You will be asked during the saddle fitting to perform several movements at all paces. If we ask you to perform an activity that makes you nervous or which you and your horse have not done prior to today you MUST stop and tell us before attempting to do as we ask. We all ride at different levels depending on experience and the practice we have, and we are not here to judge you; simply wishing for you to be confident and happy at all times.

Our role is to provide you with a saddle that is suitable and comfortable for both you and your horse based on the information you tell us. You are the expert with respect to your horse’s way of going – no one knows him better than you - so you must tell us if you feel any changes, good or bad.

It is also important that you tell us the full history of the horse and your experiences with him. We particularly need to know of any history of back or saddle-related problems which might cause an adverse reaction when a new saddle is fitted. For example, if you never ride with a saddle pad you should let us know. We always bring our own clean saddle pads for use during fittings.

We should also be told of any back, neck, hip or seat problems you have suffered from in the past as this can affect your riding. WOW has developed hundreds of options to address these common rider concerns, and this information will affect the specific saddle or saddle parts we recommend or suggest to you.

Finally, as it is better to be prepared for any unlikely event, we need to know if you are taking any special medications or need regular treatment for any specific health complaint(s). You will be asked to complete a Pre-Appointment Client Intake Form prior to your appointment, and a Rider Release Form on the day of our appointment; both forms provide space to disclose this information. We request this information in the very unlikely case that you have a serious accident, we need to be able to advise any ambulance or medical crew of such conditions and/or medications. Please also provide the telephone number of anyone who should be contacted in the event you have an accident.

While our exclusive 110-Point Horse & Rider Saddle Fit Evaluation is offered as a virtual service as well, not all of our add-on services are available virtually.

Whether we are checking the fit of your existing WOW saddle or advising you on the purchase of a new WOW saddle, we are always trying to help you and your horse get the best fit and performance possible from your riding equipment. 

• If you must ride with a specific saddle pad (and not because it is compensating for some aspect of your current saddle's fit) or cloth please tell us and have it with you for your appointment so we can adjust the saddle’s fit with this in mind.

• Whilst it sounds obvious, we do require the rider to be present as we only fit and adjust saddles when the horse is mounted by his primary rider. Please ensure you have your usual riding clothes, boots and a riding helmet on. While not required, wearing a contrasting belt is helpful to us to spot any asymmetry you may have.

• We will ask a lot of questions about both you and your horse’s history in terms of performance, health and typical activities. It helps if you have already thought about these things so you have all the important points covered.

• While fitting your horse, several photos and videos will be taken. The background or surrounding areas must be clean and organized so it is easy for us to see the outline of the horse’s body against the background. We also try to stand the horse up in front of a background that features straight, horizontal lines, such as a brick or cinderblock wall, fencing, etc., for several full-body shots.

• We will wish to see you ride at all gaits in a safe, enclosed area with a good, non-slippery surface.

• Normally we expect to spend at least two hours (and up to three) with you, so please budget for this so you are not rushed or pressured into making a decision just to get us out the door on time.

• Please do not make appointments in the late afternoon if you do not have lights, and also not around your horse’s regular meal times if at a boarding or training facility.

• If you are buying a jumping saddle, please ensure that jumps are available and you are allowed to use them.

• If you stable your horse at a boarding facility that requires visitors, handlers, or riders to sign a Release of Liability, please make sure you have one handy for us at the start of the appointment.

After we've observed you and your horse in the ring, we'll return to the barn and untack. Your Fitter will then begin evaluating and assessing muscle tone in your horse's hindquarters to determine his dominant hind leg. We'll use special marking chalk made for livestock to mark the rear edge of your horse's dominant scapula, and his last rib where it joins the 18th spinal vertebrae. We'll also mark his natural girth groove.

We'll begin with the saddle we believe your horse will most like. The first few minutes of your ride will be spent getting the Flair Air Flocking System set up and balanced for you and your horse. Once complete, we'll ask you to move through several exercises while our trained Fitters evaluate your horse closely. We'll be looking for signs of discomfort, pain or stress, and comparing his way of going to that from your ride at the start of your appointment in your current saddle. Ideally, we'll see an improvement to his demeanor, in addition to marked improvements to his way of going, expression, self-carriage, balance, and relaxation. Your Fitter will take detailed notes throughout your ride, and will be filming most - if not all - of your demo ride for our records. We'll keep each demo ride short, aiming to wrap up within 10 - 15 minutes. Then, we'll do the same process with your second demo saddle.

If you experience any issues such as lateral or longitudinal instability during any ride, we'll ask you to dismount so we can make some adjustments to the saddle's girthing system.

Now for the fun part! Your Delfina Saddlery Certified WOW Saddle Fitter will be carrying samples of many of WOW's Special Leathers - but these samples represent just a small percentage of WOW's full Leather Catalog which features hundreds of options. Not all of these options are available on all models of saddle, and the various model lines of WOW Saddles offer varying levels of customization. For example, WOW's basic DMK line offers custom facings, thread, and infill options at the expense of not being fully modular. The Competitor lines offer three tiers of customization: Argent Competitors offer no custom options and come in Black or Brown, D'or Competitors include pre-determined facing, thread, and infill options on Black or Brown saddles, and Elite Competitors offer full, unlimited customization opportunities.

We encourage you to download one or all of our exclusive WOW Saddle Catalogs in addition to the Customization Guide prior to your appointment. Keep a list of any models or options you would like so we can discuss whether they're possible during your appointment. And, if you don't see something you really want, WOW can design just about anything you'd like.

Don't want to ride in an ill-fitting saddle another day after your fitting? Delfina Saddlery offers convenient saddle rentals for just $50 per week, so you and your horse can get straight to work exploring your new wings with a WOW.

The Saddle Gauge really comes into its own back at WOW HQ, where the team of Master Saddlers begin building each of the unique parts you picked during your fitting appointment. Using a combination of modern manufacturing and old-world traditional saddle making techniques, the saddle of your dreams  begins taking shape.

Typically, your saddle will be completed and ready for shipment within 3 - 5 months, depending on the time of year and the number of orders ahead of yours. If you won't have a saddle to ride in in the interim, Delfina Saddlery offers weekly saddle rentals so you and your horse can get straight to work. Ocassionally, under certain special circumstances, WOW may be able to move your saddle to the front of the queu. This is done only under their discretion.

Once complete, your saddle will be shipped to Delfina Saddlery, who will cover the costs of shipping and as well as any import tariffs. We'll let you know when your saddle has shipped and when we've received it.

Our Virtual Fitting Appointment has a listing fee of $500. This charge is assessed to both cover the cost of the full kit itself as well as the Appointment fee. Once your Appointment has concluded, you'll use the included return label to send the full kit back to Delfina Saddlery, who, upon return of the full kit, will refund $250 of the original $500 charge to your original payment instrument. Additionally, should you decide to purchase a new saddle from Delfina Saddlery, we'll deduct the remaining $250 Appointment cost from the cost of your new saddle. This means the Appointment itself costs you absolutely nothing, so, what do you have to lose?

• If you must ride with a specific saddle pad (and not because it is compensating for some aspect of your current saddle's fit) or cloth please tell us and have it with you for your fitting so we can adjust the saddle’s fit with this in mind.

• Whilst it sounds obvious, we do require the primary rider to be present as we only fit (and adjust) saddles when the horse is mounted by his primary rider. Please ensure you have your usual riding clothes, boots and a riding helmet on. While not required, wearing a contrasting belt is helpful to us to spot any asymmetry you may possess.

• We will ask a lot of questions about both you and your horse’s history in terms of performance, health and typical activities. It helps if you have already thought about these things so you have all the important points covered.

• We will be recording our entire Fitting Appointment. We request that the background or surrounding areas  be clean and organized so it is easy for us to see the outline of your horse’s body against the background. Bonus points if you are able to stand the horse up in front of a background that features straight, horizontal lines, such as a brick or cinderblock wall, fencing, etc.

• We will wish to see you ride this horse at all gaits in a safe, enclosed area with a good, non-slippery surface. You'll use the included Pivo Kit to take these videos. If it is not possible for you to ride your horse now (for example, if you don't currently have a saddle), you're welcome to upload videos from the past (the more recent the better, though).

• Normally we expect to spend at least one hour (and up to two) with you, so please budget for this so you are not rushed just to get us off the call on time.

• Please do not make appointments in the late afternoon if you do not have lights, and also not around your horse’s regular meal times if at a boarding or training facility.

We'll include a hard copy of the list of exact clips we'll need with your Fitting Kit, but the list will also be inside your private Google Drive folder. Once done, you'll upload them to that same private Google Drive folder.

When you've finished taking all additional photos and videos, simply pack your Fitting Kit back up into the original box, tape the included return label over the old one, and drop the box off at your local UPS.

All data can then be downloaded in PDF form and accessed in your private Google Drive folder at any time by you or your desired saddle fitter. The platform automatically provides measurement matrix information (according to BVFR/FN) for the TOMAX HBST+ horseback simulator, too.

Additionally, Delfina Saddlery is able to translate this data into printable cross-sections of any given points within the 3D scan. We can then print your desired data points onto a sturdy poster board and laser cut each section out for you. This quick and easy option enables you to take these cut-outs to any saddle shop of your choosing to instantly check the fit of any saddle against your horse's back, ensuring the perfect, ideal fit of any saddle to your horse.

This revolutionary technology completely eliminates the guesswork involved in purchasing a new saddle for your horse, or checking that your current saddle fits your horse. When combined with 3D scans of your horse taken later, you'll be able to chart any improvements or declines in his conditioning over time.

Delfina Saddlery employs a variety of casting services for clients wishing to have a same-day recreation of their horse's back  to immediately take saddle shopping. The decision to use either a Saddle Cast or EQUImeasure Cast will depend on the facilities available where you stable your horse. For barns with a simple oven on-site, we recommend the EQUImeasure. For barns without an oven, we prefer to use our Saddle Cast kit.

If you would like to have Delfina Saddlery create a cast of your horse's back, please call/text us at (310) 817-6910 or email us at support@delfinaeq.com.