Fhoenix

The Fhoenix Saddle, designed by Classical Rider & Trainer, Heather Moffett, is a revolutionary design, unlike any other saddle on the market. The saddle is best described as a soft-treed or part-treed saddle, but unlike other half-treed saddles where the part-tree is at the front, the Fhoenix part-tree is in the cantle end. This forms a rigid cantle & secure seat support for the rider, but due to having no tree at the front, & therefore no tree points, it gives the full freedom of movement that a treeless saddle would provide for the horse. The best of both worlds! We also love that the Fhoenix saddle is made with the most luxurious & soft Italian leather. It is comparable to the highest price/quality dressage saddles in the quality of the leather. Actually it is the nicest leather we have seen on Dressage saddle, having ridden in all the major top brands. When you buy a Fhoenix, you are buying the very best in quality materials & components.

Even more on the cutting edge side of saddlery, the foam panels of the Fhoenix
can also be left out & a special cork filled pad/panel system, called the
Suberpanel can be attached to the bottom of the saddle. The Fhoenix Suberpanel
has been developed in conjunction with Suberpad designer, David Ahn. David (an
English Master Saddler) has been marketing the Suberpad since 1996, so the pad
is very well tried & tested with excellent testimonials. The British army has used
the pad extensively under treed saddles, also using thermal imaging to test the
efficiency in pressure & weight distribution, giving exceptional results. The
suberpanel is filled with cork filings which move around & mould to the horses
exact shape, distributing pressure almost perfectly. It works almost like a
beanbag, the cork also providing an ideal level of stability & shock absorption.
The Prolite/Moulded Panel models of the Fhoenix can easily be used with a
suberpanel, simply by removing the foam inserts & then attaching the new
panel/pad to D-rings on the saddle. Equestrian Concepts also makes a version of
the Fhoenix specifically designed for use only with a suberpanel. The saddle
design is the same as the prolite, except that there are no pockets for foam panels
on bottom. The bottom is simply a smooth surface, to which the suberpanel is
also attached by the D-rings on the saddle.

Heather Moffet's complete line of Fhoenix saddles

The raised pommel in the front of the saddle enhances the secure deep seat, whilst not requiring any rigid parts (amazing design) so that it remains soft & flexible for the
horse. The Fhoenix creates a generous wither clearance, comparable to regular treed saddles. It will fit most horses without any special padding. For extremely high withered
or atrophied horses, extra padding can easily be added to the saddle to replace the muscle that is lacking. The flexible comfort of the Fhoenix will allow horses that were
atrophied by the rigidness of other saddles to build their own back muscle in this area, as they continue their work in the saddle.

Unlike most treeless saddles on the market, the Fhoenix design features a 'twist'
enabling the rider to drop the thigh deeply without feeling straddled even on a wider
horse. The 'twist' & core of the saddles are built up from layers of materials, tested &
chosen for their shock absorbing & pressure resisting properties. This enables
the saddle to flex with every oscillation of the horse's back, giving great freedom
of movement, with no restriction of the shoulders or hindrance of the lifting of the
horse's back. The Fhoenix has also been designed in such a way that spreads
the weight of the rider, with no pressure points, evenly over the stirrup bar area.

The saddle is extremely stable, often more stable than a hard treed saddle would
be on very wide horses & testers have remarked on the fact that even when
riding up & down extreme inclines, the Fhoenix has not moved.

Prolite Panel Fhoenix
The Prolite & Moulded Panel Fhoenix
models have been designed to appear as
conventional as possible. The panels are
molded to give a traditionally gulleted
underside to the saddle. They are
designed in a way to permit additional
padding to be inserted into the front arch
when that area is lacking muscle or for
extremely high withered horses, often
without the need for any additional
padding. Available in two ways, Shaped or Flat.

Suber Panel Fhoenix
Even more on the cutting edge side of saddlery, the foam panels of the Fhoenix
can also be left out & a special cork filled pad/panel system, called the
Suberpanel can be attached to the bottom of the saddle. The Fhoenix Suberpanel
has been developed in conjunction with Suberpad designer, David Ahn. David (an
English Master Saddler) has been marketing the Suberpad since 1996. The pad
is very well tried & tested with excellent testimonials. The British army has used
the pad extensively under treed saddles, also using thermal imaging to test the
efficiency in pressure & weight distribution, giving exceptional results. The
suberpanel is filled with cork filings which move around & mould to the horses
exact shape, distributing pressure almost perfectly. It works almost like a
beanbag, the cork also providing an ideal level of stability & shock absorption.
The Prolite/Moulded Panel models of the Fhoenix can easily be used with a
suberpanel, simply by removing the foam inserts & then attaching the new
panel/pad to D-rings on the saddle. Equestrian Concepts also makes a version of
the Fhoenix specifically designed for use only with a suberpanel. The saddle
design is the same as the prolite, except that there are no pockets for foam panels
on bottom. The bottom is simply a smooth surface, to which the suberpanel is
also attached by the D-rings on the saddle. Not for HIGH or LONG WIthers!

The Fhoenix saddles are available in black or brown & in the following sizes. Suede seat &/or knee option is only available with a butt leather flap.

Sizing*
Child size - with small flaps for children (moulded panel only) - approx 16"
Petite size - petite adults (moulded panel only) - approx 16"
Small size - smaller adult riders - approx 17"
Standard size - average adult riders - approx 17.5-18"
Plus size - for the slightly fuller figured - approx 19".

Models & prices
General Purpose Suberpanel $1950
Dressage Suberpanel $1950
General Purpose moulded panel $1950
Dressage moulded panel $1950
*NEW* Fhoenix Vogue $2500

Options:
Suede Seat &/or Knee Pads: free
Choice of flap-Butt or Soft Italian leather: free
3 extra D Rings on the back $60
SuberPanel $160

Heather Moffett from an interview with Equine Journal Interview “We prefer to term it a 'SoftTree' (trade mark applied for) as the saddle has layers of material which form a 'core' similar to that of a tree, with just the cantle being rigid, to give support to the rider's seat. The seat/pommel and cantle are made from the same memory foam used in the Seatbone Saver and other accessories, my treed saddles and the Flexions. This is 45 mls thick, and gives the rider a moulding soft seat, once the material is warm. It takes as few minutes to warm up in cold weather. The leather 'tree' is the next layer, this carrying the stirrup bars and girthing, which does not go over the back of the horse, thereby eliminating pressure points associated with some treeless saddles. There is a layer of 5/8ths thick pure wool felt, so dense that if you run a truck over it, it doesn't compress. Under this is a layer of Plastozote foam, the main seating material used in most treed saddles. The panels are inserted into leather pockets on the underside of the saddle, and are comprised of moulded polyethylene foam, which even when a very heavy weight is left standing on it for 48 hours, springs back virtually unmarked. So the whole saddle is the thickness of a treed saddle and gives the same feeling of a 'waist' whereas many treeless saddles being so thin, do leave the rider feeling rather straddled on a wide horse. “

There are two models, the Fhoenix Standard, which is the old design & still popular, but with a reduced price to allow more people to purchase. This comes in two types at present, the GP & the dressage, but has a more forward cut GP as in the Vogue range is to be added for those who have longer thighs & need a more forward flap for jumping. The saddle comes in 16, 17 & 18 inch sizes in black or Havana brown, all Italian soft hide, or with butt leather flaps. There is also an optional suede seat & knee pads The Italian hide is such good quality that we reverse it for suede, meaning that the full substance of the hide is used, not a 'split' which is commonly used & is only half the thickness of the full hide.

Contact:
Jeannean Mercuri PO Box 136 Ridge, NY 11961-0136
631-345-2644
info@gotreeless.com

©Pride Treeless Saddles 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 & 2008
{If you see something here that shouldn't be, please let me know. I tried my best. If you see something you'd like to use just ask :) }

The thicker moulded panels are shaped for more depth at the edge of the panels. They are ideal for the more A framed horse or pony, ponies who although may not have much wither but are physically narrow or for horses lacking in muscle development. The flatter panels are ideal for a wider, flatter backed horse. REMEMBER -- there is always the exception to the rule, which is why all new Fhoenix saddles will ship with both types of panels & a set of shims. Both types fit in the leather panel pockets of the Fhoenix saddle & are completely interchangeable.

Saddlepads for your Fhoenix make sure that it is large enough to fit so that the pad has at least 1” showing all round the saddle, without any binding seams coming directly underneath the saddle. This could encourage the saddle, with a less than balanced rider, to slip & rub, especially across the back under the cantle.

The Fhoenix should be always used with a ‘high wither’ cut, such as the Mattes Correction Line or Christ Panel. All pads should be designed in this way, conforming to the shape of the saddle arch & wither so it does not pull against the wither which could create a pressure point. The high cut also assists with lateral stability, being cut to fit up into the front arch, rather than straight across.

With wide flat backed horses, overweight, mature, correctly muscled backs, no extra padding is necessary. Use only a high wither saddle cloth to protect the bottom of the saddle from excessive contact with the natural oils from the horse;s fur.

For horses with a small amount of atrophy the Backsaver pad which is made from the same visco elastic foam as the Fhoenix seat, is ideal used on top of the Mattes pad between the pad & saddle.

Extra ‘shimming’ in the Prolite panelled Fhoenix can be used. The gullet has a velcroed flap along both sides, see below, allowing a small amount of extra padding to be inserted into either side of the front arch, between the panel pad & the main body of the saddle, to give extra clearance to very high withered or atrophied horses, eliminating the need for a variety of extra pads under the saddle. We can supply Prolite or similar neoprene-based shims for this purpose.

Hip Saver for Treeless Saddles $155

PLEASE NOTE THAT SHOULD YOU WISH TO RETURN YOUR SADDLE OTHER THAN FOR MANUFACTURING FAULTS OR UNDER SIMILAR STATUTORY RIGHTS, WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CHARGE UP TO 25% RESTOCKING FEE. THE SADDLE MUST BE IN NEW CONDITION OR A FURTHER CHARGE MAY BE MADE FOR WEAR AND TEAR. YOUR STATUTORY RIGHTS ARE NOT AFFECTED.