Anne

Dear guys,

The treeless saddle, the new trail bridle, die safety stirrups, I can only say AWESOME!! My sister Petra, me, and our Tinkers* Paddy and Merlin are very satisfied with your treeless saddles. Our horses move more freely, and it is beautiful to be able to feel the horses’ back move. Human and animal unite into one being, because there is no separating tree.
The new trail bridle has also proven its worth. It is very useful to have a lead shank handy, and to be able to unhook the bit without having to change bridles.

My husband is still riding in an old Western saddle with a tree. He and his horse ‘Harley McGuinnes’ have several problems with that. Especially when mounting, the saddle always rolls and slips to the side, so he needs mounting aids (see photos). For him, the traditional, old-fashioned look of the conventional Western saddle is more important. He feels the zippers and the all-one-color leather of the Barefoot look too modern, and he thinks it lacks decorations (like silver or tooled leather). However, he and his horse were able to convince themselves that the treeless saddles are better for riding.
I think we will be able to persuade him, in time, because the advantages are clearly noticeable.

Yours truly,
Anne

(*Tinkers are a new breed developed from the gypsies’ cart horses, they are big, gentle, pinto-colored and are built a bit like a draft horse. They have enjoyed a surge in popularity in Europe in recent years.)