Heather Moffett Saddle Fans advice please...

pistolpete

pistolpete

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I have a horse who is a little difficult to fit a saddle to to say the least. He has had forelimb, hindlimb and back issues. He is sound at the moment but we have no saddle. Some muscle wastage around his withers but quite wide yet small warmblood.
My question is what horses don't suit HM saddles, and what fitting advice can you give? Obviously the ideal would be a proper fitting but if finances don't allow. Thanks in advance.
 
Heather seems to recommend a Griffin Nuumed shim saddle cloth with hers I think, so you build your horses back to what it should be to fit the saddle. Being none restrictive saddles, the padding won't cause pressure etc. I have one on a very odd shaped, down hill mare who is quite fine and it works well on her.
 
I am a total convert!! If you had asked me six months ago I would have poo poo'd them. I struggled for years to fit my cob and in the end I think bad fitting saddles shortened his working life. I tried different saddles and saddlers but nothing lasted long. I retired him earlier this year. When it came to my new little cob. I wanted the best for him. He is still growing and I could find nothing to really fit and he is very short. A friend suggested a Heather Moffert, I was not keen as I had found treeless saddles horrid to ride in. She loaned me on so I could ride my cob, the lady who backed him had been riding in a 16" dressage saddle, my bum would not fit in that! So I tried it. I was so impressed, it was comfortable and so supportive, like riding in a treed saddle. I was so impressed I bought my own. I have not looked back, it fits beautifully, the impression left on the saddle cloth is so even and the horse goes really well. The best thing is that when he acts up , like any five year old will, the saddle is supportive and stays firmly in place. LOVE IT!

Now the downside......you need to make sure you saddle up a while before you want to ride as the saddle takes a while to settle. This is very important if the weather is cold. Also it can move when you get on, so it is better to have someone to hold you stirrup. This improves as your horse warms up. The most anonnying thing is doing up the girth, it's quite hard for an old girl like me when I am up.

I have heard they better fit wide, flat horses. However they come with bits and bobs to help them fit different sorts. My saddle fits both my horses. I tried my retired horse in the saddle, just to see how he went, he went so well I have decided to hack him lightly over the winter, just to give my youngster time to grow. My old boy has. Whither , seems fine on him.
 
Thanks folks, do you think they fit lots of horses? Never bought a saddle without a saddler before but saddler's struggle with my horse's back!
 
You need to have the saddle fitted properly in this case I think, but an EE fitter. They are listed on the website. I used to be a fitter, and that's my advice.
Personally I wouldn't get on from the ground because as said above, they will slip. But then I never get on from the ground anyway.
 
I had a Vogue. My horse loved it but I couldn't ride in it - I could never seem to get my stirrups right, I struggled with every pace except walk. I now think the balance was wrong - a "proper" fitter has been in the last couple of months and changed the balance of my current saddle. It changed my seat hugely, so the front to back balance has a bigger impact than I had realised.
 
I had a HM dressage saddle made for my wide ID, the difference was amazing. His shoulders were suddenly free and the elusive extended trot appeared.

Six weeks later I lost the horse and the saddle has been unused ever since. No interest in it when advertised so I think I am left with an expensive useless saddle !
 
AdorableAlice said:
I had a HM dressage saddle made for my wide ID, the difference was amazing. His shoulders were suddenly free and the elusive extended trot appeared.

Six weeks later I lost the horse and the saddle has been unused ever since. No interest in it when advertised so I think I am left with an expensive useless saddle !
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When I bought mine there was a bidding war I had to bid in the last second to get it. so you are trying sell at the wrong time or in the wrong place. I would give it another go. Saying that, how is it useless if it worked?
 
Sukistokes2 said:
When I bought mine there was a bidding war I had to bid in the last second to get it. so you are trying sell at the wrong time or in the wrong place. I would give it another go. Saying that, how is it useless if it worked?
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Sorry, I meant useless to me as I will never have another horse that it will fit, poor wording on my behalf.

I loved it, it was the only saddle that kept me in the correct position on a massive moving and powerful HW horse. It is just so bespoke being half panel. The horse was 18.2 and my bottom is huge, it was made to fit the pair of us.

I am not an ebay user but perhaps someone might have a go at selling it for me.
 
AdorableAlice said:
Sorry, I meant useless to me as I will never have another horse that it will fit, poor wording on my behalf.

I loved it, it was the only saddle that kept me in the correct position on a massive moving and powerful HW horse. It is just so bespoke being half panel. The horse was 18.2 and my bottom is huge, it was made to fit the pair of us.

I am not an ebay user but perhaps someone might have a go at selling it for me.
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They do go like hot cakes on there, but I would wait until spring or there are none on their. When I wanted to buy my saddle was the only reasonable one on there. I paid more then expected, however it was in good condition and even came with the stirrups, and instructions. What about saddle direct? I think the fees are better. Not sure if they do treeless.
 
I absolutely love my HM FlexEE, it has changed everything for me and my mare. I sent in photos to Heather who advised on the right bits and pieces, then again with me on board - they are really helpful and will advise if a saddle is not right, even if it is one of her own. I went through dozens of saddles before this one and it is the comfiest I have ever sat on, puts you in a much more useful position and fits my awkward Arab x mare brilliantly - with the Professional's choice girth it doesn't slip at all. I do wish it was leather, but the newer ones are really good synthetics - I wouldn't hesitate to buy another for my next horse.
 
I got a HM Flexee saddle - swapped it for another (Barefoot) one which I had, which didn't fit mine.

TBH - I didn't/don't like it!! Its one of the earlier ones without any gullet plate in it; and it never seemed to sit on my mare's back properly, and was incredibly bouncy to sit on!! The next time I put it on her back, it sat totally different. I asked a friend who's used to these saddles and their quirks, to come and help me with fitting it - but I got really fed up with having to pad it and faff around with it, and it STILL in spite of all that it didn't feel right.

I'm sure they're OK for certain horses, and certain riders, but not my fave saddle I'm afraid. I'm currently riding in a Tree-Free Exmoor - which both me and mare love to bits.

I'll be selling it come the new year.........
 
Sukistokes2 said:
They do go like hot cakes on there, but I would wait until spring or there are none on their. When I wanted to buy my saddle was the only reasonable one on there. I paid more then expected, however it was in good condition and even came with the stirrups, and instructions. What about saddle direct? I think the fees are better. Not sure if they do treeless.
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Saddles direct don't do treeless. I have two vogues for sale (no longer have the horse they were brought for) and have had no interest through FB groups, so will try ebay in spring.
 
If you can possibly trial one I would do so... they certainly do not fit all combinations however much you try to set them up. Also as your horse has a wither try a suberpad or suberpanel made for withered horses with it as well as the memory foam panels.

On one of my horses it was absolutely fab, could ride in all paces.
On another, (the horse it was bought for of course, sod's law!) it was terrible. She hated it and it tilted me down at the front to a dangerous degree. The second horse has much better conformation than the first who was croup high; she's got a back like a mini warmblood - wide, defined withers, built uphill, very active movement. Neither is it the treeless aspect that didn't suit the horse - she's ridden regularly in a Freeform which she (and I) are very happy in.
Who knows why it didn't suit - just shows the importance of a trial where possible
 
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I think I read on FB that they are bringing out a leather version of the FlexE, and an updated synthetic design?
My treeless of choice is a Sensation, sold one and missed it so much I've recently purchased another. Which means I'm selling a HM Vogue, but as said above, it tends to be best to wait until the Spring.
 
Mine are ridden in vogues and a flexee :) my flexee is the synthetic one pre gullet plate, imo better unless u have a v A framed horse, weigh a ton or hump the saddle, as nothing in there is cause any issues.

The comment about them needing to warm up is regarding a vogue/phoenix as they have latex and memory foam which is temp sensitive = the flexees are leather treed so obv not an issue :)
 
I am using my Flexee on the new TB who has a long, highish wither and a bit of muscle wastage. So im using the Griffin shimmy pad with it, as recommended. Currently no shims in the back, one front left and two front right.

I originally bought the Flexee for my old girl, a CB with cushings. So a very different shape. With her I used a Suberpad. I do like the Flexee, its very comfortable although strangely perhaps, its more comfy for me on the skinny TB shape than the broad CB. Only annoying thing is its tricky tightening up the girth on the new boy as he's recently out of racing and hasn't yet mastered standing still at the start of a ride!
 
AdorableAlice said:
I had a HM dressage saddle made for my wide ID, the difference was amazing. His shoulders were suddenly free and the elusive extended trot appeared.

Six weeks later I lost the horse and the saddle has been unused ever since. No interest in it when advertised so I think I am left with an expensive useless saddle !
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I don't know if you do Facebook, but the HM Facebook group is the main place to buy and sell second-hand HM saddles :).

Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/387465798040497/?fref=ts
 
Casey76 said:
I have a suberpanel fhoenix. It isn't the same as an SBS (which is an earlier make).
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What do you think of it? I am thinking of getting one, have been umming and ahhing about it for weeks now, can't seem to bring myself to bite the bullet and actually buy one. What do you use it on? I will be using it on a round, flat, no wither cob and I am worried mainly about stability.
 
Procrastination said:
What do you think of it? I am thinking of getting one, have been umming and ahhing about it for weeks now, can't seem to bring myself to bite the bullet and actually buy one. What do you use it on? I will be using it on a round, flat, no wither cob and I am worried mainly about stability.
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I can't really help you there. I used it on my very wide cob who had a medium wither and no matter what I did (thin saddle pad, no saddle pad, long girth, short girth, neoprene sicky girth) it listed to the right. It could easily have been my riding though as I am very right dominant.

I've half-heartedly tried to sell the saddle a few times over the years, but I seem to have a tack-selling issue (and a saddle collection issue!)

ETA: It is a very wide saddle to ride a wide horse with, and I really struggled to get my leg in the right place. On narrower horses it is extremely comfortable, and puts you automatically in a ear-hip-heel line.
 
Casey76 said:
I have a suberpanel fhoenix. It isn't the same as an SBS (which is an earlier make).
Click to expand...

Casey76 said:
I can't really help you there. I used it on my very wide cob who had a medium wither and no matter what I did (thin saddle pad, no saddle pad, long girth, short girth, neoprene sicky girth) it listed to the right. It could easily have been my riding though as I am very right dominant.

I've half-heartedly tried to sell the saddle a few times over the years, but I seem to have a tack-selling issue (and a saddle collection issue!)

ETA: It is a very wide saddle to ride a wide horse with, and I really struggled to get my leg in the right place. On narrower horses it is extremely comfortable, and puts you automatically in a ear-hip-heel line.
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Thanks for that! I could really do with having one to try but unfortunately I don't think there is anybody in my area with one the the suber panel models.

If you are interested in selling it PM me ;-)
 
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