Saddles: WOW vs Sue Carson, a try out...

[Eceni]

So....

For those who were following the WOW/Sue Carson/Any saddle that might fit saga, this is the update

I have borrowed a Sue Carson saddle for a week. It's definitely the most comfortable saddle I've ever sat in and my position feels truly stupendous. For the first - and only - time on this pony (14hh warmblood x arab round shouldered, croup high green youngster from saddle-fitting hell), I sit upright and connected.

But it doesn't fit the pony and I"m not sure it can be made to. It's too long, sits halfway up her neck, isn't broad enough through the gullet and the only time I tried to canter, she bucked like stink - a factor which my trainer reckons is entirely reasonable given how much pressure it's putting on her shoulders.

so I'll talk to the fitter but I think it's not for us.

Tried the WOW today with Jane Evans fitting it - very professional and competent - and although it's not nearly such a comfortable saddle (actually, I really didn't like the feel of it - but rather spoiled after the Sue Carson heaven) I can begin to believe that if we get the right combination of panels and flaps, it might be close.

I need to get her back done AGAIN because every saddle I ride in pulls to the right - and with my trainer too so it's not just my crap riding. but the flexibility of the Flair air sacs seems to make it potentially suitable.

Having said all of which, the one that seemed to fit the pony best was the Pennwood one with the memory foam panels. It's the only one which, when I took, it off, there was an even, undisturbed pressure mark on her back along the full area of the panel - nice wide panels and nice wide gullet too. Just a complete pig to sit in.

so the saga continues. I'lll try some more and see where we get to.

good luck to all the others who were trying out WOWs if anyone wants to PM me for more detail of local fitters, feel free

E

 

[dressagecrazy]

Hi, I think saddle fitting is harder than finding the horse!! I tried Albion, Sue Carson, Ideal, & a treeless saddle before trying a WOW.

I tried a WOW at last year & hated it. But then decided to try again this time with an Extra deep seat & conventional flaps & loved it so does my horse. So may be worth while trying different combi's with the WOW. Have to say my WOW is the most comfortable saddle ive ever sat on.
Good luck with your search whats good for one another hates. But i do know how hard it is to find the right saddle.

 

[Sags_Deer]

yep me too hun, ive gone from a black country which after a few months moved forwards, im now in a wow tho with extra deep seat and convential flaps. love it.

 

[Eceni]

From today's try-out - it sounds as if we need an extra deep seat too... but hadn't considered conventional flaps - do you mean conventional *dressage* flaps or GP flaps?

the dressage flaps seemed good, tho' I have such short legs we'd have to rotate them back to the rear-most position to get my knees anywhere in contact with them.

Do either of you hack out in these and how do you get on with it?

ta

E

 

[hollyzippo]

WOW hands down for me! As above, try a different seat- mine is so comfy I cant ride in anything else now!
As long as panels and flaps fit the horse- you can have any seat that you feel best in. My friend had some padding taken out of hers after it was fitted as felt too wide.
Hope that helps

 

[Emma27]

i must be the only person on here that doesn`t likw WOW saddles , mind you i have never actually ridden in one ,only sat on one at The Highland Show but i also think they are ugly especially the coloured ones IMO

 

[Eceni]

Frankly, I don't care what it looks like, I just want it to fit the horse.

RIchard Davison rides in them and doesn't look particularly different to any other Olympic level dressage rider. but then Peter Storr and Damien Hallam ride in the SC's and I'm assuming the blessed Carl rides in ALbions, or they'd like us to think so...

just now, I'm thinking of turning the pony away to stud for 2 years to let her grow up and grow straight and getting something else that I can actually fit a saddle to. Doubtless I"ll grow out of this in a day or two

sigh


E

 

[air78]

[ QUOTE ]
So....


Having said all of which, the one that seemed to fit the pony best was the Pennwood one with the memory foam panels. It's the only one which, when I took, it off, there was an even, undisturbed pressure mark on her back along the full area of the panel

[/ QUOTE ]

When i take off my wow, the sweat marks are not 100% even under the pannels- on his wither hollows. I have asked my fitter about this, and she says it is intentional, so there is room for him to develop muscle here. I was a bit concerned at first, but have now noticed that if I ride him properly i.e. round and up into the bridle, this is much less noticble than if i've let him slop along on a loose rein.

Scince having the wow thoughh he's been alot easier to ride in an outline and much freer in his action.
I also found it odd to ride in at first it felt as though there was too much width between my legs, if that makes sense. Now though I don't notice at all, and find the saddle very comfy.

 

[seabiscuit]

I dont think either are great, have you tried saddle company yet?

 

[Weezy]

I adore my wow, I also think they are comfortable. I also do not think they are ugly at all, they look like conventional saddles (pic of mine with my XC flaps fitted - I chose to have white stitching and the nubuck buffalo rather than normal leather)

I have my girth straps altered on the offside ATM as that shoulder is bigger - before I did that I was ALwAYS over to the nearside on every saddle - this has sorted the problem and already I am considering readjusting slightly as the shoulders are getting more even. Also I have put my stirrups today on the front bar and am sitting FAR better (was on rear bars before)

I have a flat seat and I have fixed block dressage flaps in at the mo - I hacked out in the them today, went cantering and everything - VERY nice!

I really like the flexibility of WOW. There is certainly no other saddle on the market that would allow the movement of shoulder that my mare requires.

 

[Eceni]

[ QUOTE ]
I dont think either are great, have you tried saddle company yet?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup - have a stunningly good, honest, sorted 'saddle Company' fitter who's quite clearly said that Saddle Co saddles won't fit this mare (gullet too narrow, panels not broad enough, I think). She's coming tomorrow to look at the Sue Carson and discuss things. I'd have one if it would fit, honestly - at least a third of the price and nice, nice saddles.

and yes, the WOW felt too broad. Also not quite level, but that can be sorted, I'm sure...

sigh

need a new horse with a ready-fitted saddle that actually fits...


E

 

[Gingernags]

I do know how you feel with this, I remember with my pony I got a new saddle for Christmas the first year I had her - this is 20 years ago, and I got a lovely Orion GP, padded knee rolls, the lot - was the envy of the yard, and we just got the standard seat size for her and me (16" back then, I was a a skinny teenager) and i think she was a mediim - saddle on - fit fine, off we go and never any back problems! It was so easy!

Mind you I think that the saddles weren't as "thick" (as in if you look at the cantle and how chunky the padding is)

I started off with a Jeffries on Asti when I broke her in, I think it was an "osprey" but as she grew it started pinching and she started bucking like stink so I bought a newer model, nice saddle but the leather went a very odd colour and after a row they changed it, then the girth straps came away so I got rid and got a fieldhouse.

The fieldhouse fit fine, but a few years down the line a bad peice of advice from a physio ended up with the balance ruined and I've not been able to sort her out since.

I ended up with the Kings which is too narrow and restricts her trot, then self fitted the Saddle Company one which is the nearest I've got to a decent fit, and I did have a WH Fieldhouse saddle which fit well but though it was great for showing, it was no good for me, I felt too "perched" on it as it was on the small side for me.

I do think the WOW sounds ideal for accommodating Asti's shoulders and movement, but I think I will leave it til after the planned foal, and I might be able to pick up a second hand then...

One of my sisters friends has one so I might have a nosey but she's working abroad this summer.

 

[Tierra]

I dont think its unusual for the wow to feel strange when you first ride in it. The twist is quite wide (which would explain why you commented on the saddle feeling wide) and the seat is shaped differently so that as it slopes away and down towards the flaps, it fills the hollow at the top of your thigh.

This is there for security and to help the riders' position and once you're used to it... its very hard to go back to a conventional shaped seat but initially, yea, i think it does feel strange and wider than other saddles.

On to the sue carsons.... I dont like these saddles.. I dont like the fit and i dont like how they feel. However, all that aside, a livery on our yard was treated like absolute dirt by this company after buying 5 brand spanking new made to measure saddles. Ironically, there was only a change in tone by them when they found out who her trainer was..... That left a bitter taste in my mouth BUT everyone has a story about a bad experience with all companies so......

I love the wows, like Weezy I dont think they're unattractive at all (although I dont think some of their marketing featuring pink saddles and the like did them much good). The lateral movement of the tree is uncomparable for allowing good movement on the horses paces.

If it felt unlevel, then id suggest the flair needed some tweaking which, incidently, can take a long time to get 100% for both you and the horse.

Good luck in your decision though

 

[flyingfeet]

What do you mean the pink saddle did them no good?

I request pink facings and was disappointed when they couldn't do it!!!

 

[henryhorn]

I have to say we are the sort who often change saddles, so have had lots of different ones over the years.
At the moment both riders have Sue C saddles, one the latest single flap dressage and the other the cadence. ? (think it's called that) Anyway the difference in the way the horses moved in these saddles compared to the others in use at that time (Bates Isabelle/ an adjustable dressage saddl made inthe USA/albion etc) was astonishing.
Both riders prefer the big knee blocks, and the horses love the soft feel of the air system.
The fitters (we've had two different people) have always been professional, on time and allowed any amount of time for adjustment. My only quibble is the re-fit price if you have it altered, £50 if the fitter is doing several saddles feels steep!)
I think everyone will have a make of saddle they feel briiliant in, I tried numerous saddls before buying my last albion, if I had been able to afford it the Dever saddle was without doubt the rolls royce for me personally, it felt so comfy.. but then nowadays I only hack occasionally, so can suffer any old saddle! (apart that is from the USA dressage saddle, ten mins in that and I had the strongest urge to have a wee, it pressed in all the wrong places of my generous shape!)