Wow saddles, deep dressage seats and the size of my backside ponderings...

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Maia

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I'm think of getting a new Wow...

In "normal" saddles I seem to perfectly fit a 17.5"

I have a jump Wow and have a size 1 seat which is perhaps a smige snug but does the job and not too small. Its a deep seat. I tried a shallow seat in a size 1 and found that that was too small... confused yet? I am! It would seem in the slightly deeper style the size 1 is ok but would need a size 2 if went shallower....

I've been offered a vgc Wow dressage saddle. Its one with the giant high blocks and is currently a size 1 (panels and seat) - seat is the extra deep. Person selling is happy to sell in parts so I could just have the panels and flaps and track down a bigger seat else where if I wanted.

So I trundled off to local saddlery and sat in a load of deep, blocky dressage saddles of various sizes to see what fitted best. Guess what - it was always the 17.5. The 17 came up just a wee bit snug (an incentive I guess not to get any fatter!) but I was swimming in the 18... however, this could also be that due to the big blocks (which I like) the 17 was very holding hence feeling snugger??? Whereas with the 18 I seemed to have a little more freedom with my leg position...

Measured up from center of pomel to center of cantle lengths (as this is the distance in which my lardy arse must fit) and 16" distances seemed about right....


OK, so I'm rambling... to get on with point of post some questions:

1) Those with Wow ex deep seats - what size do you have and how does this compare to conventional sizes you would normally choose?

2) Those with Wow ex deep seats in size 1 and/or 2 - what is the length from center of pomel to center of cantle?

3) Has anyone got a picture of a size 2 seat on size 1 panels (or size 3 on size 2) - does it look odd?

4) If buying a saddle with an extra deep seat and big blocks is it better to go slightly too big or slightly too snug?


Of course I may not buy as secretly after a brown set up and this is black... that said I could be tempted to mix and match colours as my jump is brown with black trim and blocks and looks lush!
 
I have an 18 extra deep and it fits me like an 18 in any other saddle, which is the size I always rode in before WOWs.

I have it with a size one panel on a short backed horse and it looks absolutely normal. I have another on a normal deep seat the same and that looks normal too.

Big or snug is personal preference. I would always go big, I have a friend who would go snug.

I have two brown/black mix and they look great. Brown seat, black trim, brown flaps with black blocks, black panels.
 
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Can't answer all of your questions as my Wow Dr has a shallow seat (not by choice, it was cheap :p) but my last saddle (conventional style) had a very deep seat and the equivalent of Wow giant high blocks - it was a snug fit and although I thought I liked it, as my mare became more advanced in her training I found it really restrictive.

I've got a lot more room to move in my Wow (shallow seat/conventional blocks) and it felt weird to start with but I know it's made me ride better. So I will be going for something a little roomy when I finally get my perfect Wow dr set up.

(FWIW I have a size 2 xc Wow, like you I could get away with a 1 but much preferred the 2. My mare has the length of back to take it easily:cool:
And...a girl on my yard has a Wow GP with a bigger seat than panel and you really can't tell by looking at it).
 
Millie - its the restriction aspect that is swaying me towards the size 2.... but then on a horse who spends more time with its legs in the air and corkscrewing its body maybe being welded in could be a good thing, lol!!

cptrayes - the problem I've had is that the 18" non wow saddles have all felt huge so I'm guessing the Wow will feel the same in a size 2? Unfortunately no-one locally stocks them so I can't try... I was going to have a good play around at Badminton but now that's not on I've been left with this quandry!
Would it be possible for you to photograph your wow (size 2 seat on size 1 panel) and pm me it please? I'm really struggling to picture it and have images in my head of something very strange!)
 
If it helps at all, I've always had 17.5" saddles before except my old dressage saddle which was 17", and the size 2 Wows don't feel massive to me. But you need to sit in one really. I was hoping to go and play on their stand at Badminton too :(
 
Would you be able to do me a favour and measure the length from the center of pomel to center of cantle on yours - it will give me a good comparison to the others I have tried.
 
As a wow fitter, you fill find the extra deep feels bigger than the regular deep, I'm not surprised that you found the shallow small, for some reason when they switched from the resin tree they came up small, whereas the flat and Xc come up much truer to size. If you get a chance have a sit in one first, it's the only way to find out what's right for you as it also depends how long your thighs are too as to whether you feel jammed against the blocks
 
Well this probably won't help you

I have a size 2 curved tree shallow seat that feels ok, but has a 'nappy' feeling

I have a size 2 deep seat that I dislike as a little too much space and I feel further away from the horse

I have a size 1 flat xc seat that feels fine, but generally used on a short back QH, felt maybe a touch small on my bigger long horse

I have a size 1 extra deep seat, which feels fine and better than the deep seat

Plus I have the wow stock in a size 1 that looked too small, but actually felt fine

So as I said that probably doesn't help!!!

I'd quite like to swap my deep seat for another flat or shallow size, and would probably pick a size 2 so I can use more panels on it. The flat seats feel close contact to me, whereas the deeper seats are more like traditional saddles.
 
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