FLAIR?

[BeepaStar]

Hi, I've done lots of research regarding the FLAIR system and I'm considering replacing the new wool flocking in my GP saddle with FLAIR.
Has any one done this and regretted it? And has it helped your horse if he's had a sensitive back?

Thanks in advance

NB - all vet, physio, teeth and tack checks done regularly.

 

[Firefly9410]

I have one saddle with flair but it was like that when I got it. My horse loves it even when it is not the best fit. Maybe the flair gives it more flexibility.

 

[fatpiggy]

A friend had it retro-fitted and the horse clearly went better. The saddler was a very experienced person and he thought it was one of the best things to come out in many years. He said it meant the saddle moved with the horse much more efficiently and effectively massaged the back in doing so.

 

[ycbm]

The thing about air flocking is that there can't possibly be any pressure points in it because the air simply shifts out of the way. I never use anything else. However, if your horse has a sensitive back, he may feel the overlap between the front and back airbags and some horses really hate it, so you would be wise to borrow a flaired saddle first. I would never ride on flair without a wool lined or very expensive sheepskin under it. The cheaper sheepskin can be made up of as many as seventy pieces sewn together. I kid you not, I took a Roma one apart once to find out why a sensitive backed horse didn't like it. I find the best are nuumed high wither wool backed ones. A geleze also works well.

If your saddle is close contact, air bags may not fit inside it. On the other hand, if it has too much room in the panels you'll be bouncing around on air to fill them. So make sure it's evaluated by someone who really knows what they are doing.

I'd never go back to wool. I adjust my own with a bike pump and I've saved a fortune in fitter fees. Plus I can change the fitting winter to summer with the horses changes in weight.

 

[nicnag]

I love mine and it made such a difference to my mare and to me. I have a dodgy back so I think it helps both of us as I'm not always straight!

 

[BeepaStar]

Thanks ycbm for such an informative response, it's really helpful.
And thanks everyone else for your responses too, I think I'll try my horse in a flair saddle first and see how he goes

 

[Goldenstar]

I used to have several Flair saddles .
I dislike it on jumping saddles because the horses could feel point pressure when landing over large fences , I had two who disliked it intensely and I having became aware that's they could feel the points parted with all the jumping saddles .
I also had a bag fail while jumping the course it deflated leaving me with a very sore horse .
I had three flair dressage saddles ( ideal Jessica's ) that I used on young and new horses until they developed enough to be bought a saddle of their own .
I really liked them for this easily adjusted as horses developed they where very very useful.
I have now sold them all as all my horses are mature and have templated saddles made to fit them .
I don't think Flair is better than a well fitted ,well maintained traditionally flocked saddle that fits the horse well.

 

[cremedemonthe]

I don't think Flair is better than a well fitted ,well maintained traditionally flocked saddle that fits the horse well.

^^^^
This, but then I am biased being a traditional saddler
Inflatable air bags in saddle panels are nothing new, they came out as a new idea in the 1970's but failed to get in to mainstream saddlery due to everyone being too traditional and disliking "new" ideas, Oz

 

[Polos Mum]

I had flair taken out of a nice saddle and replaced with proper wool flocking - constant adjustment was a pain and fixing a suspected leak was more than flocking normally
I'd say my horse went better in the same saddle without flair

 

[mega spoilt ponies]

I purchased a brand new bates saddle for my youngster and it completely crippled him and he hated it ('professionally' fitted). I wouldnt buy another.

I loved my foam panels

 

[ycbm]

I purchased a brand new bates saddle for my youngster and it completely crippled him and he hated it ('professionally' fitted). I wouldnt buy another.

I loved my foam panels

Bates is not flair. It can't be adjusted, and it's a lot harder. I've had Bates Cair saddles. They were the only saddles I have ever owned which made my horse sore.

I haven't had the problems with jumping in them that Goldenstar has but all mine are WOWs and WOWs have no points.

It is rare for an airbag to leak - I've had one in ten years with four saddles in use. I fixed it with superglue four years ago. FTE quoted me £45 last year to buy a new one to put in myself. In the end I didn't need it, I just needed to snip 2mm off the tube to make the plug a snug fit again.

I don't understand why anyone would need to make 'constant adjustments' to a Flaired saddle but not need to adjust it once it was wool flocked. Mine aren't adjusted for months at a time unless the horse changes shape rapidly.

The commonest reason for leakage is that the mouth of end of the tube stretches. All you need to do is chop a tiny bit off. They are supplied with spare to allow you to do that.

 

[Goldenstar]

Just for the record my airbag spilt at the seam the tube was not involved .

 

[ycbm]

Just for the record my airbag spilt at the seam the tube was not involved .

Yes mine split at the seam too, I fixed it with superglue and so far it's lasted another four years FTE are shocked! But WOW panels are fastened with Velcro, so it's easy to get at them. On a saddle being retrofitted with Flair you'd have to pay a saddler to get it out and put it back in, which would be a right pain, and probably expensive

I wonder if there is any guarantee on new ones, anyone know?

 

[Puddleduck]

I sent my Jeffries dressage saddle to FTE to change the traditional flocking to air bags about 8 years ago after a saddler over stuffed it resulting in rock hard panels that stretched the leather. Never had any problems with it and it now fits my new horse with no adjustment. It does need more air adding to give it a bit more lift as the bags have gone down slightly but the WOW fitter hasn't touched it in 6 years as it became relegated to my hacking saddle after I bought a proper WOW for competing.

 

[Emilieu]

My second hand saddle came having being previously adapted to Flair. Fit my boy like a glove so it look us a long time to connect it with his occasional four feet off the ground behaviour! He would throw a full on bucking, spinning fit after any small spook. Eventually tried converting it back to traditional flock and he has never behaved like that since (thank goodness) my saddler did say that most horses love it but a few hate it- trust mine to be one if the few. Definitely try first!

 

[Dry Rot]

Technical question!

I bought a flair saddle off Ebay to try. (It was cheap!). I got a bicycle pump so I could experiment with adjusting the air pressure but I presume there needs to be a little valve at the end of tube or the air smply comes out again! What do I need? Is there a cheap substitute?

Please don't tell me to get in a qualified Flair saddle fitter as I live in the back of beyond in the Scottish Highlands and this is just an experiment anyway. It is a constant problem finding saddles for young growing ponies that wil be sold anyway, not to mention my riders who are always grumbling that the saddles don't fit. I think I am meant to get a fitter out annually and buy new saddles for each pony each year -- all made to measure and professionally fitted, of course!

 

[ycbm]

Technical question!

I bought a flair saddle off Ebay to try. (It was cheap!). I got a bicycle pump so I could experiment with adjusting the air pressure but I presume there needs to be a little valve at the end of tube or the air smply comes out again! What do I need? Is there a cheap substitute?

Please don't tell me to get in a qualified Flair saddle fitter as I live in the back of beyond in the Scottish Highlands and this is just an experiment anyway. It is a constant problem finding saddles for young growing ponies that wil be sold anyway, not to mention my riders who are always grumbling that the saddles don't fit. I think I am meant to get a fitter out annually and buy new saddles for each pony each year -- all made to measure and professionally fitted, of course!

Fish tank air valve on eBay. I'll try to find you the url.

 

[ycbm]

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=261891954774&alt=web

 

[Dry Rot]

ycbm, once again I am indebted to you! Thanks.

 

[milliepops]

can I butt in here ycbm, to ask what you use those for? I've got a Wow that I'm too chicken to adjust myself, though I do adjust a Korrector pad quite happily :lol:
I have got the fit kit for the Korrector, which has screw-on caps on the pipes. I've always seen my Wow fitter seal the pipes on my saddle with some kind of gunk.

(OP, I love my flair saddle, it's a jumping saddle and my mare was noticably straighter when I swapped to a Wow. I rate the Korrector pad too, which is flair filled. Do try it first to make sure you both get on with it. In about 7 years of use I have had one leaky air bag, but this was replaced free of charge by my fitter)

 

[Annagain]

I have an Ideal event fitted with Flair (bought 2nd hand with Flair already in it). I bought it when my horse arrived so he's never gone in anything else with me but he seems very comfy in it.

I've had it 10 years with problems at all. It gets a bit more air once a year at our annual checks but hasn't needed any work.

My share horse has the same saddle with wool flocking and I find the flair one far more comfortable to sit on. No idea why it would make it more comfy for me, but it definitely does. Horses are similar shapes and sizes so flair/wool is the only difference really.

 

[ycbm]

can I butt in here ycbm, to ask what you use those for? I've got a Wow that I'm too chicken to adjust myself, though I do adjust a Korrector pad quite happily :lol:
I have got the fit kit for the Korrector, which has screw-on caps on the pipes. I've always seen my Wow fitter seal the pipes on my saddle with some kind of gunk.

(OP, I love my flair saddle, it's a jumping saddle and my mare was noticably straighter when I swapped to a Wow. I rate the Korrector pad too, which is flair filled. Do try it first to make sure you both get on with it. In about 7 years of use I have had one leaky air bag, but this was replaced free of charge by my fitter)

If you adjust your own saddle, and don't have the very expensive WOW pump kit, then you can use a bike pump (the pump supplied is a bike pump!) but as dry rot says, You need a valve to stop the air being pulled back out of the airbag by the pump. Those fish tank valves do the job nicely, I'm using one myself since my WOW supplied one broke.

I never use the gunk you see a fitter use. One, I've never needed to. Two, it can block the tube and prevent the air balancing up between the two sides. So can moisture, and for that reason I actually only ever pump up one airbag at a time, and count pumps to make sure I've got it even.