Ftebrochure

EquiformTM

ClubWOWtm

WOWtm

Western

CompetitorWOWtm

WOWtm

Pony

F i r s t Though t Equ ine Ltd

© 2011 Copyright all information is copyright and cannot be reproduced without prior permission. WOW, Flair, Korrector & Equiform are Trade Marks of First Thought Equine Ltd. All products and features described herein are protected by Patents, Trade Marks and Registered Design Rights.

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Exploded views

Perfection in Performance, Comfort & Fit

WOW™ has been using the latest commercially available technology. We listened to riders and scientifically tested prototypes to ensure that the saddle actually does enable the horse to perform to its maximum by reducing the restrictive nature of the tree whilst still spreading and supporting the riders weight over the largest possible area.

We asked the question, what does the horse want from a tree?

The answer is a means to distribute the rider weight symmetrically and evenly on the 7th to the 18th rib. This means there should be no flexion in the tree front to back. However, as a horse moves, its' shoulders need to find more space as the scapulas rotate back under where the tree sits. The answer is to let the head of the tree swing from side to side as the alternate shoulders rotate back under the tree.

In other words, a horse would want a saddle that is longitudinally rigid and laterally flexible in the head. This is exactly what the WOW™ tree with what we call “Lateral Flexion™”.

WOW™ is a totally new way of owning a saddle. For the first time one can buy a traditional looking saddle and by buying different components, alter all of its' characteristics to fit different horses, riders and disciplines. WOW competitor is the worlds first modular saddle.

The seat, panels and flaps of the saddle are all available separately, so you can easily change component parts. When they are combined they make a saddle whose performance for the horse and the rider is unbeatable!

The Flair Air Flocking System is fitted in the interchangeable panels which allows the panels to mould to the back muscles of the moving horse. Flair is adjustable enabling the saddle to be balanced on the moving horse.

WOW™ competitor is already proving that it is capable of performing at the highest levels of our sport in Dressage, Jumping, Eventing & Endurance.

The patented technology and concepts used to make this saddle are not to be found in any other brand. WOW™is unique and truly "Saddlery for the 21st Century".

designed to maximize performance and comfort of both horse and rider

WOW Tree showing Lateral Flexion

™™

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The Tree Profile

The WOW™ saddle is available with two types of tree profile to suit different types of horse. The “Curved” tree will suit the majority of horses but there is a need for a flatter profile to suit those horses without a defined wither and little curvature along the back.

The curvature of the tree is dependent on the Carbon Fibre “Y” Bar the supportive frame the tree is built on (highlighted in red below)

There are horses that will be able to take both the curved and the flat profile trees dependent on the type of panel used underneath. This is useful when one wants a really flat seated jumping or cross country saddle.

Therefore, it is possible to build any style of seat i.e. Extra Deep, Deep, Flat, Shallow and Cross Country with either the “Flat” or the “Curved” “Y” bar. This allows us to fit perfectly the flat backed horses and the dipped back horses with whatever seat style you require.

CORRECT. For this flat backed horseXC seat built on a Flat “Y” bar

WRONG! For this flat backed horseXC seat built on a Curved “Y” bar

Francis WhittingtonSir Percival IIIBadminton Horse Trials 2010Photo Kit Houghton


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The Seat

The WOW™ saddle has a unique seat that is designed to make best use of the shape of our legs.

Most saddles give us nothing to hold on to, giving a totally smooth line running from the skirts over the stirrup bars down to the flap. The WOW™ has a deliberate step between flap and seat creating a hollow that the leg sits into on either side of the tree. This

promotes more stability and security by giving the leg something to wrap around rather than sitting on top. Sitting trot on big moving

horses is easier, jumping has greater security as the leg can mould into the saddle and horse.

The seat is seamless having no skirts stitched on to the softer seat leather; this means less wear of the seat and of you.

Seat Options

Sizes - Seats are available in 16”, 17”, 18” & 19”.

D Rings - Front D rings are standard. Double D rings can be specified on the front. Two D Rings on right and/or left or 6 all round back

“CC” Lady’s Seat - if you need more comfort in the front of the saddle then we can provide this feature by specifying a “CC” seat.

Padded Wings - The skirts over the stirrup bars can be padded providing more support in front of the thigh lifting the riders fork off the front of the saddle. Used in conjunction with a “CC” seat provides the ultimate seat for ladies who suffer discomfort in this area.

Covered Cantle Plate - The silver plate on the back of the cantle can be covered in leather of the same or a contrasting colour.

Extra Deep Seat - Very high round cantle with belly to give a deep supportive seat used mainly by dressage riders.

Deep Seat - Round high cantle with belly to give support and aid position. Used by dressage riders and show jumpers alike because the seat give a secure central feel.

Shallow Seat - Round shallow cantle with belly to give support and aid position but gives enough room to slide back or over the cantle when jumping.

Flat Seat - Has a square cantle and no belly. This allows the rider to sit further back in the seat when necessary as it lacks the support at the sides of the seat.

XC Seat - The Cross Country seat has a sloped cantle with no belly support and is shaped in such a way that even sitting right back on the cantle does not make the rider feel pushed away from the horse.


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mHeadplate Width Fittings

WOW's Flexi-Head™ gives you the biggest range of width fittings, in the same tree, which far exceeds any other saddle available today.

WOW™ tree has been proven to fit both the very highest withered horse to the very widest cold blood horse with just the change of a headplate. However, if doing this it is likely that one may require a different panel.

oMost saddle manufacturers will only supply trees with angles from 80 (narrow) to 110 (extra o owide). WOW™ offers a range of 73 to 143 ! We have 11 different sizes of headplate with the

odifference between sizes being 7 .

Changing the headplate is incredibly easy because the WOW™ tree has the ability to easily form around whatever headplate shape we put in it. Just remove the two 6mm bolts, swap the headplate and replace the bolts.

Our narrowest fit is narrower than most manufactures and our widest fit is the equivalent of an 8X wide!

Headplates are available in steel or lightweight Carbon Fibre. The Steel headplates are available in the full range of fittings. Carbon Fibre headplates are only available in sizes -1 to 3.

Double Stirrup Bar

All WOW™ seats are made with a unique double stirrup bar which provides two stirrup positions. This allows the rider to change leg positions for Jumping or Dressage. It is also useful in schooling a young unbalanced horse by using the front bar giving a stronger seat and hand until self carriage is established.

o

Richard Davison ridingLady Derby’s Hiscox ArtemisWorld Cup Qualifier London Olympia 2010Photo Kit Houghton


Panels General Information

The patented WOW™ panel system is actually an extension of the tree. We call it our Pointless Panel System™ or PPS. Most manufacturers make their panels purely from leather or similar materials which because of their soft nature, provide very little extra support area over that of the tree. With this in mind we created a panel which would...

· Support the tree· Nullifying any of the pressure we normally see from stirrup bars and

point of the tree.· Extend the bearing surface of the tree to achieve a much greater

and more consistent bearing surface for the saddle.

A conventional tree has points (shown in red) which are 2-3 fingers wide and stop approximately 7.5" down from the head. WOW™ does not

have points, the front of the tree is a lobe which incorporates the double stirrup bar. This lobe is then extended by the plastic plate system on top of the panel (shown in yellow) to create a pointless tree

and panel ending 12-13 inches down from the head. The square inches of support surface produced by this saddle is greater than that of

a western saddle!

This extra depth of support decreases pressure on the shoulder and with the Lateral Flexion™ of the WOW™ tree encourages better movement of the horse. There is a choice of panel styles to suit different conformations of horse. Panel are available with the Flair Air Flocking System which provides a soft massaging bearing surface to the horse whilst also providing the means of adjusting the balance of the saddle. Flair Pump kits are available for the rider to make adjustments to the air flocking if they wish.

There are four factors to selecting the correct panel for the horse.

1. Need for a front gusset? How hollow is the horse behind the scapula ?2. Need for stitch line? What is the shape of the rib cage behind the scapula?3. Pommel panel spacing tabs? What shape are the withers of the horse?4. Gullet Width? How much muscle is there at the base of the withers?

Front Gussets - We can provide panels with and without front gussets. The Gusset or more correctly the shape and size of the front of the panel dictate the amount of lift and support the panel can offer.

With a Front Gusset - For a horse to justify a front gusset we expect to see a defined shoulder and a place where the saddle will sit, “a hollow”, behind the scapula. The gusset allows the scapula, that is to a certain extent “sticking out” from the horse, enough room to push under the tree without restriction. Without a gusset the scapula would bang into the front edge of the panel thus restricting movement.

Deep Front Gussets - In the case of extremely high withers with big hollows behind the scapula we can provide a doubly Deep “DD” type panel. This can be in conjunction with no stitch line (see stitch line section) which gives a massive bearing surface with the ability to fill the hollow and support the tree.

Without a Front Gusset - If the horse is round and has no definition to the shoulder then we cannot use a gusseted panel as it would perch the front of the saddle up and away from the horse. In these cases the scapula is not “sticking out” and therefore will rotate freely under the saddle.

Panel Options

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A conventional saddle tree


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mStitch Line - Most horses have well sprung rib cages which creates a “shelf” like support behind the scapula. If the horse’s rib cage drops away steeply behind the scapula extra support is required to prevent the saddle dropping. This extra support is provided by removing the stitch line creating more lift lower down the panel’s lobe.

Pommel Panel Spacing Tabs and No Tabs

A broad wither will require panels that are wider spaced at the pommel to allow the saddle to sit down and wrap around the withers. In these cases a Pommel Panel Spacing Tab “PPS Tab” is required. A narrow withered horse will require a higher panel support to keep the saddle stable. In these cases you do not require a PPS tab on the panel.

You will notice that the right hand panel has a fixing point on a tab whilst the left hand panel does not have a tab. The tab widens the gullet of the saddle at the front dropping the support surface lower around the withers. No tab keeps the support higher and closer together for high withered horses.

Panel Gullet Options

A vital and much overlooked part of fitting a saddle is the gullet width at the base of the withers. It is so important to allow the musculature at the base of the withers room to work. If there is not enough room the horse can at worst become hollow in outline and at best not swing through in its’ lateral work.

There is a choice of five different gullet widths and all of the gullets can be supplied with all the different options.

A. Standard Gullet Width No Tab B. Wide Gullet Width No Tab C. Extra Wide Gullet Width No TabD. Wide Gullet Width with Tab E. Extra Wide Gullet Width with Tab

It does not follow that wide gullets are for wide horses. A horse that is well muscled but narrow in headplate angle will require a wider gullet to compensate for gullet narrowing with a narrower headplate.

More Lift

A CB

E

DTab

Tab

No Tab No Tab No Tab


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Girth Options

The standard WOW™ has a unique girthing arrangement that has the ability to be tailored for different horses irrelevant of where their girth groove lies.

Every horse has a girth groove, the place where a girth will lie. The girth groove position can change with fitness and has influence on the saddle and its position on the horses back. Therefore it is just as essential that the girth groove is taken into account when fitting a saddle as any other aspect of the saddle fit.

Double Running "V" for a nicely placed girth groove not too far forward or too far back. This is the standard WOW™ girth arrangement with front and back swinging "V's" that will pull the saddle down evenly.

Point Strap Option for horses where the girth groove is more forward. Normal girthing would exert a pull on the saddle that will make it shift forwards up the neck. To counter this effect all WOW™ flaps have a Point Strap option where the front "V" can be negated so the pull comes straight up to the front of the saddle. In this way you can tailor the girthing to suit many different horses.

Fore Girth Options and “H” Girths for horses with a really forward girth groove. On some horses the girth groove falls forward of the saddle (normally on horses with no wither and croup high!). This causes major problems in keeping the saddle back off the shoulder. To alleviate this problem we have developed an extra component that fits between the panel and the flap that holds the front strap actually forward of the saddle! This we call our Fore Girth Option which can be removed at a later date by just unbolting it! Unlike a traditional fore girth there is nothing over the wither apart from the saddle.

The biggest problem with this type of horse is that it general works on its forehand. Because the saddle never keeps in place, the chances of the horse developing a wither and using its' shoulders

correctly are poor. By keeping the saddle back and in position the horse is more able to work correctly and come up in the shoulder and the withers. Hopefully this will mean that the fore girth option can be removed when this is achieved.

™The “H” Girth has proved to be a brilliant innovation for saddle stability without having to over tighten the girth. Pressure dispersal over the sternum rather than the pectoral muscles promotes better movement in front. Used in conjunction with a Fore Girth a saddle can be held back in place on horses that would normally always push saddles forward up the neck.

Military Girth is a fixed girthing system that pulls from the back and the front of the saddle to a fixed centre point. thsi type of girthing system is used for extra stability side to side and for keeping a saddle forward. It is therefore very good for show jumping saddles and horses with girth grooves that are much further back than the norm.

MilitaryGirth

‘H’ Girth


Accessories

Straight Girth - Soft padded straight girth in lengths of 22”, 24”, 26”, 28”, 30” 32” & 34”.Black or Brown butt top leather with a choice of panel leather colours to match your saddle.Curved Girth - Soft padded curved girth in lengths of 22”, 24”, 26”, 28”, 30” & 32”. Black or Brown butt top leather with a choice of panel leather colours to match your saddle.Stud Girth - Soft padded Stud girth in lengths of 24”, 26”, 28”, 30” & 32”. Black or Brown butt top leather with a choice of panel leather colours to match your saddle.

All girths can be supplied with loops and D rings

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The “H” Girth - Shown opposite page - This girth has proved to be a brilliant innovation for saddle stability without having to over tighten the girth. Pressure dispersal over the sternum rather than the pectoral muscles promotes better movement in front. Soft padded double girth strap in lengths of 20” - 32” in 2” steps. Black or Brown butt top leather with a choice of panel leather colours to match your saddle.

™

Kinda Bridle Headpiece

Kinda is a shaped bridle headpiece designed to disperse pressures created by a bridle on a horse’s poll by the means of a large padded & shaped headpiece with a central gullet providing space for the mane and spinal processes. The base of the horse’s ears are protected by padded up stands. Kinda can be used with any bridle.

Protected by Design Right No. 4018523

“Since using the H Girth, Trigo, our Lusitano stallion no longer has panic attacks when being mounted or needs to be long reined before being ridden. His stride has opened up, improving his lateral work and no longer freaks during training. He is all together a much happier horse.”

Richard MaxwellHorse Behaviourist

Richard now trusts Trigo enough to let his son William ride him!

Code - DRF

Price Band - A & B

Lengths Available - Standard, +1" & +2”

Description - Dressage Fixed Block flap will suit those riders that are purely into Dressage. It has a clean straight flap that will show off the shoulder of the horse better. The knee support is more positive than the Moveable Block Dressage.

Dressage Fixed Block

Seat Shown Deep

Style

Dressage Conventional

Code - DRC

Price Band - C

Lengths Available - Standard, +1” & +2”

Description - Traditional looking dressage flap with a substantial fixed block located under the a soft padded knee roll. The main flap is made from very flexible, heavily oiled butt leather. Ideal for those that want a solid leg position when riding an extravagantly moving horse.

Seat Shown Extra

Deep

Style

Code - DRFT

Price Band - A & B


Description - The Dressage Fixed Thigh Block flap will suit those that do not want knee support but want something to roll the thigh into for stability in the half halts. It will also suit riders with a long upper leg.

Dressage Thigh Block

Seat Shown Deep

Style

© 2011 copyright all information is copyright and cannot be reproduced without prior permission. WOW, Flair, Korrector & Equiform are Trade Marks of First Thought Equine Ltd. All products and features described herein are protected by Patents, Trade Marks and Registered Design Rights.

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Dressage Moveable

Seat Shown Deep

Style

Code - DRM

Price Band - B, Blocks charged separately.

Lengths Available - -2”, -1”, Standard, +1" & +2”

Description - If you enjoy hacking and maybe even some low level jumping along with your Dressage then this flap is for you. The moveable block allows you to position the knee support where you prefer. You have a choice of 7 blocks which allow for different leg support for different disciplines.

Choice of Moveable Blocks


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Code - DRFG


Description - Like the Standard Fixed Block this Dressage Fixed Giant Block is a pure dressage flap but the block gives more support to the thigh as well as the knee. The block is much deeper and the face is much

Price Band - A & B

Code - DRFGH


Description - This is the same as the Giant block but the block is moved higher for better support of the upper thigh. The Gaint High suits riders with more advanced or big moving horses that want to really feel

Price Band - A & B

Dressage Giant High Block

Seat Shown Extra

Deep

Style

Code - CLD


Description - The Club Dressage has a deep seat and a giant high block set even higher. The seat and flap are not interchangeable or moveable in position.

Club Dressage Richard Davison Trains & competes Lady Derby’s Hiscox Artemis in a WOW Club Dressage


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Code - VSDM


Lengths Available - Standard & +2”

Description - The Very Slightly Dressage flap is forward enough for jumping whilst straight enough to show off the shoulder. This flap makes a great GP for those riders with short legs that do not require as much flap in front as the standard GP flap offers. Used in the most backward position without blocks it will make a very good showing/working hunter style flap

VSD Moveable Block

Seat Shown Deep

Style


VSD Fixed Block

Code - VSDF

Price Band - A & B


Description - The Very Slightly Dressage Fixed Block flap has a very positive knee block for schooling or jumping. The VSD flap is an inch more forward cut than the dressage but is 5cm shorter. It is an excellent choice for those with short upper legs or horses that do not have shoulder sufficient for the cut of a GP.

Seat Shown Deep

Style

Zero Block

Code - ZERO

Price Band - A & B


Description - This flap is available in any style of normally fixed block flap i.e. Dressage, VSD, GP & Jumping. The fixed block is replaced by a soft flat padded area for those riders that do not like any blocks.

Spanish

Code - SP

Price Band - A

Lengths Available - Standard & +2"

Description - This flap is a traditional style of flap seen on Spanish saddles where the flap is continuous from one side of the saddle to the other. The stirrup leathers can run underneath the flap and has a stirrup keepers on the back skirt for running up stirrups. available in smooth or printed finished leather.


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Jumping Conventional

Code - JC

Price Band - C, Blocks charged separately.


Description - Traditional looking Jumping flap with a small removable block located under the very soft padded knee roll. The heavily oiled butt leather flaps mould quickly to the shape of the horse requiring minimal “breaking in”.

Seat Shown Deep

Style

GP Moveable Block

Code - GPM



Description - The General Purpose Moveable Block flap is truly a multi-discipline flap with the ability to position the knee block for dressage or for proper jumping. The GP flap is as forward cut as the Jumping flap but on the back edge it is as straight as the Dressage flap but 5cm shorter. It is an excellent choice for young horses or eventers that do not wish to change flaps.


GP Fixed Block

Code - GPF

Price Band - A & B


Description - General Purpose Fixed Block flap has a very positive knee block for jumping. The GP flap is as forward cut as the Jumping flap. At the back edge of the flap it is as straight as the Dressage flap but is 5cm shorter. It is an excellent choice for hunters or eventers that do not wish to change flaps.

Seat Shown Deep

Style Seat Shown Deep

Style

Hunter

Code - H

Price Band - A, Blocks charged separately.

Lengths Available - Standard

Description - Traditional looking Hunting flap with a small removable block located under the very soft padded knee roll. Available with smooth, Pig print or heavily or oiled memel finished leather. Comes standard with short traditional girth billets for under flap girth fastening but longer dressage billets are available.

Seat Shown Deep

Style



Seat Shown Flat

Style

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Mandy Goosen

Code - JF

Price Band - B & C


Description - The Jumping Fixed Block flap is a favourite with Show Jumpers giving good support to the thigh above the knee without getting in the way. The calf block is optional but for the serious rider it does give a positive stop to the leg when needed.

Jumping Fixed Block

Seat Shown Flat

Style

Code - JM



Description - The Jumping Moveable Block is a close contact jumping flap that offers a moveable thigh support block. You will really feel very secure and very close to the horse. The block can be removed if you do not require it.

Jump Moveable Block

Seat Shown Flat

Style



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Code - XC

Price Band - B & C


Description - The Cross Country appeals to the eventer or show jumper (especially with long legs) who likes to ride very short. More generous in the front than the show jumper flap and a finer higher thigh block.

Seat Shown XC

Style

XC Event Fixed Block

“The horse totally transformed in his way of going immediately and his jumping is much softer. I find the saddles very comfortable and I am happy to recommend them to other riders”

Kitty Boggis GBR


Flap Options

Flap Angles - All the flaps on the Competitor can be rotated forward or backwards by 1 inch by the rider. This is a significant amount as there is only 2 inches difference between a Dressage and a Jumping Flap.

The amount of rotation can also be increased or decreased to allow for more or less forward cut than the standard flap at the point of manufacture.

You can choose from three angle options when ordering the flap. Each of these flap options still rotate forward and back by 1 inch. It is their starting point of rotation that differs.

Angled Backwards Option - gives the rider the choice of either the backward position of the standard flap or a position 1 inch back from this position. Ideal for rider with a short thigh, who’s knee does not reach the block normally.

Standard Option - will suit most average builds of rider. The flap can be rotated as with the other options.

Angled Forward Option - gives the rider the choice of either the forward position of the standard flap or a position 1 inch more forward from this position. Ideal for rider with a long thigh, who’s knee is over the block on the standard flap when rotated forward.

The diagram shows the difference between the flap angles options and how they overlap one another in their cut dependent on which orientation they are placed in.

Back “Bananas” - A Bananas is what we call our block that goes on the back of the flap under the knee roll. It is standard on our jumping flaps but must be specified as an option on the rest. The banana gives support to the knee block when a horse does not have a lot of shoulder, the block makes up the difference between flap and horse.

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mPony

WOW™ Pony

The WOW™Pony range has all the features of the WOW™ Competitor and comes with a foam panel instead of Flair. In addition to the inter-changeablity of the saddle the WOW Pony gives the ability to fit a wide range of pony shapes and sizes easily.

The tree is available in flat or curved profiles to suit the pony’s back. The range gives a choice of two types of seat Deep or Flat in three sizes 13", 14" & 15", with the option of using shorter panels on the 14" & 15" trees i.e. 14" panel on a 15" tree/seat.

There are 11 headplate sizes ranging from extra narrow to 8X wide. Like the competitor all components of the saddle bolt on so you can interchange everything.

There is a choice of two flaps GP/Jumping and Dressage/Working Hunter. All the flaps can be angled forwards and backwards.

The girthing can be ordered with long or short girth billets to facilitate the use of either dressage girths, normal girths or H Girths.

Dressage Fixed Block

Seat Shown Deep

Style

Code - PGP


Description - The Pony GP/Jumping flap has a soft padded knee roll with a velcro detachable block area under it. A choice of block shapes are available to suit different disciplines and riders.

Dressage Thigh Block

Seat Shown Flat

Style

Code - PDR


Description - The Pony Dressage/Working Hunter has a soft padded knee roll with a velcro detachable block area under it. the blocks can be removed for the show ring providing a flat flap that can be rotated backwards to show the shoulder of the pony off better.

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WOW™

Like the English WOW™ saddle the WOW™ Western is supremely comfortable as well as having

some very unique patented features.

Lateral Flexion™ TreeThe key to the success of the WOW™ saddle is the unique carbon fibre tree design which has

Lateral Flexion™. This literally means that the tree is very flexible laterally but not longitudinally

which means that the bearing surface and weight distribution is maximised. The tree twists just

in front of the riders seat therefore allowing a still seat but real freedom of movement of the

horse’s shoulders.

Inter-changeable Tree widthsThe tree widths are changeable with an interchangeable headplate on to which the horn is

mounted. Therefore this Western WOW™ saddle can be fitted to the very highest wither or the

flattest backed horse! If you want a saddle without a horn the WOW™ Western can take a

Standard English WOW™ headplate making it lighter still! Width fittings are the same as the

English WOW™ saddle being Extra Narrow all the way up to 8X wide!

Inter-changeable bucking rollsThe saddle uses a slick fork design (no swell) with bucking rolls; these are interchangeable for

different sizes and shapes. The whole saddle is a fraction of the weight of traditional western

which will appeal to riders.

Western

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Inter-changeable girthing & fendersThe saddle can be fitted with English girthing or western

cinch girthing. The fenders (stirrups) attach to the saddle

on English style stirrup bars; of which there are two each

side giving two positions (forward and backward) for the

riders leg. This also gives the safety of detachable

stirrups not found on traditional western saddles.



Flair

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- The Air Flocking System

Flair is Air Flocking. Yes, the panels of the saddle are filled with air! And, yes it is the best thing you can do for the comfort of your horse!

Flair is a system of four air bags replacing the flocking in saddles, to provide a soft, flexible and even bearing surface without pressure points. Most saddles can easily be converted to Flair and it is also fitted in many new saddles.

The four air bags are adjusted via two valves that are fitted under the flaps of the saddle. Unlike a flocked saddle, the adjustments are made whilst the rider sits on the horse, the whole process taking a matter of minutes. You or your saddler can adjust and balance the saddle perfectly both front to back and side to side even if the horse has uneven muscle development. Flair air bags do not need further adjustment unless your horse changes shape, when it only

takes a few minutes to alter again.

Flair is proven to give both the horse and rider greater comfort by…

! Dispersing the pressure points of your saddle the air bags form a constant flexible gaseous layer of shock absorbing air as thick as the panel of your saddle.

! Increasing the bearing surface offered by the saddle's panel - the air bags surround a foam insert which makes the air displace in such a manner that the saddle panels maximize their bearing surface on the horses back.

! Enabling the horse to move with greater freedom as the air continually moves and moulds to the horse's changing shape allowing the back and shoulder muscles to work unrestricted so encouraging the horse to use their back muscles more due to the massaging effect.

! Absorbing impact shock from the rider absorbing shock when landing from a jump or from the rider in sitting trot conversely absorbing the jarring shock of movement to the riders back

! Increasing the sensitivity of the lower back and seat aides so providing a closer feel between horse and rider - by allowing the saddle to be balanced to the moving horse the rider no longer “chases their balance” and sits stiller (proven with pressure testing) so the horse can clearly focus on your aids.

It should be noted that some horses develop “top line” muscle very rapidly when using the Flair

Flair

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Balance

The position of the rider is crucial to the horse's way of going but the rider's position is totally influenced by the balance of the saddle. An unbalanced saddle can make it difficult for the rider to sit correctly. Using Flair the saddle can be adjusted not only for the horse but also for the rider. Within the scope of the saddle the rider's position can be corrected whilst at the same time being fitted to the horses shape.

By measuring the height of the cantle from the horses back it's been proved that a difference of 6mm (1/4”) up or down from the saddle's correct position can make the rider feel tipped forwards or backwards with the resulting effect on their position and weight distribution.If a rider is positioned to be in balance with the moving horse they will find it easier to sit still and to absorb the horse's movement.

Why fit saddles on stationary horses?

A horse at stand relaxes the back. With a correctly working horse the back should round. This will lift the saddle and tip the rider more on to the forehand. So why do we look at a saddle's balance on a static horse? The answer is that the saddler had no other choice in the past.

Balance a saddle to a moving horse!

With Flair the saddle can be adjusted whilst the rider is mounted & the horse walking engaged and rounded. In this way we can easily find the perfect balance, support and position for the rider. A happy, relaxed rider makes a happy relaxed horse.

“A loose and swinging back is the essence to good training and successful dressage. Only a horse who is comfortable can move with athletic flexibility. I believe the Flair system is an exciting and new step towards achieving this comfort for both horse and rider.”

Richard Davison


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Korrector is an adjustable air filled saddle pad which, can be quickly and easily adjusted in a few minutes, by the rider using the pocket sized pump provided, to change the fit and balance of their saddle on one or more horses.

It is a well known problem that horses change shape making it difficult to ensure that the saddle fits at all times. Also it is not always economic to have a saddle for every horse and pads are used to alter the fit.

Korrector can be adjusted to create either.a front riser pad, ora back riser pad, ora general shock absorber pad, ora general pad and riser combined, ora general pad with asymmetrically adjusted bags for an asymmetric horse/and or rider.

Korrector has four large air bags containing air which moulds to the horse providing a soft bearing surface allowing the horse's back and shoulder muscles to work unrestricted. By changing the volume of air one can raise or lower the saddle at the front or back, or side to side. The two foam inserts create the shock absorbency. The air bags can be adjusted in pairs or individually. Using a pair of front bags you can raise the saddle at the front; using the pair at the back you can raise the saddle at the back. The air bags can also be adjusted individually for changing the saddle balance side to side. You do not need to re -adjust daily.

Korrector has been proven by independent testing to give the horse greater comfort by…Dispersing the pressure points of the saddleIncreasing the bearing surface of the saddleAllow the back and shoulder muscles to work unrestrictedAbsorb impact shock from the riderAlleviate pressure across the spine and wither area.

Korrector benefits the rider by…Allowing the rider to adjust the pad for seasonal changes in the horse's shapeAbsorbing the jarring shock to the rider's lower backEnabling the saddle to be used on several different shape horses.Allowing the rider to adjust the saddle diagonally and laterally to allow for both asymmetric horses and riders weight distribution.

Korrector BalanceThe position of the rider is crucial to the horse's way of going but the rider's position is totally influenced by the balance of their saddle. An unbalanced saddle may tip the rider forwards or backwards affecting the rider's feeling of security and the manner in which he or she rides.

Korrector allows the rider to adjust the balance of the saddle not only for the horse but also for the rider, making the rider feel more stable and hence allowing them to relax. A flocked saddle is fitted whilst the horse is stationary with his back relaxed. A correctly working horse will round his back so lifting the saddle and tipping the rider slightly onto the forehand. With Korrector you can alter the saddle's balance to allow for when the horse is engaged in an outline, so maximising the balance for the rider whilst the horse's back is rounded.

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Many riders reach a plateau in their riding, often finding that their horse is more difficult on one rein than the other, especially with lateral work or canter transitions. Often the cause is the rider's weight being slightly biased to one side. The majority of us are heavier and stronger on one side than the other. A tiny change in the lateral balance using Korrector will put the rider's weight central and make a significant change to the manner in which the horse performs. It only takes a few moments to experiment with Korrector to find the most comfortable position.

Proof not Hype

Korrector was developed using computerised pressure testing equipment on live horses. Using this technology has meant that we can scientifically prove that Korrector really does do what we claim. These claims have been proved by independent test houses.

A pressure mat under the saddle and pad measures the pressures on the horse's back at all gaits whilst being ridden. Full test results a re ava i lab le on the web s i te

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The tests proved Korrector performed better than other pads and gel pads on the market in terms of shock absorption, increasing bea r i ng su r face and reducing pressure points.

It was proved that with a saddle that fitted correctly, Korrector increased the bear ing su r face and reduced the pressure points significantly.

When used with a saddle that was too wide for the horse and had a tree that caused rocking front to back, Korrector increased the bearing surface and lowered the average pressures further than one would measure on a perfectly fitting saddle! As well as keeping the saddle stable and still!

Korrectors are supplied in brown or black leather. The spinal area is cut generously to allow for clearance on high withered horses. A gullet locking plate holds the pad into the gullet of the saddle to prevent it causing pressure on the spine or withers. Front ties prevent it from sliding backwards.

The pads are sold in small (16 and 16.5”saddles), medium (17” saddles) and Large for (18” saddles).

Korrector uses different depths of back bag dependant on the saddle design. A saddle that measures 11” (28cm) or less in a straight line across the panels under the saddle will take a 140 code pad. One that measures 11.5” (29.5cm) or more takes a pad with the code 165.

Whilst sold with pump, valves etc all component parts are also available separately.

www.korrector.com

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Western

Western The Western Korrector pad is supplied in two sizes Reining & Roping. Also there is a choice of shape

either square or rounded for the different shapes of skirt.

Like the English styles, the Western Korrectors have four air bags enabling the rider to adjust the saddle front to back and side to side.

The pad is supplied in thick breathable wool felt with leather patches to protect the pad from wear. The pad is split at the wither and has two pairs of thongs for tying to the swell to prevent it pulling downwards and creating pressure on either the withers or spine. . If a Navaho blanket is used the weave is normally big enough that the thongs can be threaded through from underneath.

The air bags provide a soft, flexible bearing surface that disperses point pressures created when the horse is performing sliding stops and sharp turns. The air actually moves with the horse's musculature enabling the horse's shoulder and back muscles to work unrestricted by the saddle tree so enabling faster stops and turns. The air bags also provide unsurpassed shock absorption against the forces created by roping.

The Reining Western Korrector is designed for a saddle with 24” bars and the Roping Western Korrector for 26” bars.

Rounded Version

Square Version

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Equiform™ is a reusable mesh that moulds to the shape of the horse. It is a mesh so one can see through it! It is ideal for checking a saddle's fit as the shaped mesh can be offered up to the saddle and immediately one can see where the saddle does and does not touch the horse. It can be used as an aid in the purchase of new and second hand saddles, a guide for the saddler when re flocking and a template in the manufacture of a custom saddle. Once used, it can be made flat again by re-heating with water or a hair dryer for easy storage.


First Thought Equine Ltd would like to thank...

Kitty BoggisGillian DavisonRichard Davison Tony ComerfordAndrew FoxMandy GoosenGraham HartleySean HendersonAnna HiltonAlison HouseMolly Key Laurens van LierenRichard MaxwellWilliam MaxwellLisa WhiteFrancis Whittington Mark & Mel Wilder

For the use of photographs of them competing and training in their WOW saddles.

Stephen DavisNick GillKit HoughtonJoanna Prestwick

For their photographic Images.

First Thought Equine LtdLittle Duskin FarmCovet LaneKingstonCanterburyKent CT4 6JSUnited Kingdom

Telephone: (+44) 01227 831614Facsimile: (+44) 01227 831161Email: [email protected] Sites: www.wowsaddles.com

www.flair.uk.comwww.korrector.com

Ftebrochure

Documents

tree profilethe wow

rider wow tree

curved tree

tree swing

modular saddle

types of tree profile

moving horse

horse moves