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In My Own Words:
The Water Horse Innovation Journey
A true product innovation story, written by Karen Westfall — the woman who shaped, perfected, and shared the world’s most comfortable deep water seat.
When you sit on a Water Horse, you feel the difference
The first time you use the Water Horse, you feel it — the freedom to move, breathe, and truly float without fuss. No belt creeping up under your chest, no noodle sliding around or smacking you in the face. Just you, suspended comfortably in deep water, able to get a real workout without distraction.
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It looks simple, but trust me — every inch of this little seat has a story.
Belts made me mad
For decades I taught and took deep water classes using flotation belts. And every time, I found myself tugging that belt down while trying to keep my chest inside my swimsuit. It used to make me so mad. Those belts were clearly designed by men — probably for men.
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Most men have broad shoulders and a narrow waist, so a flotation belt usually stays put for them — it can’t ride up past their chest. But women’s bodies are shaped differently. We tend to have wider hips and breasts. So when you’re in deep water, the belt naturally slides up, floats under the bust, and lifts the breasts up, and often times out of the water. Not only is that embarrassing — it squeezes your chest tight and makes it harder to breathe. I’ve always said: “A flotation belt is a great push-up bra, but a terrible exercise aid.”
Karen’s first prototype: the original Buoyant-Seat harness.
A climbers’ harness in the pool
I knew there had to be a better way. Back in the 90s, I was living in Southern Utah and watching rock climbers hang comfortably in their harnesses on those beautiful red cliffs. I thought — what if we did that in water?
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I created the Buoyant-Seat — blocks of foam strapped to a belt with leg loops, just like a climber’s harness. On me — thin, lean, in my 30s — it worked like a charm. At my first big aquatic fitness conference, people actually clapped when I presented my new invention.
But when it came time to test it in the pool? One by one, women started climbing out. Chafing and rubbing on the upper thighs — it worked for my narrow frame but not for mature bodies with curves. I was embarrassed and disappointed. The Buoyant-Seat went back in my closet.
A grandma changed everything
Years later, I got a phone call from a young man whose grandma in Arkansas had invented a simple flotation seat. She called it the Water Horse. She’d made a thousand but couldn’t sell them — she needed someone who knew the industry.
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I was skeptical — but I agreed to try it. The first time I sat on it in the pool, I literally laughed. “This is it!” I thought. No belt around the waist, no straps, just a simple seat you straddle — like a saddle — and float. It kept me perfectly suspended. I bought every last one she had and sold them at aquatic exercise conferences and on my new website. Everyone seemed to love them.
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But that first version had its problems — the seat was too narrow, the blocks rubbed the thighs, and the materials didn’t hold up well over time. So I got to work again.
Shaping it into the perfect seat
I started making small but important changes. The original block in front was just rectangular, which made moving your legs clunky. So I reshaped it into a V-shape — opening up the front for a greater range of motion, so you can jog, kick, and move freely without restriction.
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Next was the seat. The first versions were thin and could dig into the sit bones after a while. So I widened it to feel more like a comfortable saddle that cradles you properly in deep water.
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Then I added something special: a neoprene center seat. Neoprene is the same soft, flexible, water-resistant material used in wetsuits — it’s gentle on skin, stays comfy, and doesn’t soak up water like cheaper materials do.
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We also swapped the bright orange life-preserver fabric for a blue mesh cover — softer, quick-drying, and chlorine-resistant. We upgraded to closed-cell polyethylene foam, which means it doesn’t soak up water and break apart like cheap pool noodles do.
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And because not every body is the same, I designed a larger size too — so plus-size users can float comfortably with just as much support.
The Water Horse today
Still floating, still listening
Since then, the Water Horse has helped thousands of people exercise comfortably in deep water. We’ve sold over 12,000, with an average 4.6 stars on Amazon. But it’s not perfect because I say so — it’s because people like you told me what you needed. And if you’ve got ideas to make it even better, I always want to hear them.
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I’ve spent my life helping people move better in water — and I believe we got this little seat just right. Try it. You’ll never wrestle with a belt or cheap noodle again.
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Thanks for reading — and for floating along with me.
— Karen Westfall