Saddle fitting is complicated. Trying a lot of off-the-rack saddles will get a close fit. You can have them modified by a saddle-fitter. Better yet, you can have a saddler build a perfectly fitting saddle, which will fit when its built but cannot accommodate the development of horse and rider over time – without refitting.
The modularity of the WOW saddle means you can create a saddle for your horse-rider combination and adjust it over time. But how?
You need to get the right seat, panel, head plate and flaps, of which there are more than 550 combinations.
You call a saddle fitter – but not just any saddle fitter, a WOW saddle fitter. If traditional saddle fitters apply traditional principles – they will get it wrong, so you need a WOW trained saddle fitter.
We know getting to a saddle fitter is a challenge. Its easy for the Europeans (and Brexitonians), nothing is terribly far apart. Reaching Darwin, Cairns, Karratha, Perth, with well stocked, high quality saddle fitters is, frankly, an insurmountable challenge.
So you can do it yourself! And get a 21st Century Saddle using 21st Century science, designed for both horse and rider and one that can be adjusted as you and your horse develop!
| The first saddle we brought into the country arrived as a flatpack, purchased off the brochure and fitted with the support of a phone call to the UK.
We have owners as far afield as “Kangaroo Island” who fit their own. Now WOW has made it even easier, and more scientific, with the WOW Saddle Gauge. |
With the help of the new WOW Saddle Gauge, some video and instruction, and a safety net over the phone and internet, you can safely and wisely fit and maintain your own saddle.
Here are the things you need to do:
- Choose a head plate with the help of the gauge
- Choose a seat that suits you, and the back of your horse. The gauge helps with the horse’s needs.
- Suitable panels – all about the horse with the help of the Gauge
- Flaps – which are all about you, and
- A girth – which is about the horse, again a choice assisted by the Gauge
- Adjust the final balance with Flair, assisted with someone on the ground or mirrors.
Follow through the steps on the next pages to learn how to fit your own WOW saddle.
- A quick look at the Gauge
- Choosing a headplate
- Choosing the seat
- Choosing the panels
- Selecting your flaps
- Girthing
Three years in the development we have produced a gauge that will reproduce every single possible fitting permutation for the WOW range of saddles which adds up to staggering 567 combinations! Furthermore, the gauge can tell you the bearing surface size and length for your horse and even gives a indication as to what type of girthing you would require.
When a client has a saddle, they can set the gauge to the fitting they have currently, and the gauge will tell them if the current specification is correct. If it says it does not fit, then the gauge can used to work out the correct specification so that it does.
The saddle gauge can be purchased through your nearest WOW fitter or bought online here
For full instructions on how to use the gauge click here