Freeform Saddle Issues

[Flight]

I've been looking at treeless saddles for a while and opted for a barefoot Freeform SB, which I got last week.
I had my third ride in it today, a longish ride and found that my horse is going well with it. It does seems to slide up her withers a bit but doesn't seem to bother her when it does. The flaps definately don't sit behind her scapula, but on the back of them. Is this ok? Shes not sore after, nice even sweat, no hair ruffling etc.

I found riding in it quite tricky! Because the freeform is wide (and I have a wide horse) mostly at the top part of my thigh, my knee and lower leg sit away from the horse. Especially when I do rising trot, my lower leg swings!! Very annoying! And then I tip forward! I have played with the stirrup arrangement a bit. Initially I was pushing my bum to the back of the saddle where it was narrower, and it was suggested I put my stirrups forward. Now I can sit further forward, but my legs a flapping in the breeze  
If I get skinnier thighs would it help?? (might have to resort to liposuction though :blush: )

Here's a couple of pic, but I'm on my own so they were self takes. I'll try and grab someone to come out and take some vid next week so I can see the swinging legs.

[drummers mum]

Thats strange because I found the freeform to have a good twist when I tried it!

I have wobbly trot legs but it is getting better as my ridng improves, some of it is due to having feet in thin air but also t do with my body strength and the way I ride, some lessons perhaps?  

[DollysMum]

The saddle looks good on her - could go back a bit though. Do you have any photos of her side on without the saddle on as it may be a case of insufficient padding.

It looks like you're really shoving your heels down and leaning backwards and this will cause a braces in your body which may make it hard to just wrap your legs around her and relax.

I find that moving the stirrups back and relaxing the leg (even shortening the stirrups a hole or two if needed) is the best way to stay secure and comfortable. Also if you're gripping with the knee or posting from your feet instead of your thighs this could cause your legs to swing.

Also try rolling your shoulders and breathing to free up your back, neck and shoulders.

The Freeform doesn't have a big knee roll to dig your legs into which can hide an insecure seat/keep lower legs still.

[martini55]

It can be tricky getting used to it. I found initially that my leg position was awful and though I was secure in my seat my legs were all over the place, my toes were sticking out... I just couldn't ride in it at all. I was not at all like that when I tried it out before purchasing so I had a little think about it and decided to try a different padding option. I bought a suber pad from a member of this board (thanks!) and it has made such a difference. I feel so much more secure in the saddle, my leg position is back to being good and I feel like I can actually ride again. Maybe you could assess the pads you are using and maybe try out a few different options.  

[Bebe1]

It took a while and some playing around with the stirrup position before I got used to it too.  Once I had sorted it and myself out it was very comfy and offered more support than the Fitform I'd had previously.

I think you might just need to take a bit of time working out what goes where to suit you best and then getting used to it yourself.

[Flight]

Thanks everyone, I will keep riding and see how it goes. I have a 'christ' treeless saddle pad that was sold with the saddle for me.
http://www.horse-connection.com.au/haf-saddle-pads.html

Wouldn't a bigger pad make it worse?

I am used to riding a TB in a county dressage, and horse and saddle goes in where my thigh sits not out  

It's funny, when I take my feet out of the stirrups normally my legs hang lower than the stirrups, but in the freeform they don't! Kind of feel like they prop out from my round thighs!!  :lol:

The photos are from the first ride, and you can see that I'm back a bit with a gap there in front of my knee, now I'm a bit more forward, but maybe too much so which is causing the swing?

Dolly's mum - I do look a little braced but it could be that I've had to push the button on the camera and then have 10 secs to move horse away and stop for photo...it took quite a few goes to get within the frame, it's also a downhill   When I'm riding I actually tip forward. It's funny because I feel like a beginner again, thought I'd had my leg position squared away!  

I'm loving that my horse is moving well with it though, she reaches down and strides out so much better.  

[DollysMum]

Not thinking a bigger pad per se, maybe just extra/different shims.

Hopefully when you get somebody to photo and video you next week it'll be easier to see what's going on

[Heather]

HI Flight,

I found the saddle felt very wide. It does appear to have a twist, but mainly because the seat is narrowed at that point, giving an illusion of a twist- the top/seat component is actually pretty thin there. The whole saddle is still actually quite thin compared for instance to our Fhoenix, and it is this layered thickness that allows us to build up the 'twist' so that the rider is lifted more off the horse.

I found that the Freeform is thicker in the panels/flaps than some of the other treeless saddles- the foam is thick all the way down under the leg, and being firmer foam than other makes, doesnt squidge under the leg and thin down. I think this is what made me feel wider, not so much the twist. Having said that, it did give an extremely good pressure reading with the computerised testing system we used last year.

Heather

[Flight]

Thanks Heather, I do notice the difference between the Fhoenix which I trialled a while ago. Problem with me was after 6 months of saving up doing overtime, I got too impatient and went with what money I had then! I'm hopeless  

I can't really feel a twist at all with the freeform but I did notice a bit of achy hips with both of the saddles (I'm not so young anymore LOL).  

[Flight]

Managed to get some photos of me riding today. Unfortuantely the video camera won't work (don't get JVC, is terrible when it gets in safeguard mode!)
I put the stirrups back and it was much much better, no where near as much swing but I'm still finding my place in it. I think it will just keep getting better the more I ride. I think I might need to pop my stirrups down a hole but not sure.

[DollysMum]

I would go a hole shorter - it looks like you're gripping with your knees and raising off your toes to post. Try shortening your stirrups and just letting your horse push you into the rise

[Flight]

Thanks Dollysmum. A couple of other friends saw the pics and said the same thing! So I put them up this morning and found it much easier.    

[drummers mum]

I also agree, you do the opposite to me, I jam my heal down and my legs wobble, there is a happy medium somewhere but my legs are far more stable when I think relax my knee, weight im my stirrups, let my leg drape and use my thigh muscles!  

[DollysMum]

Great stuff!