Sue Carson or wow saddle

Depends why your considering a saddle like that?

I did as I thought it was the only way I could get one to fit my horse. And I wanted a very adjustable saddle. I learned the hard way , £2,300 later, this was not the case.

Some people love Wow's though so perhaps I was just unlucky? I found it a very heavy saddle too.

I'm currently waiting for my horse to be measured up for a new saddle with a different company. So hopefully in 6 weeks time I will have a good report ☺️
 
Wow would be my choice . First you need to find and speak to a Wow fitter. If you call first thought equine they will five you names of fitters in your area. Speak to TEHM and find the one you'd like to work with. This is important. The wow has the most variable in true adjustability . They have different panels , stitch lines , gusseting and well as a flexible tree and the air flocking. For you the rider there are many options to best fit your conformation.
I suggest that copper pot was unlucky as I have used these saddles for years and so have mant people from a variety of disciplines with a range of horses and conformations that I've worked with.
I have ridden I the Sue Carson to and struggled to stop it from moving. A few I have known have had a similar problem. They have the air bags but that is it when it comes to adjustability. The rest of the saddle is pretty conventional.
 
That's the issue I had with my Wow. It constantly moved and slipped. He had bald patches rubbed on his back from it moving and I had to use a limpet pad and neoprene girth. In the end it made his back very sore. Swapped to a different saddle and no movement, so it wasn't him or me.

Interestingly I tried it on my other horse who is a totally different shape from the one I had it made for and he went beautifully in it. Really used himself. But I had lost faith in the saddle by then and sold it.
 
Copperpot said:
That's the issue I had with my Wow. It constantly moved and slipped. He had bald patches rubbed on his back from it moving and I had to use a limpet pad and neoprene girth. In the end it made his back very sore. Swapped to a different saddle and no movement, so it wasn't him or me.

Interestingly I tried it on my other horse who is a totally different shape from the one I had it made for and he went beautifully in it. Really used himself. But I had lost faith in the saddle by then and sold it.
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I wonder if he was actually wriggling because he could feel the airbag overlap? Some horses can, and hate it.

I'm like Partoow, I've had or known them on twenty horses with no problems, though if you do have a one sided horse, then the amount of movement in the tree can allow the horse to throw you off balance quite easily. But that flexible tree is exactly why I buy them, and since then I've become addicted to the adjustability for young horses. I've got two four year olds right now, and these saddles are saving me a fortune.

PS anyone got a pair of GP fixed block flaps or jumping flaps?
 
can you not get a fitter out for each and see what fits you and your horse best? ive had both WOW and Sue Carson saddles and sold my WOW after 6 months as i just felt it tipped me forward. i think with the WOW you have to be prepared to get it refitted every 3/6 months and have to spend additional money as you go on new panels etc. i LOVE riding in the Sue carson saddles they are very comfortable and sit you in a lovely position- but again you need it fitted well (as with all saddles really) they are not as adjustable as the WOW as they havent got plates to change the width but you can have the tree altered a couple of times so probably not best for a young horse as you may need to buy another in a year or so :( hence why at the moment i am backing and bringing on my rising 4 year old warmblood in a thorowgood T8 whilst saving for a new SC saddle for in a couple of years.

i would just say for the sake of £60? fitting fee its worth getting them out and trying them. i also have a fitter that stocks albion and can put flair into those (or any saddle for that matter) so would be worth getting a fitter who carrys a lot of other brands also to try. when your spending 2-3k on a saddle it NEEDS to be the right one ;)

let me know if i can help further
 
cptrayes said:
I wonder if he was actually wriggling because he could feel the airbag overlap? Some horses can, and hate it.

I'm like Partoow, I've had or known them on twenty horses with no problems, though if you do have a one sided horse, then the amount of movement in the tree can allow the horse to throw you off balance quite easily. But that flexible tree is exactly why I buy them, and since then I've become addicted to the adjustability for young horses. I've got two four year olds right now, and these saddles are saving me a fortune.

PS anyone got a pair of GP fixed block flaps or jumping flaps?
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I don't think so as I used a thin gel pad or thin sheepskin under it after reading that was the way to go.

Plus his old owners always used a Wow on him. Maybe I was just unlucky. He does have huge shoulders perhaps the flexible tree was just too flexible for him.
 
horsehappy said:
can you not get a fitter out for each and see what fits you and your horse best? ive had both WOW and Sue Carson saddles and sold my WOW after 6 months as i just felt it tipped me forward. i think with the WOW you have to be prepared to get it refitted every 3/6 months and have to spend additional money as you go on new panels etc.
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Wow do a training course that equips you for mild amendments to their saddle, I have had a couple of WOWs and knew enough to amend the air, gullet width etc so i didnt need to ALWAYS rely on a paid saddle fitter. Wows are very good for horses that a normal saddle won't fit.
 
I looked into WOW quite extensively a few years ago as we have a ' hard to fit ' horse and we live within hacking distance of First Thought Equine.
Some people seem to love them and some hate them. Some horses love them and some hate them. Everyone I asked said they are like marmite.
I sat in a saddle and thought it was comfy, but didn't like the flair, there hardly seemed to be any air in it and it felt very hard. At first I thought it just wasn't inflated, but then I was informed that the bags were ' ready to ride '.
Didn't pursue it any further as I felt they were heavy, expensive, and required a lot of aftercare. Also concerned that I or the horse might turn against it, resulting in an expensive mistake!
FTE do run courses where you can learn how to adjust the saddles yourself, and I think you can have regular flocking.
I can see why they appeal to people who want a lot of adjustability though.
 
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