Draupnir Saddle Trees

The saddle tree is the core foundation of a saddle and forms the entire basis for a good saddle. The shape, construction, and choice of materials in the tree are crucial for the final product and the overall quality of the saddle. The shape and material of the saddle tree make Draupnir saddles unique.

The saddle trees in Draupnir saddles are anatomically tailored to the Icelandic horse’s back. Initially, these came in 15 different sizes. Today’s Icelandic horses have become rounder and broader across their backs, and we now primarily produce two different widths and three different lengths, totaling six sizes. If there is demand, new tree sizes may be produced in the future.
The material used in the tree is epoxy, which provides resilience, flexibility, strength, and light weight.
What some of the Draupnir saddle trees have in common is that they have spring-like flexibility, similar to a mechanical spring, and return to their original shape as soon as the pressure from the rider ceases.
Our saddle trees are produced in Norway.

Features

Designed for Icelandic Horses

The saddle trees are specifically designed for Icelandic horses, based on countless measurements of different Icelandic horse backs. Using these measurements, the saddle trees are made in computer-controlled molds, ensuring each tree is perfectly symmetrical with no deviation.

Epoxy-based Composite

The saddle tree consists of an epoxy-based composite and fiber fabrics, which we have used to create a unique saddle tree. Epoxy composite is a high-tech material commonly used in professional sports equipment. It is a light and strong material, and by using different production techniques, it takes on various properties.

Light and Resilient

The saddle trees are light, resilient, and strong, and they maintain their shape even after long-term use. The tree cannot be expanded by heating, as this would alter and ruin its springiness. A rigid steel tree, used for adjusting the tree width, would prevent the springiness from functioning properly.

No Metal

The saddle tree contains no metal for the springing mechanism and no iron for flexibility. The only metal parts are the stirrup attachments. Metal would compromise the excellent qualities of our saddle tree.

Even Pressure Distribution

The tree is designed to fit the Icelandic horse and ensures an even distribution of the rider’s weight.

Good Support and Balance

The saddle tree provides the rider with good support and balance, as well as excellent contact with the horse’s back. This makes it easier to influence the horse’s movements.

We offer three different types of flexibility in our saddle trees:

Fixed Tree

Has the least flexibility in terms of twisting movement diagonally along the length of the tree and less movement between the front and back compared to the twist tree.
This makes the saddle more stable than the softer trees. Some horses prefer this, while others prefer a more flexible saddle tree.
For long trail rides, especially with saddle bags, we recommend the fixed tree as the first choice of our saddles.
Saddles with a fixed tree come with metal at the back for the tail strap attachment and metal rings on the sides for saddle bag attachment.
The following saddles are available with a fixed tree: FENRIR, ASK, ORKA, and EMBLA

Torsjon Tree

Has more flexibility in terms of twisting movement diagonally along the length of the tree, and slightly more movement between the front and back compared to the fixed tree.
The flexible tree follows the horse’s movements, allowing the rider to feel the horse better.
The horse, in turn, will be more responsive to the rider’s influence.
This provides closer contact between horse and rider.
This type of tree is recommended for competitive riders and those who ride a lot to foster a harmonious interaction between horse and rider.
Saddles with a twist tree were previously marked with “F“, but in newer models, this is marked with “T“, located under the saddle on the left side, between the saddle number and width.
The following saddles are available with a twist tree: FENRIR, ASK, ORKA, and EMBLA.

Flexible Soft Tree

In the last couple of years, we have also developed a new type of saddle tree that is very flexible and resilient both in the twisting movement diagonally and along the length of the tree.
What is particularly special about this saddle tree is that it returns to its original shape after pressure is applied. It has also shown, through pressure measurements, that it distributes the rider’s weight evenly along the horse’s back and is very soft and pliable.
This saddle tree is standard in the FIMUR saddle.