skito Treeless Saddle Pad (Sensation)

I was lucky enough to get this pad off Ebay.

I contacted Skito directly who were very helpful with helping me find out about the pad.

As they are made to order, this is actually the Sensation Dressage Saddle style pad. All the pads have a code number so you can check what you have. It would still suit other treeless, but it sits beautifully under the Dressage Formal.

It no longer has the little tabs to attach to your D rings. I am going to use leather spur straps.

It has the option to put inserts in if required. Overall this is a very well made pad with quality Merino wool underneath.

This particular one is faded from use, but you can see the quality and condition of the underside.

How to Measure the seat size on a Sensation Treeless Saddle — EQUINE Ink

After buying a saddle that was definitely smaller than advertised, I learned how to measure the seat size on a Sensation treeless saddle. Unlike an English saddle where you measure from the button on the side of the pommel to the center of the cantle, or a Western saddle where you measure from the pommel […]

How to Measure the seat size on a Sensation Treeless Saddle — EQUINE Ink

Useful article. And a lovely shade of saddle.

Sensation Formal Dressage

I have been trialing my new saddle, the dressage formal model by Sensation.

It’s the 17″ and it’s very nice and compact looking while giving  me ample seat room. The seat is very soft and very comfortable. The girth billets are the slightly shorter dressage length, I swapped my girths around to find one that fitted.

As it has a hard use setting I found if I wasn’t using that, then the extra strap just pops into the girth. I would therefore use a girth with adequate keepers or a girth as in the photo with its own pocket.

I wasn’t overly keen on the high pommel but after half a dozen rides I dont even notice it. It came with a Barefoot Physio pad and adding two inserts meant that I am very slightly higher and therefore the pommel isn’t as huge looking.

I decided I liked it, my horse liked it, but I wanted my riding instructor to run her eyes over it. I wanted to see if it complimented my position, or made it worse. She gave it a tweak here and there and off we went. It gives me much more feel than any of the other models ridden in to date. My Freeform has a restricted seat by comparison.

I have yet to hack out which I plan to. It’s been used for No Stirrup November. My sitting trot has improved by a change of saddle and tweaked position.

The photo shows a soaked horse and pretty much a soaked saddle. I had been trying to keep it dry but the weather is what arrives that morning.

© Treeless Tried and Tested 

 

 

 

Can I Compete In A Treeless Saddle?

I get asked this from time to time. The simple answer is yes you can, just be aware of a couple of things.

If you opt for a class where the judge may ride, do not be offended if they decline. In the showing world, tradition calls for a treed saddle if showing.

Since the original was posted Thorn Saddle Pads have been accepted in the show ring for Shetlands and hard to fit ponies. The Solution and the Smart range is also seen on the show circuit, right up to Horse of Year show level.

For the Pony Club you may need to ask the DC if you are allowed to use the Thorn or equivalent pads, but I have seen more and more children/young adults using these.

You may be marked down for being in a treeless in the show ring in a less than traditional looking model. Some judges simply do not like them. If you want something traditional looking you will find that these days.

BD rules state that you can use a treeless saddle providing it is of a standard design, ie not western looking. If you want something traditional looking go for the Freeform, Barefoot or Sensation Dressage models.

We have had success in the Freeform Classic with the online BD accepted shows.

              2015 championship

Sensation Treeless Saddle

Sensation Harmony Element

Review to follow.

Sensation Westlish

Erin with a Tb

Sensation Hybrid

Lovely saddle, very well made and the leather is very soft and flexible and doesn’t take much breaking in, at the same time it is hard wearing and doesn’t mark easily.

Used at all paces and small jumps, including short endurance rides (10-12
miles) and a 2 day 26 mile ride.

Has 3 stirrup positions, freeswing, hard use and endurance. The stirrup position on freeswing and hard use can be moved due to stirrup ring being on moveable Velcro plate. Endurance is fastened to the bottom of the stirrup flap which eliminates stirrup pressure points on the horses back.

Used on 12hh Welsh Section A, 14hh Welsh Cob, 14.3hh Welsh x Arab and 15.1hh HW Cob.

Sensation Dressage Trail

Dressage trail with upgraded formal dressage pommel and cantle giving a deeper seat and upgraded g4 seat giving a neater look.

I ordered this but unfortunately I just didn’t get in with it,I found the formal pommel and cantle just a little too deep for me and in hindsight should have had the normal dressage trail pommel and cantle but it was a lesson learned. The colours are butterscotch deertan seat,knee,thigh roll and beading with dark coffee bean flap leather. 2 removable rigging billets and a 17″ seat. The formal dressage pommel because of its higher stance offers a little more wither clearance but again this had been used from low wide wither to medium narrow withers with just the change of pads. For flat work this worked well to give a really deep seat and the flap is similar to a working hunter style cut and offers good shoulder room. Same 19″ weight bearing panels and works well in short backs.

Dressage trail with 1″ shortened flap and standard dressage trail pommel and cantle.

Offers a semi deep seat with a working hunter style flap,not completely straight but only slightly forward cut. This fit my mare very well and was the first saddle we had had that really worked,both treed and treeless. The flexibility of this saddle really worked well in allowing the saddle to mould to my mares shape,medium but very wide wither,sharp rise to the group,downhill and very short backed, huge movement from behind and through her back which always caused saddles to fly forward then blocking her shoulder,nightmare to fit! In the picture I am using the endurance set up stirrup attachment which offers the most effective weight distribution. It does however mean you lose some of the swing in your stirrups,for me this is not a problem,it helps stabilize my left leg since a knee injury but does take a little bit of getting used to. I jumped around 2’6″ in this saddle and it works well for flat work too. I am using a Skito pad with 3/4″ inserts and a 1/2″ wither shim for this particular horse but the Skito is a great pad for all types of horses and saddles and offers a very large selection of inserts and shims.

Sensation Sonoran

This is my favourite model of all the sensations. This is a 15.5″ seat measured like a western. It has a tall western swell with a tall western cantle,2 removable rigging billets and g3 rigging for the stirrup attachment. It is set up in the endurance setting in the photo,this offers the most weight distribution after the hard use set-up and is my preferred stirrup attachment as I hate leathers under my legs and it also helps stabalise my legs. Good for me since an old injury. It does limit your leg movement a bit but does not fix it in one position.



I had the flap shortened 1.5″ on this one and at 5’4″ with a 28″ inseam this is perfect for me. The sonoran has the formal dressage flap which is very straight cut and I am effortlessly riding in a very relaxed correct position with no back,knee or ankle pain. The swell and cantle offer security but do not pin me in or restrict posting the trot. Though not great for jumping anything but small logs etc out on the trail. All the horses I’ve used this on have been very comfortable in it and the wither clearance is great in the ones I ride. I have not used it on shark fin withers but believe it would work with the correct choice of pad. From 13.2hh no withered xxxxw up to 17hh med wide medium withered with only a change in pad. The colours in this are butterscotch deertan seat,knee,thigh roll and binding on black cherry flap leather which was a one off hide nickers saddlery had available,I love this combination! This for me is a perfect trail saddle for comfort and ease of a relaxed but correct position and remains my favourite model.

The only limitations for the Sensation range is that they are not recommended for horses with a high wither. Riders should be under 14 stone.

Closed Ring or E Bar Stirrup Fitting

Treeless saddles will come with one or the other of these. The original post was written in 2015, but in 2023 there are still saddles out there with the closed ring. There are also some saddles still being made with that closed ring. 

The modern treeless saddles will most likely come with a movable stirrup plate.  This allows you lift off the fitting to adjust the position of the stirrup leathers.

If your saddle is Closed Ring you MUST use safety stirrups, the Swiss Clip or Barnes Buckle. Or better still, change to the ebar which is readily available from other companies such as Barefoot. 

Barefoot – from 2021, the saddle will be the open bar

Freeform – movable closed ring stirrup plate, can be changed to the ebar

Sensation – is movable and Ebar

Treefree range – ebar

However some treeless still have a fixed non removable closed ring or rings which only allow you to move between front and back.

Torsion – fixed double ring

Libra fixed single or double ring.

Dream – Closed ring.

Thorn pads – closed ring unless you order e bar.

After using both, I haven’t had any concerns with either set up, but will now use the e bar given that option. 

Freeform Stirrup Plate