Opinion on this saddle?

yes, its not off a shelf. It is made to measure, by a v. good saddler and been seen by 4 others. Not one can make any other suggestions than the one I have now plus a numnah with pads velcroed on. Fair enough, but I am interested to see what this saddle rides like although I am wary of lack of stability.
 
Thats why I like my wows - when the horse changes shape I can pump up rather than add stick on pads. However very expensive.

Apparently WOW are bringing out a 'club' saddle which is more affordable (still £1k)

The total contact is interesting as its not really a saddle at all, so doesn't suffer with the same problems.
 
I'm not sure I can see the point in spending this sort of money when a back comes free with a horse
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Hang on a minute I saw £175 quid (just try it for the crack) your talking £1000 how much do these bad boys cost, sorry but a sale rep can talk me into anything - what have I signed up for???
 
Don't fancy jumping without them though!!
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Plus my horses have weird hair and if you ride bareback it migrates into your knickers... I need a numnah even if bareback
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Hang on a minute I saw £175 quid (just try it for the crack) your talking £1000 how much do these bad boys cost, sorry but a sale rep can talk me into anything - what have I signed up for???

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I am confusing you - wow's (WOW flair modular saddle) with the air panels you can adjust are £1,000 for the club and £1,500 for the professional

The total contact saddle (aka flat roller) is £175.
 
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A numnah a gel saddle pad or any other device cannot be substituted for making a saddle fit correctly - ask a master saddler, they know I follow lead

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Well I did try to describe it to you but it seems I failed. How about looking at the webpage - it may show you what the thing looks like and why you can buy a "one size fits many".

And I totally agree - a conventional saddle be properly fitted - and then used as fitted ie if fitted without a numnah it should be USED without a numnah!

As for weight - a very few pounds - but then again if you look at the website you'll see why!
 
You mean a girth strap which can hang a pair of stirrups on is £175.....Wintec 2000 weighs about the same as a microwave meal and is a comfortable ride - hard selling sales rep with a yard of laughing onlookers I can do without £1000 for 2 pieces of leather stuffed with bubble wrap, which bannana boat did they think I got off? - that'll be the HHO one I guess, teach me to read the whole article
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I would be very interested in hearing how you found it. Do you know if they are allowed in competition? Obviously they are in SJ but what about other disciplines? Im not quite sure what the Wintecs have got to do with this (sorry if i have got your point completely muddled), but this is something completely different. It fits everything because its not really a saddle, and the Wintecs definatly do not fit everything because of the tree width.
 
True I think Wintec has gone down the Cob route because they think their owners are cheap? However I spoil mine rotton, still I'm up for grabs so once I'm talked out of £1500 I'll let you know how my life has changed as a ride on a mare who's only thanks for taking her riding yesterday ( and feeding her not 1 but 2 pink lady apples) was to bite me -bitch
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QR

I would also be interested to hear how people got on if they have a demo done.

Dan is notourious for not fitting saddles and he has got worse as he has got older and errr wider! In his current unfit state NO saddle 'fits' him. his width requires a wide/extra wide but if you put one on him it sits on his withers. (and i mean fully touches and presses down). Put a medium wide on him and it clears his withers by millimetres but pinches either side of his withers and is too tight down his shoulder. Cannot use a front riser on the wide as it just doesn't lift it off the wither and a cut back pommel is of no use as his wither is so long and high.

This 'saddle' could be an answer of sorts even if it won't be useable (i don't think) for dressage. He is great to ride bareback anyway but even BSJA rules require a saddle now!!!
 
As you QR'd I don't know if you've already read my posts?

I not only had the demo but bought the saddle as we had a similar problem to you, even down to the unfit horse. After using the Total Contact saddle we now have much more muscle either side of the spine so our boy's conventional saddles do fit him better. He's hacked in the Total Contact saddle but we haven't competed with it yet (well we haven't done much competing over the winter at all).

It would be interesting to read up on the rules for what the BSJA etc describe as a "saddle". I've not been affiliated but I've certainly ODE'd with some very elderly and strange looking saddles and not failed a tack check yet. My brain is working on "if it's a full seat they are expecting, with flaps, then a leather like or suede like numnah would presumably fit the bill - particularly if there's, say, a slot for the TC saddle to go through."

Will investigate!
 
The man from Total Contact came out and demonstrated the saddle to me and a few friends. He gave up a thorough lesson on the difference starting from turning up to jumping her a meter. I absolutely loved it!! My pony constantly rushes everywhere and fights to go but because I was using my balance to slow her and turn her she was fantastic and didnt fight with me once. Jumping she was alot steadier too. I loved cantering in the saddle, and no you dont get hairs on your bum because your using a numanah and a gel pad and the saddle does protect you from withers etc as you are sitting just behind it. 3 other people tried the saddle out that day and loved it, from a very nervous rider who gets bucked off her horse to other people riding my pony and found an amazing difference. One girl is planning to do dressage and wondered whether you could still use the same aids for the moves but you will find it easier as you are more one with the horse. So.. there you go :P I have a video of my friend trotting round on my pony on the day on bebo www.crave-miki.bebo.com on my profile. Any questions.. please ask. I am very confident in the saddle
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I've never heard of these before, it does look interesting but reminds me a bit of old polypads that I had to use on a shetland 15 years ago, and I hated those! I love my lovely comfy saddle with big knee rolls, I imagine I would just fall straight off. Would be really interested to here how you get on with it tho
 
Ok read abit more about the saddle and see you can get it in leather but the 1/2 tree etc sounds like it defeats the purpose of the TC saddle . The TC saddle does not restrict the horse in any way meaning the horse opens up whilst on the flat and jumping significantly more. And the horse feels your movement and responds amazingly to it.
 
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but what if you cannot get a saddle to fit the horse? Then you have to resort to them.

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no then you get one MTM. Ive got 2 very difficult shaped ponies and no off the peg saddle is ever going to fit them, so i went for a made to measure and have had no problems ever since.
 
no more then a new saddle anyway, i paid exactly the same for my MTM as i would have if it had been off the peg and when the ponies change shape a bit the saddler will always stick some more stuffing in it or take some out.
My ponies have been turned out all winter with no exercise and after a few minor adjustments the saddles still fit when brought back into work, infact it still fits after 4 years of minor adjustments. Get a master saddler on your side and they work wonders with saddles.
 
The no adjustment thing is just one advantage though. The rest has been explained up the board, more freedom on flat, more freedom whilst jumping meaning a lot better jumping, easier to control the horse due to no using hand or feet, just balance which works amazingly even on horses who rush everywhere, never any back problems so you can cross that out if a horse misbehaves, I could go on
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