I was just talking to a friend of mine on the phone who sells Amish made saddles over the internet and she just said pretty much the same thing. There is now a "flex-tree" that alot of saddle makers are using that sounds pretty interesting. If you to go www.dixielandgaitedsaddles.com, then click on the Flex Tree Info link, you can read about it. It sounds like a good compromise between treeless and rigid trees. They have some pretty saddles to look at too.
Hey, those look pretty good, price wise too.
I like the Mahgaoney endurance saddle with the horn. I like the high back on the seat, and the flat seat. I'm not real crazy with the western saddles that have all that slope at the front of the seat....I don't know what the point of that is. I remember when I had mine made I told the guy, I want a flat seat, don't build it up.
Becky