debsflo
Well-Known Member
Saw these at Burghley and apart from the price really liked the idea. I havent bought a new saddle for years but am getting a new horse next summer and my old horse is also changing shape so interested in options.
Tell me about Wow saddles please
- Thread starter debsflo
- Start date
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
Have a sit on one some time and see how you feel in it. People will say they are marmite saddles, you either love them or hate them. I had a go on the WOW horse simulator at Badminton about a year before I finally coughed up for one and it was love at first sit!
If they suit you & your horse then I think they are fabulous. I've had a dressage and jump one and have no complaints at all. The jump saddle is the first saddle I've ever really been able to find my balance over fences in, something about the combination of seat, flap blocks and angles and stirrup bar placement just *works* for me. And the flair works for Millie, though I see you can get them in flock now.
I hope mine will be a saddle for life
Might have to change the panels for a new horse etc but that's no drama. I sold the dressage one as I won a new Equipe saddle which I wanted to keep, and couldn't justify 2 saddles. But I'd have another in a heartbeat.
If they suit you & your horse then I think they are fabulous. I've had a dressage and jump one and have no complaints at all. The jump saddle is the first saddle I've ever really been able to find my balance over fences in, something about the combination of seat, flap blocks and angles and stirrup bar placement just *works* for me. And the flair works for Millie, though I see you can get them in flock now.
I hope mine will be a saddle for life
Might have to change the panels for a new horse etc but that's no drama. I sold the dressage one as I won a new Equipe saddle which I wanted to keep, and couldn't justify 2 saddles. But I'd have another in a heartbeat.
debsflo
Well-Known Member
I did have a sit on one and loved it and like the idea of being able to adjust it..
ihatework
Well-Known Member
I have been skeptical on them for years, tbh I thought they were faddy and overpriced.
I've been struggling with saddling for one of my horses and for some reason my gut feeling was a wow would suit her. I managed, with the aid of a wow saddler, to put together a great condition second hand saddle.
Has it been love at first sight? Probably not, it took me a while to get used to the feel. HOWEVER, the horse has been going a lot better, I've seen my scores jump a good 4%, and she is showing less tension tightness. In part I put this down to the saddle.
I love the modular aspect, it gives great flexibility.
So now I am a fan!
I've been struggling with saddling for one of my horses and for some reason my gut feeling was a wow would suit her. I managed, with the aid of a wow saddler, to put together a great condition second hand saddle.
Has it been love at first sight? Probably not, it took me a while to get used to the feel. HOWEVER, the horse has been going a lot better, I've seen my scores jump a good 4%, and she is showing less tension tightness. In part I put this down to the saddle.
I love the modular aspect, it gives great flexibility.
So now I am a fan!
GemG
Well-Known Member
I was lucky enough to be in thr right place at the right time and got a second hand one (still not cheap) but I love it. Again, its a case of trial and error as wih most things - has to suit you and your horse. It wont be for everyone, but I lov emy dressage one and use it over my normal GP often for hacking etc. A good fitter you trust is a must too (which I had!)
My chap is very wide across his back - he has a well sprung rib cage - despite not being cobby shape and the adjustable headplate has helped with the fit and I cannot fault the fit for me, it has helped me greatly and its hard to sit in the wrong place.
I plan to save for a new one for my next horse (still unborn - so that should give me time to squirrel some pennies!) but I will stick to a dressage one and then maybe plump for a jump and keep them separate. I know the panels are changable but far too much faff for me to change daily. So will build one of each to suit horse (as long as it likes the WOW of course) - we are talking very much in the future, but thats my intentions.
Would be nice to have a new one (cannot justify price for my 21 year old though - hence the second hand one)!
My chap is very wide across his back - he has a well sprung rib cage - despite not being cobby shape and the adjustable headplate has helped with the fit and I cannot fault the fit for me, it has helped me greatly and its hard to sit in the wrong place.
I plan to save for a new one for my next horse (still unborn - so that should give me time to squirrel some pennies!) but I will stick to a dressage one and then maybe plump for a jump and keep them separate. I know the panels are changable but far too much faff for me to change daily. So will build one of each to suit horse (as long as it likes the WOW of course) - we are talking very much in the future, but thats my intentions.
Would be nice to have a new one (cannot justify price for my 21 year old though - hence the second hand one)!
Identityincrisis
Well-Known Member
I love mine! My old TB also loved it, I'd had him in a Wintec for a few years which was fitted and 'did the job'. I loved the idea of the air bags being easily adjusted (I would never be happy doing this myself) therefore allowing the saddle to adjust to his shape. The transformation in my TB was amazing, he started to really stand off his jumps, rather than sticking in another short stride, his shoulder and back seemed much freer. Also when looking at the templates taken before, during and after transition, you could really see the change in his muscles I now have a youngster who the saddle now fits (air bag adjustment) and I will be saving up for a Dressage, I wouldn't feel as confident in any other saddle now.
I now have a youngster who the saddle now fits (air bag adjustment) and I will be saving up for a Dressage, I wouldn't feel as confident in any other saddle now.MagicMelon
Well-Known Member
I absolutely love mine. I have a horrid HORRID Thorowgood Cob saddle for one of my horses because my WOW would not fit her (even though changed by a pro WOW fitter, she's just a dodgy as hell shape!) and when I go on my other horse with the WOW, I just adore it. Its so comfy! I dont know why some people hate them, I think thats maybe the old style ones which were quite rounded on top so perhaps felt a bit weird, mine isnt though. I've had 2 horses use my WOW and both loved it. I live in hope my other horse will some day fit it so I can get ride of this Thorowgood...! You can save money a bit - when I originally got mine fitted for a WOW, the fitter wrote down all the sizes etc. of the parts I'd need then I spent about 2 weeks sourcing the individual bits off Ebay etc. then she put them together. Still cost me about £1,000 but cheaper than buying a brand new one, think they retail at £2k now don't they? They're expensive but generally they're a saddle for life that you can in theory change to fit most horses (apart from the one of mine but we tried numerous saddles and nothing worked with her except this thorowgood for some reason).
gingernut81
Well-Known Member
I bought a brand new one after seeing them at your horse live unfortunately it didn't suit the horse I bought it for; she hated it - started napping and refusing to stand to be mounted. I ended up selling it on ebay. To be fair it was very very comfy to ride on, just didn't work for the horse. If you can trial one first I would do that as they can be an expensive mistake.
Copperpot
Well-Known Member
I bought one new and ended up selling it 6 months later too.
As per above it was a very very expensive mistake.
As per above it was a very very expensive mistake.
Red-1
I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
I had one of their fitters out, and despite best efforts my horse hated it straight off. I also felt tipped forward.
At least it only cost £60, although it was kind of annoying that I fully intended to buy one, and the fitter could not fit the horse so I could not buy one, and it still it cost me £60 (???????).
Edited to say - at least he hated it straight off so I did not lose as much as the above poster.
At least it only cost £60, although it was kind of annoying that I fully intended to buy one, and the fitter could not fit the horse so I could not buy one, and it still it cost me £60 (???????).
Edited to say - at least he hated it straight off so I did not lose as much as the above poster.
siennamum
Well-Known Member
My sons very tricky shaped horse is fantastic in his. It wasn't expensive 2nd hand either. I really like them I must say, would definitely buy one again.
wimble
Well-Known Member
I bought an adjustable Wow second hand with dressage flaps, really liked it. So I bought GP flaps too, and really like them for hacking. I agree that switching the flaps over is too much faff so in the end I bought another second hand seat & panels, so thenI had two complte saddles. I have had three successive horses in them, all the horses went well. I got a wow fitter to come & check/change headplate for the third which was a different size from the two previous. When I sold him the buyer wanted the saddle so now I'm down to just the one!