Fhoenix Treeless Saddles

[Claire0706]

A friend of mine is interested in getting a treeless saddle but doesn't like the treelss look.

I found Fhoenix saddles on Heather Moffat's Enlightend Equitation site http://www.enlightenedequitation.com/public/saddles_fhoenix.html and she likes to look of them but wanted some consumer reviews before she splashed the cash.

Does anyone know anything about these saddles? First hand experiences would be fab!

Thanks!!

[Bay Mare]

I've got the SBS which is the forerunner to the Fhoenix and LOVE it. It's so comfortable, puts you in the correct position and on my horse doesn't move an inch.

I know that there are some people who haven't got on with it and, to be honest, like anything it's a case of trying one out to see.

If you have a look at my 'Saffy Update' thread in the Matures section, that's the saddle being used on my horse in all of the piccies.

She's been in the SBS since I've had her and her back is fab with no atrophy whatsoever. I'm a big fan (as you can probably tell) and am hoping to get the jumping saddle when it comes out.

There's the 'suber pad' option in the Fhoenix saddles which I didn't have in the SBS.

[carrieh]

I've got a Fhoenix dressage model with prolite panels. My little Fell pony loves it. He had dreadful back problems and muscle wastage around his withers before we got this saddle. At 27 years old I was about to retire him. But after six months use of a Fhoenix he is now perfect - back strong again, no muscle wastage, and going forward beautifully. It has given him a new lease of life. For myself, the saddle automatically puts me in the correct classical position for balanced riding, thus helping my horse as well. And being made of memory foam it is wonderfully comfortable - you just sink into it and it wraps itself around your horse.

Like all treeless saddles, it does not suit every horse so always have a trial from a Fhoenix agent before you buy.

[Jaimee]

Is your friend aware of Trekker Dressage Master saddles? They look more conventional than the Fhoenix, and they are a bit cheaper. They are made of memory foam and sit off the spine. The workmanship is top notch and the leather is really nice.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/nicole5310/Master_1.jpg
Sorry for those of you who have seen this picture a million times already! I'll get some new ones I promise!

I love this saddle, its relatively new on the market so there isnt much out there on it.

[Bronya]

My views on the Fhoenix are unprintable. Very sweet, honest little pony now has white marks on her back where the stirrup bars sat, and was off work for ten months as a result. It seems to be ok for some people but I'll never take the risk again - especially for all those ££££ that ended up being wasted.

[MelanieD]

Fheonix made my pony sore as well, but under the back of the saddle. The back of the saddle was just too flat and the bits closest to the gullet dug into her back, and this was a really wide cob. There are some new panels now that might solve that problem but they're thinner at the front than at the back and my pony is croup high so decided to ebay is instead of trying those.

[carrieh]

This is why asking on a forum what people think about certain saddles, just isn't the way forward. I've done this in the past, tried saddles that people rave about and found them useless for my horse - or conversely tried a saddle that wasn't recommended by others at all, and found it great for one particular horse.

It isn't what people on forums think about a certain saddle - it's what YOU AND YOUR HORSE combined think about a saddle. And the only way to find that out is to try. :D Not being horrible here, but the more you ask on forums, the more you end up going round in circles and getting more confused as to what you should try and what you shouldn't. Find a saddle you like the look of, have a trial, and go from there. Be aware of how it fits your horse, how your horse reacts to the saddle, if he/she likes it.

Treeless or treed, there is no short cut to finding a saddle suitable for both you and your horse. And if you are a caring, loving owner [which I'm sure you are!] you will accept that finding the right saddle may take a bit of searching and trying.

I had tried 4 different treeless saddles before settling on the Fhoenix. I knew from my horse's reaction that the first 4 weren't quite right for him. When I trialled the Fhoenix he just lit up, strode forward confidently, and said to me: "This is the one Mum!" So watch your horse, understand him, and let him make the choice as well as you.

No saddle suits all horses, whatever some treeless manufacturers say. It may FIT most horses, but maybe doesn't SUIT all horses. There is a difference.

All I would avoid are those cheapy saddles on eBay as you don't know how well put together they are, or whether the girth straps are likely to come off because the stitching is bad, or if they have been pressure-tested [highly unlikely!] or if they are even balanced. Stick to a reputable make, pay a decent amount of money, and ask your horse his opinion of the trial saddle.

Hope this helps. And good luck with whatever you try!

[Claire0706]

I appreciate what your saying and whole heartedly agree.

I was asked to find out other peoples general opinions by a friend of mine and come up with a general consensus. Obviously every horse is different and different saddles suit different horses and different owners. She's currently trying to get in touch with the Fhoneix rep in Cumbria (assuming there is one) to ask about a trial.

I only asked as I had happened across that saddle when I was on Heather's site and wondered if anyone had any experiences or could suggest something similar. We've both only ever had traditional treed saddles and were simply looking for a bit of guidance on a subject we knew nothing about.

[carrieh]

Sorry, just reread my post and I think I came across a bit aggressive! Not my intention at all. I was just saying that it isn't really other peoples' experiences that matter - it's yours. There are many good quality treeless saddles on the market now - Showjumper has an excellent web site which compares them all - so it's well worth having a look at all of them and trialling a few that you like the look of. You soon find out if your horse prefers treeless saddles with panels or without panels for example.

Don't be put off just by one or two people saying they have had an unsatisfactory experience with a saddle and it didn't suit them. It may well be The One for you and your horse! :D

Showjumper's website is at: http://www.freewebs.com/alternativehorse/treeless.htm

[KateWooten]

My horse Rosie goes better in the Fhoenix. Her case is somewhat extreme because her build and conformation sets her up to be very head-high and hollow, and also because of where we are, there are no saddle-fitters, or tack shops... so you take a bigger risk with treed saddles than is normal in the UK where you have other people to help and advise on good saddle fit.

That said, the Fhoenix has made a big positive difference for my mare :

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f135/joePony/Rosie/rosieWalk1.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f135/joePony/Rosie/RosieTrot2.jpg

[Claire0706]

Thats for your responses everyone. Hopefully we'll find something to suit Evie as she is a fussy madam.

[Bronya]

Just a note of caution - pony loved the fhoenix to start with, went better in it than ever had in anything else, well fitted or not. It was after time had passed that problems began to occur. My personal guess is some sort of degradation in the foam somewhere as others I know of with similar problems only had it occur after 3+ months of regular riding.

[Humble]

I think problems arise when people ride with too much pressure on the stirrups i.e. in an extreme example, standing in the stirrups cantering/galloping during fast work, on a fun ride or hunting or even posting trot using the stirrups to rise. I know as a young rider I was told you should have loads of pressure in the stirrups "Jam your feet down to stay on". Old habits die hard and I still have to remind myself regularly to rise from the knee, and have my weight spread evenly under by bum/thighs at all times to avoid pressure under the stirrup bars. I have a SBS and a suberpanel Fhoenix and love both but like previous posters have said you should have a trial period and see for yourself. - best of luck