Heather Moffett Vogue & Flexee Vs Solution Saddle?

Ponygirl777

Ponygirl777

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After three of years of buying expensive, specialist saddles for my very sensitive Highland, the ongoing expense of saddle checks and adjustments, and my horse just never being happy or 'right' under saddle, I've borrowed an old Heather Moffett Phoenix as an interim measure...and my boy seems to love it (as do I - very comfy and easy to ride in).

So, I'm now considering going down the treeless/soft tree route. I've got an HM saddle fitter coming with a Vogue VSD and a Flexee to try at the weekend, but have also had a few other people suggest a Solution.

Has anyone got any experiences/success stories/tales of caution about any of these saddles? I've read a couple of posts about the newer Solutions being too narrow along the channel for a lot of horses.

My boy is surprisingly not too wide for a Highland, and doesn't have huge shoulders. I should add that we're concerned/convinced that he's got some issue with his lumbar region/SI/stifles, despite there being no glaringly obvious problems, and vet, physio, chiro and body workers not finding anything significant. We're currently attempting to drum up enough interest for Tom Beech (osteopathic vet) to come to Scotland and see him.
 
The Heather Moffatt Phoenix, Flexee and Vogue are all very different saddles. Having ridden in all of them I found the Vogue the nicest but horse wise the Phoenix worked best and a couple of other people I know found the same. I found the Flexee didn't work at all for either of the two horses I wanted it for, both cobs. You're doing the best thing and trying them all as I think they're very much horses for courses.

Again with the Solution it's worth getting a fitter out to try the different options.
 
I had a Vogue on a very wide and flat backed maxi cob. He loved it but it was a bit of a stretch in the hips for me. As your boy is not too wide, and as you like the Phoenix, this may not be a problem for you. I found the vogue was prone to slipping so getting on from the ground was impossible.

After my boy died I kept the saddle but it was way too long for my new cob so I sold it. I then had a flexee vsd fitted by an HM fitter. Because my mare is croup high the fitter said to shim it at the front. I ended up feeling miles away from the horse and whatever shims were put in it seemed to make it too narrow at the front. It constantly slipped to one side and just got on my nerves really. Horse didn't particularly like it either.

I thought the slipping might be down to me or her but the Ghost Quevis that I bought doesn't slip and is comfy for us both.


Sorry no experience with solution.
 
I have had all 3. You couldnt pay me to have another Solution, most uncomfortable thing I have ever sat in and put me in a chair position, didnt hold its value secind hand either. I had an older Flexee which I loved but the newer one tipped me forward slightly. I used to have a Vogue and sold it to raise some funds, I currently have a very old pheonix which I like but I love love love the Vogue and am saving up for another. They do come second hand quite regularly so worth asking the fitter about that too, there are Mark 1 2 and 3 and they are each slightly different underneath so do ask the fitter about that
 
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webble said:
I have had all 3. You couldnt pay me to have another Solution, most uncomfortable thing I have ever sat in and put me in a chair position, didnt hold its value secind hand either. I had an older Flexee which I loved but the newer one tipped me forward slightly. I used to have a Vogue and sold it to raise some funds, I currently have a very old pheonix which I like but I love love love the Vogue and am saving up for another. They do come second hand quite regularly so worth asking the fitter about that too, there are Mark 1 2 and 3 and they are each slightly different underneath so do ask the fitter about that
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Good to hear! My instinct is pulling me towards the Vogue.
 
Have a look at Hidalgo saddles.. the only UK fitter is in Edinburgh.. their saddles are leather tree'd and I prefer their seats to the HM saddles.. Stay well clear of Solution as from experience their quality control is really patchy now... very expensive for what they are too.
 
Zuzan said:
Have a look at Hidalgo saddles.. the only UK fitter is in Edinburgh.. their saddles are leather tree'd and I prefer their seats to the HM saddles.. Stay well clear of Solution as from experience their quality control is really patchy now... very expensive for what they are too.
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Interesting - I'll have a look. Not far from me either. Thanks!
 
I feel like this is very much personal choice. I HATED my HM Phoenix, but I’ll sing Solution’s praises all day long. I’ve used a Smart Native saddle for years now (on a number of horses!) and wouldn’t have anything else.

Your best bet is to have a fitter out and try riding in them. The Solution rep I had was very helpful, and I was able to have a saddle on trial it before buying.
 
Zuzan said:
Have a look at Hidalgo saddles.. the only UK fitter is in Edinburgh.. their saddles are leather tree'd and I prefer their seats to the HM saddles.. Stay well clear of Solution as from experience their quality control is really patchy now... very expensive for what they are too.
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Yes the leather quality on my solution was not good for the eye watering price
 
I had a Vogue on my native pony for a bit and hated it (although it suited the pony just fine - I couldn't get my balance).
Regretting selling it now as I now want to try a Vogue on my TB (hoping I'll get on with it better as they are different shapes). TB is fussy about saddle fit but also keeps changing shape so I'm thinking treeless might be the way to go.
 
Tried the Vogue, hated it! Tried the Phoenix, still disliked it, but found it slightly better (and more expensive!) than the Vogue. I rode in these saddles for half an hour each, and by the next day I could hardly walk! That said, this was my first-ever experience of riding treeless, so perhaps not a good comparison.

Tried a FlexEE, one of the earlier models. Total PITA! Even though I had an expert to fit it to my horse, when you mounted-up in the yard, it was a totally different fit to the way it was ten minutes into the ride! In the end I got sick of fiffing and faffing and shimming with the dang thing and got rid of it.
 
Vogue everytime for me - not ridden in anything else for 8+ yes now and doubt my derrière would survive if I did 🤣
 
TigerTail said:
Vogue everytime for me - not ridden in anything else for 8+ yes now and doubt my derrière would survive if I did 🤣
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Pretty sold on the Vogue to be honest. Just had another lovely ride in the borrowed Fhoenix, and had a soft, relaxed and balanced horse, stretching down happily. Very excited about the saddle fitter bringing the Vogue on Sunday. Just need to sell my eye-wateringly expensive AH Saddle now!
 
Love my Vogue. It can take a while to get used to them but it's done wonders for my riding and all the horses have loved it too, as far as it is possible to tell these things.
 
I think it depends on the horse and rider to be honest, one is not better then the other on paper. I have a Fhoenix and both the horse and I get on really well with it. The vogue however would not suit him because the girth straps would be to far back and the saddle would not sit right on him. That does not make the vogue a bad saddle, just not right for us. Some people find the HMs too wide , if they have trouble with their hips. I believe that Heather Moffat is looking into have a way to alter the position of the stirrup bars to help with this. The only way to be sure is to try out the different saddles and see. I’ve taken my saddle out to a few local riders for them to try. You could try a post on FB and see if anyone is willing. I have only one criticism of the solutions saddles, they do not seem as well made as the HM but that was only one saddle I saw.
 
I bought a solution saddle (had it professionally fitted) and it caused problems with my horses back (he needed 6 weeks off).

Loved the HM flexee finesse, but isn't quite right for current horse, which is a shame.
 
I have a Solution saddle, bought for my massively shouldered Draft horse, who loved it. She went far better in then the previous 4 saddles we had used. Once the shims were settled into position, not always easy, I found it comfortable to ride in and felt that it helped me to ride in a good position - definitely not chair-seated. The cob wears it now and seems fine in it but I have no other saddle to compare it with on her.
 
All my horses have been ridden in Solution saddles over the years and every one has gone better and had healthy/improved backs in them. They should be fitted by a Solution fitter initially, who has been trained to fit them even if you have bought one second hand. They balance the rider as well as fitting the saddle.
I haven't tried any other kind of treeless, never had the need to, so can't comment on that. But the only way to find out what works for you is to try them both.
 
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