Solution and Wow Saddles

[Hugobear]

I’m looking for a saddle that will fit my wide flat back cob and make me feel secure and comfortable out hacking. I’m interested in anyone’s views on either solution or WOW saddles.
Thank you in advance

 

[shortstuff99]

I have a WOW on my wide barrel shaped PRE fusion and it is the best saddle I've ever had. I love it. Just make sure you get a good fitter.

 

[saalsk]

Can't comment on a Solution, as I have never tried one, but I have had a WOW for years ( about 2006/2007 I think ) and the same saddle has been used on a 16.2HH TB with typical TB shaped back, a 15.2HH arab with barrel chest, no withers and massive shoulders, and a 16HH arab who has withers, but a flat back and a little slab sided. Obviously different heads, of which I now have a collection of 9, and the air pads are fitted to each horse, and checked a couple of times a year by a WOW fitter. I love the feel of the saddle, and the way it makes me sit, although it did take a bit of getting used to after a Thorowgood. I second the need to have a good WOW specialist fitter for them.

 

[Hugobear]

Can't comment on a Solution, as I have never tried one, but I have had a WOW for years ( about 2006/2007 I think ) and the same saddle has been used on a 16.2HH TB with typical TB shaped back, a 15.2HH arab with barrel chest, no withers and massive shoulders, and a 16HH arab who has withers, but a flat back and a little slab sided. Obviously different heads, of which I now have a collection of 9, and the air pads are fitted to each horse, and checked a couple of times a year by a WOW fitter. I love the feel of the saddle, and the way it makes me sit, although it did take a bit of getting used to after a Thorowgood. I second the need to have a good WOW specialist fitter for them.

Thank you, silly question but how do you know which are good or bad fitters?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I had 4 different treed saddles in 5 years for my Westphalian Draft mare (like a bigger Ardennes). Then I tried a Solution and she went so much better in it, immediately. The only problem I found was that she needed 2 shims, one on top of the other, because of muscle wastage from the previous saddles, and they had a tendancy to slip. However the saddle let her build up her muscles again, so that we didn't need to double up the shims and then there was no problem with just the one at each side. I liked it so much that we invested in a dressage saddle as well. The very best bit is that I didn't need to buy a new saddle for the Cob, I can use the Solution(s) for her, too.

ETA, I find it comfortable to ride in too.

 

[milliepops]

Thank you, silly question but how do you know which are good or bad fitters?

ask for recommendations in your area.

I've had wows for years, I also really like the versatility and I find them very secure.

 

[Brownmare]

I have ridden in both but have been using Solution saddles on my own horses for the last 10 years. I like that you can put the same saddle on many different horses without the need for a saddler to do any adjustments once you understand how to do any necessary shimming.
I would be wary of doing much jumping with air flocking as it can have a rebound effect which shoots you out of the saddle! Hilarious for spectators but not so much fun for the rider...

 

[milliepops]

there are plenty of pro riders who event etc in Wows without getting jettisoned I found my Wow saddle the best for jumping with no rebound the flair bags should not be that full.

 

[GinaGeo]

I thought about WOW at one point. But don't have a good experience of the local fitters so decided against them.

I have used Solution Saddles for about 10 years now. I like the Original style and have used them with success on all of my horses - I've just brought myself a Solution Freestyle (the old dressage saddle) and am quite liking it. I've owned a jump saddle from the newer range and wasn't a fan - I found it uncomfortable. It is essential to have one of their adviser's out though - they're quite different to fit than a "normal" saddle, but I like that once you've got the hang of it you can tweak the fit yourself if you need to.

I use the same dressage and jump saddle with the padding set up to suit each of my three horses.

My personal preference is a nice french jump saddle - but the horses prefer the Solution and I always end up back in it. I wish I liked the Pro Saddles - but I just didn't get on with them.

 

[saalsk]

Not a silly question at all - I am sure most, if not all of us have had the same worries about saddle fitters, farriers, trainers, bit specialists and feed advisors - they are meant to be the specialists, and we expect them to be good at their jobs, and sadly not all are. (Same in all aspects of life ) I looked at the WOW at Burghley one year, tried it on the mechanical horse, and spent a lot of time being shown how it fit on a model horse back ( they had several, cob, TB, warmblood type etc ) and what to look for with basic fitting, balance and how it was different without a person sitting on top, and with. We were recommended a fitter who came out to us to assess the horse in his current saddle, and then with the WOW. Watching the horse without a rider, with, lots of checking under the saddle. I was lucky and the TB was very clear in what he liked and didn't like, and immediately walked better downhill in the WOW than his previous. As he pudged out a bit in summer, it got tighter, so got re-aired , and vice versa in winter. I always just used a polypad and used the same fitter for the next horse. Met one WOW fitter who didn't inspire confidence, but she was fairly new to it all, and fortunately the livery yard often had *guest speakers* - one of which did a saddle fitting demo, and advised changing the head plate, and air, and all was fine again. He was another horse who made it fairly obvious if he was not comfy - it is always my worry that the horse will just put up and be in pain, but so far so good. Getting personal recommendations for fitters, and getting together with others ( friends, yards etc ) and get a fitter to perhaps come and do several horses, or just assess them, is another good way to get info. There is also something to be said for how you get on with the fitter, and how you feel they deal with your horse. Good luck

 

[SEL]

there are plenty of pro riders who event etc in Wows without getting jettisoned I found my Wow saddle the best for jumping with no rebound the flair bags should not be that full.

I was thinking that. Dawn Britnell fits in our area and her son events in WOW saddles!

 

[saddlesore]

I have a solution gp native panel and its great. Very comfortable and my boy really powers along in it ?

 

[Wheels]

I have used both and I used to fit Wows.

I love both brands and when horses love them then they really love them but there are a number of horses that dont go any better in them than any other saddle and there are also a number of horses who really dont get on with them at all.

My current horse really doesnt get on with the wows and whilst he didnt necessarily object to a treed saddle, he didnt go well and did a fair bit of toe dragging. I ride him in a solution and it really allows him to lift is back and use himself properly. Horses for courses, you need to try a few different saddles of all types to see what works best.

The possibility to trial a solution is also very handy. Sometimes a horse will go well to the different feel of wow or solution but a few weeks in decide it's just not what they like.

In terms of the jumping - no, the air does not make the saddle fling riders up in the air. However, some horses really do ping in them much more than normal and this can jump some riders out of the saddle. The rider can learn to cope though.

 

[saalsk]

Agree with Wheels about it being horses for courses. I broke current arab in using a cheap treeless to get him used to wearing a saddle, and just leaning over it, sitting on it, maybe a few steps here and there but not riding. Moved him to the WOW once he was ready, and he was fine. Started him in a happy mouth straight bar eggbut, thinking to move him to a multi jointed (roller ball type, can't nutcracker like a snaffle, flexible but not pinchy ) and he acted like his face was going to fall off. Teeth, bitting specialists etc etc all said he just needed to learn, but 10 years later he is still in the original eggbut - he would never tolerate anything jointed, or anything metal - and having tried several times, he would always get his eggbut back and hold it like it was some sort of security blanket, without which life didn't work properly !

 

[w1bbler]

I’m looking for a saddle that will fit my wide flat back cob and make me feel secure and comfortable out hacking. I’m interested in anyone’s views on either solution or WOW saddles.
Thank you
Any reason you are limited to just those 2 options.
My flat backed hairy cob has a fab AH cob saddle, comfy & secure for us both.
There are other specialist saddles, but I have no personal experience to comment on them.

 

[ycbm]

there are plenty of pro riders who event etc in Wows without getting jettisoned I found my Wow saddle the best for jumping with no rebound the flair bags should not be that full.

I hunted and evented in mine! Yup, airbags should go whump, not rebound like a bouncy castle ?
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