Wow Saddles - opinions

[Syrah]

Sorry to post another thread and yes I am obsessing about the saddle, pmsl.

I've had a look at the WOW saddle online and it's a possibility. I like the adjustability of it which answer my "she'll change shape" moan.

Has anyone got one, how much was it, do you like it, more importantly does your horse like it?

So many questions

 

[WFL]

Yes, not allowed to say price (did a deal with my saddler), yes he does and so do I.

 

[kerilli]

a lot of people absolutely swear by them. some horses go brilliantly in them, some don't like them so much. you really need to try one for yourself and your horse, and get a really good fitter (someone on here will recommend someone in your area, i'm sure), because that makes all the difference apparently.
i tried one, loved it, bought it, but it unfortunately didn't suit my hyper-sensitive mare, so i got a refund. but it felt absolutely great for me, fwiw.

 

[KatB]

ALot of people love them, but after looking long and hard into getting one, have been put off by the fact alot could go wrong as everything is built from scratch, and so there is alot of scope for error, and I would be worried about something not being quite right all the time!! There seems to be a shortage of genuinely trustworthy Wow fitters...

Also, I read your other post and noted your horse doesnt like Cair, the Wows are Flair flocked, so you may have the same prob with them....

 

[Dressagebabe]

Fantastic, Fantastic, Fantastic!!! depends which model you want, the 'Club' range retail at about £1100 but the 'Competitor' range around £1650 according to the Wow fitter I had out on Thursday to check my Flair system. Second hand are about £800 - £1000

 

[carthorse]

We had major problems getting a saddle to stay in place on Rafi ,they all slipped ,I bought a wow on ebay and then David from wow fitted it and we still needed an H girth which is like 2 girths with a pad joining them underneath.This still has to be tight but it works .We hope that after BD winter champs we can send the saddle to wow to get it cut back to fit him really well.
Love the saddle though and any normal horse would be able to be fitted by altering them, it would be better to buy a new one from a really good fitter though as buying from ebay you may have to have some expensive parts changed

 

[Syrah]

That is the sticking point, but I'm banking on Flair being adjustable.

There is a fitter in a town about 30mins from where I live.

If the majority of feedback here is ok, I'll give her a ring on Monday.

 

[kerilli]

KatB, it is possible to get the panels without Flair on a WOW. tried that for my mare too...
i agree that a lot can go wrong.
just had new saddles fitted by a Master Saddler who is also a wow fitter... and he was very lukewarm when i suggested wow as a possibility.

 

[Dressagebabe]

Just to confirm, Cair system (which I also own on a Isabell Werth Wintec) is foam filled with tiny pockets of air so can be rather hard on a sensitive horse especially if they have hyper-mobility as it causes rub marks. Flair system is purely filled with air and each section (4 in total) can be tweeked to suit the horse's movement for asymmetry or the rider. They have very little go wrong but the beauty of the Wow system is each bit can be replaced if needed. You really need to own one for a while to appreciate the beauty of them and see the difference in the way your horse moves and improves, Oh by the way, No I am not a Wow supplier - just a converted fan from Kieffer, Albion & Frank Baines!

 

[KatB]

Ah is MF a Wow fitter too? Getting a fitting arranged with him for a new jump saddle when got funds, interesting re. his response. Didnt realise re. the Wow panels being interchangeable for foam panels.

 

[Flame_]

I've never had a WOW saddle but I did have a saddle coverted to Flair for a few years. I loved riding on it but it can take years for the negative effects to show up. On my saddle the bags had over-lapped, leaked and caused bruising to my old horse's back. The physio found the bruising and was shocked how severe it was until I mentioned I had a Flair saddle. I asked was there any pattern of problems relating to Flair and her answer was they were typical of Flair problems. When I had the saddle swapped back to flocking the saddler was getting saddles in for converting back at a ridiculous rate. I'd never touch it again and still feel bad about the damage it did to my lovely boy.

 

[Hollycat]

My horse is very sensitive and fussy about his back and he loves his WOW saddle. I find it very comfortable too and if you get a new one then you can have it made exactly as you like it. The flair panels are very soft and nothing like cair.

Not every saddle will fit every horse and there will be horses that don't like them. Its certainly worth getting someone out to try one - if you don't like it you don't have to buy it!

 

[catembi]

My horse & I both love our WOW. We've got dr flaps & jumping flaps which get changed a lot as I do 1/2 of each. He goes soooo much better in it, plus I've had no probs with my back (which can't stand to be jarred). The WOW seems to be better for it than even my Heather Moffatt seatbone saver.

 

[PaddyMonty]

My wow is now on its 3rd horse (long story).
All of them have moved much better in the wow than standard saddles. Never had any problems with it and low the comfort and position it puts me in.
The owners of horse no 2 & 3 also loved my wow.

 

[Thistle]

Floss loves hers, it has resloved some back problems and improved her movement.

 

[Partoow]

I have 4 WOW saddles, and had Flair put in my KN years ago and i have never looked back.
I have always found them to be adaptable for every horse i have had and when, last year i got my new slightly mental horse [ he is line bred Ferro] I changed him to the WOW and he has got better and better.
He used to go mad when you tacked him up... VERY cold backed the conventional saddles would slip back as he like elastic to ride with the most mobile shoulders, the WOW allows this movement , is dynamic enough and now he has realised he can use himself and it does not scare him any more.
My Ferro stallion was also VERY sensative and when i first went to PSG on him he started bucking in the pirouettes we discovered that it had the size 2 seat and panel, i have mental legs [long] in the pirouette the panel got too close to his free rib and he did'nt like it so ,as he is short backed we went to the 1 panel and that solved the problem. i could keep the seat for me and he had the panel wich best suited him.
I cannot speak highly enough and have been using them on a huge variety of horses for the past 8 years and Flair for even longer than that. Without exception every horse has got better in them.
The fitting does matter and i have found that lots of 'Master saddler' qual saddle fitters cant get their heads around the fitting of them. They tend to put too big a head plate on and much too much air in.You need someone who only fits Flair but who has a real understanding of the concept. Please if you are Cheshire be careful of who you use, there is a person around there that fits and i would not use her. PM me if you like.

 

[Syrah]

I have a choice of 4 fitters who come to Cheshire.

I've done a bit of research and I've got a fair idea of which one to be careful of.

I'd be interested in peoples reasons why though as I've also heard very good things about them too.

 

[dressagecrazy]

I have 2 WOW's changed to them over a year ago. I can't add any more to whats been said by Partoow. I have been so pleased with both of the WOW's ive got.

Would agree you need a good fitter im in Staffs but i use a fitter over in Warwickshire to do mine. Costs more but i have total faith my saddles are fitted properly.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

have one, love it-have a very sensitive horse and also hard to fit.like all saddles they need regular checking -just like you'd check the flocking on a normal saddle.
get a good fitter and get one on trial-it took my horse 1 session to love it but took me a few!

 

[SarahN111]

I recently had flair fitted to my saddle but there were problems - not the fault of the flair but because he dropped weight over winter and the saddle became too big across his withers causing the shoulders to push the saddle back causing problems. I am now just about to commit to a WOW but am still a bit hesitant. My horse is very sentsitive and also has bone spavin so everything has to be just so. I keep hearing how difficult it is to get them 'just so' - but are they more difficult than flocking? He is short backed and I am long legged along with his regualr weight change over the year so there are distinct advantages. I just want the best for my horse! For every question I seem to answer I have another 2 questions and seem to go round in circles..... HELP!!!!