Flexee-Opinions anyone on Heather Moffat range?

[Parker79]

Hello all

I have never ventured into treeless or 'soft tree. I really like the idea of the new Flexee and have always had the impression that the Heather Moffat range has a good reputation.

Any experiences of the HM range, good or bad? I have contacted the dedicated fitter in my area but haven't made an appointment yet.

It's for a youngster, he has a LOT of growing to do, only planning to introduce it gently this summer, sit on him couple of times, back him next march.

 

[phizzogs]

I have a vogue, they are odd when you first sit on them, but you soon get used to it. More importantly though my mare who has a very sensitive back loves it! She moves so freely and I couldn't recommend them enough.

 

[kaiserchief]

I tried one on my youngster a few weeks ago and loved it - I've placed an order and can't wait for it to arrive

In terms of the rest of the range, I've seen a Flexion SBS which was lovely but the horse I had at the time didn't like it, a Fhoenix which my friend's horse went beautifully in, and a Vogue which is utterly gorgeous and the only saddle that another friend's horse will consent to being ridden in. I think there are also a few Flexion Supremes floating about second hand which you'd be hard pushed to tell aren't treed (Kay Humphries now makes a similar saddle called the Mondial if you want to compare).

 

[Parker79]

Thanks so much...my instructor really likes them but the people in my yard and others I have asked have all said.....Hmmm not keen!

I really respect the opinion of my YO's as they are very experienced, I feel a bit torn as I really like them!

 

[mystiandsunny]

Bargepole. Touch. Wouldn't. Without comprehensive pressure data on THE HORSE YOU'LL USE IT ON.

Look on ebay - see how cheaply past models from HM are going for, compared to their £1k+ original price tags. Google Phoenix/Fhoenix saddles and pressure issues/white hair/stirrup bars.

e.g. http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=194264
http://www.newrider.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-214553.html

 

[Parker79]

Thank you - I trust my saddler and she doesn't supply them... so maybe I just need to accept that youngsters and saddles means lots of dosh required!!!

 

[mystiandsunny]

Thank you - I trust my saddler and she doesn't supply them... so maybe I just need to accept that youngsters and saddles means lots of dosh required!!!

I feel your pain as have two youngsters atm and we're playing the saddle swap game!

 

[Sprout]

Interesting thread - I was considering getting one, but maybe I should have a rethink .....

 

[Cedars]

After her display of her true colours in Sospbox, I won't ever buy her stuff again.

Try the Thorowgood or Wintec (or Kent and Masters if you want leather) for youngsters-I am-expecting to spend £400. X

 

[Parker79]

The reason I was interested in a flexee is the horrible situation my friend is in.

She has a very sensitive mare, first saddle didn't fit and caused major issues, new saddler came and resolved with new saddle, but every 5 minutes the horse muscles up, loses weight, puts on a bit and the saddle doesn't fit...she gets back pain in a flash and the saddler seems to be out every 5 minutes!

She is a well respected Master saddler. I had wondered if the flexee would have avoided these issues for my own youngster.

 

[Parker79]

Cedars - haven't head about this? is there a link?

 

[Cedars]

No because she had it deleted! But shes done the same on other forums, I'll PM you the links later x

 

[Piglet]

Love it love it!!!!

I have a Phoenix and it is sooooo comfy, horse goes better, bigger movement.

I have a dressage and GP FlexEE on order, I tried a FlexEE dressage, loved it.

They are light, I have a very awkward horse to fit a saddle to and this means I can buy 2 for the price of 1.

Personally I think it is up to each and individual persons opinion, they have a lot of negativity from traditionalists, I think you have to try one before you can slate them, there are more back problems from people fitting badly fitting treed saddles, ie too tight on shoulders etc. The soft tree allows the shoulders to move freely underneath the saddle without the restriction of a badly fitting treed saddle.

I had a made to measure saddle which fitted my horse ok but he is pottery going down hill, in the Soft Tree Phoenix, he strides out much happier.

 

[horsemad32]

The reason I was interested in a flexee is the horrible situation my friend is in.

She has a very sensitive mare, first saddle didn't fit and caused major issues, new saddler came and resolved with new saddle, but every 5 minutes the horse muscles up, loses weight, puts on a bit and the saddle doesn't fit...she gets back pain in a flash and the saddler seems to be out every 5 minutes!

She is a well respected Master saddler. I had wondered if the flexee would have avoided these issues for my own youngster.

I've usually had a saddle slightly too wide with a youngster, and padded (as advised by saddler) with a gel pad. Saddler always said that allowed them to muscle up underneath the saddle, then you'd see it sitting too high and remove/change the pad whilst calling him back to check it. It's not rocket science to see if a saddle is a little too tight/too low at the front and adjust accordingly. Many saddles are also adjustable these days. If you get one of those, you'll probably only have to change once or twice when the horse's back shape changes, and the rest of the time just have it adjusted to a different width. Treeless saddles that are endurance tested and been going a long time are Torsion and Freeform. Solution saddles are extensively pressure tested but expensive. All of those hold their value well and are much sought after on ebay - that is telling!

Oh, and I've just found (while being nosey lol) that the FlexEE is made in India: http://ihdg.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=gh11&thread=120626&page=1#1532828 Dunno if that would affect your willingness to buy it - it would affect mine!

 

[fjordhorsefan]

I have a fhoenix, and I know many others who have other HM saddles. All are very happy with them. As with any saddle, it depends on the horse, the rider and the padding used underneath it. Can you borrow some saddles to try OP? Then you could see what you and your horse prefer?

 

[dafthoss]

Wouldnt touch any of her stuff after her display on here! Even if it had been pressure tested and proven not to have issues with weight distribution.

I'd look at a thorowgood for a youngster not a fan of wintecs because of the bend in the head plates and I have never found them comfy.

 

[HashRouge]

If the saddle works for your horse, don't let online spats and the like put you off. My mare is a nightmare to fit so I'd try anything that might work
That said, the Flexee has been out for a very very short amount of time (I'm not even sure it's widely available yet) so that isn't long enough for people to have formed an opinion of them. None of us really know what they're like, though I'm watching with interest. I've got a friend who has one of the synthetic dressage ones on order, so I'm looking forward to seeing what that is like.

 

[horsemad32]

Out of curiosity, I've been wondering exactly how a flexible tree will distribute pressure evenly over the back, especially the pressure from stirrup and girth attachments. I know that a conventional tree works as a rigid surface, so any pressure applied in any point is distributed over the whole bearing surface. Surely a flexible tree would bend/apply more pressure on the horse where more pressure was applied on it?!?

 

[rhino]

Bargepole. Touch. Wouldn't. Without comprehensive pressure data on THE HORSE YOU'LL USE IT ON.

Look on ebay - see how cheaply past models from HM are going for, compared to their £1k+ original price tags. Google Phoenix/Fhoenix saddles and pressure issues/white hair/stirrup bars.

Agree. In my opinion they are badly thought out and designed, though well marketed.

Thank you - I trust my saddler and she doesn't supply them... so maybe I just need to accept that youngsters and saddles means lots of dosh required!!!

I'm afraid I think your saddler is right, part and parcel with owning a youngster

And I'm another who would not deal with anyone who is as completely unprofessional as the owner of the company.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Wouldnt touch any of her stuff after her display on here!

Why do I miss all of the best threads?

 

[rhino]

Why do I miss all of the best threads?

Oh this one was quite something She then slagged HHO off good and proper on her facebook group - we are all idiotic, rude horse abusers

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Oh carp - I'd have been thoroughly entertained.

I'm also on the search for a saddle for the grey, I had wondered about the FlexEE. Gah, it's so hard to get things right even when you do your research and try really hard!

 

[dafthoss]

It was a good one she butted in on someone elses thread telling her she shouldnt ride her horse in the way she was and that her instructor was all wrong. Then made up her own thread basically waiting for people to come running back to her telling her how amazing she is, which funnily enough didnt happen so she started slaggind HHO off on her facebook group . Was very funny though but I think she might have done her bussiness more harm than good as I for one will never buy any of her products and I'm sure there are others out there with similar views no matter how good the products I'm not giving her a penny.

 

[rhino]

It was a good one she butted in on someone elses thread telling her she shouldnt ride her horse in the way she was and that her instructor was all wrong. Then made up her own thread basically waiting for people to come running back to her telling her how amazing she is, which funnily enough didnt happen so she started slaggind HHO off on her facebook group . Was very funny though but I think she might have done her bussiness more harm than good as I for one will never buy any of her products and I'm sure there are others out there with similar views no matter how good the products I'm not giving her a penny.

That was all after the blatant advertising thread she started, wasn't it?

 

[dafthoss]

Oh yeah forgot that very important first thread My saddle is amazing you shouldnt ride in any other .

 

[Parker79]

OMG - She didn't really post that did she!! I too missed all of this...too much of a newbie!

Thank you soooo much for everyones replies, I will NOT be buying one, I really like my saddler (whiCh I should be grateful about!) and will just have to accept that horses are bloody expensive...she does fit synthetics so I will have a look down that road first...once my boy really fills out I can invest further.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Oberon]

I wouldn't invite her round for dinner - but I would buy her saddles, although I prefer my Freeform.

I had a Fhoenix that I picked up from eBay and was quickly bought by a friend of mine.

Good quality saddles and they have been around long enough to prove themselves.

I wouldn't have a problem with buying the new FlexEE.

They are made in India - but that is only because she was approached by an Indian bloke who wanted to go into business with her. She looked into the working conditions and quality of work over very carefully before she struck a deal - at least that is her version of events.

Either way, there's no reason to be suspicious of the saddle just because the maker is a bit speshul.

 

[PingPongPony]

OP- have you looked into treeless saddles? One of the makes that have been around for ages and have good rep?
Personally i have only seen a bit of what she wrote on here, but even if she were nice i just don't like the look or the concept of her saddles, for me its either with a proper tree or without one at all, a soft tree, really? so like a half baked cake, neither a cake nor cake mix, tastes diguisting and you can't do much with it. and believe me i am far from being a traditionalist, i have one of these on order
http://www.totalcontact.eu/en/saddle.php

 

[sjp1]

I think her ethos is good and I think that she wants to help horses as much as she can.

I had a Vogue saddle and I have to say it caused my chap to have a raised lump underneath the stirrup bar. To get around this I bought a suber pad which helped a lot. However, I wasn't really very happy about this set up because I was about a hundred miles off his back and the whole saddle slipped.

I sold it on ebay. I then bought a Barefoot treeless which as he changed shape and lost weight caused one side of his wither to swell - my own fault, I should have changed the pommel. Have just sold that on ebay.

I also had a freeform saddle which rubbed him behind - that or the Haf pad. Even with an extremely expensive Mattes saddle pad, it rubbed.

I now have a second hand Black Country treed saddle - which fits him a treat - no rubbing, no lumps underneath the stirrup bars and no slipping!!!!

Personally - I am done with treeless. I had thought they were kinder, accepted all the blurb about the horses striding out, raising their backs, being happier ............ actually mine is much happier in a well fitting treed.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

believe me i am far from being a traditionalist, i have one of these on order
http://www.totalcontact.eu/en/saddle.php

But are you going to don a bikini to ride in it as per the photos in your link?