CWD saddles - are they really all that awesome?!?

[MR1]

Time has come and I need a new saddle, but am having a heck of a time finding something that fits my gelding. He is wide in the shoulder, but has some pretty substantial withers - so wides sit too close to his withers, but mediums are really tight on the shoulder.

Having exhausted a number of my normal go-to options for saddles (both new and used), I’m now looking at options where I can get saddle fit as part of the purchase. However, that means I’m also going outside of my “comfort zone” price-wise.

He is my forever-horse, so I want him to be comfortable, and have the fit so he can move and work to his upmost potential. However, he’s 16yrs with navicular (that we have luckily be able to nicely manage to soundness) so he does primarily flatwork, trails, with just a jumping session sprinkled in once a week or so.

I’m not planning to show him much over the next 10 yrs, but I ride him 5 days a week - so I want to be comfortable! I also work a few other horses which I could use a similar saddle on - so it would get ridden in plenty each week.

In my searching…I keep hearing about CWD sadddles. But, they are well-above what I was planning to spend on a saddle. They weren’t available/popular the last time I saddle shopped, so I’m not familiar with them - but hear folks talking about them a lot now.

So…convince me I need to go that route - or give me some other options! I was hoping to keep the saddle in the max $1k range, but it looks like a CWD would be $3k?!? yikes I’d be totally fine with a used CWD in great condition - if it fit right and was comfy. If its absolutely work the $3k, I could swing it - but I would really want to feel it was worth it and I’d have no regrets.

Thoughts / experience / feedback / stories??

P.S. My last saddle lived to be 25 yrs old - with nearly daily riding that entire lifespan. When I get something that works, I’m committed!

[Rye]

CWDs? I think they are really lovely to look at, but they don’t fit me or my horse. (unless I want to overpad it and put a bumper pad underneath…which somewhat defeats the idea of “close contact”). She needed something with a deeper gusset so that meant something like a County, Black Country or Albion. I didn’t like the seat of the Albion on my tush.

Plus…I’m not sure CWds come in a wool flocked panel, I might be wrong.

Someone put together a good list of all the used saddle sites a few weeks back, look for it, it might be helpful.

[mroades]

I don’t like them at all. Awkward fit for me and the horses i had to use them on.

[KateKat]

I tried one, liked them alright but it felt like the pommel was riding really high in my crotch. I think for awhile there, they were really providing some nice detailed touches, but the other high end saddlers caught on and started providing the same things.

I think the quality across the board for CWD, Antares, Devoucoux, Voltaire etc. is pretty similar. I do think some people really love their CWD’s because not everyone is built the same. So obviously you’re going to have people who love them, and people who hate them.

Have you checked out County or Black Country? I liked County a lot and really hated Black Country BUT…if Black Country works for you and your horse, you can get a brand new, semi custom for around $2500 which is such a steal. It killed me that I didn’t like them! Contact Trumbull Mountain if there is no one around you who carries those saddles.

[Oryx]

They are very nice, but they aren’t magical. There is no reason why you can’t find something suitable within or much closer to your budget.

Because your horse is older and will start changing shape a bit I’d strongly suggest looking at a wool flocked saddle that can be repeatedly adjusted over time.

[ALLIGORY]

Love my CWD, I believe in the commitment to a design that allows greater range of motion for the horse. The only drawback so far is the knee roll which I blow through at a frequent pace making the saddle much more expensive.
By comparison I bought my son a vintage Parianni (likely made in the 60’s) and that saddle looks amazing at 50+ years old.

[BAC]

My CWD looks like new after 6 years and I love it. Everyone who rides in it loves it too, and one friend who rode in it a few weeks ago is now looking to trade in her Butet for one, the difference in her horse’s way of going was quite noticeable in the CWD. There does seem to be something in the shorter, flexible tree points that helps many horses seem to open up in their way of going. I wouldn’t say there is anything magical about them though, more important is getting the right fit for your particular horse, regardless of what brand. No one saddle fits every horse, despite people’s claims to the contrary. Try a CWD and if it makes your horse happy, then buy one, otherwise keep looking. I have had excellent customer service from CWD as well.

[BAC]

@Rye;6045514

Plus…I’m not sure CWds come in a wool flocked panel, I might be wrong.

You are wrong. CWDs can be ordered with wool flocking, although foam panels are standard.

[supershorty628]

I adore CWDs and I love the customer service. I had one saddle from medium ponies up through GPs and recently started looking into a new one. The new one was ordered while I was at school, and ended up not fitting me well (although it fit my horse perfectly). They took it back and are doing whatever is necessary to make it fit us both.

I’ve had a lot of luck with them, think they are great saddles and wonderful people to work with.

[mroades]

I think that was why I didnt like them, they were made for very long legged people, which I am most definitely not!

[supershorty628]

^I’m not either, and the reason that my new one didn’t fit was an honest mistake on my end. My first CWD fit like a dream!

[hequestrian]

I do not own one (yet) but I am saving up to buy one at some point in the future.

I have ridden in a few though and LOVED it. That being said- I am 5’4 and I know that my taller friend rode in the same saddle and HATED it. I think that if the saddle is not fit to you you will not have the same experience. I luckily was about the right proportions to sit comfortably in the saddle. I don’t like a butet half as much as the cwd. I also rode in an antares not too long ago and really liked that- I fount it to be very similar to the CWD in feel, but if I have the money I am going to splurge and get the CWD. More than likely used though.

You can find decent used ones for a bit less but you will definitely want to ride in it before because as already mentioned every one seems to be different. There are a few great sites that sell high end used saddles.

Hope you find something that works for you and your horse.

[indygirl2560]

I love my CWD. I’m only 5’6 but I have really long legs, so finding a jumping saddle with a forward enough flap and was comfortable was tricky. I happened upon a practically new CWD in my exact measurements and it fits my horse perfectly too! I’ve tried butets, antares, devoucoux, etc and the CWD was the one that worked best. I have a medium tree and relatively standard panels and it’s fit every horse I’ve used it on so far. The customer service is also impeccable! I love working with my local rep

[doublesstable]

I demoed one years ago and it was okay… then several years later I rode in my trainers saddle and that was it - I wanted one.

Leather is soft and grippy (full calf). Seat was well balanced and felt very secure in it.

I love mine, but just like so many other things it depends on you. Def. need a custom built for you and your horse (not something used that was made for someone else) but saying that, sometimes it does…

And I agree with Supershorty, I have had very good customer service trying to resolve a issue.

[ElisLove]

I really like my CWD. When I ride in other saddles I feel fine but the instant I sit back in my saddle I realize how comfy and awesom me saddle is! My saddle is 2 years old and definitely looks used due to how soft the leather is but it still looks good. If it had been a darker color you probably wouldn’t notice much of the wear.

[mbp618]

I love cwds and I do believe they are magical for my clients

[sweetpea]

I liked the way I felt in the cwd, balance is incredible.
But i was very disappointed with the panels.
They break down very quickly and the problem with that is if it foam your done.

I have found that if you have a difficult fit Richard Castelow sadles work well.
PM if you want to know more.

[doublesstable]

@sweetpea;6045955

I liked the way I felt in the cwd, balance is incredible.
But i was very disappointed with the panels.
They break down very quickly and the problem with that is if it foam your done.

If you have problems with the panels, CWD will order you new or try to fix the ones you have…

And they do offer wool if you are a wool kind of gal…

[Jersey_Fresh]

I have one and really love it. I wouldnt call them magical, but the options that they offer and their great customer service sure helps!

I have a tough to fit gelding and tried a billion saddles on him. The problem I struggled with was that I found anything that had the right curve to fit his ginormaous withers was too deep/too high pomel for me and I’d feel trapped. The CWD I tried was one of only a couple (out of 30 saddles I tried) that actually fit him with enough wither clearance to make me happy. And when I sat in it, I didnt feel “trapped”. Its the first saddle I’ve ever sat in that I feel totally balanced in.

I have no tolerance for crappy customer service, so Devoucoux (wouldnt help me without a bigger budget) and County (rep wanted $$$ and 6 weeks to come out) were out immediately. There was no local BC or Amerigo rep in this area, so those two were out. My CWD rep is SUPER and brought saddles out every weeks for a few months and hunted down the perfect saddle that fit both me and my gelding.

Was it magic? No, it was just a nice saddle with options that made it fit both my horse and me at the same time.

[costco_muffins]

I have the same issues you have - big shoulder and lots of withers - and what worked amazingly for me was a Jeffries. I found a beautiful used one (looked brand new) in a MW for 1K. I love the position it puts me in and it does a lovely job of fitting my bizarre horse. Look around, sometimes the uncouth choices work!