ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Nubuck Leather?
Unlike flat leathers, Nubuck is a brushed leather with a slight nap.  This gives extra "grippiness" to your seat. It is NOT suede. All Barefoot saddles, except for the London, are Nubuck.

How is the Barefoot Different?
There are many Treeless saddles in the market, that look so similar!  Tree-Free riding is an age old concept, with some modern day comforts.  The Barefoot is designed for the comfort of the horse and rider in mind.  The Barefoot Saddle has formed fiberglass in the pommel.  The cantle has a high density foam rather than other materials to prevent pressure points from the riders seat.  This is strong, and lighter weight.  It will also not change shape, warp or swell when wet. 

The seat on the Barefoot is padded for comfort, yet not so much that you lose the close contact feeling with your horse. On most models, you will also find that the seat extends more forward and is shaped to the cantle covering a larger area.  The seat on the Cheyenne may require a short "break in" period, and will become more and more comfy with use.

The billet straps on the Barefoot are reinforced with nylon for extra safety.  We recommend the use of a girth with roller buckles.  Other than that, no special girth is required...just a standard dressage girth.

Last of all, the price!!  Barefoot produces saddles in large quantities, allowing us to pass  the savings on to you.  Sure, we can charge more for a higher profit margin.  But why?  The Barefoot saddle is high quality, but not for a premium price.  Everyone should be able to afford the benefits of Treeless riding.

How can I be sure my saddle is a genuine Barefoot saddle designed by and manufactured for Barefoot Germany?

The Barefoot saddles are a very popular line of saddles that are often imitated.  Saddles can look similar, yet are not the Genuine saddle designed by Barefoot in Germany.  Our saddles are stamped with the Barefoot Logo incorporating a feather design, and contain the barefoot-saddle.de stamp which guarantees authenticity. Each saddle will also be accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

Can I use the horn for roping in the western styled Barefoot saddles?

No.  The horn is decorative only.  We do not recommend any roping, tying animals to it, or other heavy use.  Be sure to mount from a mounting block, so any undue force will not be placed on the horn when mounting.

How do I care for the saddle?

Remember, leather is a product of nature, and therefore differences in the shade and consistency will occur.  Your saddle should be stored in a dry, airy place.  You can use any Nubuck leather conditioner to prevent, or amend any water spots.  You can also clean your saddle with any leather soap, followed by a leather conditioner if needed.  Your saddle will come to you with it's first conditioning already done!

Where should the saddle be placed?

When placing the Barefoot saddle on your horse, the SEAT should be directly over the portion of the back where you naturally sit when riding bareback.  To do this, the pommel should be slightly over the shoulders.  Since the saddle is flexible, there is NO shoulder restriction in movement.  The conformation of each animal is different, therefore the placement of the saddle may change.  As long as the seat is over the natural bareback spot, you are fine! 

Can I remove the pommel and cantle inserts?

Yes, on all models, the rider can remove the pommel or cantle inserts if wanted.  You can replace the pommel with foam, wool, or other similar material.  While you can put the Cheyenne or London pommel in the Western models, there will be a gap at the top where the western pommel pocket accommodates the horn.  You cannot put a horned pommel on the Cheyenne or London.

How do I know the correct seat size?

Check the sizing comparison on the saddle pages.  You want to sit on the SEAT of the saddle, not the pommel or cantle.  If you choose a size too small, you will be sitting on the cantle.  This does not do much for rider comfort!

How long until I get my saddle?

We strive to keep saddles in stock to ship within 48 business hours from your order. Saddles ship directly from the warehouse, to save you time.  If for some reason your choice is not available, we will let you know.  Saddle shipments generally arrive monthly, so chances are that if your saddle choice is not in stock, it will not be long before it arrives for shipment.

Recommendations:

• As with all tree-free saddles, we suggest the use of an insert pad, such as the SKITO OR GRANDEUR SADDLE PADS. 
• For your horse's comfort, always use a mounting block or aid
• Any dressage girth is compatible with the Barefoot Saddles
• For your feet, we recommend the comfort of  E Z RIDE STIRRUPS
• For barefoot horses, we highly recommend the BOA HOOF BOOTS or OLD MACS BOOTS