Flocking a cair saddle

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poiuytrewq

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Has anyone had this done? Im looking out for a second hand Wintec but can only find cair ones which seem unpopular (although ive never tried one myself)
If I or the horse dislike it ive heard it can be flocked but has anyone had this done and what sort of money would I be looking at?

Does anyone actually like their Cair saddle?
 
I bought a second hand saddle with flair which I didn't get on with at all, it wobbled about and then leaked so went flat, taking out the air bags and flocking was about £60 - pretty good I thought!
 
I had mine converted earlier this year. Think it was about £100 for flocking and having the saddler come out to re-fit the saddle.

I'm very pleased with it and so is horsey!

Basically it's around the same cost as having a re-flock done on a conventional saddle.
 
I've had two Wintec 2000 saddles with Cair for a few years and have no complaints, I guess like most things they suit some horses/riders and not others. I also have a newer Thorowgood T4 GPD and need to sell one saddle, it will be that one for sale as I prefer my Wintecs :)
 
How weird that you have posted this! I am just about to go to the local saddler and ask about the same thing!

Bought a wintec wide for my youngster as didn't want to spend a fortune on a saddle when he's going to grow and change shape so much so wanted one that could adjust. Ended up with the Cair as it was only £20 more and was told that it was better than flocked! My instructor (who rode my horse for me yesterday as we're working on a few 'issues') reckons the Cair is too hard and is moving and possibly not helping him, and is constricting his movement. She reckons it should be flocked.

I am not sure really but am off to ask the question today whilst also getting a wider bar for it.
 
I have both CAIR and Flocked Bates Isabell saddles and I don't notice a difference in them. The saddles are fitted to each horse. I have never had problems with the CAIR panels moving or causing problems with movement.
 
I've seen some AWFUL examples of Cair panels that have been removed from Wintecs.... different sizes, overlapping (and thus causing terrible pressure points) I would never use one on any of my horses' backs. 100% wool flocking all the way for me, personally.
 
I've just bought a lovely hardly used Cair Wintec changable this morning off ebay, it's the wide saddle. I'll be getting the saddler in to sort it, but we have another wintec with cair as well, can't say I've had any issues with it and horse hasn't bucked us off!
 
Well, came back from saddler and blimey, it's no wonder us poor horseowners struggle knowing what to do when you have different people saying different things! Lol

He does not feel that a Cair should cause any issues and actually commented how he thinks original old flocking styles are likely to be replaced by other systems such as Cair eventually anyway. He is an old, traditional saddler as well but seems to think cair is pretty good.

He did say they can reflock them though and it looks like this will cost about £75 but he doesn't really think you should have to do it. Therefore, I am going to try the wider bar and move the girth to the two hind straps as saddler has suggested and see how we go!
 
To flock a cair saddle is simple, just undo the bolts at the pommel and 6 screws in the cantle and drop the panels off, and the panel is held together with velcro, pull that apart and pull the air bags out, then reflock as a normal saddle simples.
 
I had a wintec dressage saddle completely reflocked - it was flocked to start with, but was so hard, and stuffed so full, the poor saddler punched herself in the mouth pulling out the horrible synthetic flock out and now refuses to reflock any more Wintecs!

Plus side is she reflocked it with lovely British wool and it is nice and soft, cost me 50 quid so i'd say either type of wintec, cair or flock may need some sort of attention - it seems pretty straightforward to replace cair panels with flock.
 
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