# Ortho Flex saddles



## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

So, I've got my Aussie saddle sold (just have to ship it out) and I'm going to put my western on Craigslist because it really just isn't comfortable for me and the cut fender bothers me for some reason.

So, I was looking on Craigslist and I saw this saddle...again. It's been for sale for a couple of months now and the price has dropped from about $400 when it was first posted. It's a 17" seat, which is what I need, and appears to have a nice seat. I also like the look of it.

Are Ortho Flexes any good? I've seen a few for sale on Craigslist before and they were always in the $800-1200 range. 

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## SummerShy (Aug 3, 2014)

It actually doesn't look all that comfortable to me. Are you local enough to try it out first?


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

It's about 95 miles away from me. The problem I'm having finding a saddle is that most everyone around here has 15" seats, whether they really fit or not. My saddle now (older Action Saddle Co trail/pleasure) was sold to us as a 15"...depending on who measures it, it's been measured as a 15" and as a 16.5" (I got the 15" using a standard metal tape measure...the lady at the tack shop got 16.5" using a cloth tape measure...it sits like a 16.5", though). My best friend, who rides a 15-15.5" seat, was swimming in my saddle.
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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

For a (not great) comparison, this is the seat on my saddle now:

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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

summer, 
why does the ortho flex look uncomfortable to you?

I am very hesitant to use any flex tree, but then there's as many people who love them as don't.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

My friend had a Circle Y Park and Trail with the Flex tree and it wasn't half bad. Didn't "flex" nearly as much as I anticipated. Biggest problem was that it was sold to her as FQHB, but it was actually semi-QH bars, which meant it pinched her hard-to-fit Arab. 

I didn't find a lot about the Ortho Flex western saddles online. Just several for sale in the range I mentioned before.
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## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

I had an Ortho Flex saddle for a little while. It did NOT flex in the same manner as most. 

The bars did not flex, they were rigid. It had a suspended seat and there was a mechanism that sort of swiveled the angle of the bars.

























Be careful upon inspecting the saddle that the mechanism is still straight and working properly. So that both sides work evenly and equally well. And also that it doesn't protrude from the underside of the panels.

I don't know if the one you are looking at has similar features. I understand the original maker of Ortho Flex saddles no longer makes that type and now promotes The Corrector Pad instead.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

The Ortho-flex saddle in the first pic is of low quality. There were a lot of problems with the earlier flex trees. They'd flex but put pressure somewhere else, causing a sore back for the horse. The early ones also had weight limitations.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Alrighty. Then that one is out.

Ugh. I seriously hate this.

Did find this one. I'd have to sit in it to see if it would work (depending on the seat, I can do a 16" or a 17"). This one is two hours away, though.
16 in Roper Saddle
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## Aspen1 (Dec 16, 2013)

The last picture put up by anndankev shows why the original orthoflex design sored horses. You can see the four contact points where the "bars" were connected to the fork and cantle. Other than the rubbing on the outside of the back of the skirts, those are the only places that show any wear. That is because all the weight of the rider ended up pressing on those four connection points. It sounded like a good idea, but in practice, it never worked...


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## MiniMom24 (Mar 13, 2013)

I have a Circle Y Flex and the reason why it doesn't FLEX is because the actual seat is a solid wood tree wrapped in rawhide, just like any other non flex saddle. What they've done was add flexible plate in the front gullet and near the back of the saddle. Those flex with the horse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xax4frw0_S8


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## Aspen1 (Dec 16, 2013)

MiniMom, actually, there isn't a rawhided tree inside that flex tree. What they have is a wooden fork and cantle, covered in fiberglass. Then there is a fiberglass seat strainer covered in box liner (which they call durahide). That is the black seat thing on top. The "bars" are the heavier white synthetic material riveted between the seat strainer and the more flexible black material beneath it. The white material is still flexible, and it makes up most of the weight bearing area of the tree. They explain this at 1:20 to 2:00 minutes of the video.


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## MiniMom24 (Mar 13, 2013)

Sorry, Aspen. you are correct. I guess the point I was making is allot of people thing the whole tree is flexable when it isn't.


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