Wow saddle - is it the same as a treeless?

[Santi]

Hi, does anyone know if these are flexible enough to count as treeless? I don't know anyone who's seen one. Does anyone have one and whats it like?
:)

[carthorse]

No, they aren't treeless although they are quite different from normal treed saddles.

I've got one & I love it - very comfortable, I had it adjusted as my horse grew (& now as he gets fatter :o ) & helps me sit in a good position. My horse seems happy with it & in the past he's always let me know if a saddle's been even slightly uncomfortable!

[Lgd]

From a conventional POV they are treeless. They have no points, although the width is adjustable using head plates, these actually lie very high up. The Framework for the saddle is a a flexible type of plastic which allows lateral flexion of the saddle 'tree' - it looks really weird when you first see it if you are used to conventional treed saddles. The finer fitting is done using adjustable air flocking. There are around 12 different panel designs to accommodate all shapes and sizes.

Both of my adult horses have one and they are very different in type. Peri is a 7/8 TB mare who has withers but is incredibly wide below the wither. She has wide, dropped TB panels.

The other mare is a Russian Orlov x = not much in the wither department and incredibly broad for such a little horse, she is very fit and trim, dread to think how bad she would be if allowed to get fat. She has the XW WB panels which were designed for large WB stallions :o

[Santi]

Thanks for the info - i like the idea of it being completely interchangable with the fitting and the panels too.

I'm trying to find a good jumping saddle as i just don't think i trust my treeless not to put pressure on his spine when we jump - he has huge withers and is pretty narrow in the body too.

[BeachRiding]

Thanks for the info - i like the idea of it being completely interchangable with the fitting and the panels too.

I'm trying to find a good jumping saddle as i just don't think i trust my treeless not to put pressure on his spine when we jump - he has huge withers and is pretty narrow in the body too.
Have you tried a wintec? My horses both were quite hard to fit and I was amazed at the wintec. It's cheaper than a WOW, so I would borrown a wintec first to try. Preferably a Wintec 2000.

[Lgd]

Have you tried a wintec? My horses both were quite hard to fit and I was amazed at the wintec. It's cheaper than a WOW, so I would borrown a wintec first to try. Preferably a Wintec 2000.

The Wintecs only adjust at the front and do not accommodate a lot of horse shapes. Tavia, my Orlov x, had a wintec pro which did her well as a very young horse. As she bulked up it was the wrong shape for her, so she got a Wintec Isabell. That lasted a couple of years and we then hit the same problem. It was actually easy to get the correct width at the front with the gullett system but it did not fit further back and had insufficient bearing surface for her.

[KateWooten]

My two youngsters both developed quite bad back problems with the Wintec - it's too curved from front to back - too banana-shaped - for most horses -it did the worst damage on joePony who has a flattish QH back. I'd stay away from them. I do keep mine as a spare for ten minute pony rides but nothing more than that.

[Shadowlark]

The wintec only really adjusts at the one spot. so yes you can make it wider but that's it. I have very rarely seen wintec's fit properly. Most horses I have seen with them have wasteage esp here in North America where we don't have "fitters" who will adjust the flocking etc.

OK so who needs to adjust the WOW saddles? Could I potentialy do it myself?

[puzzles]

just becasue they are not traditional does not make them treeless - they aren't treeless, just more flexible and allowing and VERY luxoriously gorgeous-meaning-i-want-one!

[Chip]

No, the WOW is NOT a treeless saddle.
Yes, the wintec, whilst adjustable at the front end, does not adjust elsewhere, thus it is limited in it's adjustability for a complete fit.

[DavidH]

No, the WOW is NOT a treeless saddle.

But neither is it a conventionally treeded saddle. It has far more lateral flexibility.
I have one and can not believe the difference in Ed's muscle wastage in 6 months. Had it adjusted last night and fitter was amazed at the improvement in both his muscle and his paces. :D