Pennwood Saddles vs WOW

[Eceni]

In the ongoing saddlery nightmare, I've been advised that Pennwood handmade saddles are good Pennwood

Has anybody had any experience of these? Any thoughts?

The second saddler - who Flair flocked my ghastly Ideal VSD and now says that it was never going to fit in the first place (!) has agreed to lend me a WOW for a week to test, but will try others in the meanwhile.

all thoughts welcome

E (who is going to train to be a saddler, simply to avoid this ever happening again)

 

[Tierra]

The wows are very good, particularly for horses which are difficult to fit or have problems (or have HAD) problems in their back.

Mine is a complete nightmare shape from a saddle point of view but is now happy and working much better than he ever has before in his wow. They do need to be fitted correctly though despite the fact that they can be adjusted inifinitely so just be aware of this. I'm not entirely sure I'd be trusting a saddler who first said that flair would be the answer and then decided it would never fit anyway to fit the wow.

Ive just read over the site and to me, the wow looks completly superior from a technical point of view. Indeed, theres very little about the technical details of the Pennwood saddles that I can see.

Is this second saddler a First Thought representative? If not and you're still interested in the wows, I'd contact first thought for their list of fitters in your area and go through one of those.

 

[Maesfen]

I've had some Pennwoods over the years (from '66 onwards and my first GP cost me £26 brand new!!) and they've always been well made and comfy to both horse and rider (they were one of the first that didn't have to be 'run in' when new, they were comfy from the start, a big improvement from sitting on boards for the first few months!) A lot of riding schools had them cos they seemed to fit a variety of horses too. I bought a new medium Hunter, now called the Workhorse GP I think a couple of years ago at Beeston and sold it to my neighbour at a vast profit (for me!) who raves about it and they use it for hunting etc. That was as well built as the older ones and seems to easily put you in the right position (but then I'm not into dressage or schooling, I just hack now!)
I haven't even seen a WOW so can't compare but if someone was to give me a Pennwood, I'd be well happy if that helps!

 

[I_A_P]

wow, wow wow wow wow!!

see how you get on with it

 

[sillygillyhorse]

You are not comparing like for like so it is hard to say.

The older Pennwoods were very good (someone told me they used to be made up for them by Ideal?). I have a middleweight jumping saddle that is just so comfortable, well made and I love it. they are not a "fashionable" name so not sure what their secondhand value would be like. Shame mine doesnt fit either of my boys but I will keep it as one day it will fit something.

 

[Eceni]

[ QUOTE ]


Is this second saddler a First Thought representative? If not and you're still interested in the wows, I'd contact first thought for their list of fitters in your area and go through one of those.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sadly, she is not only a FT rep, she's the closest - but you're completely right, I'm not at all impressed with a situation where I say, 'will this be worthwhile?' and she says, 'It'll be 100% better' and then when I call and say it's exactly the same - same soft oedematous masses on the horse's spine, same movement when we walk, she says, 'Well it was never going to fit, the gullet's too narrow.'

sigh

£325 down the sink, plus the £800 for the original saddle with a (far worse) saddler who came out for the second fit and walked off the yard saying 'nothing wrong with that' without seeing it ridden...

we live and learn

My feelings about the local saddler exactly. but will look and see...

thanks

E

 

[Eceni]

[ QUOTE ]
they are not a "fashionable" name so not sure what their secondhand value would be like.

[/ QUOTE ]

My 'fashionable' Ideal which doesn't fit isn't going to fetch much second hand either, so that's not too much of an issue. I'm going to try one tomorrow and THEN try a WOW for a week (and then talk to Sue Carson's rep) and then find something that actually works

thanks for all the feedback, people - this is the great value of this forum

E

 

[Quarrybank]

I would recommend Sue Carson saddles.
My boy is very difficult to fit (he's an unusual shape!) & they spent a lot of time getting it right. Like the Wow, if they change shape as they grow & muscle up, you can change the head etc as needed, plus the flair means they can adjusted to fit each horse perfectly.

 

[Eceni]

Thank you - I spoke to Sue Carson today - didn't realise she sold WOW as well - she says she stocks them but hasn't sold one in a long time...

so will have a look at all three and make a coherent decision. She's coming last, so may well be The One.

Or I turn my gorgeous filly out to stud and find something else with a saddle that already fits... might be cheaper in the long run, tho' I doubt it...

ah well

thanks all

E