Wow fitter, S Cambs? Refit Wow or get something else...?

catembi

catembi

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To cut a long story short, Trev had KS surgery a year ago & hasn't really come right. I had his chiro out today...he is v stiff in the SI area, which she has released, but she thinks that one of the WOW bags has deflated & also that there is a lump each side where the bags overlap. She also thinks that the gullet (not the front arch - the whole gullet from front to back) is too wide for him, so the metal bits of the saddle might be touching where they shouldn't.

I haven't been able to get hold of my WOW fitter for a while. Are there any fitters that anyone knows of that would come to S Cambs? Or should I just sell the saddle (it is a first gen WOW so quite old) & get something entirely different? Minefield either way. I hate buying saddles!

I *love* the WOW as my own SI joint is wrecked & WOW is like having a new spine, but there is no point if it's wrecking Trev's back...

All suggestions appreciated!

T x
 
Ruth wild might? She's near brackley, just outside Northampton but that's not that far really and I really rate her.
 
catembi said:
To cut a long story short, Trev had KS surgery a year ago & hasn't really come right. I had his chiro out today...he is v stiff in the SI area, which she has released, but she thinks that one of the WOW bags has deflated & also that there is a lump each side where the bags overlap. She also thinks that the gullet (not the front arch - the whole gullet from front to back) is too wide for him, so the metal bits of the saddle might be touching where they shouldn't.

I haven't been able to get hold of my WOW fitter for a while. Are there any fitters that anyone knows of that would come to S Cambs? Or should I just sell the saddle (it is a first gen WOW so quite old) & get something entirely different? Minefield either way. I hate buying saddles!

I *love* the WOW as my own SI joint is wrecked & WOW is like having a new spine, but there is no point if it's wrecking Trev's back...

All suggestions appreciated!

T x
Click to expand...

You just need some double deep panels. Sods law I've just sold a pair that would have been perfect. The airbag overlap is an issue. I never ride without either wool or very thin gel because of it. If your saddle is old the chances are you've got SDWGs on it and they are the thinnest of all. DWG are a lot thicker, DDWG thicker still.

The new WOW panels are beautiful, soft and padded with wrappers on the airbags for longevity.
 
Ohhh, that's interesting...didn't know you could get thicker panels. How do I tell what panels I've got? Is it stamped on them anywhere...? I find the WOW components really confusing as they are all called by (seemingly) random initials.

This whole thing might be less painful financially if I could get new panels & sell the old ones...
 
Panels are usually stamped underneath so you would need to remove them to see. I use Lorna Triggs, not sure who your fitter is that you can't get hold of, but I really like Lorna.
 
I have heard only good things about Lorna Trigg but have never had my wow's fitted by her.
I use Fiona Reddick, she is Bury St Edmunds way I think so not too far from S.Cambs, I always contact her through Facebook but can pass her umber on if you are stuck.

It does sound like you need a bit of a change around of panels and gullet widths, and that is the beauty of the wow saddle!
 
Panels are hand written underneath now, but they never used to be.

Depending on how old your saddle is (is it a resin seat?) then in the early days (resin seat days, early 2007 and before) the SDWG used to be the most common panel, so it's the most likely one you've got. Also I can't imagine any other panel actually allowing the bolts to touch the horse.

I don't think I can make any meaningful depth measurement for you, but side by side the depth difference is quite obvious. DWG will do a horse with shoulder dips and a slight prominent spine, DDWG will do up to severe dips and spine. But you can fill them less on a less severe horse, and that also makes them nice and squishy and less bouncy.

You've little to lose if you buy the DDWG on eBay. You should get them for £220 and they hold their price. I've just sold a pair in the first hour they were listed for three hundred pounds.
I hope that helps.
 
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Yes it was Fiona Reddick that I used to use...she was really good, but I had trouble getting hold of her!

My WOW was bought 2nd hand in 2007 & is very heavy. Trev has shoulder dips but spine isn't prominent.

Thanks for all the help & suggestions! I will try to find Fiona on FB.
 
catembi said:
Yes it was Fiona Reddick that I used to use...she was really good, but I had trouble getting hold of her!

My WOW was bought 2nd hand in 2007 & is very heavy. Trev has shoulder dips but spine isn't prominent.

Thanks for all the help & suggestions! I will try to find Fiona on FB.
Click to expand...

There may be one way you can reduce the weight immediately. The panels are quite possible attached onto plates that are screwed to the seat. Modern panels have the plates fitted to the panels, made out of much lighter material. If you change panels, they will have the lighter fittings, and they will still fit - you just need to take the plates off the seat.

If you keep the current panels, my OH makes me lighter carrier plates, I'm sure I could persuade him to make you some.

I also find plastic stirrups help a lot. And of course if you could upgrade to a leather tree that will lighten it even more.


From your description a DWG panel will work well and there are lots of those available on eBay.
 
Managed to get hold of Fiona on FB, so thank you!

I've got plastic stirrups...I really like them as they aren't heavy enough to swing about by themselves if you lose one, so they are easy to fish for, & they also don't fly in the air & whack you on the foot if lost.

Plates sound interesting...will see what Fiona says when she comes out later this month.

Trev was fine while being looked at & having his back done, but as soon as I fetched his saddle, he got very, very agitated. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself. He is usually fine to tack up & we go out every day for our 20 min potter, so maybe he is inured to the daily routine & gets on with it, but knocked out of the routine, i.e. tacked up at a random time, he felt able to express himself...?
 
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