Tips for a first-time user of a treeless saddle?
I'm about to start sponsoring a new horse who is ridden with a treeless saddle. The owner wrote a description of her recommendations for how it's different from a treed-saddle (the only kind I've ever used):
"You want to not be 'up' on your seatbones in these saddles, but slightly softer seat. Not resting on cantle either though! And never ride with a 'driving seat' in a treeless. Be light in the stirrups-the best weight distribution is from your full thighs and seat, the stirrups put the weight onto a much narrower band. So on downhills, get your weight back (though not onto cantle), try not to rely too heavily on stirrups, keep weight mostly in seat and thighs, and also avoid extended use of two-point position. Do post, as that’s lighter on his back than a sitting trot is."
Does anyone have anything to add to this, or any further insight on how I should interpret these instructions?
Thanks!
Sara
"You want to not be 'up' on your seatbones in these saddles, but slightly softer seat. Not resting on cantle either though! And never ride with a 'driving seat' in a treeless. Be light in the stirrups-the best weight distribution is from your full thighs and seat, the stirrups put the weight onto a much narrower band. So on downhills, get your weight back (though not onto cantle), try not to rely too heavily on stirrups, keep weight mostly in seat and thighs, and also avoid extended use of two-point position. Do post, as that’s lighter on his back than a sitting trot is."
Does anyone have anything to add to this, or any further insight on how I should interpret these instructions?
Thanks!
Sara