Agree. Caveat: no personal experience, but the reputation is not good. I’d be looking at a EQ Saddle Science or Reactor Panel if you wanted something non-traditional.
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Agree! Personal experience and those are a hard no for me.
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Ditto. Not a fan. Saddles with movable panels can be iffy for many horses. Same for those eq saddle science saddles. I’ve known one mare that turned into a bolter with a reactor panel saddle and those eq saddle science saddles are a close relative. The point of a saddle is to provide stability and weight distribution. If your weight bearing surface is constantly moving….where’s the stability? Some horses seem to like them, but they give me pause.
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I’ve known multiple people with bad experiences and horses with sore backs from using them. Several of these were pros so not flopping fish or people trying to wing it without professional guidance.
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For clarity, which brands of saddles are you referring to?
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Pegasus
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Pegasus Butterfly saddles. Designed and sold by Ron Friedman of allsaddles in Westport CT.
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I happen to have a used EQ Saddle Science for sale 
And I love my EQ saddles - and more importantly, so do my horses.
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The Pegasus I bought with a 2 week trial didn’t work for us. I returned it for a refund. Ron offered to try some other options, but I think I will go in another direction as my pony hated it, as in refused to move. I asked for forward and received one step backwards. That was his polite way of telling me if I persisted, he would go up.
I did not try it on the filly as I felt she wasn’t ready, and didn’t want our first ride to be on something she may strongly dislike.
I tried a Kent and Master’s Compact GP, which fit her well, but I found it uncomfortable. The fitter says she will do well with British trees, however she has a very short back (the 17.5" K&M was just a touch too long, and I think I would need an 18" for it to be comfortable to me).
Does anyone have any suggestions? I am looking for a GP or jump saddle for now, preferably with a changeable gullet, so it will at least last her a while longer.
Does anyone have any experience with WOW saddles?
There is a couple of confo shots and a pic of us with the K&M.
If you don’t mind going up in price point, you can try a Fairfax. They have changeable gullets and are well-made British saddles.
You need something with upswept panels, not gusseted rear panels imh. You should easily be able to fit an 18" on that back with the correct panels.
I will ask the fitter about Fairfax, although I would really like to find something a little less expensive. The filly needs a flatish tree, I do best with a less deep seat. I have a 17.5" K&M Cob GP for my paint, and that fits me fine.
Any suggestions on brands? I looked at the websites for K&M and Fairfax and I don’t see anything about an upswept panel option on their saddles. I normally fit a 17.5" fine, however the GP compact says it is made for a petite rider, which I am not. That may be why it feels so uncomfortable.
Stubben, Passier, Amerigo, Harry Dabbs, Collegiate, Thornhill, a lot of French brands that probably won’t fit your mare but maybe! PDS has a gusseted upswept panel that fits very short backs. You can special order them from various brands but be aware they will ride a little different so the same seat size might not work. I would consider trying a Duett Fidelio with us panels for your mare, they tend to fit stock breeds well.
I personally found the Fairfax family of saddles to fit very long in the back and not be very adjustable. They work or they don’t.
Here is a decent description of the difference: https://www.facebook.com/amandaandersonsaddler/posts/more-on-upswept-panelsan-upswept-panel-is-simply-one-that-sweeps-up-as-it-moves-/1668750460184475/
Do you want to try my Ainsley? It’s a 17.5 Ainsley Pro National, I believe it’s a MW. It’s been sitting without a job for a decade. Send me a PM.
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Thank you for the link. I am looking for an AP or jump saddle right now, as I want to do a lot of trail riding and hunter paces. I will get her a dressage saddle next year.
Jump and AP saddles can have upswept / gusseted panels too fyi. Most of the same discussion applies to them.
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Thanks, I know, I just need to find one that fits.
On a side note we trucked to Douglas SF today and I hand-walked her on a trail in the while a friend today rode my paint. She was better than most seasoned horses. Even though she isn’t actually trained - steering is rough, accelerator is not yet installed, I would have felt perfectly safe hoping on if I had a bareback pad or saddle. She is truly a gem!
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