flex tree saddles

I am looking at purchasing a flex tree saddle. Input appreciated in those of you that own one, please list brand and what you like and dislike about it and weather you would recommend it or not. I have ridden in the royal King auto adjust trail saddle (about 39 lb's). It is listed for around $900-1000 dollars and I can get one wholesale for $700.00. I am looking at the round skirt and leather seat. It seemed to leave the least amount of dry spots behind the withers (about 2" x 3"). The saddles I have tried slip back and dig in behind shoulders where as this saddle had "flare".

Is it true there should be no dry spots except the spine? Thanks in advance!

DO NOT be tempted to purchase a flex treed saddle. With age (and with age I mean not long after you have it) they stretch and will sit on the spine wrong causeing a sore back. Believe me. We've had a few. They aren't really so great. They made bumpy, sore backs.

Consider yourself warned.

Flex trees = one of the worst inventions for the saddle. Do not buy them.

My husband rode a Big Horn flex tree for several years and loved it. It seemed to fit every horse he tried it on. I didn't know there was a problem with them.

There is a problem. They stretch. Not all, most.

He only had 3 years and maybe 100 hours in it. It seemed like a nice saddle. He sold it because he made the mistake of riding in my Don West and had to have one

There is Only One Brand of Flex Tree in a Western Saddle that is Good, that is a Ralide Brand.

The others are Imported Junk or Have other Problems, like weight limits, material separation problems, etc.




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^ Oh, made that mistake before, lol.

(directed to Vidaloco because Southern Trails posted .000000364 seconds before me)

I heard good and bad things about them. However when I look at some I found they are the best for the round horses IMHO. My paint with high withers and funny back was not a good candidate for it, so I ended up with nice treed saddle. :)

Nope, NO dry spots. If you're getting dry spots at all, then the saddle doesn't fit. If it slides back, then you're putting it too far forward, or your horse has a serious lack of muscle behind the withers.

A great solution for wither hollows is a Skito Correction saddle pad. They have a shim made just for that issue and it works really well. My DH's gelding has the same problem and with the right shims, his saddle fits a LOT better. You use the Skito pad over a saddle blanket or thin felt liner pad (1/2" or thinner).

I would recommend against Royal King saddles. They are imports and not good quality. The auto-adjust tree can "stick" and break pretty easily. I would look at quality older used saddles. You can get a good older Circle Y or Textan for around $300-600. My Full QH Bar Circle Y fit my wide mare well. My DH's gelding goes better in older Semi-QH bars.