CAIR? For or against?

[gentle_giant]

Ive just been reading a post regarding Wintec saddles and it seems some people love Cair and some hate it, I was just wondering what your reasons are, Im considering getting a new Wintec and havent decided if I want Cair or not yet.

Pros and Cons please?

 

[KatB]

Jury is out! Have a saddle with, and a saddle without. HAve to be more careful with the one with, as as my horses back person mentioned, compressed air is harder than wool. However, horse goes well in both, but it is hugely important the saddle fits very well with air flocking, otherwise it will create big hard pressure points.

 

[appyjude]

fantasticly comfy for you, but I found you lost significant feel of what was going on underneath you. Got rid of my saddles with it in when I rode in a serge based saddle - now THERE'S feel and comfort.

 

[KatB]

Didnt find that tbh, but ive got a very close contact saddle with it!

 

[sarah07]

I was really old school and thought that it was just a fad and nothing like traditional flocking but was talked into getting one when i needed a new saddle after my horse had had a long spell out of work due to injury. I have to say that my horse goes really well in it and it is really comfortalbe for me aswell, I am looking to save up for a dressage wintec at the moment and think I will get the Cair in that as well.

 

[Scarlett]

My horse went well in his Cair saddle, only sold it as got a Saddle Co saddle. I didnt find it any more or less comfy or bulky.

Heard a lot of saddle fitters say they dont like it - however mine felt it would suit my lad and it did....

 

[samp]

I hate it as I don't like the fact you can not adjust the saddle

 

[MagicMelon]

I like it. I think its much better than flocking which can cause pressure points where its uneven. I have it in 2 saddles. 1 of which (Wintec Dressage) I use alongside my boys general GP (non-CAIR) saddle. He goes much better in the CAIR saddle I find. I think because it's lighter as he's always been a little bit funny in his back.

My CAIR saddles are quite soft, certainly not rock hard like some people think. I think it depends how they're filled up. By choice I'd always use CAIR but of course it depends what saddle initially fits my horses, as to if its available with CAIR.

 

[Coffee_Bean]

Mine has it and i like it

 

[chestnut cob]

My saddler came out recently to look at my Ideal saddle, which I'd asked for a new tree in, and I asked him to put my Wintec on to check it would be ok to use while the Ideal was having a new tree. He said initially it would "do" for a couple of weeks, then picked it up and looked at the back of the cantle, and said "well, it would have been if it hadn't had Cair in it, why on earth did you buy one with Cair?"

Said something along the lines of....where the Cair panels meet it creates a ridge, wihch then rubs along the horses' back, hence so many horses having bad backs after being ridden in Cair saddles. Used it a couple of times while the Ideal was away (horse was just coming back into work after an op so doing mostly in hand and lunging anyway) but must say he didn't go well in it after being back in the Ideal for a while.

 

[Andelusional]

We have 8 cair saddles on the yard. All the horses who have them go well in them. We go to many competitions and the horses are mostly in the top 3. We have Bates Caprilli dresage, jumping and event. The event is the least popular amongst the riders. The SJ is the hardest to fit to riders. Dressage is the most popular. We now dont buy anything else except for the natives for which we use Native Pony Saddle Co. We have Hunter type, Sec D,warmblood, WB/TB and Andalusian in Cair. Works for me!