1st winter with Fhoenix

[GC2]

As you all know the saddle is not as supple when it is cold - so I keep it at home - drive to the yard with the heating on - put it on Guinness then put a hot water bottle on it.... but by the time I get myself ready, do up his girth gradually and do his bridle it is still hard when I sit on it.... I can deal with 'hardness' but I how hard will it feel to Guinness?

I am neither heavy nor 'substantial' so it can take a while to mold to my shape in the cold weather.

[Casey76]

You have a prolite?

Luckily I have a suber, so Pinto doesn't have to worry   My saddle lives in an unheated tackroom, and for at least the first 30mins, it feels like I'm sitting on a block of wood until it warms up.  It is the only time I ever think of my saddle being 'wide'... but it is still more comfortable than a lot of other saddle I've sat in lol!

[ek]

can't you just put it on and put a rug over it and the horse's body heat will warm it up?

[myhorsefaith]

I have the same issue with my fhoenix too! Though, my horses don't seem to mind as much as my bum does.

I am working with greenies, so they do require some in hand and longe work before getting on- the whole sanity check idea. I think they do a good job warming up the underside of the saddle- but that heat doesn't transfer to the seat.

So i'm going to experiment with a quarter sheet this weekend during warm up to see if that helps speed up the softening process at all.

But I really do love my fhoenix! 

[whisper's mum]

I don't think it is any harder than the average treed saddle, you've just had a spoilt bottom during the warm weather and have forgotten what saddles feel like unless they are Heather's  Not much help I'm afraid 

[Danni]

Seat saver?  Wool cover?

Or try riding with a wrap around exercise sheet to trap warmth in?

I never had a huge issue with it as my bum is quite wide and heats up the saddle rather quickly

[drummers mum]

I never had a huge issue with it as my bum is quite wide and heats up the saddle rather quickly

 :lol: Ditto!

Its only the memory foam that gets really cold, I don't think the panels of the saddle feel quite the same!

[Claire]

i've taken to leaving the hot water bottle on until we're at the mounting block and i'm ready to get on ... it comes off as i get on!!!!

but i find it then gets colder/harder again as i ride, particularly rising trot (which i won't now be doing much of whilst i work on my lessons.... )

[Sisterinstitches]

Our wonderful barn owner keeps the loo at the farm heated and we can put our saddles/racks in there to warm up while we're getting our horses ready!!! She's the best

[GC2]

Thanks for all the replies.... it is more Guinness' back than my bum that worries me.... after all I did buy it so that he could be as comfy as possible and feel me better.

I am hoping that putting it on him ASAP will let his side of it heat up.
But it has been SOOOOOOOOOo cold this week 

[Claire]

I am hoping that putting it on him ASAP will let his side of it heat up.

it will.  and as others have suggested, put a rug or something on top to keep the heat in.

[horsefreak]

Does anyone else find they feel a ridge half way down the saddle when it is cold? It's like the saddle is joined in the middle and it hurts so much when it's cold. I'm not sure where the half tree ends - Heather could I be feeling where the core of the tree ends and the rest of the saddle starts???

[Fiona]

AFAIK there isn't a half tree in the Fhoenix, just a rigid cantle (which is vertical so you aren't sitting on it).

Fiona

[Heather]

Fiona is right Paula, the cantle is the only part where there is anything rigid.

Also the panels for the horse, are not temperature sensitive, and will feel no different to him in winter or summer. Either Prolite or the moulded panels you can leave in the freezer and they will not alter consistency. It is only the memory foam in the seat which goes hard. My backside is big enough to warm the saddle up after about three or four minutes even in the very cold conditions at the moment!

But I will be going up to Nurseys after Christmas to finalise the design of the latex Seatbone Saver top, which will be attachable to the saddle, and will give a layer of latex to sink into first- makes it even more comfortable all year round! But we couldnt risk putting the latex inside the saddle as we havent tested it. It is in the seats of many of the better treed saddles, but is against a tree so is static. I will not use any material we havent tested long term, within the saddle itself though.

Heather

[Susan C]

think this is the 3rd winter with mine and yes it is like sitting on concrete!!  TBH it makes no difference for mine if i put a rug over it just isn't warm enough!  2 hot water bottles work but have to remember to do it - but it does solidify again in rising trot! I am very exposed in NE Scotland though!

Does anyone else find they feel a ridge half way down the saddle when it is cold?

My bum isn't big enough to sit on the actual seat and i spend most of the time sitting on the seam which may be what you are feeling. i have butt leather flaps and it is very noticible - but bear in mind it is a slightly different design and i have a 18 inch (one of the first ones) so with a new style smaller one most likely wouln't have that issue!

But we couldnt risk putting the latex inside the saddle as we havent tested it. It is in the seats of many of the better treed saddles, but is against a tree so is static. I will not use any material we havent tested long term, within the saddle itself though.

As always, i volunteer my services as  a very honest (brutally so ) tester, its doesn't get much worse than up here with the wind chill factor!