Those with wow saddles

carthorse

carthorse

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This is probably a stupid question but which stirrup bar do you use.
I bought a secondhand one for my daughter and we are waiting for it to be fitted properly but she has ridden in it today and it is quite a good fit we used the front bar but which one do you use for what.It has dressage flaps on but we intend to buy jumping ones as well.
 
The back ones if you want correct hip to heel alignement. The front ones put the leg infront of the vertical which is more designed for jumping.

On the rare occasion i jump, i never bother switching stirrup bars but tbh, i jump tiny stuff very rarily
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Dont think my front bar has ever been used.
 
The horse I ride has a Wow and I've only hacked her so far. I knew Wows had the two stirrup bars and was convinced I must have been using the "dressage" position until I got home and saw that I wasn't - my position was 100% better in the Wow anyway! But yes, front bar for jumping, back for dressage. Unless you don't want to do that of course, and you can be really naughty and use the wrong one
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No need to be. Its logical
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Dressage requires a straighter leg position and to be correct about it, you should be able to draw a straight line from your ear, through your hip, down to your heel. The back bar drags the whole leg BACKWARDS from the hip, creating the correct alignment.

The front bar does the opposite and pulls it forwards jumping, x country etc.

Quote from the wow site:-


Double Stirrup Bars - allows the rider to ride with both a straighter leg position for schooling and a more forward leg position for hacking or jumping disciplines.

http://www.wowsaddles.com/wow/wow%20features.htm

Forward leg position... forward bar... straighter leg position... the bar straight under the hip :P The other poster is just downright incorrect
 
Just a mention though. If the rider has a very long leg, more specifically a very long length of leg from hip to knee, its better to rotate the flaps onto their front most setting than to alter the stirrup bar. This allows a little bit more room before hitting the knee block.

So, as an example, im 5 ft 10 and really long through my leg. I dont want to knock the correct leg alignment out by using the front stirrup bar, but i do need a saddle to accommodate the length of leg. As such, although ive got fixed dressage flaps, they're rotated to the front setting to give slightly more room from the seat to the knee block. It prevents the knee block from pushing a longer legged rider towards the back of the saddle.
 
*cough* a little confusion here, I asked the person who replied:
[ QUOTE ]
front bar is for dressage
back bar for jumping

[/ QUOTE ]
for an explanation of their logic. Seeing as I don't see any logic there, and I agree with you that it is meant to be the other way round!
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No ,she has short legs.Glad she loves it, it seems to sit well on both horses but every saddle [ except Partoow's KN with flair ,that we borrowed all year ] slips on Rafi .It is fine in walk and trot but slips in canter so will need adjustment.It has the panels with tabs and a no.3 headplate in.
By the way ,why are they so heavy?
 
I was advised to use the front one for a while whilst i got used to the saddle then go onto the back one for dressage. I use the back one all the time now.
 
It might be worth switching the headplate to the new aluminium ones as these are meant to be quite a bit lighter.

From what i can gather, its the seats that carry quite a bit of weight also, but if you compare them to most other saddles, they're a very different shape and quite a bit bulkier.

Im sure the fitter will sort out the exact fit when they get out to you
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Was just going to ask if the panels were ok, because theyre really quite pricey to replace if its needed :| Mine were around 450 pounds iirc.
 
Would make sense if you went from say a GP to a wow. Its kinda like expecting someone to ride without stirrups when they're not used to it and puts quite a lot of stretch down your thigh.

Its also interesting to compare what hole of the stirrups you'll ride on from the front bar to the back. You'll probably find you drop down quite a few holes when you move to the back bar
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Tis good for you though!
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[ QUOTE ]
By the way ,why are they so heavy?

[/ QUOTE ]
The newer ones are supposed to be lighter. They are heavy but can be lightened with the new headplates.
 
Mmm, tbh though, i refuse to believe that the weight difference between the wows and most conventional saddles will make that much difference, unless the rider is already too heavy for a horse or very close to. They have better weight distribution than anything else on the market also.
 
Not complaining and think it would even out weight well.Just wondered why they are quite heavy but it is a 18" deep seat so quite big.She said it felt great especially on the coloured[Penfold] as he has a really big trot.
 
Yea, the shape of the seat will help her sit much better to anything with a big pace. The fact that the tree has the lateral flexion also allows the scapula to rotate without interference. This has an effect on all horses but on something with big paces, again it will have more of an effect
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Really glad she likes it
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Mines only 16 inch and still weighs a fair bit also. Couldnt have anything longer as my boy is so short coupled. That was the one thing david (the saddler) picked up on very very quickly with him. Previously he'd been in 17.5 inch saddles! :O
 
I ride on the front bar, even for schooling.

I have used the back bar & I love what it does for my position but my horse can be sharp (not funny in an ID) so for security I use the front bar. My horse also seems happier when I use the front bar, though that just could be because it feels more normal to him.
 
I had a fitting 2 weeks ago for a WOW dressage saddle. We used the front bar as my stirrups were quite short for dressage (he will buck if he doesn't like a saddle) so I felt more secure a bit shorter for the fitting. If you are riding longer I think it is the back bar you generally use, but the fitter said it depends on the rider as some people find the back bar harder to ride with. Different riders have different shapes - I have short arms and a long body and am very long from hip to knee with little short calves. Trial and error to see what suits you I guess. I ride for fun so would rather compromise my position a little bit as long as I was comfy but still effective.
 
I use both bars depending on what I'm doing. The back ones I use for flat schooling and dressage (what a difference it makes to my position!) and the front ones for jumping, hacking and nearly everything else.
My top tip is never change the stirrups over once you've tacked up as its such a tight squeeze to get them onto the back bar once the girth is tight (least it is on mine anyway).
 
I have a wow GP. I began using the front bar but went over to the back-much better for schooling but hack like that as well.
I had an old VSD on trial which was quite heavy but youngster didnt mind it as weight was well distributed. dont think my new GP is any heavier than any other leather saddle tbh. agree about changing leather bars when off the horse as they are a bit tight.

I would make sure that you have the new reinforced headplates though if its an older model. I had a fall off mine and the saddle slipped-saddle appeared fine but two weeks later the headplate gave way.
 
I started on the front bar for both then switched to back bar for flatwork. After jumping from the back bar (couldn't be bothered to change) I found my leg far less lickly to swing back over fences. Seemed much easier to keep weight down through my heel over fences so now use back bar all the time.

\you will probably need longer leathers if using the back bar due to it being set higher up coupled with the postion it puts you in requiring a longer leg.
 
Let me know how you get on! My mare also bucks if she doesnt like a saddle! Normally takes 3 days to really p her off but the best was an Albion Ultima! 45 minutes and not only was she bucking but rearing as well! She doesnt rear!
She is very happy in the Wow!
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I'm glad I'm not the only one dozziesmommey! The money I have wasted on getting people out to fit saddles - telling me they fit him and one guy having the cheek to say the saddle fitted perfectly and that I was constantly telling my horse to rein back and it wasn't napping due to pain. Oh sure I always flap my legs thelwell style to rein back do I? New teqnique to me.
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The day after riding in the WOW in my usual saddle I could feel the difference. My horse really liked the WOW. Can't wait to get it now!

One question for current WOW users. What saddle cloth do you use? Just a thin one, a thick one e.g. polypad or do some of you use sheepskin half pads etc? I bought a lovely sheepskin half pad for him as a pressie and I am so loath not to use it when his WOW arrives and is fitted. Though the cats would be very pleased as they are currently getting very comfy with it
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I have bought a few of the WOW styled saddle cloths as they seem to buckle onto the front dees so they don't slip down. Was this a good ideea? I also bought the shape girth as if I was splashing out may as weoll go all the way.
 
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