10/18/2026
SCENARIO: A professional was called to evaluate/fit a flexible tree saddle. This tree is designed to flex under the rider’s seat when the girth is applied.
Based on this picture, showing the wool that was added to the saddle under the rider’s seat, what do you think happened?
ANSWER: Because this saddle was only evaluated it in the cross ties, and was not girthed up, it had a slight bridge under the rider’s seat. The saddle was then flocked to fill in the area that was bridging.
👉 “Bridging”, in saddle terminology, means the saddle’s panels do not make contact under the rider’s seat.
ISSUE 1: This brand’s tree is designed to flex under the rider’s seat, therefore a slight bridge is the correct presentation when the girth is absent. Diagnosing this saddle with a bridge was incorrect.
ISSUE 2: This saddle was flocked to fit without ever seeing it girthed up or in motion. All saddles - regardless of the flexibility of the tree - should be evaluated and flocked when girthed up and with the rider aboard. It is crucial to evaluate the horse’s reaction to the saddle before and after the flocking. If this saddle had been evaluated in motion post-flocking, the professional would have noticed that the addition of the wool under the rider’s seat caused it to bounce considerably, making it uncomfortable for both the horse and rider.
⚠️ There is no standardization when it comes to building flexible trees. This means that one brand’s tree may flex under the rider’s seat, and another brand may only flex at the cantle. Some brands have ultra-flexible trees while others’ trees only flex slightly. Therefore, it is extremely important that the Fitter you hire know how much and where your brand is designed to flex, so the saddle can be assessed and fitted properly. For example, a Passier wood/leather flexible tree will not flex under the rider’s seat, while the Stubben composite tree should.