Those who dislike Wow saddles

RachelB

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Why do you dislike them? I've heard all the good things, now I want to hear the bad things!
I have my friend's Wow sat next to me, I'm riding her little coloured cob tomorrow and she's pleased as punch that I've agreed to (she's a novice and the horse has been a bit bolshy with her recently so she wants me to take her in hand for her), and so has let me have her new Wow instead of having to use her old Wintec. I'm quite excited about riding in it as I've heard so many good things, but it can't all be good can it?
 
I don't find them very comfy. And I think they look ugly. But I'm a Sue Carson fan
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Probably very similar. We're built very similarly, both small and slim and light. Are the Wows fitted to both horse and rider?

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The air is adjusted when you are seated in the saddle, so yes, adjusted for rider too. My friend who weighs about 3 stone less than me just cannot get on with MY saddle as she feels so off the horse's back, another who has ridden in it, same kind of weight, feels very good in it!
 
I'd agree with the comments above about fitting and riding in them.
To buy a WOW I'm undecided. I have a couple of friends who are thrilled with them, and I can see the difference in their riding and their horses. However, another friend of mine had two WOW's - and found that there were problems with them (uneven panels and damaged tree). In her case the customer service was awful. I'm really undecided, I think a WOW could be very good for my Arab, but that isn't the only tale I've heard where the customer service was bad...
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(They had a great equine simulator at YHL though!).
 
personally not my cup of tea. I rode an advanced dressage horse in one for a couple of lessons and it was very bizzare. It was fitted to the instructor who although slightly shorter was about the same weight and having spoken to the wow fitter at badders a year later apparently it would have been the correct seat etc for me.

I found firstly I was very perched and felt out of contact with the horse (whereas I know many people feel the opposite about them) and I just was not in any way comfortable. In trot I felt wrong both sitting and rising and although settled on sitting due to the work I was doing on the horse i was blooming uncomfortable.
 
Two liveries on my yard have WOW saddles and one literally came apart in the first six weeks!!! Good job she wasn't riding at the time! Dont like them personally!
 
WOW are based near me in Kent. I only know that when I phoned to enquire about saddles a couple of yrs ago the customer service was very poor. So that (and the price tag) put me off. I am quite happy with my Ideal Jessica, and my saddler (who checks the fit every so often but has sold me nothing) as well as my physio say that a wool flocked saddle is best.
 
Dislike them as had lots of problems with breaking headplates damaging horses back and if you run your hand up the panel you will feel a ridge where airbags overlap - caused big muscle spasms.
 
My saddler did say (though he may be biased) that the concept of air in saddles goes back a long way, but that if not inflated correctly the air in the panels could prove very hard (a bit like bouncing an inflated football I guess).
 
must say i love mine and not had problems with it...i stand by that fact i have a fantastic fitter which makes all the differece......very excited about getting it fitted to my new horse!!
 
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