Have you tried both? Which is better in your opinion? Both seem quite adjustable so not that worried about fitting the horse. Looking at the icon flight and hennig sofa in particular. I don’t really have a way to try them both at the same time. I’m a petite-ish rider if that makes a difference.
I’ve ridden in both. IMHO, they’re pretty different feeling saddles. The Flight is a more close contact type saddle (albeit with a big block). When I rode in one that fit me well, it was totally unobtrusive. I had some more flexibility in my position. The Hennig is a more substantial (and heavy) saddle. I found it wanted me in a specific place, and it really stuck me there. Might be great, or you might hate it. The block did more to hold me in place, rather than just being there - although I’m sure that opinions really vary on these things based on leg length, body type, etc.
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I had the opposite experience w.r.t. Custom vs. Hennig. I’ve ridden in a couple of Custom saddles (Advantage and Wolfgang Solo) and a couple of Hennigs (monoflap Sofa and traditional flap Sofa). For my personal body type, I felt pretty fixed in position in the Customs (especially the Wolfgang). Both of the Hennigs gave me more of a feel of balancing my own seat and being able to control my leg position – really remarkably “wow, this is better than I ever thought it could be” levels of freedom of movement. I haven’t ridden in any of the Icon saddles, so I can’t comment on the Flight in particular.
I tend to believe that how these saddles feel for individual riders might be less about some inherent difference in the brands, and more about how they work for one’s particular body proportions – I’m about 5’1" and have a somewhat long femur for my height. I think anything with a long external block is going to force a more rigid position for a rider of my proportions, and the seat shape seems to matter to my comfort as well.
FWIW I love my monoflap Sofa with adjustable covered blocks – it works for me and my bad hips that cannot tolerate being locked into position, and it works for my flat-backed horse with a laid back shoulder. I don’t plan to part with it until someone pries it from my cold, dead hands.
YMMV, of course, depending on your build and your horse’s.
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@x-halt-salute I agree. It’s so interesting. I’m 5’8", long in the femur and short in the calf, with a larger build. For what its worth, I also can’t ride in the Wolfgang line saddles - although they are still infinitely better for me than Schleese. Advantage and Icon lines both work exceptional well, along with some Black Country, County and Albion.
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For those of you who are “long in the femur” - what are your measurements? Particularly, the length of femur vs lower leg (and what points you used for the measurement)
I think I have a relatively long femur, but I don’t know what is average!
