Freeform Saddles
PLEASE NOTE:
Freeform is a registered Trade Mark & Brand, owned by Omnika Srl in Italy who design and make the Freeform range.
Do not be confused by any other cheaper treeless saddle that bears any similarity in either name or appearance or makes any claim in relation to Freeform.
Freeform Treeless Saddles are the first of their kind and have come a long way since the first samples produced. They are backed by a dedicated Worldwide team of real riders and pressure testing. Freeform has evolved since its conception in 2003 and continues to do so.
Anything hereafter is a copy and price will reflect the quality and origin of manufacture.
Where we lead, others follow!
Freeform Treeless Saddles are an excellent example of saddling in the 21st Century. They are the first to utilise the very modern process of foam injection moulding to produce a complete saddle, not just small parts of it – a true revolution in the world of saddle making.
Made in Italy by Omnika, a small family orientated company, using the finest Italian leathers & materials Italy has to offer. This not only gives the Freeform Treeless Saddles their quality and feel, but the moulding process ensures symmetry at the core of the saddle and allows the saddles to follow the contours of the horse without relying on the forced shape of a rigid saddle tree.
Their unique structure gives Freeform saddles a distinct benefit for many horses and riders. The breathable foam core makes the saddles very lightweight at around 3.5kg. The flexibility of this allows the horse complete unrestricted freedom of movement, encouraging them to move as nature intended and provides a close-contact feel for the rider, giving both a much more comfortable riding experience. Although fully flexible, the saddles have an excellent weight distribution ability making them the ideal compromise between a bareback pad and a treed saddle.
A flexible alumnium arch in the pommel section of the detachable seat gives a self-adjusting fit to suit several horse shapes. Whilst these saddles are not a "one-size-fits-all" solution, their overall flexibility potentially allows the rider to use one saddle on more than one horse.
A fully adjustable stirrup position allows the rider to place their stirrups so the ideal shoulder-hip-heel alignment can be easily attained.
The self-adjusting girthing is a free-swinging arrangement and caters for most horse conformations. This positions the girth automatically in the girth groove irrespective of where the saddle is placed on the horse. The internal section of the girthing is set on a "Y" system to help distribute the pressure over the bearing area of the saddle and to assist in saddle stability.
The seats are fully detachable and being available in a few different styles as well as sizes, they are also fully interchangeable. They are designed to offer the rider different forms of support depending on their preferences.
The standard width and shape of Freeform Saddles may allow the low, wide withered to the very flattest, widest horses some wither and spine clearance without the need for additional shimming. However, high withered, atrophied horses will need extra shimming to gain the necessary clearance.
Stirrup leathers specifically designed to go with the Freeform are dressage style to reduce bulk under the rider's leg and have a reinforced nylon core.
When it comes to treeless saddles, having the right numnah is a necessity and should be considered an essential part of your saddle rather than an extra piece of equipment. Most commercially available numnahs are not the right shape or size for these saddles but more importantly, most of them have bulky seams and it is this can cause problems by creating a point of pressure along the horse's spine. Without the rigidity of a tree, the "gullet area" cannot be made as roomy and as the saddles are flexible, the rider’s weight will also affect the amount of clearance over the spine and withers. Because of this, any small amount of room can be taken up with a bulky seam of a conventionally made numnah. This is why we offer a selection of numnahs specifically designed for use with the Freeform and other treeless saddles. They are all pocketed and can therefore be custom shimmed to suit varying horse shapes as well as offering extra cushioning when needed.
For those who are unsure, "shimming" is a process of adding foam layers to a suitable numnah to adjust the fit of a treeless saddle in the same way a saddler adjusts the fit of treed saddles by adding/removing the wool flocking. The benefit of shimming is that the rider can make the adjustments as and when it’s needed.
