Made of closed cell foam and wetsuit quality neoprene, I'd describe this saddle as a hybrid. It's a mix between a treeless saddle and a bareback pad. It is the most comfortable saddle I've ever ridden in. (I have a nicely broken-in Stubben saddle that I use on my Andalusian.) It's going to be hard to go back to my regular saddle after riding in the Cashel. I love the ability to be able to feel my horse move beneath me, without anything stiff in between us.

This saddle is perfect for a woman's body. (I suspect that my cowboy husband and other men would find it comfortable too.) Riding in this saddle is reminiscent of practicing my basic seat in equestrian vaulting (on that big vaulting pad). A friend who has an Icelandic saddle says that it reminds her of her lightweight saddle. (The Cashel weighs in at under 9 pounds.) Because of it's unique construction, this saddle should be instrumental in my continuous quest to improve my seat. I don't agree with some of the comments I've read about the stirrup placement encouraging an armchair seat. In my honest opinion, the correct seat can be easily achieved in this saddle by sitting correctly.

Riding in the cold the last few days, I've also noticed that the neoprene keeps my tush and legs warm! Before I ordered the saddle, I telephoned Cashel Company to ask them some questions about their product and to get their advice regarding sizing. The Cashel rep was very helpful and informative. At 5'8" with a medium build, they recommended a size Large for me.

Now, most importantly, I've observed that my horses like this soft saddle. I have a saddle that fits my Andalusian really well, and she's a nice mover, but she seems pretty happy in this. Our rescue appaloosa is a saddle-fitting challenge who I suspect has had more than her fair share of experience with ill-fitting tack, and I see a marked difference in her attitude when I ride her in the Cashel. I have tried to be very careful about not cinching the saddle up too tightly. I've had to do a little experimenting to find the right balance for me and my horse. I don't want the saddle dragging on the horse's withers, a common complaint regarding bareback pads.

I've had the saddle slip around on me once during mounting over the last few days. It has shifted a little to the left on a couple of occasions. As with a treeless saddle, you have to learn to mount the Icelandic way or get yourself a mounting block!

Overall, I highly recommend this Cashel Soft Saddle.

As always, the first rule in riding is safety. You should be a fairly experienced rider with a good seat to use this saddle. I would not recommend for a beginner.

My horses and I are looking forward to many comfortable rides in the future. And I can't wait to try it on my draft horse, although I'm going to have to get real good at that Icelandic mounting technique first!