****This review has been written with horse-owners/riders in mind so please ask if you want to know about any of the terms used - we have a whole secret and cryptic language you know!****

The Saddling Problem

You may remember my pony, Rosie, from such reviews as "Wrap Up Warm" and "Wintec 2000 - Not a Saddle for Every Horse". Well, she's still going strong, and has had a lovely foal since last I was here. The problem of finding a saddle to fit her has been ongoing, and a solution became urgent this year when she spooked at some cows causing the saddle to slip underneath her and take me with it. This happened at speed, and as we were heading for a busy main road. I was unceremoniously dumped - ouch!

Native ponies tend to have wide, flat backs and this can make it hard to find a well-fitting saddle. Traditional saddles are built around a saddle tree which determines the structure and width of the saddle. There have been many new innovations in the treed saddle world in the last decade, but still I haven't found one to fit Rosie. She is a triple extra wide fitting, and without going down the bespoke route nothing I've tried has stayed put on her. It's no fun riding with a slipping saddle!

Treed or Treeless

With this in mind, I did some research on treeless saddles. This type of saddle is becoming more and more popular, especially with endurance and pleasure riders, but is also somewhat controversial. The pro-treeless argument says they are better for the horse since they are flexible, lightweight and can adjust to the changing shape of the back. The pro-treed argument says that you will never get decent weight distribution without a saddle tree, and that treeless saddles damage horses backs by causing pressure points. The truth is probably somewhere in between, since any saddle can damage a horses back if it is not a good fit. I have not written this review to get involved in this controversy, and would say that any horse owner should make their own decision on what is best for their horse and themselves, taking the appropriate advice where necessary.

The Ghost Saddle

Treeless saddles have become widely available over the past ten years or so, and there are several different designs to choose from. One of the issues that has been raised with the design of many of these saddles is that the stirrup bars are attached in such a way as to cause a concentrated pressure point on the horses back, especially when they are used without the correct pads. After much deliberation, I decided to trial a Ghost treeless saddle partly because the stirrup bars are not attached in this way.

Ghost saddles are produced by an Italian company called MYTYM, and there are several models to choose from, including standard, dressage and endurance. They can be made in leather, suede, or a synthetic suede material called lorica, or in combination, and come in a range of colours including purple or green, along with the more traditional brown or black. The slogan for these saddles is "The saddle that isn't there" because they allow a very close contact between horse and rider.

Almost every feature of the saddle is adjustable. The cantle block can be moved in order to make the seat size bigger or smaller and is attached by means of the strongest Velcro I've ever encountered! The panels can be moved to make a wider or narrower fitting depending on your horses shape, also by means of Velcro. The actual seat of the saddle is completely removable, so once you have bought one it is possible to buy a new seat (around £180) instead of a whole new saddle for each discipline. The position of the stirrups can be adjusted to suit the rider, and the girth straps can be moved to achieve the desired saddle stability, both due to the specially designed attachment bars on either side. There are built in knee rolls on the model I tried, for which I'm thankful as it's all extra security for me!

The Trial

The UK distributor for these saddles (web address below) offers a 7 day trial with appropriate saddle pads (the pads are very important with a treeless saddle), safety stirrups and girth for £45, and so I took up this offer. I chose to trial a standard model Ghost, ideal for the everyday rider like myself. It is fairly unconventional to look at, and I've had comments that it is a bit like a western saddle. I've included some pictures so you can make up your own mind! The saddle arrived promptly and well packed, along with a Thinline dressage girth (most treeless saddles have a dressage girthing arrangement) and several different pads to try out. It was brand new, so the arrangement was that if I liked it I could keep it, rather than sending it back and waiting for one to be made and sent from Italy.

My first impressions when I unpacked the Ghost were that it was very lightweight, and well made. The stitching is strong and of good quality, very important for any piece of horse tack. This one had an all-lorica seat making it very easy care (I am rather fond of easy care tack!) and meaning it can withstand a bit of abuse (including horse teeth!). I took it straight to the yard to try out, and after some minor adjustments we were off!

I could immediately see and feel that Rosie was more relaxed - her head was lower and her stride longer than when riding in her treed saddle. She was no longer tense and hollow during transitions, and I was delighted with her free forward movement. I also felt very secure on her back, not as if I was going to slip in some random direction at any moment. During my trial week I used the saddle out hacking and in the school, tried walk, trot, canter and gallop, and took a couple of jumps. I also tried it on my youngster, although we couldn't give it such a thorough testing as she is still learning herself. She does have a more saddle-friendly shaped back, but her higher withers weren't a problem when fitting. The shape of the saddle allows for a certain amount of wither clearance.

This is an incredibly comfortable saddle to ride in. My friend had a go and said "It's almost like it isn't there". She laughed when I told her about the company slogan! Although impressed by the comfort of the saddle, she said that she didn't think she would like to ride in it all the time as it was possibly a bit too comfortable. She prefers the feel of a treed saddle, so I'd recommend a trial for anyone thinking of buying one of these in case they have similar feelings.

The Result

Personally, I love it, and Rosie seems to feel the same. After a very successful trial week, I decided I was definitely keeping my Ghost as I couldn't imagine myself or Rosie being happy with going back to my old saddle. The combination of a Ghost treeless with a Ghost saddle pad, Thinline non-slip pad and Thinline dressage girth has given me the security that has been lacking with all the treed saddles I've tried (even with non-slip pads). I have now bought the same pads and girth that were supplied during the trial - they are available for a very good price from the UK Ghost Saddle supplier.

The Ghost is available from £575 (thank goodness for my tax rebate!). It has been worth every penny to me, and I believe it's good value for money. The adjustability means it can be used on different horses with the potential of saving a lot of money (and space) since you don't need a different saddle for each horse. Obviously it won't fit every horse but it will fit a good range of different shapes and sizes. It's also very comfortable for the rider, almost like riding bareback. For anyone considering giving treeless a go, I would recommend trialling a Ghost. It may not be for you but you won't know unless you try!

I would also like to mention the customer service I received from Ghost Saddles UK - very friendly, incredibly helpful, personal service. I couldn't have wished for better, and am still in touch with the lovely lady who distributes the Ghost in the UK. I think we would have remained friends whether I bought the saddle or not, and I can't say that about any other company I've dealt with.

For further information go to:

Ghost in the UK: http://www.ghostsaddles.co.uk/index.html (make sure you keep an eye out for Rosie on the testimonials page!)

I have posted a short review of this saddle on the treeless saddle blog, which can be found here: http://treelesssaddles.blog.co.uk/

*edited because I got some of the pricing wrong*