Hi Kaaren,

I don’t think I have yet expressed my gratitude for all of your help with my riding. Osp has been going better than ever lately. That may be because of the shims you recommended, or it could be because I’ve been practicing the connected riding which you also recommended. I used to have such a hard and uncomfortable time trotting downhill, but my body is much looser and freed up. Less bracing. I rode yesterday and trotted a lot downhill and really enjoyed it!

Thanks so much,
Deb

Kaaren helped me buy my Sensation saddle. With her expertise, I was able to purchase a saddle that fit both my horse and myself.

Thanks.
Katie Haynes

Dear Kaaren,

Thanks so much for the peace you brought me from your incredible saddle knowledge. You not only know a tremendous amount about each saddle and how it will fit a particular type of horse, but you know all about the people who make them, and their beliefs and theories on saddle fit. You brought a two year crazy and painful search to a harmonious stop!

Asia Voight

About Asia: She is an animal communicator and has been communicating with animals since she was a child. She began her professional work in August 1998 after studying advanced levels of animal communication with Penelope Smith. She has enjoyed working with over 12,000 animals and also teaches workshops in animal communication. Asia’s work has been featured on television and radio, in numerous newspapers and magazines, and in Dr. Julie Kaufmans’s book, Crossing the Rubicon: Celebrating the Human-Animal Bond in Life and Death. Asia earned a degree in Communication Arts from the University of Wisconsin—Oshkosh. She has also worked as a midwife’s assistant, cranial-sacral therapist, and healer. She can be reached at www.Asiavoight.com

Hi Kaaren,

I bought my Sensation through you just a couple months ago. I finally have a photo of my Icelandic gelding, Hersir sporting my saddle. I LOVE the saddle. It’s perfect. It fits us both like a glove. It’s so comfortable that I call it my couch. I couldn’t be happier. Here is a photo of us at a clinic we attended with Gudmar Petterson.

Thanks again!

Heather Williams
Concord, NH

Dear Kaaren,

I have spent two years searching for a saddle to fit my asymmetrical, very wide Arab gelding. I even had a saddle custom made for him and that was not successful. Finally, I came across the Sensation dressage saddle and my horse loves it. It does not slip off to the right side like everything else I tried. He moves well in it and his back is no longer sore and he is “bump-free”. It is a very comfortable saddle to ride but it has taken some time to get used to the difference between a tree-less saddle and a conventional tree saddle. Now, I know I could never go back to a conventional saddle.

I do dressage and trail riding and jump the occasional log on the trail. Thank you for all your patience and wisdom, it has been a pleasure working with you. I would highly recommend you to anyone having trouble fitting a saddle to their horse. You not only helped the horse but the rider as well.

Sincerely,
Jane Stanton

“I love my new dressage trail Sensation saddle – it’s totally comfortable for both me and my horse. I find my legs are naturally in the right position, and I feel the movement of his back when he collects to tolt.”

Marysue Wells

I just wanted to say Thanks for all your help. I had a chance to ride today and loved it. I think Bixby liked the saddle, too, and especially the girth. She did really well considering she just came in season. (I am riding her Wenglish).
Happy Trails!

Karin Baker

After using several other trail saddles including another treeless, the Sensation hybrid has quickly become my favorite! It fits both my13 hh Icelandic and my 15.2 TWH, and both horses work well in the saddle. And Kaaren has been a joy to work with!

Thanks again, Kaaren!

Robyn Schulze

Hi Kaaren,

My Icelandic mares are both so happy with the Sensation Hybrid we got. I love it too. Not a single complaint. Everything was beautifully crafted and fits them like a dream. I can ride without pain and there is such a feeling of ‘oneness’ at the tolt and canter. Everyone that has seen it, wants to know more and they remark how beautiful it is. It took me a long time to research the treeless saddles and come to a decision (almost 2 years) but I’m completely satisfied that I made the best choice. It’s a great product.
Best wishes for happy trails.

Jean Myers

I tried the sensation saddle not for my horse’s sake but for my own — my old saddle didn’t *quite* fit me right, and either my body or my equitation had to give. The sensation’s tremendous adjustability has allowed me to experiment with lots of different positions without being stuck into place by my tack, and Kaaren’s guidance made navigating through the new options approachable and easy. I also teach riding to students of a wide variety of sizes and shapes, and the saddle has allowed many of them to discover positions and supports that work for them. Hurray! 🙂

Vicka Corey

Nikki’s top line is changing already. She just loves to go out and ride, more than ever. No pissy face what so ever! The girth is a dream, I will be ordering one at some point, for my much smaller Arab, Butterfly.

Tiffany Ashcraft

My pony and I are still enjoying the Sensation saddle. It’s a very comfortable trail saddle for both of us.

Robin Sahner

Hi Kaaren,

My horse’s name is Hekla. She is 6 years old and a real sweet mare. I just wanted to tell you that I love the sensation dressage trail so much and it is the most comfortable saddle I have ever ridden in. Now that I have used it for a few months I thought I would let you know how I felt about it. The new saddle pad that I ordered is also a big plus. I still have my other trail saddle but this dressage trail is much more comfortable for me. I am sending my Christmas card attachment to you and wish you a great Holiday and New Year.

Regards,
Carolyn Spear

Here’s a picture of the three horses we ride in Sensations. From left to right – Deb & Osp with Western Sensation, me & Rudy in Sensation Dressage Trail, Jerry & Loki with Sensation Hybrid.

Dawn

Hi Kaaren,

I want to thank you for your guidance in the purchase of my Sensation western saddle. I and my horse have come to enjoy riding in it very much. It has been a struggle since I purchased my 15.2 hands QH gelding almost a year and a half ago to find a saddle that is comfortable for the 2 of us. We have borrowed many saddles; demoed many saddles; had professional saddle fitters try fitting him; looked at very expensive saddles that have technology to adjust the saddle with air bladders to accommodate his shoulder size disparity; and have tried multiple pads, all to no avail. His prominent, asymmetrical left shoulder prevented me from finding a saddle that fit him comfortably/correctly and my back and hip issues almost led me to believe last year that I would have to keep to nothing more than a walk on the trail, if I was lucky.

I joined the yahoo chat group for treeless saddles and began to read all I could from the various posts/threads. After many months of reading and doing additional reading/research on the internet, I demoed a Sensation western saddle. I was able to compare it to a BMSS which I had previously borrowed from a friend for about two months and found it to be pretty darn comfortable for the two of us. My hips and back did not hurt for the first time in a long time, even after I loped him in the arena, which I had not done in well over a year. I subsequently did a phone consultation with you which was the clincher for me.

The first time I rode Frankie in this saddle, I distinctly recall that he strode out going downhill which he never did a treed saddle because of the discomfort to his shoulders. I am so happy that I finally found something that is going to work for the two of us.

It has been a definite process of increasing the length of our rides as his musculature develops while in this saddle. I did ride him too long too soon in the beginning but time is no longer an issue. It has been a joy to ride again as we’ve been out hitting the trails, sorting and doing some trail trials. The vet saw him yesterday and she remarked at how much more toned he looks, especially on his top line. My hips no longer hurt and my back, which will always be mildly sore from thinned discs, is nowhere experiencing the level of pain I previously had in my treed saddle.

May your saddle be comfy and your trails smooth!

So again, we thank you!
Cathy and Frankie