"I no longer use a breastplate or crupper on the trails/hills & my horse is VERY happy going up or down. He no longer has a chunk of wood wedged against his shoulders with my weight on top of it when going down a hill if I do not use a crupper!!! I can not remember my horse ever being as happy & willing to do anything I ask as he has been since I got the Ansür!!! And I love riding in it too! My hip no longer hurts when I get off & I am not fighting to stay in position!"

Jenna

"I bought my Ansür at Nationals last September...it was a huge decision for me. I have never spent that much on a saddle. I am a serious trail rider and train & ride many different horses. Until I got the Ansür, I needed 4 or 5 different saddles so that I would always (hopefully) have one that fit each horse....now those saddles are gathering dust and I will probably sell all or most of them. The Ansür truly does as it advertises...it fits everything that I put it on because it molds to each individual back. It is comfortable for me, and it is comfortable for my horses...they gait better, work more relaxed, and at the end of a 25 or 30 mile ride they don't have sore backs. As far as rider comfort, the seat of the Ansür supplies ample cushioning to ride in complete comfort for 3 hour rides. For longer rides, I add a sheepskin seat pad for added comfort.

Besides the excellent fit for my horses, another reason I considered the Ansür was the quality of leather used. I take good care of my saddles, but I was totally wearing out the mid-price saddles every 2 years. (Riding an average of 2.5 hours a day will do that.) Because durability is important to me, I chose the Ansür Classic model with leather seat (rather than the suede seat on the Amigo designed for paso riders) and had them add extra rings for my breast collar, crupper, and other trail gear. Since October, I've put over 500 miles on my Ansür, using 4 or 5 different horses. Those miles have been on flatlands and hills, and I have nothing but good things to say about the saddle's performance. For this type of riding, I have not used a breast collar or a crupper, and have had no trouble at all with the saddle slipping or shifting. I plan to use the saddle in much steeper terrain in May, when I ride safety for the Big South Fork Competitive Trail Ride in the mountains of Tennessee. (I'll carry the breastrap & crupper with me, just in case I need it.) If the saddle performs well at that ride, I'll be using it in the mountains of Colorado this summer.

I'm not saying the Ansür is for everybody tho. If you like close contact with your horse...you should try one. As far as contact goes, it is the closest thing I've found to riding bareback while still having the security of a saddle. If you prefer to ride in a saddle that sits you up off of the horse's back like many of the saddles promoted for rider comfort (I feel like I'm on a sailing ship above the horse in those saddles)...well, you probably won't like the Ansür if you like those. If you are not a balanced rider, then you won't like the Ansür at first....but it will help you to become a better balanced rider."

Julie A.