Phoenix Saddles

[Lucie]

Anyone tried one?

Likey? Hatey?

I notice the GP is fairly dressage cut, has anyone tried jumping in one?
How did it go?

Any input appreciated :).

[No_Angel]

I have one (its for sale)

I like it very much, its very comfy and very secure. I have done quite a few miles in it and never had a sore bum and horses backs have always been fine in it.

Only reason I am selling mine is because it sits high on my very round horse and i want something closer to his back, it is proving to be hard to replace tho.
It fits my tb and my idxtb really nicely, unfortunatly those girls are semi retired now.

Highest i have jumped is a 3 foot grid, and although i thought i wouldn't feel safe it was great and I was very secure.

[KateWooten]

The Fhoenix ? I love mine. I can show you a before and after pic (any excuse) of my 5 yr old post-legged, ultra-long baked, strung-out saddlebred x mare ... hold on ....

[Lucie]

The Fhoenix ? I love mine. I can show you a before and after pic (any excuse) of my 5 yr old post-legged, ultra-long baked, strung-out saddlebred x mare ... hold on ....

Fhoenix? I thought that was an error on the website :rolleyes::p. Silly me.

Yes the 'Fhoenix' ;).

What puts me off is that I'm mostly a jumper and I'm worried the gp isn't quite gp enough.

(Pictures are always welcome :D)

[KateWooten]

In her crappy Wintec :
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f135/joePony/Rosie/rosieWalk1.jpg

Enjoying her lovely Fhoenix :
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f135/joePony/Rosie/RosieTrot2.jpg

I only have the dressage one, but I have jumped (small - 2ft6 ) jumps in it sideways at a gallop. (long story, different horse). I have a jumping saddle, (treed) which I use on the pony who is learning to jump. We get the darn thing on, can't bear to ride in it, and get the process over with asap. recently we've taken to just jumping grids at the end of flatwork in the dressage saddle - much easier all round. I don't know anyone who has the GP - I suspect it's not designed for 'real' jumping.

[No_Angel]

with the fhoenix you can put the knee rolls to the top of the flap and shorten your stirrups so you have thigh support and short stirrups.
You can also replace the big blocks with smaller ones.

[The Original Crazywoman]

Have most of you got the prolite version, or the one with the suber panels? Just wondering if there is much difference between the two?

I am surprised at the number of Fhoenix saddles for sale on ebay, as everyone I know seems to really love them - but they do come up quite regularly on ebay.

[No_Angel]

this is my usual hacking length
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b242/madams_walk/Shay/shayschoolinginfield.jpg

I can get my stirrups up about 4 holes with the blocks placed at the top of the flap

[Lucie]

Lovely, beautiful neddy Kate :eek:!

I suspect it's not designed for 'real' jumping.

That's what worries me :cool:. Jumping is our main 'thing.' Not sure the Fhoenix would be worth it. But both she and I are SO hard to fit and the Fhoenix keeps cropping up in recommendations.

Hmmm. . . .

[Lucie]

with the fhoenix you can put the knee rolls to the top of the flap and shorten your stirrups so you have thigh support and short stirrups.
You can also replace the big blocks with smaller ones.

Gorge horse No Angel :D!

What are these blocks (I didn't notice a conventional thigh block on any of the Fhoenix's :o)?

Which model can you adjust the knee roll height on :confused:?

I ride quite short for jumping AND have long leggys (on some jumping saddles my knee extends over the knee roll).

Have most of you got the prolite version, or the one with the suber panels? Just wondering if there is much difference between the two?

What's the difference? Someone fill me in please :p. I have been on the EE site but didn't think it was brilliantly well written (not very clear).

[KateWooten]

I was really looking forward to the HM event saddle, but now that's not going to happen. HM herself was recommending one of the Ansurs :eek: .. and another treeless that was more jump-specialist.

So I am going to end up with two saddles, and expensive ones at that. However, between the four horses, that's going to be ok.

RosieMare wouldn't win any prixes for looks, conformation or movement. Under saddle for ever such a long time, she was so incredibly stilted in her movement we honestly thought she was never going to make a ridden horse. She's not graceful in the field either - it's just how she's put together - she's a reject from the saddleseat industry and there is no use for a horse like her. So, finding that saddle, and that dressage lady who could show me how to help Rosie to move like that was a HUGE stroke of luck !

I have the ordinary - prolite ? - version, and I don't find it sits high up on any of them. Mine are all similar, small horses with flat backs - joe is quite narrow, but still his actual back is flat, not ridgedy.

[No_Angel]

I have actually just tried it on my saddle and I can actually get my stirrups up 6 holes for jumping length.

The blocks are the knee rolls, they are adjustable on both the dressage and the gp.

here is under the flap of the fhoenix
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b242/madams_walk/saddles/PICT0003-3.jpg
you can move the knee black right to the top of the saddle, just off the velcro and it gives you a lot more knee room.

[MelanieD]

I jumped in my Fhoenix and felt very secure, but I don't take my stirrups up as much as some people like to do. Didn't get to try it out too well since madam didn't like it so mostly ran out and bounced like an idiot, she won't jump if she doesn't like her saddle (she's one of the few shapes that seems difficult to persuade them to fit properly). I jump in my SBS (older version before Fhoenix) and that's really nice for jumping in.

[Showjumper]

If you're after a treeless jumping saddle, your options are:

1) Ansur Konklusion/Solution Jumper (http://www.totalsaddlesolutions.com/saddlerange.shtml) (Ansur is the American version, Solution is UK)
2) Trekker Bascule (http://www.equinewhispers.co.uk/trekkerbascule.html)
3) Mondial Jump (http://www.bettersaddles.co.uk/acatalog/Mondial.html)

[KateWooten]

Have you tried any of those, Showjumper. What's your opinion of them ?

[Bay Mare]

I'd be interested to hear what anyone has to say about the Mondial. It's expensive :eek: but the only one of the three that I, personally, would look at. The panels on the Trekker look very skimpy (is that a word?), I'd want something more substantial than that.

[Bay Mare]

Oh, and I've got a dressage SBS (forerunner to the Fhoenix) and love it :D

I've popped (very) small xc fences in the SBS without a problem but it's something that's individual to every person I think. I personally find the GP not forward cut enough for me for jumping. It's a shame that Heather decided not to proceed with the Event/Jumper but at least she didn't put something out on the market that she wasn't happy with I guess :(

[The Original Crazywoman]

I bought a GP Mondial a couple of years ago when they were first out. I returned it though - partly because the black dye continually leaked out on to my jods when riding - but mainly because my boy sustained an injury and couldn't be ridden any more. So didn't really need an £1800 saddle sitting in the tack shed. ;)

My friend still has one. They are fantastic saddles (if the dye doesn't leak!) and fantastically comfy for horse and rider.

[Showjumper]

Sadly not tried any of them as I'm not made of money :( Now if only all the treeless saddle companies would send me a saddle for a week's free trial to get a write up on my website, that would be awesome! :D ;)

[western-saddler]

I sell the Fhoenix saddles (and they are on special offer atm). ;)

The difference between Suber and Prolite? Well that would depend on your horses build. Alternatively, you could get a Prolite and if you need to use a Suberpanel you could just remove the Prolite panels ;)

On the newest saddles both the dressage and GP are cut slightly further forward and the stirrup bars can be put a little further forward too. All this will help for jumping :)

You can trial a saddle from Nursey's for £45.

If I can help give me a shout.

[JULIA G]

I was very lucky to be lent a Mondial GP to try by my equine bowen lady who said after much trial and error it was the only treeless she would now put on her horse. I have to say it was fantastic in every way, very very comfy, horse moved beautifully and best of all (call me vain) it looks EXACTLY like a "normal" saddle. I currently have a Barefoot Cheyenne which I love but the Mondial is in a whole other league. If I ever win the lottery I will definitely have one :)

[eventerbabe]

interesting thread as i've been looking at the Fhoenix saddles. I do LOVE the look of the mondial saddles, and they do a WH version too...... think that will have to be added to the christmas list :D

[molly34]

I really like the look and sound of these saddles, but just have one reservation - in most of the pictures I've seen it *looks* like the rider is perched a long way above the horse's back - can someone enlighten us on how far up you actually are, and what it feels like please?

[western-saddler]

It does look perched - but to me it does not feel that way. As the seat is all memory foam you just sink on into it therefore getting closer to the horse. I do not feel perched AT ALL on mine. That is just my opinion though :)

[molly34]

Thats good to know, thanks!
I think I'm going to end up with a Fhoenix or Equinelibrium - hopefully I'll be able to trial them both.
Oh.... and I need to find a horse too!

[hackedoff]

Molly I have pm'ed you.

[molly34]

thanks!

[Santi]

The stirrup bars are further under your leg than in any normal saddle including a dressage saddle. I fell off jumping in it when my horse refused (and i haven't fallen off since changing back to treed)
I think the reason they turn up on ebay ( i sold mine ) is that they work great to build up the muscle on the horse's back, my horse looked much better after 6 months hacking in it but when we started schooling again it was way too squidgy on the seat. It makes it impossible to sit still in canter as you have so much give in the saddle as you meet the horse's back coming up.

I thought the stirrup bar position was wonderful to begin with as i like flatwork but it is too far back (IMO and my trainer's) and makes the lower leg unstable.

I would not recommend them at all for jumping!!

[No_Angel]

I found that I could have had the stirrup bars on the fhoenix back some more!
I always felt like my legs were not far enough underneath me (the gp has stirrup bars 1/2 inch further forward than the dressage), but I have been told that I ride with my stirrups too long by my uni lecturer:eek: I could easily get my stirrups down a few more holes at uni if i wasn't on treed gp saddles.

I also felt that I might be un-stable jumping in my fhoenix, im a wimp when it comes to jumping, but I took a horse I had not jumped before down a 3 foot grid, the horse was flying and I was so secure.
My uni lecturer has been a treeless fan ever since.

[MelanieD]

The stirrup bar position does take some getting used to. But then I find it a bit strange going back to a treed saddle with stirrups further forwards again after riding in a SBS or Fhoenix for a while. Once I was used to the saddle and had replaced the huge knee rolls I thought it was great for jumping in and felt secure even though pony was being a complete and utter muppet. I also find it a bit easier to sit most things, especially bucking, in my SBS (and did in the Fhoenix I had), but not a huge difference compared to a nice treed saddle.

[molly34]

FYI, there's a few 'nearly new' Fhoenix saddles on ebay at the mo, they seem to be selling at around £800 - 900. Maybe worth a punt for anyone who's already tried the saddle out and liked it?!