As with most things Flair we have to think about this a little differently than the “stable myths” would have us think. For example, you are unlikely to have an even dampness from sweat under the saddle.
The Flair is a soft air fill, it is designed to move with the movement of the horses’ muscles. Consequently, a well-fitting WOW saddle with Flair panels provides very close and continuous contact with the back of the horse. This close contact pushes the sweat away and out from under the saddle – which is why it may seem that the horse is not sweating as it did under another saddle design.
Equally you will find the front 2/3rds less seat than the last 1/3rd. The girthing serves to maintain a more constant pressure under the front of the saddle, pushing the sweat away at the front to a greater extent than at the rear.
Also, as the horses back articulates the lumbar spine curls and the muscles lift, again contributing to a less even “closeness” along the full length of the panels.
On removing the Flair fitted saddle one should find that the hair damp but not wet on the front 2/3rds with unruffled hair smooth and flat, with a gradual reductions in this appearance to a wetter appearance right at the back of the saddle. This is normal and correct, but not the same of you have flocked panels.
The flocked panel is more rigid and not a constantly conforming surface as provide by the air in Flair. Saddles tend to lift with the movement of the horse., creating points where the saddle does not touch for any instant. This gives room for the sweat to push into those areas. The sweat is continually moving around under the saddle.
Therefore, on removal of the saddle, one would find (if the saddle fits well) an evenly distributed sweaty area.
What you will get is a damp, if not wet, area under saddle that describes the shape and fitting of the saddle pads. Unevenness in Flair is explained, but absence of continuous dampness in the Flair or Flocked panels suggests and ill-fitting saddle.
Horses change shape markedly in short periods of time. Do not expect that the saddle will fit the same while you are in work as when you have just come into work.