WOW/Barrie Swain/Nic Dolman - AAARRGHH!!

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PercyMum

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Could you please bear with me for ANOTHER saddle post?:eek:

My new(ish) horse is changing shape quicker than a changy-shape thing. Arrived out of racing looking like a typical TB but has now muscled up beautifully and looking like a WB-type. Love him! He is super with just enough 'tude to keep it interesting!

Brief summary as to where we are: He arrives, I get saddler out who fits an Albion which subsequently cripples him (and me). I go back to saddler who denies there is an issue. I change to a different saddler and buy new GFS. The boy clearly hates it. Saddler comes back, puts XW plate in which causes more problems. Saddler comes back again and tries numerous saddles on him and we establish he doesnt like a gusset at the front of the panel. Gives me very old fashioned GP which is £200 cheaper than new saddle which has been ridden in maybe 10 times max (hmm...). New (old) saddle works for a bit but now clearly doesnt fit at all (saddler told me to ride him with thick numnah and gel pad under which I do not usually agree with but he is changing shape at a ridiculous rate so agreed it made sense). Saddler says horse is being awkward and I will have to buy another new saddle, except the old one is probably not worth much more than £250 having now done some research. I paid £450 for it :mad:. No mention has been made of the original brand-new saddle that has been resold as a brand-new saddle that cost me £650.00.

I am now thinking about a WOW or Barrie Swain but am so paranoid about having more issues that I don't know what to do. He is still bum high and I tried to take him out of work to let him grow but he was so vile that its not an option. I hasten to add he is in light ridden work and does alot of lunging and long-reining to build him up. I had these kind of saddle issues with my other horse (although a bit differnt) and I thought it was a one-off!! My new boy really doesn't look hard to fit, just doesn't (quite rightly) like things sliding forward and hitting the back of his shoulder.

HELP!!!!!

(Mince pies if you got to the end of the burbling :D)
 
You'll have to try him in a Wow before you consider further, some horses don't like them and you don't want to get it wrong again! On the plus side the air should make it easy to make minor alterations to it, and new headplates and panels make bigger variations possible (I have one and love it!).

Or, have you considered treeless? Something like a Solutions saddle, or one of Heather Moffets... might be worth a try if he is hard to fit (although don't think they are so good for high withered horses?)
 
Polotash said:
You'll have to try him in a Wow before you consider further, some horses don't like them and you don't want to get it wrong again! On the plus side the air should make it easy to make minor alterations to it, and new headplates and panels make bigger variations possible (I have one and love it!).

Or, have you considered treeless? Something like a Solutions saddle, or one of Heather Moffets... might be worth a try if he is hard to fit (although don't think they are so good for high withered horses?)
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Well, this is the thing! I have ridden in a WOW and liked it but the horse I tried it on dumped me after riding halfway around the arena and flung himself on the floor to get it off. I have to say the fitter was very good about it - I was mortified! She just said "Well, I guess he doesnt like that then!!". But then he will ONLY go in a Saddle Company saddle and is generally just a bit of a freak. I tried a Saddle Company saddle on the TB but wrong shaped tree.

I am concerned abou the cost of a WOW - all these saddle errors are costing alot! He doesnt have high withers at all but I suspect they may appear in time... Aaargh. I know nothing about WOW or the Barrie Swain/Nic Doleman saddles. I have just searched on here and they seem to have good reviews and be alterable enough to fit anything so I thought they may be worth a punt?
 
If you get a WOW you need to be aware that although they are adjustable, you may end up needing different panels as the horse changes shape.

We were in a similar situation to you, we had been through quite a few saddles so we bought the WOW as it was adjustable. We told the saddler that she changed shape quite frequently and that she needed to take this into account. Anyway we got the WOW and to begin with thought it was great but then 9 months later the saddler said because she had changed shape again she needed different panels .... another £400 on top of the brand new saddle we had purchased 9 months before! About a year later the saddler then told us that ideally we needed different panels again! We changed to the other WOW fitter in our area who has now put wedges in the saddle - this now seems to have worked - I haven't seen a saddler for 6 months previously we needed a saddler every 2-3mths!

So just be aware that if you buy the WOW you may need to buy additional expensive parts and you have a very limited number of saddle fitters, so if you don't get on with them or they are no good you are a bit stuck.
 
/\/\/\/\/\ Thankyou for the info - this is exactly what i am worried about.:confused:

I am hoping that having read a bit about the Barrie Swain type saddles they can adjust to fit anything (within reason). Am I correct in assuming this or am I totally misreading?
 
Another vote for Kay Humphries, in 10 years have never known anyone experience this ridiculous saddle-go-round with her. pay once, horse happy, job done. (obv have to pay for refits periodically, but ykwim)
 
I think actually the wow having interchange panels is the best bit. Panels are available second hand or eBay, and are around £300- so you buy your new ones and sell old ones for very little loss, and the tree, seat and flaps remain exactly what suits you.
 
eatmoremincepies said:
Another vote for Kay Humphries, in 10 years have never known anyone experience this ridiculous saddle-go-round with her. pay once, horse happy, job done. (obv have to pay for refits periodically, but ykwim)
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I am thinking this will have to be the way I go. I am so sick and tired of having to go round in circles over what should be a relatively simple job. Yes he is young and yes he is changing shape but he hasnt actually changed shape that much! All my other horses I have had (living in a different part of the country) has been call out saddler, get saddle, re-check every 6 months. Even the Ginger Ninja is now that easy once someone actually clocked he was missing a rib (long story).Any idea how much a Kay call-out is?

Llanali said:
I think actually the wow having interchange panels is the best bit. Panels are available second hand or eBay, and are around £300- so you buy your new ones and sell old ones for very little loss, and the tree, seat and flaps remain exactly what suits you.
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I though that but if I can't get second-hand cheap(er) panels, I can't afford the new ones which brings me back to not being able to ride my horse. I see what you mean though which is why its still an attractive option.
 
I think Kay is £60, more than most but well worth it. She can usually rework older Saddle Co saddles if you need a cheapish solution.

Kay's just finished training a group of saddle fitters in her method so hopefully less people will have an experience like yours in future. Shame the SMS seems so resistant to improving the quality of fitting. there are good SMS fitters but there is no way to tell them from the many many duff ones.
 
eatmoremincepies said:
I think Kay is £60, more than most but well worth it. She can usually rework older Saddle Co saddles if you need a cheapish solution.

Kay's just finished training a group of saddle fitters in her method so hopefully less people will have an experience like yours in future. Shame the SMS seems so resistant to improving the quality of fitting. there are good SMS fitters but there is no way to tell them from the many many duff ones.
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I don't think thats bad at all - I used to have a Master Saddler (who would tell me quite often how wonderful he was) that charged £135 for a call out. The £3k saddle I bought off him trashed my WB's back...

I just get so frustrated. I should just trust my instincts and be more demanding and vocal but I don't want to come across as one of thoses annoying horsey know-it-alls. I always think 'Well, they have done al the training and must know what they are talking about so I should just be quiet' when in fact I am no idiot and I know my horses :mad:. I am guessing I should write off the £650 on the saddle I paid for...
 
I trialled a Solutions Smart saddle on my high withered yet reasonably broad TB who is still a work in progress. It crippled me very quickly, groin strain, and he didn't go any better than in my barefoot cheyenne, and still felt as if his shoulders were being squeezed. I'm about to get a reactor panel saddle to try and will let you know how that works.
Like you, I'm accumulating saddles!
 
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