Saddle Tree How can I tell if my saddle tree is broken, and if it isn't what else could be wrong with the saddle?
I've got a western saddle that none of my horses like. It seems like every time I put it on them they lay their ears back. The thing is, it doesn't SEEM like the tree is broken. There's nothing that moves around, and when I sit in it the seat seems solid. When I grab the back of the cantle, though, it seems to be a little loose. But it's not a part that touches their backs. Are there any other ways to tell if the tree is broken? And if it's not are there any other things that could be wrong with it that would cause ALL of my horses to hate wearing it? It's got the same size tree as the one that I always use, so it should fit just fine. But I've always got unhappy animals whenever I bring that thing out.
Take your saddle to your nearest saddle maker and have him examine it. There are some basic things you can try such as grabbing hold of the cantel and pomel and pulling them together to see if they move or grind, but sometimes that doesn't tell the whole story. It is also possible you have a loose nail that you can't see or feel easily under the wool flocking, and yet when you sit in the saddle it pressed upon their shoulder. Your description of the saddle and your horses reaction certainly makes it sound as though there is something wrong. And some saddles never fit properly, even if they aren't broken. My saddle maker showed me a saddle someone bought off the internet recently, and brought to him to repair. He turned the saddle upside down and pulled back the flocking around the hollow spot under the saddle. When you looked carefully you could see press-board (Like the stuff they use on bulletin boards) was used between the tree and the flocking. One side even had huge zig-zags as though it was a used piece of press-board, and not even new! Of course it pressed, it would have had firm, sharp edges. My saddle maker also showed me how some trees seem wide enough in the gullet, but the bars don't come out at a good angle and therefore dig into each and every horse's shoulders and back. My saddle maker has done alot to educate me about trees and saddle bars. He says that one full QH tree can be vastly, vastly different than another full QH tree. Ask someone to show you what the trees look like and you'll see what he means. The way the tree shape fits onto the bars makes a huge difference, he says that there are some saddles that fit no horses ever properly. Perhaps you are unlucky enough to have one of those. If you think the saddle doesn't fit, then you're probably right. There is no use getting behavior problems from your horses and long term problems. Get rid of the saddle and use something else. Your horses will likely thank you.
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do you think my saddle tree is broken?
i got a very old dressage type english saddle for christmas a couple years ago. i think the tree is broken tho, these are the reasons i think its broken: *it sometimes squeakes like it is rubbing together * when i put my hand on the pommel i can feel every move the horse makes * i can move the tree (like its broken in half)
but the saddle doesn't bend in half, it is held together pretty well. is it broken? if it is do i need to buy a new saddle? thanks. sorry no pics of it but i would say it is about 50 years old thanks
It might not be "broken" like something is literally snapped in two, but from what you're describing it's definately not something you should be riding in. While I have never seen a broken tree in any name brand, quality saddle, at the summer camp where I used to work I saw quite a few. They were cheap brands to begin with, plus they were decades old.
When I first took over the camp program, I had to take 3 saddles the owners of the camp and explain that they were broken. They didn't belive me until I actually cut into the leather of the saddles with a box cutter to expose the tree to show them LOL! Over the years, we had a couple more trees break. Squeaking is always a bad sign. Plus any tree that can be moved more than a tiny bit when you put pressure on it is abnormal. A laminated wood tree could crack in one small area causing this small amount of movement, but you still won't be able to fold the saddle in half like if the entire tree was broken in half. Trees can get small cracks almost like a stress fracture.
Even if, best case scenario, the tree not broken but is actually a spring tree like some answerers have suggested, that much "give" in the saddle is not normal. It may be that the "spring tree" action is worn out. A spring tree should have just the slightest amount of give when you place a lot of pressure on it, not the squeaking and movement that you describe.
You could always get a saddler to check it uot, but at 50 years old I'm sure it's not worth repairing. Use it for a decoration or something, but don't ride in it for sure. It's definately going to hurt your horse's back. It's surely putting unusual pressure points on your horse's back and will transmit too much of your motion to the horse. A saddle should have a tiny bit of give, but mostly it should be a solid support for your weight. Sorry, but it's time for a new saddle.
