1st winter with Fhoenix

[horsefreak]

It's defo not the seam I'm feeling. There is quite a noticable ride - line even - half way across the saddle seat, width ways (if that makes any sense). The pommel side of the seat sinks a tiny amount below this ridge making it so uncomfortable to sit on.

Heather is there a piccy of the rigid cantle at all?

[Heather]

The cantle doesnt come anywhere near or under the seat Anna, it is a half moon shaped piece of plastic more or less the same shape as the cantle itself and does not extend any further down than the cantle itself. It is merely there to support the seat so that the cantle doesnt squash down with any pressure.

There is nothing whatsoever in the seat except the memory foam, which is all moulded in one piece, pommel and cantle included. It is the same 50mm thickness throughout the seat, but does take a bit longer to warm up under your seatbones as there is less flesh there and can feel like two lumps or a line. It always disappears within a couple of minutes when I ride on it, but it may have something to do with my big backside!

The butt leather 'tree' under the seat cannot be felt through the foam, and there is wool felt and Plastozote foam under that, none of which can be felt through the thickness of the foam.

The wind chill down here this last week has been barely zero even during the day, as those here at the Christmas do last weekend will testify!!

Heather

[Susan C]

Horsefreak when you said it definitely wasn't the seams, I rode out this morning thinking of you in a rather chilly NE scotland!

I have a hand and a bit space between me and the back of the saddle but when i shuffled my bum right back i could feel what you are feeling!  Its nothing solid underneath, if i am right, its the shaping of the memory foam just behind where it drops down at the sides - its the change in level of it you are feeling just because it is hard! Solved completely with a hot water bottle i would guess - certainly worth trying to see. 

Also just wondering if you are sitting too far back in the saddle, if you lift your knees over the front (which pulls your seatbones forward) then drop your leg back dwon thats where you should be!

ps I have seen the cantle and it is no-where near where you are talking about!

[Louise C]

Heather - I'm about to order a new seatbone saver - could I have one of the new ones?  They sound heaven!

[Heather]

Yes Louise! But they wont be ready until the end of January at the earliest, as I havent had time to get up to Suffolk the last couple of months to finalise the design, but I would still advise the memory foam ones on an ordinary saddle- the latex is great on top of the Fhoenix or SBS, but the latex, wouldnt protect your seatbones as much against a treed saddle.

Heather

[Claire]

but it may have something to do with my big backside!

Heather

that's a figment of your imagination, heather, you do not have a big backside!

[Louise C]

OK thanks - I'll order it shortly - my B'day in 3 weeks time!!  So would prefer it for then anyway:-)