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WOW Flair Panels - BBS
WOW currently has many hundreds of possible permutations of Panel configurations. To limit the choice, we have split the panels into categories and then limited...
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Free Shipping
Free standard shipping on orders over $200
Estimated to be delivered on 12/01/2022 - 15/10/2022.
Free Returns
Return any item from Delfina Saddlery and receive a full refund, no questions asked.
Description
xWOW currently has many hundreds of possible permutations of Panel configurations. To limit the choice, we have split the panels into categories and then limited the available options. If you are looking for an option that is not there then we would politely ask you to reconsider your choice of Panel or ring us to discuss after first ensuring you have emailed us pictures of the horse.
About BBS Panels
The new BBS (Big Bearing Surface) Panels are an upgrade from the existing panels and have proved to improve softness of the back and encourage lift. They bring the bearing surface of the English saddle almost in line with that of a Western saddle, thereby reducing the amount of pressure per square inch the horse experiences under saddle. BBS Panels fill the space that is left under the saddle between the top of the flap and the horse. They are an excellent choice for riders who have hip or back pain, especially when in the saddle, and seem to be preferred by horses who have back pain or a short back.
About Flair
Yes, the panels in WOW Saddles are filled with air! Flair is a system of airbags specifically designed to replace the traditional flocking in saddles - foam and wool. Two air bags sit at the front, and two at the back, with the two bags overlapping through the center of the panel and surrounded by a soft foam insert. The foam forces the air to displace in such a way that the saddle's panels maximize their bearing surface against the horse's back.
Flair® was developed over a 6-year period involving Saddlers, Veterinarians, Physiotherapists, Chiropractors and Riders. It was initially developed to find a quicker and more precise means of fitting a saddle but in the trials, other benefits appeared. Flair® underwent 4 years of rider trials – In this period it was used by riders in disciplines such as Hunting, 3 Day Eventing, Dressage, Show Jumping, Endurance and general hacking. Whilst being on rider trial, laboratory testing of the Flair® System was continued on accelerated test rigs to ensure the durability of the product and computer pressure analysis equipment to refine the design.
Unlike Cair's 'air flocking' the bags within Flair panels are meant to be filled by a fitter with the rider in the tack. The fit should be checked regularly just like any other saddle, and the bags can be quickly and easily adjusted to adapt to your horse's changing back. With Cair, the foam inside the saddle's panels is sealed inside a plastic bag
The bags are adjusted via two valves that are fitted under the skirts of the saddle. The adjustments are made whilst the rider sits on the horse, with the whole process taking only a matter of minutes. The saddle fitter is able to instantly balance the saddle laterally and longitudinally, as well as make asymmetric adjustments to compensate for both horse and rider asymmetry and uneven muscle development. Flair provides a soft, flexible, and even bearing surface on which to ride, eliminating all pressure points - even from stirrups!
There is no need for any other flocking materials, as pressure testing has proven it to be the best way to achieve the highest level of comfort for the ridden horse. Once fitted by a trained WOW Fitter, Flair air bags do not need adjustment or special maintenance unless your horse changes shape, in which case your fitter makes the necessary adjustments to balance with the rider in the saddle on the horse. The adjustments are done quickly and easily, with your saddle ready to go in just a few minutes.
Horses ridden in saddles with the Flair Air Flocking System installed frequently change shape, especially at the start, with many frequently outgrowing their tree size in just a matter of weeks (and sometimes, most shockingly, hours!). If you're converting an existing saddle to Flair, it would be recommended to have a saddle that can also change shape with your horse, or you'll be saddle shopping again in no time!
Flair gives your saddle a constant, flexible layer of shock-absorbing air as thick as your saddle's panel. Flair increases the sensitivity to aids from your lower back and seat by removing any discomfort caused by the saddle and providing a layer of flocking that instantly changes and adapts to the smallest shifts in your weight, thereby allowing your horse to focus on your aids.
Dundee University independently verified that Flair gives 26% less pressure on your horse's back than wool flocking! The research undertook to measure the forces on the horse and the rider. The reduction in pressure results in increased stride length along with increased swing and improved, higher elevation of the back.
Llwynon Saddlery's Master Saddler of almost 3 decades' experience set out to prove that he could flock a saddle as well with wool as WOW can with Flair. He couldn’t. The pressure testing results document you can download show the comparison of the same Rider, Saddle & Horse, before and after conversion to Flair. The Saddle was firstly re-flocked with new wool to the best of the Master Saddler’s ability prior to testing. Then it was converted to the Flair system. The maps show mean (average) pressure over the period the saddle was under test. pressure tested a correctly fitted saddle flocked with pure wool, then converted it to Flair and re-tested it. The same horse, rider and saddle were used with the only variable being the saddle's flocking. They showed that the Flair system significantly decreased pressures on the horse's back and increased the bearing surface of the saddle, especially when landing from a jump.
Professional riders use Flair for that very reason; Wayne Channon will not ride in anything else now that he's felt how his horse's backs swing. The same can be said for Richard Davison, Jan Brinks, Lesley Payton-Gilbert, Paul Tapner, Kitty King, Francis Whittington and many, many more worldwide.
But, don't take our word for it - listen to all the converts!
From riding schools to Olympic mounts, WOW Saddles with Flair have developed a huge following of loyal riders who would never put anything else on their horse.
If you really care about your horse and his comfort, wellbeing, happiness, and overall health, you'll give WOW Saddles with Flair a try.
How to Order
To order, purchase this item and Delfina Saddlery will reach out to you for the additional info necessary to place your order with WOW. If you are not purchasing these panels as a replacement for existing WOW panels, be sure you've had your horse measured and fitted by a Certified WOW Saddle Fitter and be prepared to provide all necessary information to Delfina Saddlery before your order will be submitted.
If you have not already been measured and/or had your horse fitted for a WOW Saddle by a Certified WOW Saddle Fitter, Delfina Saddlery would be happy to help. Our in-person and Virtual Fittings are available using an authentic WOW Saddle Gauge to ensure you and your horse get the perfect fit. Delfina Saddlery's Certified WOW Saddle Fitters are the first WOW Saddle Fitters in all of North America to be trained and Certified by WOW at their HQ in the UK, and our team of experts would be more than happy to help you order the saddle of your dreams. Please email us, call or text us at (310) 817-6910, or submit the form on our homepage to 'Schedule Your 110-Point Horse & Rider Saddle Fit Assessment'.
Production Lead Time
Please note, all of our WOW Panels are made-to-order, by hand, by WOW at their World HQ in the United Kingdom. Please expect a wait time of 6 - 12 weeks for delivery, depending on current Production Lead Time. If you require your saddle be completed on a shorter timeline, or are concerned about the current PLT, please reach out to Delfina Saddlery prior to placing your order so we can find out if your request can be accommodated.
Additional Resources
Interested in purchasing a WOW Saddle or Saddle Part but don't know what your options are? Are you feeling a little overwhelmed with all the options available? Our totally free Custom Options Guide includes swatches of WOW's hundreds of leather choices, all thread colors, available Litex seats and SuperCool SaddleCloths, as well as handy decorating guides to help breakdown the customizable parts of a WOW. Additionally, we've also created full catalogs of every Jumping or Dressage Saddle WOW offers. These catalogs include photos of each model, prices, as well as all available options when ordering. Be sure to download your free catalog prior to placing an order for a new WOW so you don't miss out on anything!
WOW Flair Panels - Extended Forward Ordering Options
Front Gusset
| SD |
| D (Standard) |
| DD* |
Rear Gusset
| 1 1/2" |
| 2" (Standard) |
| 2 1/2" |
Panel Size
| WOW Size | Inches |
| #0ExtFwd | 17" |
| #0 | 16" |
| #0S | 15" |
| #1ExtFwd | 18" |
| #1 | 17" |
| #1S | 16" |
| #2ExtFwd | 19" |
| #2 | 18" |
| #2S | 17" |
| #3ExtFwd | 20" |
| #3 | 19" |
| #3S | 18" |
Panel Gullet Width
| WG |
| XWG |
Panel for Sway Backs
| Yes |
| No (Standard) |
Leather
| Black Panel |
| Dark Brown Panel |
| Havana Panel |
| Nutmeg Panel |
| Oakwood Panel |
| Military Panel |
Panel Gusset Leather
| Black Panel |
| Dark Brown Panel |
| Havana Panel |
| Nutmeg Panel |
| Oakwood Panel |
| Military Panel |
| Other* |
*If selecting Other, please refer to our handy Customization Guide for swatches of all of WOW's Special Leathers, Nubucks, Suedes, and more.
Flocking
| Wool |
| Foam |
| Flair |
Panel Taper (formerly called a Stitchline)
| Yes (Standard) |
| No |
Roofy Wedges
| Yes |
| No (Standard) |
Tabs
| Yes |
| No (Standard) |
Shipping & Returns
xReturn Policy
How long will it take to get my order?Shipping times vary depending on location and product. For customers outside the U.S. we ship USPS Priority Mail which should take 2-6 business days, but with Customs or weather delays, it may take much longer, especially when shipping outside the U.S.
Custom orders (beaded browbands, dog collars, custom tack) may take 2 - 8 weeks to complete. Please be sure to fully discuss your needs with us during the ordering process. If you need your items by a certain date, we may be able to accommodate you.
100% Happiness Guarantee
We are proud to offer only the highest quality products with exceptional customer service, and we offer a 100% Happiness Guarantee! Delfina Saddlery is managed by professional trainers with decades of experience who personally use, design, research and test our products to ensure they are top quality. If we don't meet your expectations we want to know about it.
If you have any questions or concerns about one of our products, you're welcome to email us (support@delfinaeq.com) to receive expert advice.
Returns & Exchanges
If you're not satisfied with your purchase, we are happy to assist you with a return or exchange. Items returned in new, unused condition within 30 business days are eligible for a full refund of item price.
Items returned in new, unused condition between 30 - 60 days post-purchase may be eligible for a partial refund or account credit.
Shipping costs are non-refundable after your order has shipped.
We are unable to process a return on dirty, unwashed, or used items (for defective or warrantied items, please see special instructions below).
Final Sale items cannot be returned or exchanged.
Equine Edible items can only be returned if sealed and unopened in original packaging.
Please send your returns to:
(mailing address only, no store location)
Delfina Saddlery
248 Tahoe Court
Discovery Bay, CA 94505
You are responsible for shipping costs to and from Delfina Saddlery.
Returning Damaged, Defective, or Warrantied Items
Please contact our support team at support@delfinaeq.com for assistance initiating a return or exchange on damaged or defective items.
Consignment Tack
PLEASE NOTE - Delfina Saddlery's trial terms are binding and non-negotiable. Buyers MUST follow the trial policy in order to be refunded should the tack not work for you. You will NOT receive a refund if the shipping instructions and timelines below are not strictly adhered to.
Consignment tack purchased through Delfina Saddlery comes with a trial policy so you can ensure the correct fit for you and your horse. At the time of your order, you will be charged the full price of the item. The purchase price of the item will be refunded to you provided you follow the timeline and shipping rules below:
Length of trial is five days.
These days are calculated as the date of delivery plus four additional calendar days (Monday - Sunday).
Extensions of the trial period may be granted provided you contact Delfina Saddlery's support team (support@delfinaeq.com) as soon as you realize you'll need additional days.
A signature will be required for delivery. Please make sure you chose a shipping address where someone will be available to sign. The package can be held at your local post office if requested. Be sure to contact Delfina Saddlery's support team (support@delfinaeq.com) to arrange this.
If USPS attempts delivery and no one is there to sign for the package, your trial will begin the following business day - regardless of whether you pick the package up from the post office or not. It is your responsibility to pick up the package from your closest USPS access point or arrange for delivery after that point.
Deadline for initiating the item's return shipping is no later than one (1) additional business day after your trial period ends, which is at the end of the fifth day OR the day you give notice that you will be returning, whichever occurs first. You MUST communicate with us (support@delfinaeq.com) that you are returning the item within the time allowed for your trial, or the sale will be considered final.
When test riding saddles:
We recommend you wrap your stirrup leathers in vetwrap, polos, or track wraps in order to protect the saddle flaps from damage due to the leathers rubbing while you are riding in the saddle.
Be sure you have pulled any and all billet guards completely down over the girth buckles prior to mounting to avoid damaging the underside of the flaps.
Do not test ride a saddle in jeans or full-seat leather breeches. We strongly recommend test riding in knee patch breeches or silicone full-seat breeches.
Be sure you clean the saddle thoroughly prior to returning it. There should be no dust or debris in any of the nooks or crannies. Failure to do so will result in cleaning charges of at least $150 being assessed.
Prior to using any product on the leather, ensure it will not change the appearance of the leather (ie; darken it) by testing in an inconspicuous area (under the skirt, or under the sweat flaps, in the gullet, etc. We strongly recommend you use a bar of glycerin saddle soap, the yellow saddle soap in a tin or Leder-Combi liquid cleaner. We strongly recommend using a conditioner either from the saddle's manufacturer (ie; Devoucoux's balm on a Devoucoux). If you do not have product from the saddle manufacturer, using a light layer of Leder-Balsam will not permanently affect the leather color or cause damage to the leather.
If your saddle has suede, or flesh-side buffalo hide (which has a suede-like feel), do not apply any cleaning product to these areas!!! You may ONLY use a silicone suede brush to clean these areas.
If you are prone to sweating while riding or the weather is hot, you may want to consider putting a seat-saver of some kind on the saddle's seat to protect it from any staining.
When testing other tack:
Tack must be returned in the same condition it was sent to you in for a full refund of the tack's purchase price. If the tack is returned dirty or requires any conditioning or cleaning there will be a $150 charge subtracted from your refund.
If tack is returned broken or damaged in such a way that it is no longer usable or safe to use, you will not be eligible for a refund.
Labor performed by Delfina Saddlery will be assessed at a rate of $40/hr.
If an outside repair specialist is required, whatever rate that person charges will be subtracted from your refund. Delfina Saddlery will do their best to find a repair specialist who can perform the work satisfactorily at a fair rate.
If tack is returned broken or damaged in such a way that restoration work is required to return the tack to its original condition, you will be assessed a restoration fee which includes the cost of any supplies and/or labor that was required to return the item to its original condition. Labor charges will be assessed at a rate of $40/hr for labor performed by Delfina Saddlery, or whatever rate an outside repair specialist charges. After the repair work is complete, if the value of the tack has been negatively impacted, the difference in value will be subtracted from your refund as well. For example, if you purchase a $400 bridle for trial and your horse gets loose and breaks a rein, you may be assessed a fee of $17 for the leather required to patch the break, plus a labor fee of $40 for one hour of labor performed by Delfina Saddlery OR if the rein is not salvageable or repairable, you will have the cost to replace the rein with one of equal or lesser value subtracted from your refund AND if the damaged and repaired or replaced part now reduces the value of the bridle by $100, you will also have $100 subtracted from your refund. Please note these values are used only to illustrate how your refund may be affected if the tack you took on trial is returned broken or with damage. The only given figure that is accurate is the hourly labor rate assessed by Delfina Saddlery leatherworkers to perform repair work.
Before shipping or delivering any of our consignment tack, extensive photographs from every angle and of every part of the item are taken. If there is any discrepancy between the tack you return to us and the photographs we took at shipping, we will deduct either the cost to repair the damage from your deposit. If the damage is irreparable, we will deduct a fine of no less than $100 up to the amount we will have to deduct from the asking price of the item due to this damage.
Please note - USPS/UPS/FedEx does NOT guarantee any of their expedited shipping services. If an expedited shipping option is selected and the package does not arrive in the specified time frame, a refund cannot be guaranteed.
RETURN INSTRUCTIONS: Use USPS Priority Mail with insurance to ship the tack back if you will be returning it.
If you require assistance purchasing the proper USPS Priority Mail label, please reach out to Delfina Saddlery's support team (support@delfinaeq.com).
Please email the tracking number as soon as you ship to us at support@delfinaeq.com
Buyer is responsible for shipping costs to return the tack. There is a restocking fee of 3% of the tack's sale price, simply to cover the processing fees, which will be deducted from the return once the tack is received. Shipping costs are non-refundable.
If the tack does not arrive back to Delfina Saddlery within 5 business days via USPS from the end of your trial period (which is at the end of the fifth day OR the day you give notice that you will be returning, whichever occurs first) there will be an additional $150 deduction from your refund - unless shipment is delayed due to USPS.
If the tack is not received within 7 total days after the end of your trial period, which is at the end of the fifth day OR the day you gave notice that you will be returning the saddle - whichever occurs first - the package will be refused and the post office will return it to you, which will result in a final sale.
If you have special circumstances (stormy weather, only ride on weekends, etc.), let us know any time before your trial period expires and we can consider adjusting your trial length accordingly. Trial length adjustment is not guaranteed and will be on a case by case basis.
Consignment tack is sold as-is. The trial period serves as your opportunity to inspect and test ride the tack. You are welcome to have your trainer and/or saddler inspect the tack. Used items are not guaranteed to be free of wear or damage. Delfina Saddlery is not a manufacturer, and therefore cannot offer a guarantee on items. NO refunds will be offered as a result of any saddler or trainer inspections made after the trial period has ended. We are not responsible for any suitability or condition issues brought to our attention after the trial period ends. Used tack is sold AS IS.
A note about leather types - serial number stamps do not indicate leather type. The only way to verify 100% is to run the serial number (if available) through the manufacturer's system. Delfina Saddlery advertises certain leather types based on the owner's statements, invoices provided with the tack at drop-off, or based on years of our experience working with and using different types of leather, but this cannot be guaranteed. Delfina Saddlery is not responsible for discrepancies in leather type discovered after the trial period has ended. Restocking fees will still apply if discrepancies in leather type are found within the trial time frame.
DEPOSITS - If we arrange to hold a consignment item with a deposit, the deposit is non-refundable unless otherwise agreed upon in advance.
If a consignment item is purchased and the buyer needs to cancel the order before it has been shipped there will be a $100 non-refundable charge deducted from the purchase price.
Failure to comply with trial policy will result in a final sale of the consignment item. Consignment tack is not eligible for a refund if the trial policy or any other trial policies are violated.
International Shipping
Please email support@delfinaeq.com with your order info for help calculating the best shipping rate.
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