Bates saddles with Cair panels

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rebmw

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I bought a new Bates jumping saddle for my horse last year. Only problem I have found with it is that the panels aren't even. I had the saddler who sold it to me out after six months to check it and mentioned to him them that there was a slight difference in the shape of the panels and he said it was because of the creasing of the leather where he had been manipulating and padding out the panel.

I took his word as I have never had a Cair saddle and thought that the whole idea was that when my weight was in the saddle the air pockets would move to fit the horses back so wouldn't worry about it.

A few months ago I had the saddler out to check the saddle as by now the panels looked like they belonged to two different saddles. One had kept to it's original shape, while the other one I wasn't happy about before was now even flatter and had a bit of a ridge across the middle of it where the "crease" was. Saddler added a foam wedge to bring the panel up to the same depth as the other one but there is still this slight ridge where the "crease" is.

My gut feeling is that it isn't right and I've not felt this was right all along but given as I've never had the Cair before I am trusting the professional.

Has anyone ever had this problem with Bates saddles or any other saddles with Cair? I'd really appreciate any feedback as I am on the verge of ringing up the sadder again to say I just doesn't seem right.
 
I have an old but brilliant Bates Caprilli - with Cair. I've not had a problem with it, it came with my mare and has always fitted her. My friend has a fairly new one, she's had the gullets changed twice and air readjusted with no problems. Why not go to Bates direct and see if they can send someone else out to you - or find another person to come and check. Shame your not more local to me as there's a brilliant girl that comes out to check them!
 
I have a selection of Bates and that shouldn't be happening.
The leather can stretch slightly, one of mine ha to have inserts as the leather has stretched and no longer has enough panel for my extremly narrow TB. But they stretch evenly.

The only way you should get any change to the extent that you are talking about is if your horse has extrem muscle lose to one side and in turn your horse would look like 2 different horses and your saddler should of picked up on it.

The guarentees with Bates are great i have had one saddle which had a broken tree and sent it away and it came back with all new straps and looked like new again!!! So there shouldn't be any problem with getting it repaired.

I would go on the Bates website and look for a supplier to get a second opinion. It doesn't cost the saddler to send it back so most good saddlers are happy to do it.

Your saddler that has fitted the saddle should not of manipulated the panels in any way. thats the hole point in cair and if you start changing one side and not the other then you should just of got a flocked saddle. equally, cair is like a brand new flocked saddle that never beds in, so you always get an even service, lump and bump free. By adding anything, you change all of this.

Sorry to rant, iv had far too much experience with these saddle and have a great saddler who explains everything to me.

Bottom line, get a decent saddler and i would also discuss it with Bates.
 
From what I know about cair the saddler shouldn't have needed to "manipulate and pad out the panel" as it's air filled. Is your saddler a Bates specialist as they are a specialist saddle imo.
 
My bates saddle was getting lower and lower in front (I changed gullet plate twice but didn't help). Did a bit of reasarch on bates site and found that the airbags can deflate and can be replaced.

Hey presto - saddle went to local saddler. He agreed that the two front airbags needed replacing. They posted it to bates, and we had the saddle back in 10 days perfect. Cost £150 though your sounds as if it should still be in warranty.

Hope you get sorted soon, but your saddler sounds like a bit of an idiot. Wedges etc def doesn't sound like the way to go.

FIona
 
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