WOW saddles...

Sol

Sol

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 May 2009
Messages
4,133
Location
Shropshire, England.
Visit site
Still nagging to get the saddle fitter out as I'm well aware that Danny's dressage saddle certainly doesn't fit (it rocks, and seems to be too high at the front, and too low on his withers :/) though his jumping saddle isn't so bad and I'm using that at the moment. Will hopefully sell his dressage saddle soon so I have some money to buy him a new jumping saddle then sell the jumping one to buy a dressage one! eek... confusing :/

Just wondered what peoples opinions on WOW saddles are? Have only ever sat in one on a very large cob - the combination did nothing for me to be honest! I found the seat quite wide and far from the horse but wondering if that was just that particular saddle as they seem to come in lots of styles! Doesn't help that I'm quite small, so a bulky saddle on a large horse wasn't great!
blush.gif


Any extra info/oppinions appreciated!
 
i dont like them tbh. Ive ridden a HHO members horse and it wasnt comfortable, made me sit forward and i felt like i was perching. Plus the cost of them is shocking. Also i dont like the fit of them either.
out of a wow or my hand made saddle I know which one i would choose.
 
I bought dressage version with giant high blocks about 2 months ago and my horse and I both love it. I had flair put in my previous dressage saddle a few years ago but decided to go the whole hog as the old saddle just didn't fit properly anymore. The WOW saddle has really freed up my horse's shoulders and she is now much more supple in her back and expressive inher paces.
I'm 5ft 1" and ride a 16.1hh horse and don't find it too bulky under me. If you search on here there are quite a few posts about them though - people seem to either love them or hate them and having a good fitter is very important
 
I have a WOW for my coloured native, who has a back like a table.

Every saddle we ever tried shot up her neck because of the action of her shoulders Except the WOW.
It allows my legs to hang straight from my hips and makes me feel very balanced and safe.

Absolute new costs about £1700, but I got mine 'pre-loved' and it fits like a glove.
 
I love mine too, it freed up Yogis shoulders and I could really feel him move in it. Took a while to get the fitting right but the saddler was fantastic and took the time to make sure we were both 100% happy.

JDx
 
Hate mine, doesn't fit me of any horse I try and fit it to. I find it sits me really far off the horses back, so i feel i am pearched on top of the horse. I'm 5'2" and find the flaps so long my feet only just come off the bottom of them!!!
 
Wows are a mixed bag for people, like any saddle!

I have found through my own saddles that there is a huge variation in the fit caused by panels, seat and tree.

I think many people like to go for the deepest seat possible and then find it doesn't fit well. For example on the same panels my extra deep seat does not fit my horse, whereas the panels fine on the flat seat.

In wow lingo I put SDWG's on a flat curved seat and it was fine, but them on a extra deep surved seat and it didn't fit, putting too much pressure on the back. In fact the Extra deep only seems to fit with the DWG tabbed and gusseted panels, which is completely different to SDWG (although to be fair horse really needs DWG as has dropped weight hence post in my siggy).

Due to this if you are offered the wrong thing by the fitter you are indeed quite b*ggered. Never trust anyone trying to flog you one new with different parts to the one you have used and fits as a demo. I think someone on here got sold a new flat tree under the proviso it would make life better and instead her horse then started to hate the wow.
 
Regarding the cost, the important thing about WOW saddles is that they are the only treed saddle on the market that has a carbon fibre joint in the twist which allows the whole front of the saddle to swing from side to side with the movement of the horse's shoulders.

I bought them originally because I had a horse who simply hated fixed trees and I hated treeless and I will never put a fixed tree saddle on a horse again.

The cost is similar to equivalent premium brand saddles and less than many "top" name saddles.

I echo the "huge variation in fit" comments, even in the same seat/panel combination.
 
I love wow saddles but as with any saddle they have to correctly fitted. Many people have said they hate them because they have had a bad fitter but its not necesarily the saddles fault. If correctly fitted they offer the horse so much more than any other saddle on the market and they are particularly good for harder to fit types bcause they are so interchangeable. For example, they are the only saddle where you can have a bigger seat on a shorter panel, so the rider (or horse!) doesnt have to compromise.

Worth the money IMO
 
I can see now that they'd at least be worth a try - still struggling to sway my mother... *sigh*
Will try some others and if we have no joy then might force her to consider them!
tongue.gif
 
Love it!
Was very cynical - but now i got one, deep seat, fixed block
Gp - got mine off ebay as new for £1000
Saved me buying a new saddle when my boy put on weight after coming out of retirement.
I find it extremely comfortable, seems to give me a more secure seat (I dont fall off as easy- heheh) and Im only 5' ride a 14.2 and my legs come below the panels fine!
 
If your fussy on the flaps have some completely custom made like mine - you won't see my flaps in the catalogue as they didn't do what I wanted so had some made completely to my specs. I'm 5'2 and ride a big 16.3 WB hence the special flaps (little stumpy flaps for stumpy legs) I can't get on with WOW dressage flaps though so have a regular dressage saddle.
 
Funny you should say that - I was thinking of taking mine to the saddler and getting flaps made based on an Amerigo saddle.

I don't find their jumping ones 'help' me, but seeing as I managed 4ft6" in them, they can't be that bad!

Also Ginn if you are monitoring the wow post - clear your PM's, I typed a reply and couldn't send the blasted thing....
 
If you are struggling to get your saddler out then I have regular clinics with Mel Lewis. We tie them in the the physio so that he can use the Thermal camera to see the exact hotspots and get the fit of each saddle spot on.

She also sells Wow and also second hand saddles so if you wanted to try a saddle she might have a demo you could sit in.

We are based in North Shropshire and the next clinic is on Friday, starting at 11am. If you would like to come on the clinic then please PM me
 
QR-
I 'borrowed' a friends horse a month or so ago to go trekking through the Welsh mountains for a day. Spent 6 hours in the saddle in all and can easily say it was the comfiest and most secure feeling saddle I've been in/on in a long time.
Price tags are a little
shocked.gif
tho!
 
What's the saying 'you can't please all the people all of the time'. Well they didn't please me at all. Good concept although getting an experieced, good WOW fitter can be difficult depending where you live. There are plenty about although they are generally fitters and not master saddlers. Sold my WOW and bought an Albion which IMO is much better for me and horse.
smile.gif
 
Sorry to Hijack post but how do you find out what panel size you have? I'm wanting to sell my Wow but the first panels I bought needed exchanging as my horse hated the fit and I can't now find out what size these ones are. I was just so relieved to have her feel better in the saddle that I suppose I wasn't listening at the time. I know they are wider than the ones we originally went for as saddle fitter said she would never have put wide fit on my mare but that she did appear to go better in it.

I must admit that I HATE anything to do with saddles - they're so important to the horse yet I feel so clueless about the whole thing. I hate not knowing more about the whole saddle fitting process and would love to learn (says the person who just admitted not listening - it was blowing a gale on the moors and I was very anxious about needing to exchange them!
blush.gif
A really rubbish excuse!)
 
In answer to your post (sorry!
blush.gif
) I didn't enjoy my Wow experience but as you can see there are as many people love them as hate them. My experience wasn't great; my horse never seemed fully happy despite us changing panels. I think the worst thing was feeling alone and not knowing who to ask to help sort it.
 
I am a complete convert...

I tried a WOW on my very saddle sensitive chestnut mare and the difference has been incredible. Not only is she quieter when the saddle is being put on, taken off and adjusted, but she has changed shape quite dramatically over the back.

I also find the saddle is one of the most comfortable I have sat in (had mostly Albions prior to these) and when I bought a 3 year old this week I immediately went in search of a WOW for her. I am going picking it up this afternoon
laugh.gif
 
The panel size - i.e. O,1 or 2 is stamped out on the metal part of your panels usually.

If they are newer they should alsi have a stamp on the leather part saying what they are

Failing that take a picture and put on here and I can tell you what they are.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I am a complete convert...

I tried a WOW on my very saddle sensitive chestnut mare and the difference has been incredible. Not only is she quieter when the saddle is being put on, taken off and adjusted, but she has changed shape quite dramatically over the back.

I also find the saddle is one of the most comfortable I have sat in (had mostly Albions prior to these) and when I bought a 3 year old this week I immediately went in search of a WOW for her. I am going picking it up this afternoon
laugh.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Who do you get to fit your WOW and how often do you have it checked/adjusted?
 
Thanks, I'll have a look tonight when I get back from the yard. It is about 2 years old now.

I really wish I had loved my wow saddle as I will never get the price I paid back and I bought all the stuff to go with it
frown.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I am a complete convert...

I tried a WOW on my very saddle sensitive chestnut mare and the difference has been incredible. Not only is she quieter when the saddle is being put on, taken off and adjusted, but she has changed shape quite dramatically over the back.

I also find the saddle is one of the most comfortable I have sat in (had mostly Albions prior to these) and when I bought a 3 year old this week I immediately went in search of a WOW for her. I am going picking it up this afternoon
laugh.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Who do you get to fit your WOW and how often do you have it checked/adjusted?

[/ QUOTE ]

I use Katie Topping to check and adjust my saddles... I have found her very good at coming out too without much delay which is a big thing for me.

I don't have a particular amount of time as to when I have them checked. My chestnut mare makes it pretty clear when it is not quite fitting her as correctly, however I can now feel when it needs small adjustments as I can feel every movement underneath me.

With my new mare, I will probably have to have it checked quite regularly at first because the last thing I want is for a baby to have any sense of discomfort when ridden (especially one so athletic!!!
tongue.gif
).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top