Fheonix-stiff as a board!

[Giveitago]

Left my saddle in the car last night and it was sooo stiff today, didnt mould at all, pommel was all squished and the seat was hard.

I havent really got much room to store the saddle inside the warm parts of my house (hubby wouldnt be to impressed with a saddle on the wall).

Where/how do you store the fheonix so it's nice and flexi when you want to ride?

[No_Angel]

I keep my fhoenix in my spare room, but by the time I get it to the field its rock hard. Ive heard people putting hot water bottles on before riding.

[KateWooten]

I just put it on cold :eek: I tend to do a little in-hand work before moutning up anyway, then the first five minutes of a ride are at a halt and walk, by which time it has softened up nicely.

Look on the bright side though, at least it does soften up in the end ... unlike any other saddle :)

[Soupdragon]

I haven't got a Fhoenix, but the hot water bottle trick seems popular according to the Enlightened Equitation forum

http://www.enlightenedequitation.com/members/forums/index.php?showtopic=14296&hl=hot%20water&st=0

[Bay Mare]

Hot water bottle wrapped in a towel.

Or put Fhoenix on horse 5/10 minutes earlier then put a rug on top of both :)

Even if I put mine on cold it warms up and moulds within about 5 minutes. The more you use it, the easier it gets :D

[KarinUS]

Why? What happens do it?

[Yann]

The foam they're made from goes stiff in the cold and soggy in the heat. Not a problem if you take precautions, but it can make the saddle bridge on a horse with a dippy back or high wither.

[KateWooten]

it can make the saddle bridge on a horse with a dippy back or high wither

not really - well, only very temporarily. I mean, ok, when you first put it on, and it's cold it can feel quite stiff, but with the weight of your butt in it, even when cold it will bend - unlike a tree that's bridging which won't bend at all. And in any weather, it's very obvious when it's conformed nicely - you simply don't ask the horse to work until everything is fitting right.

KarinUS - because it's constructed from memory foam, rather than a rigid tree.

I have to say, I've lived through a Tennessee summer and not noticed it go soggy in the heat. Perhaps you have more hundred degree days, or higher humidity where you are Yann !

[Yann]

It's something I've experienced with Rio, who initially wasn't impressed, but as you say it doesn't last. Perhaps the saddle doesn't go soggy on a hot day, but the seatsaver which is made of the same stuff certainly does ;)

[Giveitago]

Thanks for the advice.

I think I'll put it in the saddle bag with a hot water bottle to make it supple on the journey.

Are there any long term affects from the temperature change?- play havoc with the memory foam?

[Bebe]

not really - well, only very temporarily. I mean, ok, when you first put it on, and it's cold it can feel quite stiff, but with the weight of your butt in it, even when cold it will bend

My SBS didn't last time I used it. It stayed hard for so long that I got bruises on my seatbones. I wasn't happy!

In the past I've used hot water bottles to warm it up pre-riding. Putting a blanket on over it didn't really help, nor did leaving it in the car (mine lives at home) until the last possible moment.

[cazrider]

That's interesting. I have noticed my SBS being quite hard when you first put it on, but within five minutes its fine. Maybe it's my extra large squishy rear end.:o ;) And I've never noticed it go soggy even in the warmest weather. No explanation for that.:o

[Bay Mare]

My SBS has never bridged even when cold and it's certainly never gone 'soggy'. I fail to see how it can go soggy :rolleyes: I've had and used mine for 2.5 years now!

[Heather]

Hi Yann,

I am curious as to your experiences with your saddle- we have never once had a oomplaint about the saddle 'bridging'- it is almost a physical impossibility!- Unless the saddle remained at a temperature when it wouldnt bend, and this would be very unlikely to happen, unless the horse itself was at a similar temperature, which would not be too good for his health:cool::)

We have sold them all over the world, in temperatures of minus many degrees, to those of around 40-45 degrees, and so far, we have had very few complaints, only ever about the foam being stiff when cold. Dont forget, the foam only forms the top layer of the saddle, the seat itself, the rest of the layers are not temperature sensitive in the least.

Edited to add, my bum is big enough to warm the saddle up pretty quickly- and we always leave it on the horse in cold weather before riding, for at least five to ten minutes. For those with daintier rears, one of those wheat filled microwave hotties are brilliant and retain the heat for ages, just leave it on the seat for a few minutes.


Heather

[Yann]

When it was first put on, my horse has a dippy back and wasn't impressed when I first tacked her up.

It's something I've experienced with Rio, who initially wasn't impressed, but as you say it doesn't last.

As I said earlier it was OK after a bit of riding.

[Heather]

As I said earlier it was OK after a bit of riding.[/QUOTE]

And are you/Rio happy with your saddle now Yann?- like to hear feedback, good or bad, that is the only way we can learn and keep improving!:) ;)

Heather

[Yann]

I'm very happy with my saddle but it isn't an SBS or Fhoenix :D I've tried both though, did prefer the suberpanel but had some concerns about wither clearance and stability, the panel didn't seem to have as much give in it as a normal suber pad, which I am a big fan of.

[Heather]

Ah I see, you just trialled the SBS and Fhoenix? You really need to ride in it long term to see the benefits, but glad you are happy with your saddle anyway. I just thought by your comments, that you had used the saddle long term and not been happy with it.

The Suberpanel is packed much more tightly with cork than a Suberpad- If loose like the pad, it wouldnt give the weight bearing/pressure distribution as there is no other panel, unlike a treed saddle. It is incredibly stable, as my Lusitano gelding has demonstrated to me, with his bullfight spins that I never know when they are coming- neither Prolite, new moulded panel or Suber has budged a centimetre, even with me hanging out the side door on two occasions, allowing me to get myself back in the saddle, even with him bogging off at speed!!

Heather

[MelanieD]

Is the suberpanel more stable than a prolite fhoenix or SBS? I've got dumped off the side after a handbrake turn from full speed canter twice in the last month and it's quite annoying that I could have stayed on quite easily both times if the saddle had stayed in place. Once was with an SBS the other was a treed saddle. Tried a prolite fhoenix a while ago and it wasn't any better with stablilty than my SBS or saddle company saddle and pony hated it anyway, which is strange when she likes her SBS.

[KateWooten]

My very round Big Fat Stroppy Mare has developed the insane habit of occasionally refusing to turn left while schooling even if this means having to jump the left out showjumps broadside and with her head cranked round, if they jappen to be in her way... it's like her steering column just stops working ! Last time, without warning, she happily hopped over 2ft 6 jumps broadside, with her head banked sharp left, leaving me to take out the jumps wings with my knee.

Fortunately, the lovely Fhoenix dressage saddle just stays put no matter what.

People who are struggling with getting the fit right - it is so worth getting right - my mare is totally round, and that saddle just stays right there no matter what she throws at me.

[Giveitago]

I used one of those microwavable hot cuddly things over the pommel and then the seat and the Fheonix became supple after 10 minutes.

I didnt get the chance to ride last week but will put the hotty on the saddle with a rug over for a few minutes before riding next time.

MelanieD, my prolite with lambswool numnah, backsaver and pro lite girth stays firm. In what way does your saddle slip? Is it a girth thing?

[MelanieD]

My SBS had a thin plain saddlecloth and backsaver pad and girth done up tight enough but so pony could still breathe. It is more stable without the backsaver pad, can mount from the ground then, but fatty is a fussy pony and likes her backsaver pad with it. My Fhoenix slipped even with just a thin saddlecloth, but was better with my comfort zone saddlecloth underneath it, everything else I tried including other plain saddlecloths made it slip really badly, not a hope of mounting from the ground with it. I used a wintec girth with both which normally helps keep saddles in place on her. The one time I tried a cheap plain neoprene girth I regretted it!

My Saddle Co saddle at least had the excuse that it had a recently washed and slightly slippery sheepskin pad underneath, a different girth to the one I'd normally use and I hadn't done the girth up tight enough :o And if all that wasn't bad enough I'd been too lazy to put a breastplate on as well :muppetalert: