staying balanced on him. I have no idea how he is going to get through them, so I just concentrate on not screwing up his balance.

“What is he going to think of Tevis?  Well, I am sure he is going to think this is the dumbest thing I have ever done to him, but I think he can do it.  Are we ready?  Gosh, I have no idea. But he is freight-train strong, and will keep going down the trail. I am pretty proud of him.”