Is Flair the answer?

[evsj]

My horse has been off work due to a tendon sprain for nearly two months now. Last night I was checking her over etc and noticed that far from losing muscle tone on her topline, it seems to have improved behind the shoulder?!

She has always been a tricky shape to get a saddle fitted to (ID x TB with highish withers and a TB bottom) and I currently have a K2 jump for her which has been adjusted by my a QMS. But I have never been 100% happy and as she tends to work hollow, neither has she by all accounts. I have not been able to really get her topline as it should be despite the correct work, diet and regular checks. She has always had a dip in the muscle immediately behind the should too which is slightly worse on one side.

I am now thinking that I should try a new saddle but was wondering if getting Flair fitted to my existing one would help first. Does flair help to get the right fit for those in-between sizes? She is in a MW which QMS was happy was the correct width for her. Have looked at the Bates and Wow saddles too as they have flair and adjustable trees which might be handy for use on future horses.

Anyone out there with experience of difficult to fit horses/flair - I would be interested in your views!?

 

[PaddyMonty]

Had a problem fitting a saddle to my ISH. Significant muscle wastage around very high withers.
Opted for a WOW. He moves so much more freely, jumps a lot more calmly and muscle wastage is improving.

 

[KatB]

I have a Cair panelled Jump saddle, and although took a bit of getting used to for my horse, as it takes a few minutes to "warm up" and settle on the horses back, he really works well in it, and is free and forward in his movement. Muscle wastage behind shoulders is normally a case of a saddle which is pinching, or too narrow, perhaps not your current one, but has that been fitted to the hollows, if that makes sense?! Air panels are alot more fluid, so can certainly help with muscle rebuilding, but just make sure you keep checking widths as any slight change may need adjustment.

 

[Caritas]

It may work for you but it didnt for me. I have a problem with the way my horse puts all saddles to the right as soon as you girth them up. It is nothing to do with the way he moves or incorrect muscle developement, just the way he is put together. I thought flair would be the answer to all my prayers, so i tried one. Boy, he hated it, wouldnt canter, would hump his back and threaten to bronc, it didnt suit him. I would definately try it before you change your existing saddle. Good luck!!

 

[Patchwork]

If you go the Flair route then ensure it there isn't too much air in there otherwise it can make the saddle 'bounce' and the horse's back sore, especially on a sensitive horse.

 

[PaddyMonty]

[ QUOTE ]
If you go the Flair route then ensure it there isn't too much air in there otherwise it can make the saddle 'bounce' and the horse's back sore, especially on a sensitive horse.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed.
Fitter spent over an hour just adjusting the air whilst riding.
She also checks it every time I see her (friend) as horse is changing shape

 

[samp]

I would never go back to a normal saddle now. When I purchased Lots I was convinced Dan's saddle would not fit - he was narrow and she was a flat backed warmblood. I got the saddler out who tried to sell me a dodgy saddle that was more than I wanted to spend. When I said can we just try my old saddle. This has flair and she said it was a better fit than the one she was trying to sell me. Had the saddle checked since and because it has the flair when she is in the in between stage you do not get the sore backs etc you get with normal flocking

 

[evsj]

[ QUOTE ]
I have a Cair panelled Jump saddle, and although took a bit of getting used to for my horse, as it takes a few minutes to "warm up" and settle on the horses back, he really works well in it, and is free and forward in his movement. Muscle wastage behind shoulders is normally a case of a saddle which is pinching, or too narrow, perhaps not your current one, but has that been fitted to the hollows, if that makes sense?! Air panels are alot more fluid, so can certainly help with muscle rebuilding, but just make sure you keep checking widths as any slight change may need adjustment.

[/ QUOTE ]


When I first got her, I had a well-known saddlery in Ireland fit a saddle to her - it was a bit of an ordeal as we tried on literally 40 odd saddles before we got to one which was only a medium fit. In my ignorance I accepted what the shop told me and took it to be the correct size - only when I was a bit older and wiser did I recognise that it was pinching her. I think this has been the catalyst for the problems we have had since. Thing is, I have never used a saddle without a professional checking the fit on her but the problems haven't been resolved. Are you referring to the bates momentum by any chance?

 

[KatB]

Yep am referring to the momentum. It is expensive, but is lovely. He really uses his shoulder and back when jumping, which to me speaks for itself.

It is difficult once the horse has got the wastage behind the shoulder, the only thing you can do is use a slightly wider saddle (and am not suggesting a too big, just slightly roomy) to allow the muscle to bulid up. With the bates, you can then adjust if they change rapidly.

 

[miamibear]

My friend has flair and its lovely. Her horse had more muscle wastage at one side and it is now gradually building up. It feels lovely to touch too.

xx

 

[Dovorian]

I have 2 cair panelled saddles at the mo - they are not quite the same as Flair because you also have some flocking which can give further adjustment in addition to changing the gullet plates. Have a look at the Flair website as I think you can arrange a trial.

 

[Tierra]

Ive been riding in Flair for a few years now and I wouldnt go back to normal flocking saddles. That being said, Im using the wow saddles and I find most other saddles extremely uncomfortable too!

My horse is hanoverian x connemara. Due to his shape, we actually bypassed the recommended wow fitters and went straight to the owners of first thought equine to fit his saddle. David actually commented that he'd never had to customize a saddle so much.

My boy is 16hh with an enormous shoulder and flashy movement. However, he's high withered and had muscle wastage behind each shoulder which made him awkward to fit. Add to this that he's very very short through his rib cage (saddlers were recommending a 16 inch saddle and Im 5ft 11) and also broad through his back resulted in him being a saddlers nightmare. It took a lot of adjusting and a lengthy consultation to accomodate both myself and the horse but the result is fabulous!

Ive had this wow quite a while now and its fabulous. The muscle wastage has gone and his topline has improved enormously. His withers no longer look as pronounced purely because he's muscling up so much.

Personally, I cant recommend flair / wow saddles enough. They've been incredibly helpful to me and continued to contact me at intervals to check how the saddle is.

If you do opt for having flair put into your existing saddle, make sure it is a saddler who knows what they are doing with the flair. As someone else said, ive seen a tendency amongst some saddlers to over inflate the flair which makes the saddle sit on top of the back and move around too much. If you are considering a new saddle anyway, I'd have a wow representative out so you can try one of their saddles

 

[Happy Bird]

I have a Bates Cair black GP which I am thinking about selling. PM me if you want to chat about the weather.

 

[evsj]

[ QUOTE ]
I have a Bates Cair black GP which I am thinking about selling. PM me if you want to chat about the weather.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you for the offer but I would need a jumping saddle when I do replace it (I even do dressage in mine) and I am a lover of brown tack - can't afford to replace the rest of the wardrobe!!

The muscle wastage that I mentioned really does seem to have reduced since the two months rest - is this possble?? That is why I am now thinking that it might be time to address the saddle issue. I've had a look at the wow and flair stuff and first thought equine are in my county so I think I may just give them a call. Thanks everyone!

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

My lad is riden in a GP, jumping saddle & also a dressage saddle all with 'Cair' panels. When I first had him he was a Medium/narrow fit but he has gradually muscled up & it was great that all I had to do was a 5 minute adjustment to changer the gullet & all was well again.

These saddles don't suit every horse, one on our yard had one but couldn't get on with it so sold it on, but in the long run I believe that you will save a considerable amount of money not having to change the saddle. They command a good second hand re-sale price aswell.

 

[RobinHood]

Happy Bird, I've found someone who shares my passion for studying the weather

I have recently bought a new horse and he didn't come with tack. I opted for the same saddle that his previous pwner had on him, a bates caprilli which is a close contact jump saddle with cair, and I've been so pleased with it. There is very little about it that a saddler can mess up because you can change the gullet and the air panels are sealed. I bought one in brown and it's a beautiful colour, I almost couldn't bring myself to go hunting in it but I'm glad I did because it was so comfy. Big thumbs up from me.

 

[air78]

I have orderd a wow for my skinny, high withered TB, and am hoping it will help him to build some top line.
I have tried the bates saddles on him, but they didn't suit him at all- they seemed sort of 'perched' on top of him, and restrictive on his shoulder.

 

[Sal_E]

I wouldn't use any sort of air filled panel for my horse - I have personally had bad experiences with air filled saddles & several people I know have suffered the same. If you are looking for versatility & really like the idea of air, I'd invest in a 'korrector' saddle pad (i.e. the one with adjustable air bags) - you can play around with that all the time he's changing & then settle for a flocked saddle.