What makes Flexible Saddles® unique?
What is the difference between flexible, treed and treeless saddles?

Flexible Saddles®

The labels Flexible, Trekker and Admiral are fully flexible. Flexible Saddles® have been made by German manufacturers since the beginning of the 21st century.
          The registered Leather Flex® structure is made of leather and synthetic materials and is reinforced with metal. The rider weight is distributed efficiently. The shock absorption is better than in treed saddles.
          Flexible saddles are soft and firm to sit it and make weight aids clear. Flexible saddles are easy to fit. The same saddle fits fairly different types of backs, various widths and both straight and curved backs. The saddle adapts when the horse rounds his back, so the saddle rests evenly on the back in different situations – i.e. the saddle fits and doesn't restrict the horse's movement.

Saddles with a slightly flexing tree

Some labels that make treed saddles have saddles that are called 'flex' or 'flexible'. They usually have a traditional type of hard tree that flexes a little at some points. A saddle like this is much stiffer than Flexible Saddles®. A saddle like this doesn't fit different widths. It is a fixed fact how straight or curved a treed saddle is. That is why a treed saddle can truly fit (=follow the contour of the horse's back) in just one of the countless positions of the back. It's sometimes said a treed saddle is always a compromise.

Treeless saddles

Many treeless saddles are thin, practically like bareback pads with a pommel and a cantle. A special pad under a treeless saddle may not always be enough to distribute the rider's weight evenly on the whole surface of the saddle, and may not leave the spine free of pressure. The shock absorption of a treeless saddle of this type may not be very good.

A horse holds his head fairly high and his back is curved.



The same horse lowers his head a little and rounds his back. If the horse were collected or he jumped
a fence, the shape of his back would change even more dramatically. A treed saddle can truly fit
(= follow the contour of the horse's back) in just one of the countless positions of the back. If a
saddle doesn't follow the contour of the horse's back, the weight is not distributed evenly and
the saddle restricts the horse's movement.