Saddles with CAIR

Rosie2407

Rosie2407

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Hi everyone, hope you are all well.


I am waiting on an appointment with the saddle fitter but just wanted some opinions in the meantime.

I have a Bates Caprilli saddle with the changeable gullet, have the gullet gauge etc so am happy that I have the right width in it.
However I am finding that the saddle now rises up quite a lot at the back. It kind of flaps around when I'm trotting. I don't feel that it's thumping down on her back or anything but I'm definitely aware it's moving so I'm sure she is.

I know some others have maybe had issues like this with their Bates saddles, wondered if anyone knwos anything about the CAIR system. Can it be adjusted at all or am I really looking at new saddle time?


Thanks x
 
From experience they are quite adjustable as long as they are the correct size for the horse. Just make sure you have a saddler with experience of cair saddles as i had a nightmare with one of mine in the past as they changed the gullet only and not the rest of the saddle (got a second opinion and more amendments etc and was perfect).

Hope it goes well.

: o )
 
In my experience - if saddle lifts at the back then it is too wide for the horse. Hopefully you just need the next narrower gullet plate.

Cair airbags can deflate eventually, but your saddler will tell you if this has happened.

Fiona
 
The cair panels can't be adjusted but the saddler will use yellow cair inserts to adjust the saddle. This means they are fully adjustable and can be done on site and put back on the horse immediately to check and have a ride in. It sounds like the saddle just needs re - fitting. As I understand it from my saddle fitter, saddles with cair promote circualtion and horses do change shape so they need to be checked regularly.

I have the bates close contact and love it and so does my horse, I get it checked about every 6 months.
 
Going to go against what everyone else seems to have said....
I was told that the cair in Bates saddles could not be adjusted. However, that's just what I was told! I'm sure your saddle fitter will be able to help :)
 
I have two saddles with CAIR for my horses. My bates saddle for my thoroughbred is lovely, comfortable and has always been a good fit. However, the Wintec 2000 for our ID / Thoroughbred has recently rubbed his back on a sponsored ride to the point he came up in blisters! That had been lifting a bit at the back too and now I've been told that the CAIR can't be adjusted. Have got my saddle fitter coming out next week (not who originally fitted it) so will post his feedback then.
 
Rosie2407 said:
I have a Bates Caprilli saddle with the changeable gullet, have the gullet gauge etc so am happy that I have the right width in it.
However I am finding that the saddle now rises up quite a lot at the back. It kind of flaps around when I'm trotting. I don't feel that it's thumping down on her back or anything but I'm definitely aware it's moving so I'm sure she is.
Click to expand...

Its a common problem in bates/wintec saddles because of the curve of the tree. Cair cannot be adjusted, it is a piece of foam and air inside a sealed plastic bag in the panel. The only way the panel can be adjusted is by inserting shims or flock where needed. But this can only be done if the panel is soft and there is room for additional material. If the panel is firm or hard then there is nothing you can do. Sorry but youre probably looking at a new saddle because if the width is right at the front theres not much you can do to get the saddle to sit down behind because of the shape of the tree.
 
Aw, pants! :(

I really love my saddle

Keep fingers crossed for me then and I let you all know what saddler says.

Thanks again for all the info!

x
 
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