So, why haven't you jumped on the "super saddle", hi-tech, ultra tree, turns your horse into a supple athlete, rides better, fits better, and eliminates soreness bandwagon?

A Super Saddle Sighting
If you've been to any horse expo-type gatherings, you may have seen vendors offering hi-tech, vastly improved "super saddles" that will provide you and your horse more comfort. These saddles may use flexible trees, self-adjusting bars, half-trees, and a host of other special improvements that separate their saddles from the western saddle you currently ride or show in. While the differences in tree design may not be obvious to the naked eye, usually the easiest way to tell one of these super saddles from a regular saddle is simply by how ugly they are. Yes, ugly, when compared to other saddles.

Meet the Super Saddle Salesman
Salesperson: So, what kind of saddle do you ride in now?

Me: [ Name a brand, it hardly matters. ]

Salesperson: Oh, that's on a [so-and-so] tree, a rigid tree that creates pressure points.

Me: But my horse doesn't seem to have any pressure points. I haven't seen any, anyhow.

Salesperson: Oh, but he does. Does your horse ever [fill in the blank] bolt, spook, refuse to take his leads, eat, sleep, exhibit a short stride?

Me: Yes, he does! How could you know that?!!!

Salesperson: That could be caused by saddle pain. Pain you aren't aware of. A rigid tree does this [shows some horrible, painful effect] and this [another horrible, painful effect]. Our saddles are designed to allow your horse to move more freely. They fit better, ride better... [hands me a brochure]

Me: Wow. Sounds too good to be true. Do you have any show saddle models?

(Salesperson hesitates...)

Salesperson: Here's one! It has silver corner plates. It's a show saddle.

(I see ugly saddle with silver corner plates haphazardly applied over some unfamiliar looking tooling pattern.)

Me: Ummm... No, that's not really a show saddle. Do you have any that look like real show saddles?

Salesperson: Well, that's our show model.

(I see the futility of further communication.)

Me: Thanks, anyway, but I'm 'just looking'.

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