I don't have any experience with that particular brand, but it does look a bit like the one I do have.
I have been quite satisfied with mine, but it required some fitting by changes of panels - I guess in this case it applies to the wither iron.
Good thing is that it will adapt to they way my horse's back changes as he grows.
.
A treeless saddle offers less support than a regular (english) saddle, so you have to balance yourself a lot more. It takes some getting use to, but once you have it, there closer contact with the horse's back offers you better possibilities to have effect on your horse. (For better and for worse, of course!)

Thank you so much for your quick reply.. and your valuable comments.
I think I might just 'go for it' and take a punt on the one I have my eye on... really favourable comments on the lady's feedback page from those riders that she has sold to already - and that is somewhat comforting. Now with your feedback too, I feel a little more confident in at least giving it a whirl. Many thanks

Look out bank account... you about to be thrashed (for the boy) again. :-)

Hello Dakota Jack
I would be interested to know - did you get the Freemax saddle in the end, and if so, what do you think of it? I have been looking at these saddles online and wondering what they would be like to ride in. I haven't ridden treeless before, only English style traditional treed saddle, but they look very comfy.

Hi there, I am still awaiting delivery of my new saddle as it is coming from overseas (I am in NZ). Really looking forward to it... and will let you know how it goes just as soon as I have tried it out. Thanks for your feedback and interest.... fingers crossed :-)

Hi
I am also in NZ. Treeless seem very expensive here, I have checked out prices in the UK where I am from and with the current exchange rate it is a lot cheaper to have them sent over. I want to make sure I get the right one though as it's a bit difficult to send them back if they don't fit! Which is why I am so interested in the Freemax. My gelding is wide across the withers but also short backed and only 14.2h, he is part Arab and this is typical of Arab conformation.

Hi all,
I just did some research on treeless saddles and bareback pads;
It says that they allow pressure on the spine and the ligament system alongside the spine of the horse.
It is said that it can do as much damage to horse and rider as a very poor fitting saddle.
Also they can cause problems for riders as well, they do not protect the curvature of the riders spine.
A tree is needed to help a rider to have proper posture.
A proper fit is very important for both horse and rider. The width, length and structure all make a difference for both horse and rider.
Hope this helps.

Hi Majestic
There is a lot of controversy on the internet about treed saddles versus treeless. From what I understand, a poorly fitting or cheap badly made treeless can, as you say, cause damage to the horses back as they can cause the rider to sit more on the horses spine area than with a treed saddle. But a poorly fitting treed saddle can also cause a lot of damage if the weight is not correctly distributed, which you correctly point out. I am no expert, but they do seem to suit some horses better than others, particularly flat withered and wide flat backed horses, not generally horses with high withers. I have spent hours on the internet reading up on them and it seems to be that there are a lot of people who love them and have no problem with their horses backs, and others who can't stand them and would always use a treed saddle. I guess the main thing is that you have to find something that your horse is comfortable in and which will not hurt him (priority number one) and something the rider also feels happy riding in (priority number two). I suspect they both have their merits and it's a case of finding out which suits best. Apparently there is a system that can be used called a Port Lewis which is used to test pressure on the horses back, and some treeless saddles came out very well. I think it depends on the design, they vary hugely from western style to english and a whole bunch of hybrid designs somewhere in the middle.
It would be interesting to find out if anyone else has experience of treeless saddles and what they think of them? I would love to try one just to see if they suit my geldings shape - I'm have been looking into Freeform, Torsion, Barefoot and Freemax. They are supposed to feel more like riding bareback as you can feel the horses movement more than with a rigid tree. I think the whole subject is a very interesting one - what do other people think?

Hi emlaw,
I'd like to comment again if you wouldn't mind.
The treeless I reasearched were Freeform and Barefoot. Both are very light, which is great for me because of an injured shoulder and I would love to use one.
In my younger days going bareback was a norm.
I have realized that sitting on the back of a moving horse is not normal for OUR posture.
As a RMT I have seen a lot of bad backs. When we are young or doing something for only a short period of time we will not notice the damage being done until sometimes years later.
The treed saddle works as a buffer, shall we say, between the human and the horse movements.
That is one of the first things we learn when taking riding lessons is, find your seat.
Sometimes this is done bareback, for YOUR balance only, not for the horse.
Think about this for a moment, the horse at a walk is causing disjointed movement of the human body in one direction, on one side and another direction on the other side, therby causing an unatural movement of the human spine.
This is fine for a short period of time but if done on a regular basis can cause irreparable damage to the human spine.
Using a treed saddle, in whatever sport you choose, keeps the spine of the human in a proper position to lesson the repetative disjointing of the human spine.
Even in the best made saddle you can find, that fits both human and horse, after a day in the saddle your back is hurting, trust me, sometimes more than just your back.
Cattle driving for hours on end, and at a walk mostly can make you so you can hardly stand and that was when I was a kid.
Now it is entirely up to individuals as to whether they choose to use a treed saddle or a treeless saddle.
But an informed decision should be made with all the facts considered.
Naturally companies who sell a product are only going to publish information that will encourage sales but when one does research you have to take all factors into consideration.
I have been a researcher for decades and know the folly that can happen when only one sided information is used.
Knowing and understanding the fuctions of the human body and the movements of the horse will help all to make an informative decision.

Hi Majestic
You make an interesting point about rider comfort and it is true, it is an important thing to consider and is often forgotten. I have also done all day endurance and pleasure rides and know how it feels to spend hours in the saddle. In the UK I rode in a wide fitting traditional treed English GP saddle which I had converted to fit the Flair airbag system (basically the flocking is removed and replaced with bladders filled with air which are adjusted by the saddle fitter to have just the right amount of air in to suit the horse and rider). This is amazingly comfortable and made the shock absorption so much better for me and my horse, she was more free and forward moving and it saved me having a stiff back and joints. I had the saddle professionally fitted and we spent many happy years in it, she was 25 when she died of old age. Some people don't like the feel of it though as if a rider is not very stable they feel like they are sitting on a waterbed as it moves slightly with every tiny shift of weight. I would get another one in a flash, but now that I live in NZ they are not easily available here. I have also done a few trail rides on hired horses where the saddles were so hard and uncomfortable it was like sitting on a plank of wood! Not good for my knees or back!
However, I am wondering why treeless saddles are so popular with endurance riders and also they are becoming used more and more by dressage riders too? If the rider has good core stability and posture to start with, and rides lightly, perhaps a treeless saddle is not so bad? I don't know the answer, just posing a question that I am thinking. The Barefoot saddles were designed by an equine physiotherapist - I don't know if she also considered the rider? My friend tried one and hated it, she has bad hips and it was not comfortable for her, but I liked it when I sat in it. But I have a totally different body shape. I also agree that one cannot just accept what the manufacturer says about their own product - of course they will always sell the good points and not mention the disadvantages. This is why I feel it is so important to find out what people who own the saddles say - from the horses mouth if you will excuse the terrible pun! As you say Majestic, one's research must be rounded and balanced. I am still in the process of making a final decision - there does not seem to be much expert information or independent scientific research available, but I am enjoying the process of finding out, it is very interesting.

Hi Hines,
This is one of the posts I was talking about that might help you. Ok
Ronda

Hi Dakota Jack - did you ever get your Freemax and if so how did you find it? Curious to hear what you think.