5 Best Treeless Saddles Reviews 2020: Prefer a More Intuitive Ride

While treeless saddles are not for everyone, they do offer riders and horses benefits. A treeless saddle is simply a saddle without a tree. The tree of the saddle is rigid and provides a backbone for the saddle. Manufacturers make the tree to conform to the curves of the horse’s back and to the seat of the rider. With this treeless saddles review, you will learn about the benefits and the top purchasing options.

Why Would Riders Choose Treeless Saddles?

Clearly, the tree is an important part of the saddle, so why would a horse owner choose a treeless one? One reason riders prefer treeless saddles is because there are fewer pressure points on their horses. Riders also like treeless saddle options because they can use the saddle on multiple horses without being so concerned about fit. Many horse riders believe a treeless saddle offers a more intuitive ride because their horse can feel their movements and respond better.

Top 5 Best Treeless Saddles Reviews 

Treeless saddles are perfect for many riders, and there are treeless versions of Western, English, and trail saddles. Consider our top 5 picks and see which saddle will work best for your needs.

#1) Hilason Western Treeless Barrel Saddle

This treeless saddle is made from genuine American cowhide. This saddle offers seat sizes that range from 13 to 18-inches, so there is a perfect fit for just about every rider.

The hand-tooled floral detailing and black suede seat and details make for a beautiful saddle. You will not go wrong purchasing this saddle for your beautiful horses.

If you have read any billy cook barrel saddles reviews, you know comfort is a critical decision factor when purchasing a saddle. If the comfort is not there, the saddle will be a useless purchase, no matter how beautiful. Thankfully, this saddle offers a perfectly padded seat, to ensure you will remain comfortable on the longest of rides.

This saddle is meant to easily distribute the weight of the rider, so no painful pressure points begin to develop on your horse’s back.

Because of the high level of comfort and flexibility, you will find your horse responds much better and becomes faster. This saddle is meant to allow for the natural movement of your horse’s muscles, making for a more intuitive ride.

Highlighted Features:

• Made of premium leather
• Available in seat sizes 13-18
• The cantle is 5-inches
• The gullet is 6-8 inches

#2) Cashel Treeless Soft Saddle

If you have never ridden on a soft saddle, you are missing out on a high level of comfort and support. Some riders simply dislike the stiff feel of a traditional saddle. This saddle will make you feel as if you are riding on a cloud.

This saddle is available in two sizes, which include medium and large. This saddle is comfortable for both horse and rider. The underside is made of a soft and velvety fleece that hugs your horse in comfort.

This flexible saddle has a light weight feel that is ideal for many riders who cannot life a heavy traditional leather saddle. You will find this soft saddle is ideal for trail rides and exercise with your horse.

Highlighted Features:

• This saddle comes in medium and large sizes.
• This saddle only weighs 6-pounds, so it is perfect for many horse riders.
• The top is water-repellent.
• Has a molded cantle and pommel

#2) Cwell Equine Synthetic All-Purpose Treeless Saddle

This is another soft saddle that is lightweight and highly comfortable. If you do not like the stiff feel and heavy weight of traditional leather saddles, this is a saddle you may want to check out.

This saddle is luxuriously soft and has no hard components, so it is completely soft against your horse’s skin. You will find this treeless saddle moves well with your horse. It will allow you to make quick and sharp turns, without slippage.

The adjustable stirrups allow for a custom fit that cannot be obtained with other traditional saddles made from leather. You will find this saddle offers better comfort for both horse and rider.

Highlighted Features:

• This saddle weighs about seven pounds
• Adjustable stirrups allow for better riding comfort
• Made of synthetic materials for easy upkeep
• Offers great flexibility for rider and horse

#4) Manaal Enterprises Treeless English Saddle

This flexible treed saddle is made from the softest, washable synthetic suede material. This saddle features PU molded seats and flaps and does not have any hard components that would lead to discomfort for you or your horse.

The seat of this saddle is completely detachable with a strong Velcro system that helps to keep it in place. With this saddle, you will find both you and your horse remain comfortable at all times.

This saddle is handmade of the highest of quality materials. The flexible tree allows the saddle to conform to the curvature of your horse’s back, without causing any painful pressure points that can be stressful for your horse.

Highlighted Features:

• The seat is completely detachable
• Offers PU molded seat and flaps
• Offers detachable straps for better comfort
• Made of soft synthetic suede

#5) Tough1 Treeless Endurance Saddle

This is a lightweight synthetic treeless saddle that is sure to offer the highest level of comfort and support for you and your horse. The padded and molded microfiber seat offers a high level of comfort, allowing you to enjoy even the longest of rides without feeling discomfort.

The underseat of this saddle is meant to provide flexibility, so the saddle moves with your horse. You will notice this saddle allows for a more in-tune ride.

There are few saddles that fit all types of horse backs and withers, but this is one that does. The seat detaches so you can change the stirrups or easily clean the saddle.

This saddle is available in size ranges from 12 to 17 inches and is offered in solid black and a black and royal blue model.

Highlighted Features:

• Offers a soft microfiber padded seat
• Provides 3 D rings for gear
• The seat is detachable
• The saddle is lightweight

Things to Consider Before You Buy

When purchasing a treeless saddle, there are some things riders should consider before they buy. Considering the following will allow you to make the perfect saddle purchase for your needs and the needs of your horse.

• Measurements

You should never purchase a saddle without carefully measuring for your seat size and your horse’s back. A proper fit is essential for ensuring the saddle does not slip around or cause too much restriction. If a saddle does not fit appropriately, both you and the horse could experience great discomfort and even danger. By measuring first, you will know the exact size of saddle to purchase.

• Comfort

Although most treeless saddles are more comfortable than their treed counterparts, this is not always the case. You need to make sure the saddle is not going to cause any pressure points on your horse’s back. The saddle should cradle the curvature of the horse and fit the withers appropriately.

• Materials

The materials of the saddle are also an important consideration. Treeless saddles come in both synthetic and leather, offering many options for all types of horse riders. There are benefits to both types of materials, and it really boils down to preference. Leather is often considered more durable, but synthetic materials are much easier to clean and maintain. Choose wisely for the perfect level of comfort and easy maintenance.

• Stirrups

The stirrups of a saddle are an important consideration. It is wise to choose a saddle that offers adjustable stirrups or allows you to remove them to customize the options. It is critical the stirrups fit perfectly, for your safety and comfort level on trail rides and while exercising.

Treeless or Treed: Which One Is Best?

When it comes to treeless or treed options, there are a lot of opinions. Some people prefer treeless options because they believe there is less pressure placed on the horse’s back, so they are more comfortable.

On the other hand, some people prefer treed versions because they feel they are better made and will hold up to many more years of riding. As with all billy cook barrel saddles, it really is up to the rider on which one they think is best.

You can get comfort and flexibility with both types of saddles. No matter which you choose, be sure to carefully research your options and determine the best fit for your needs.

FAQ

We get a lot of questions submitted about treeless saddles, and we like to answer as many as we possibly can. Unfortunately, with the amount submitted, we cannot always get to every one. These are the top three questions we have received regarding treeless saddles, and we hope they will answer some of your own.

• What is the difference between a treeless saddle and a treed one?

The tree of the saddle is basically the strong framework on which the saddle is built. Trees were once made of only wood. Today, they often include a fiberglass covering. A treeless saddle does not include this underlying framework.

• What are the benefits of treeless saddles?

One of the biggest benefits of a treeless saddle is the lack of pressure points. Because there is no rigid tree, the saddle can spread out to meet the unique curvatures of the horse’s spine, for a greater level of comfort. Treeless saddles also allow the rider and horse to be more closely connected during the ride, for a more natural feel and intuitiveness.

• Does a treed saddle better distribute weight?

Although many people think treed saddles better distribute weight across the horse’s back, this is not necessarily the case. In fact, many have found treeless saddles offer a better level of comfort for both horse and rider. Because the rigid tree is missing, the saddle is able to better cradle the spine and offer comfort for even the hardest to fit horses.

• Does a treeless saddle require a special saddle pad?

Saddle pads are helpful in allowing a saddle to fit better. It is important to note that not all treeless saddles will require a special saddle pad. In most cases, traditional saddle pads fit just fine with treeless saddle options.

Final Words

You have a lot of things to consider when it comes to purchasing a treeless saddle. We have provided you with a lot of information to consider. With this information, you will now be equipped to click through the treeless saddles review links and make the right purchase for your needs and those of your horse.

With these saddles, you will find a better closeness between you and your horse, allowing your horse to better follow your lead throughout the ride. With these saddle options, you will find all of them offer a comfortable ride for both horse and rider.