So true. After this CWD experience, I could probably BE a saddle fitter. 30 years ago, when I started riding, saddle fit really wasn’t even a thing. When I think back on the many “problem horses” I knew of over the years, I’m pretty sure at least some, if not most, we were really fussing about their saddle.
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Did you work through the rep you bought it from to make it right? Because I had gotten noting but the runaround and then and absolutely shamefully arrogant text message from the rep over all the reps in the US and CA. I should post that conversation. It’s SO cringe-worthy.
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I will definitely look at Meyers! I’ve heard great things. They are NOT currently owned by “Leather In Motion” (the holding company that bought the US brand rights to CWD, Butet and Devauxcoux).
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Well said!
This is gospel truth. My hindsight is 20/20, as usual. Hope to get the word out to save others.
Yes! I looked into having it flocked and no one will do it because the way they are made, they are virtually impossible to flock successfully. 20/20 hindsight.
Yes, exactly. I was told my horse was being bad and also that I was riding crooked. Imagine my surprise when changing my saddle rendered my “bad” horse and “crooked riding” issues immediately fixed.
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I know! I had one saddle growing up. I rode all horses in it. I guess the only thing that worked in the favor of the saddle is that they were mostly TBs with similar builds. But I’m sure there were some uncomfortable horses along the way.
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Horses don’t know how much a saddle costs. My independent fitter helped me fit several horses with very reasonably priced saddles. In fact, I always joked that my hunt horse jumped best in his Wintec Pro Jump, which was my “rainy day” saddle.
I like a well made saddle with beautiful leather as much as anyone, but the prices I hear tossed around today would buy a lifetime of saddles for me.
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Yes, my trainer is sponsored by them so I think that helped. One of the higher up reps in the west is very good
There is one saddler I found on the East coast that will convert these saddles to wool. I looked into that for my new horse who seemed to like the tree of a 2Gs I already owned but didn’t seem to have gotten repaneled quite right for his bigger shoulders and high withers (despite having previously been fitted to a larger shouldered horse who had even more of a shark fin way back when the saddle was new, a few repanelings ago). CWD was telling me I had the older style panels and they just don’t make them like that anymore. If I wanted to make any more changes, they were going to have to make me all new panels ($$). I tried some newer saddles but my horse didn’t like how flat the new panels were in the rear of the saddle and I did not like the new price tag.
Converting to wool will void any warranty you may have on the saddle.
Ultimately I just rode for a while in my 20 year old saddle with a shim pad or a dressage saddle, and now horse put on some muscle and has decided he likes my CWD as is after all. He does still change shape at the drop of a hat but I think I’ve figured that out with different pad configurations. Currently we are in a minimal pad phase.
Patty Barnett might still do wool conversions. She is in Connecticut and is very good. If she can’t do it, she could probably recommend someone. You need to be careful with those because the foam panels are quite thin and there is sometimes not enough depth to them to make wool feasible.
I think if I was paying that much for a saddle I would be there, in person, to make sure the “supposed” saddle fitter actually took measurements and did all the required things when you buy a custom saddle.
I am sorry you had such an awful experience and hopefully you will be fully compensated.
I had a bad experience as well with CWD. Ordered a custom saddle 4 years ago. found out a couple of weeks ago my saddle has been bridging this whole time causing my horses back to be sore. These are not saddle fitters they are sales rep & mine did not know what she was doing.
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Any satisfaction from CWD?
So I just got my new saddle. the remake after the last custom one didnt fit… this one also does not fit at all… I just told them and don’t yet know what the response will be.
Wow. That genuinely sucks.
Sorry. I hope they make this right for you. 
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I bet good money that the CWD rep in North Carolina can rival your moronic one. 
Thank you so much for your response.
I’m so sorry you had a similar experience. This has to stop.
Nope. In fact, I got a very snarky nasty “no” email from Leather In Motion, LLC, a particularly hilarious name for the company, given that the CWD rep literally told me this in a text message when questioned about taking measurements:
“Now about providing measurements on everything saddle fitting session we offer I just want to say that we are actually very proud to work differently than some independent saddle fitters.
We respect the traditional way but we just decided to work differently. When you join CWD we learn everyday day, you see hundred, thousands of situations, you have access to a network of fitters and you have continue learning. It’s also a requirement to be a rider.
We designed sport saddles in the best interest for horses and riders. What matters the most to us is not the way the saddle sit on the back of the horse when horse is in the grooming stall. We care about what happens in motion.”
Pay attention to that last line. They don’t need to measure because they watch what happens “IN MOTION.” (waving magic hand gestures) 
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