Are WOW saddles really "wow"?

I love them. Simply because they are so well designed for the horse, they fit brilliantly. I am yet to find another saddle that can give the horse what a WOW can.
 
Hate, hate, hate them! My friend had problems with the valve and the saddle kept loosing pressure on one side, she sent it back umteen times, after it was apparentyl 100% fixed she went out for an hour hack, came back and the horse had a bleeding sore on it's back where the saddle had totally deflated. Utter madness!

For those people who think you can't get the wow factor without riding on air, try a reactor panel or free'n'easy panel saddle. They are stable and flexible for both horse and rider. Plus the panel saddle has been around for a good hundred years or so with the military using them first.
 
Haven't got a WOW but my YO/ trainer has them for all her horses and a few of my friends have them too and love them. I got my Jeffries dressage saddle converted to Flair about 3 years ago and absolutely love it. even though it's a traditional saddle on top the feeling when riding is totally different and my horse seems much more responsive and has more freedom through her back/ paces
 
I LOVE my friend's Wow. Only one I've ever sat in, and I'm sure it helps that I am built very similarly to my friend who the saddle is fitted for, but I really did say wow when I sat in it. The most comfortable thing ever, I can ride for hours and hours on it, better than sitting on the sofa! I can't sit in a bad position on it either - it doesn't push or shove but gently puts me in either a forward position (if using the forward stirrup bars) or a dressage position (using the set back stirrup bars).
I want one!!!
 
Love ours. Horse goes very well in it and both OH and I find it very comfy and supportive. My share pony is in a 'normal' treed saddle with fixed points and its awful in comparison to the two WOWs my boy has!
 
Love it! I had my mare's saddle converted to flair years ago and that helped her back and mine too!

Went for a WOW for my boy soon after backing him, it meant that saddle could be easily adjusted as he changed shape and I only needed one saddle for flat & jumping. Although now he has two WOW saddles with different seats and flaps one dressage and one for jumping.

I think they are great saddles and love the way you can choose styles of seat and flaps, etc to suit the horse & rider
 
Can I also jump in and ask a question, how did you all go about fitting them?

Did somebody from WOW actually come out to you, did you follow the step by step fitting guide, did you buy the Equiform, send a recent template done by a saddle fitter or any other way?

How did you decide the best options (flap/seat length, panels, colour etc) or did you know somebody with one and therefore helped you with your decisions?

Sorry hope you dont mind me asking, its just that I'm looking at these and although I have seen them at the trade stands I just wondered how everyone went about ordering them etc.
 
I got a wow fitter out. TBH I dont think there is any other way to go as they are so complex. But the fitter is key. I had one out who I wasnt confident with so got a different one out who has been great.
 
Ditto. We had a fitter out for the dressage which we bought from her. We bought the XC off eBay because we knew it had the right panels, seat and flaps and then got then fitter out to check it and adjust the airbags.
 
Hate them!!!!!

Actually, I like the concept but hate the unprofessional attitude of the company. Been there, got the T shirt although fortunately managed to sell the WOW saddle.
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Wouldn't have one given me now.
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The fitter is key but if you have a good one in your area you might be OK
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I agree with Tiffany and Sags Deer - great saddles but the customer care....? As has been said on here on numerous occasions make sure you get a decent fitter that is experienced in fitting these saddles. I'm about to sell mine and go back to a more conventional saddle after 5 years because of fitting issues and poor customer care.
 
The first time I sat in mine, I had a 'wow' experience. The way the seat is attached to the flap is seriously clever, leaving a notch for your inner thigh. It makes me feel very secure and put me in a brilliant position.

Star is wide, and the saddle allows my legs to 'hang' off my hips. She quite likes the flair flocking as well.
 
I hate them!!!

They make my back ache like mad and have caused numerous problems for the horses I know that have been ridden in them.

One of my clients has been trying to sell hers for a year but no-one is interested.
 
My friend let me ride her horse when she injured her shoulder and was able to ride and she had just bought a WOW for him. It was the most uncomfortablest saddle I have ever sat on and extremely ugly to boot, although I will admit that I would always buy a saddle that fitted my horse first, and look at the prettiness side second. The bit that sticks out where the stirrup leather fixes to (sorry don't know name) sticks in your inner thight and a number of other people on our yard who rode in that saddle agreed with my findings, having said that they actually got bruises on their inside thighs where it had stuck in them!!. I am more than happy with my lovely Jefferies Falcon Hawk Event Saddle.
 
Im quite a big Fan of the WOW saddles, but then again i do have a great fitter. I had WOW's for around 3 years now the only thing i would like is them made lighter. I waiting like mad to get my hands on these Carbon fibre head plates.
I don't feel detached from the horse at all & have got my horse from Working Prelim to Adv Med in a WOW saddle. I was riding changes the other day & could feel everything.

My WOW also looks very much like an Albion Dressage saddle & has been mistaken for such a couple of times. WOW HQ have always been ok & i recently had a mod done to my Conventional flaps so that they could be set back more. WOW did it with no qualms & in 4 days.

I do think that while there not for everyone or every horse that sometimes the people who hate them havent maybe tried the best set up for them or there horses. A good fitter is the biggest thing with the WOW's & im not sure there is that many really good fitters around the country for them as i hear horror stories sometimes. Im in staffordshire & my fitter comes to me from Warwickshire, i wouldnt use the local WOW fitters.

I do accept though that there not going to be liked by everyone.
 
got on fine with mine on 2 different horses- i have it set up in xc style.

I think as a lot of people experienced the fitter is key!
 
I agree with everyone that says the fitter is the key! I would def reccommend getting a good fitter out, particularly if buying from new and not knowing what set up you need. I found my WOW very, very comfy and with the really big dressage flaps, very secure. But, my friend riding the same horse hated it and said it put her behind the movement (she says the same about my Amerigo too though). Bad things about WOW - if you get a new horse it may not fit if the set up is wrong - so its really only totally adjustable for the horse its bought for, unless you spend lots of £££ for a new seat/set up. Also I had a LOT of trouble with the screw heads wearing out and was not able to change the flaps easily (actually at all) and WOW were not terribly helpful or interested.

I now have an Amerigo which I prefer to the WOW. It can also be adjusted to my young horse's changing shape though it is about double the price of the WOW - but worth it.

Everyone is a different shape and no one saddle will suit every horse and rider conbination. I loved the WOW but can understand why others hate it. Now my fantastic fitter no longer fits I have went off WOW a bit as the fitter is really so key.
 
I don't like them - I feel further away from the horse, in fact I feel like I'm sitting on the arm of a couch. Each to their own though I suppose.
 
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