CAIR saddles - The good, the bad and the ugly

Lippyx

Lippyx

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Hi all,

Just want peoples input on these saddles. I am a bit old fashioned, and always had flocked, but I have the chance to get a gorgeous old style Wintec Isabell Werth dressage saddle for my boy, but its CAIR flocked, and I don't really know too much about them.

I have read good and bad things on the internet about them.

I currently ride in a Wintec 500 dressage saddle with traditional flocking. How much does it cost to change a CAIR to traditional flock?
 
We have a CAIR VSD, pony loves it. I was sceptical with all the bad reviews but think they were mainly pertaining to the old ones (the cair can get hard) and saddlefitters not liking and replacing with flock. The only downside is you need a specialist CAIR fitter who has been specifically trained.

I also asked my back lady if she saw more back issues with CAIR over flocking and told me she actually has CAIR - which is a recommendation in itself.
 
I can only speak from my own experience - there is no bad or ugly.

I used a cc wintec Cair for years on several horses out hunting and never had any problems at all.

Comfy for them, comfy for me :)
 
I've got. Bates with cair and it's lovely. Haven't had a single problem with it. I think if you were going to have a problem it would be with the old ones that were first on the market. The technology has improved since then
 
My horse went well with cair, I had an wintec Isabel Werth with cair, we both loved it, no problems. I later had a flocked one which was good but the horse was not so happy with it.
 
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I had a Wintec Wide with Cair and had previously had a Wintec 500 dressage flocked. Loved the flocked one, the Cair was hard has a brick. The saddler demonstrated the difference to me between flock and air, massive difference in my horses way of going, wouldn't go back to air again. Have also heard of another make of saddle where the airbag deflated unbeknown to the rider, causing an extreme reaction by the horse and broken bones for the rider.
 
Spot_the_Risk said:
I had a Wintec Wide with Cair and had previously had a Wintec 500 dressage flocked. Loved the flocked one, the Cair was hard hais a brick. The saddler demonstrated the difference to me between flock and air, massive difference in my horses way of going, wouldn't go back to air again. Have also heard of another make of saddle where the airbag deflated unbeknown to the rider, causing an extreme reaction by the horse and broken bones for the rider.
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I am getting rid of my wintec wide Cair saddle as I feel it has actually been the main cause for my youngster's back issues and extreme broncing. Any takers??!
 
I visited the bates stand at badminton and have to say that they seem wonderful both in design and function! I sat in a couple and they were lovely to sit in and the woman showed me how they worked and it all makes sense so long as you maintain the cair well. Good luck with your new saddle! Xx
 
I was very very sceptical about getting a saddle with Cair as I had also read some bad reviews about it but after trying loads and loads of saddles on my TB the only one which could be made a perfect fit was a Bates dressage with Cair. It's lovely, horse is happy in it and I would buy again.
 
minimex2 said:
We have a CAIR VSD, pony loves it. I was sceptical with all the bad reviews but think they were mainly pertaining to the old ones (the cair can get hard) and saddlefitters not liking and replacing with flock. The only downside is you need a specialist CAIR fitter who has been specifically trained.

I also asked my back lady if she saw more back issues with CAIR over flocking and told me she actually has CAIR - which is a recommendation in itself.
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This


Like with any saddle, depends on fitter, depends on horse.

I have Cair saddles on my TB, Little Appy, Big Appy and Baby Appy has one for when he is backed and I also had one on my welsh d X brilliant saddles but like I said above depends on if you get the right fitter.
 
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