Free 'n' Easy saddles - anyone heard of them / use them ?

amandal

amandal

Active Member
Feb 12, 2004
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Question's in the title really, does anyone use a Free 'n' Easy saddle ?

www.fnesaddles.com

What do you think about them ?

I've been told about a 2nd hand Trekker for sale - farrier's wife used it for endurance, she's now upgraded to their endurance saddle.
 
I've got a trekker I'd like to sell too if anyone is interested. It was OK, but slipped forward on my mare, f'n'e recommended a crupper, but I don't think it's fair for an adult rider to use one.
 
My Best friend has one. Likes it but there are two problems for her. It is really heavy and it is not quick to change between horses if they have different shapes. So it would be better for just one horse.

Now John Park's and his Icelandic Remmington are famous in the long distance endurance races here in the US for going over 10,000 miles. Kid you not.
And pretty sure he uses a Free n easy.
Here are some older articles on him.
http://endurance.iceryder.net/

I know a couple of other people that like them.

Would of bought one for Dyfra but sadly she doesn't like flex panel saddles.

Think they do demo's, which I would recommend.
 
Having seen insode them no thank you, also watched the panels from behind in rising trot as they splay you then come together, pinching the spine.

Thie 2 8mm bolts taking the whole weight of the rider I cannot come to terms with either.
 
Know lots of people that compete in endurance with them. I personally didnt like them but my mate swears by them.
 
I have hear horror stories of them shearing and going through the plastic panel.
 
Wally said:
Having seen insode them no thank you, also watched the panels from behind in rising trot as they splay you then come together, pinching the spine.

Thie 2 8mm bolts taking the whole weight of the rider I cannot come to terms with either.
Click to expand...

Thank goodness I decided against them.

It was your observations about all of my hefty weight being on 2 bolts that changed my mind. I didn't know about the splaying panels either.

My yard mate has one and she loves it and her horse does go better in it. It's not for me though.
 
I had several firends that did in excess of 2,000 competative miles on these saddles and several that did 100 mile rides in a day all with A1 backs afterwards. I have never seen one splay whilst riden but I agree that they dotn suit every horse. they are also quite heavy so I would now strugle to put one on my pony due to my own back problems!
 
I have done 100 mile in a day endurance rides on ordinary treed saddles with A1 back at the end of it......twice in the season.

Having taken one to bits, no thanks.
 
My experience

I have been riding in Free N Easy saddle for 5yrs now and LOVE them. My boss (Lari Shea a Tevis winner) owns Ricochet Ridge Ranch (a horse vacation place in CA) and uses them for her english riders. The saddles get used every day during the summer for 6-8 hours and we have new ones to ones that are about 8yrs old. I have NEVER seen a screw go though a panel or anything that could ever hurt your horse. The older saddles have over 2,000 miles on them and are still in great shape!

I bought my own FnE three years ago and it fits many horses. There are different tree sizes and my medium tree for example fits narrow arabs, throughbreds ect. well but would not fit a round quarter horse. They can only adj. so far. I have ridden 300 miles of endurance in it as well as done some dressage and have only had good results.

The only trouble I have had with it is the stirrup bars. They are adj. as well and can be moved forward or back to change your leg position. You do want to ride in webbers as normal leather buckles protrude too far with these saddle. If you have your stirrup bar in a forward position make sure you leathers are not really worn. There is no latch to keep the leather on the bar so if you are moving around a lot and you leg goes too far back your stirrup will come off. It is a safety feature for if you fall off. I used my stirrup bars in the back position and now I don't have any problems.

I would recommend this saddle for everyone to try.
 
ekamberg said:
I bought my own FnE three years ago and it fits many horses. There are different tree sizes and my medium tree for example fits narrow arabs, throughbreds ect. well but would not fit a round quarter horse. They can only adj. so far. I have ridden 300 miles of endurance in it as well as done some dressage and have only had good results.
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot for your response, unfortunately the horse without a saddle is a quarter horse :D think I'll definitely be searching for another model.
 
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