Ralide Flex tree saddles

Shotgun · 09-25-2007, 10:03 PM

Does anyone have a flex tree saddle?

I'm thinking of buying one and have heard two different opinions of them. I guess it's a love it or hate thing. One person loved the way it flexed with the horse and the other felt like they were going to fall out at any moment.

Has anyone tried one of these? Liked it or not and why?

Edited to ad:Specifically I am looking at a saddle that has a Ralide flex tree. I believe the saddle maker is Buffalo Saddlery. I'm not sure how many makers of flex tree saddles there are but I'm nostly wondering about the Ralide tree.

When compared to a ridgid tree what are the pros and cons of the flex tree?

Shotgun · 09-25-2007, 10:10 PM

Oops! Sorry I did a search in the wrong catagory and found nothing then I posted this only to find the older posts in a different place.

I'm going to change this then to a Ralide flex tree saddle review instead.

Again, sorry for not searching well enough...
Annie

Touche · 09-26-2007, 05:28 AM

Cannot help you with the Buffalo Saddlrey question, but I can say I have a Circle Y FLex and I do like it. I have ridden in Tex Tan flexes and do not like them at all or the quality. Thank goodness I did not buy one.

My local quality saddle shop is closing due to the owner retiring and he has great prices on his remaining saddles. You might find a deal here.
http://www.holtzsaddleco.com/western1.html

crazynana · 09-26-2007, 05:37 AM

Can't help with the Buffalo saddle question, but I do have a Circle Y flex, and I love it. Good Luck with saddle hunting.

cook1745 · 09-26-2007, 05:50 AM

I have a circle y y as well and love it!!!

I also bought off this company on ebay and the saddle is built very well on a STEELE equi flex tree. It works well on one horse but not on my wide backed quarter horse. The dye on this saddle also needs to be wiped down with water first and then oiled other wise the first time you get it wet it will come off all over you clothes.

This is the riders chioce saddle
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll... promot_widget

If you are interested here is a circle y for next to nothing and it is just like the one I have and it is great. It also fits every horse so far in my pasture!!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=002

Hope this helps some.

I have also owned a few CHEAP flex trees with ralide flex trees and in my opinon they didn't FLEX much at all except under extreme pressure.

Shotgun · 09-26-2007, 10:14 AM

hmmm...

cook1745 wrote:

Quote:

I have also owned a few CHEAP flex trees with ralide flex trees and in my opinon they didn't FLEX much at all except under extreme pressure.

I was worried about that.
This is a link to the saddle...
http://paylesssaddles.com/flex.htm
It is the second saddle down.

I don't want to buy a saddle that she will hate. The nice thing about this site is you can return the saddle, even do a trial ride in it if I want. But it is a fairly low end saddle as far as cost goes when compared to the $1,000 plus saddles. Even so, this saddle is more than I can afford right now.

cook1745 · 09-26-2007, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shotgun

hmmm...

cook1745 wrote:

I was worried about that.
This is a link to the saddle...
http://paylesssaddles.com/flex.htm
It is the second saddle down.

I don't want to buy a saddle that she will hate. The nice thing about this site is you can return the saddle, even do a trial ride in it if I want. But it is a fairly low end saddle as far as cost goes when compared to the $1,000 plus saddles. Even so, this saddle is more than I can afford right now.

Don't buy from them the saddles aren't good quality at all. That is the exact place I got my first flex tree. The leather is super cheap and craftsmanship is terrible. The dye on it wore off after just a few ridings. You would do better off with another used saddle or putting a few hundered more toward anther one I PROMISE!!!!

Here is another saddle that was good quality just a little heavy for me. I'm only 107 lbs and 5'4". Try this one it will fit everyone!!!

http://www.chicksaddlery.com/Merchan...ct_Code=RK1750

I loved this saddle it was just to heavy for me!!!

Just for comparison the horse in my avitar is only 14.2hh and that is me on my tippy toes to hug her.

Shotgun · 09-30-2007, 04:01 PM

Thanks for the advice on the saddle shop.
Even their customer service is making me mad! At first she was very helpful but when I said I couldn't afford the more expensive saddles she basically dropped me like a hot stone. She won't tell me what size range my mare would fit at all. I sent her a wither tracing and she wouldn't compare it to the saddle I had picked out but compared it to a very expensive saddle. I guess that could be because she knows the cheaper one are no good.
I'm going to go to a local saddle shop and see what they have, and take my wither tracing there and see what they say.]
Again, thanks for the heads up!

cook1745 · 10-01-2007, 05:07 AM

You are so welcome.

I hate seeing anyone else go through the YEARS of cheap ill fitted saddles like I did,

. Good luck on your search!!!

David · 10-01-2007, 08:32 AM

I don't know what your price range is but I bought my wife a BigHorn with a flex tree, it was a great saddle and didn't pinch any of the horses we used it on. It was not leather and it had a memory foam seat that she liked, it also only wieghed like 12 -15 lbs. and all this saddle for under 400 dollars.

The only drawback to this particular saddle was that if the seat got wet it took a long time to dry out.

Slim Pikkens · 10-16-2007, 12:34 PM

One must be careful with the term "flex" tree. Some companies use a layer of neoprene, which flexes, instead of fleece. The area of the horse the saddle sits on is somewhat inert when it comes to sideways flexing. The structure of the rib cage prevents that. As for the upper back, it is contantly flexing as the animal moves. A rigid tree prevents the riders pelvic bones from digging into the horse's back, yet allows the horse's muscles to be in continuous motion. Buffalo Saddlery saddles, well.....let's just say they don't adorn my tack room.

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09-25-2007, 10:03 PM
Shotgun Weanling Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Springbrook, WI Posts: 279	Ralide Flex tree saddles Does anyone have a flex tree saddle? I'm thinking of buying one and have heard two different opinions of them. I guess it's a love it or hate thing. One person loved the way it flexed with the horse and the other felt like they were going to fall out at any moment. Has anyone tried one of these? Liked it or not and why? Edited to ad:Specifically I am looking at a saddle that has a Ralide flex tree. I believe the saddle maker is Buffalo Saddlery. I'm not sure how many makers of flex tree saddles there are but I'm nostly wondering about the Ralide tree. When compared to a ridgid tree what are the pros and cons of the flex tree? __________________ Tee Geez Twister - 5 yr old AQHA bay roan mare Last edited by Shotgun : 09-25-2007 at 10:14 PM. Reason: changing title and subect slightly

09-25-2007, 10:10 PM
Shotgun Weanling Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Springbrook, WI Posts: 279	Oops! Sorry I did a search in the wrong catagory and found nothing then I posted this only to find the older posts in a different place. I'm going to change this then to a Ralide flex tree saddle review instead. Again, sorry for not searching well enough... Annie __________________ Tee Geez Twister - 5 yr old AQHA bay roan mare

09-26-2007, 05:28 AM
Touche Coming two Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,891	Cannot help you with the Buffalo Saddlrey question, but I can say I have a Circle Y FLex and I do like it. I have ridden in Tex Tan flexes and do not like them at all or the quality. Thank goodness I did not buy one. My local quality saddle shop is closing due to the owner retiring and he has great prices on his remaining saddles. You might find a deal here. http://www.holtzsaddleco.com/western1.html __________________ Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people. W.C.Fields

09-26-2007, 05:37 AM
crazynana Weanling Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Indiana Posts: 230	Can't help with the Buffalo saddle question, but I do have a Circle Y flex, and I love it. Good Luck with saddle hunting.

09-26-2007, 05:50 AM
cook1745 Greenbroke Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: New Mexico Posts: 3,533	I have a circle y y as well and love it!!! I also bought off this company on ebay and the saddle is built very well on a STEELE equi flex tree. It works well on one horse but not on my wide backed quarter horse. The dye on this saddle also needs to be wiped down with water first and then oiled other wise the first time you get it wet it will come off all over you clothes. This is the riders chioce saddle http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll... promot_widget If you are interested here is a circle y for next to nothing and it is just like the one I have and it is great. It also fits every horse so far in my pasture!!!! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=002 Hope this helps some. I have also owned a few CHEAP flex trees with ralide flex trees and in my opinon they didn't FLEX much at all except under extreme pressure. __________________ Home of my sweet girl Cinnamon. Not fancy but she is mine!!!

09-30-2007, 04:01 PM
Shotgun Weanling Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Springbrook, WI Posts: 279	Thanks for the advice on the saddle shop. Even their customer service is making me mad! At first she was very helpful but when I said I couldn't afford the more expensive saddles she basically dropped me like a hot stone. She won't tell me what size range my mare would fit at all. I sent her a wither tracing and she wouldn't compare it to the saddle I had picked out but compared it to a very expensive saddle. I guess that could be because she knows the cheaper one are no good. I'm going to go to a local saddle shop and see what they have, and take my wither tracing there and see what they say.] Again, thanks for the heads up! __________________ Tee Geez Twister - 5 yr old AQHA bay roan mare

10-01-2007, 05:07 AM
cook1745 Greenbroke Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: New Mexico Posts: 3,533	You are so welcome. I hate seeing anyone else go through the YEARS of cheap ill fitted saddles like I did,. Good luck on your search!!! __________________ Home of my sweet girl Cinnamon. Not fancy but she is mine!!!

10-01-2007, 08:32 AM
David Long Yearling Join Date: May 2007 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,066	I don't know what your price range is but I bought my wife a BigHorn with a flex tree, it was a great saddle and didn't pinch any of the horses we used it on. It was not leather and it had a memory foam seat that she liked, it also only wieghed like 12 -15 lbs. and all this saddle for under 400 dollars. The only drawback to this particular saddle was that if the seat got wet it took a long time to dry out. __________________ "If you see your stirrups slap together above the horn, you're probably bucked off". Dave Stamey.

10-16-2007, 12:34 PM
Slim Pikkens Started Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,950	One must be careful with the term "flex" tree. Some companies use a layer of neoprene, which flexes, instead of fleece. The area of the horse the saddle sits on is somewhat inert when it comes to sideways flexing. The structure of the rib cage prevents that. As for the upper back, it is contantly flexing as the animal moves. A rigid tree prevents the riders pelvic bones from digging into the horse's back, yet allows the horse's muscles to be in continuous motion. Buffalo Saddlery saddles, well.....let's just say they don't adorn my tack room.