Flair saddles- Help and experiences please!

Fruitcake

Fruitcake

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A few months ago, I bought an Isabell Werth dressage saddle which had previously been converted from flocking to Flair. I had it fitted to my horse by a Flair fitter but I've never been totally happy with it. I think that it seems to have deflated a bit and has begun to move slightly. I know that it will be different for each horse but in general, how firm should the pannels feel?

I've heard that people have had Cair and Flair saddles converted back to flocking and am wondering if that's the way to go. Has anyone done this? I've gone back to my other saddle in the meantime. I must add that I've ridden in a Cair version of the same saddle and love the Isabell Werth saddle in general. I just want to get to grips with the Flair aspect!
 
im not sure on the firm-ness of flair...

but cair air is in sealed bags inside the panles, so unless they burst/get punchered they will not loose air....

with the flair air they have to be pumped up dont they? so over time they must loose some air?

i had a cair air and flocked saddle - bates innova - and it was really lovely! soft and 'moulded' well but not stupidly squishy.
 
I had a flair that had been retro fitted to a stubben saddle when I bought it - it was never right (I suspect why they sold it!) - had it re-inflated a couple of times then saddler suggested it was damaged (valve or hole), the cost of replacing the air bags was much more than replacing it with proper flock (about £80 ish from memory - although this was 3/4 years ago) and at least I knew that would work!!
Obviously saddle was completely fine after the work
 
urggg i hate my flair saddle (black country eden dressage) so i have sent it off to the saddlers to be converted back to flocking. its costing me £200 to do this but at least i wont have to deal with its wallowing any more! talk about sea sickness! mine does deflate at the front slightly which is another reason im getting it flocked. this saddle is costing me a fortune! but the whole thing is being taken apart to take the bags out and then its being stuffed again so i dont really mind and it includes call out and refitting and any follow up visits so i dont really mind :)
 
Thanks for the replies.

I'm thinking I might go with the flocking conversion. I love the idea of Flair in theory as my horse tends to change shape quite a bit when his work tails off over the winter. I just can't seem to get to grips with it!
 
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