lizfh65
Member
I have just bought a Frank Baines saddle with Flair off eBay. The air bags feel really soft. Not sure what they should feel like! Can they be pumped up? Are the valves on them functioning? Any info welcome.
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Flair Saddle
- Thread starter lizfh65
- Start date
angela_l_b
Well-Known Member
I was surprised when I bought one, the bags seemed nearly empty. But imagine how hard they would be if pumped up - compressed air is harder than wool flocking! Put your whole hand or maybe your thigh against the bag and press until it is firm - as long as there's enough air to cover the part of the horse that the bag is in contact with, it will be fine.
However as you got the saddle from Ebay it will need checking and possibly pumping up to make sure it is level front to back and even on both sides - my one needed pumping up to bring the front up so that it didn't tilt forwards, and my horse had uneven shoulders as a youngster so they pumped the bags a bit more on one side until he became more evenly muscled.
A qualified saddler will pull off the stopper, cut a bit off the pipes so that the tube into the bag is open, and pump in more air or take some out. When they are finished, they put a gel into the end of the tube to seal it, and then put the stopper back on. Eventually after many years, you might need new tubes as a bit gets cut off each time!
Hope this helps.
However as you got the saddle from Ebay it will need checking and possibly pumping up to make sure it is level front to back and even on both sides - my one needed pumping up to bring the front up so that it didn't tilt forwards, and my horse had uneven shoulders as a youngster so they pumped the bags a bit more on one side until he became more evenly muscled.
A qualified saddler will pull off the stopper, cut a bit off the pipes so that the tube into the bag is open, and pump in more air or take some out. When they are finished, they put a gel into the end of the tube to seal it, and then put the stopper back on. Eventually after many years, you might need new tubes as a bit gets cut off each time!
Hope this helps.
emmac70
Well-Known Member
Flair is designed to be adjustable to the horse and the rider. The valves will be sealed at the moment to stop whatever air is in there escaping but a Flair/ WOW saddle fitter will be able to open them and inflate/ deflate them as needed.
The Flair panels should feel slightly soft when the saddle is not on the horse or got any weight on it. The riders weight will compress the air making the panels feel more solid or harder - but the idea behind flair is that it acts a bit like air suspension between the horse and rider so works with the movement of the horse's back muscles and the rider's weight.
If you email First Thought Equine who make the WOW saddles and Flair systems they will be able to give you the details of the qualified fitters in your area. If you are near Northants PM me and I will be able to put you in touch with the lady who sorts my Flair saddle out for me
Hope this helps!
The Flair panels should feel slightly soft when the saddle is not on the horse or got any weight on it. The riders weight will compress the air making the panels feel more solid or harder - but the idea behind flair is that it acts a bit like air suspension between the horse and rider so works with the movement of the horse's back muscles and the rider's weight.
If you email First Thought Equine who make the WOW saddles and Flair systems they will be able to give you the details of the qualified fitters in your area. If you are near Northants PM me and I will be able to put you in touch with the lady who sorts my Flair saddle out for me
Hope this helps!