WORLD OF WOW

EXPLORE THE WORLD OF WOW SADDLES

SOCIAL MEDIA - TESTIMONIALS - RIDERS - EVENTS

Follow us on Instagram

@WOWSADDLES

Explore our Youtube Channel

@WOWSADDLES

If you like a little bling then this is the saddle for you!

Saddle Showcase - Academic seat with Dressage Equitana flaps

How to spot asymmetry in horse riders (Part 1 of Asymmetry Series)

Correcting Asymmetry in Horse and Rider (Part 3 of Asymmetry Series)

How to Identify Asymmetry in Your Horse (Part 2 of Asymmetry Series)

How a FreeSpace Bridle should sit on a horse

The Three Curvatures of a WOW Saddle Tree

WOW NEWS

EXPLORE OUR LATEST BLOG POSTS

First Thought Equine Wins Prestige Award 2025

First Thought Equine Ltd (FTE) are proud to announce that we have been awarded Equestrian Equipment Retailer of the Year at the 2025...

Mid-September Shutdown Reminder

Please note we will soon be closing our offices for our mid-September shutdown (12-21 September 2025) and our last working day is Thursday 11th September 2025 and we’ll be back in the office on Monday 22nd September.

Inside the workshop [photos]

Every part of a WOW Saddle is made right here in our Kent countryside workshop. On 29 July 2025 we took a little wander around the...

WOW Saddles Featured in Your Horse Magazine and Horse & Hound This Month

WOW Saddles is proud to be featured in two of the UK’s leading equestrian publications this month: Your Horse and Horse & Hound . Your...

UK Hosepipe Bans & Your Horse

The welfare of animals is paramount as as such are protected during hosepipe bans, so you can continue to use hosepipes to look after your horse.

2 3 4 5

TESTIMONIALS

TESTIMONIALS FROM REAL, EVERY DAY RIDERS ALL OVER THE WORLD

Gemma Hart

"When I first bought Rupert he came with a WOW dressage saddle. I wasn’t sure what all the fuss was about till I rode in it!!! Rupert was a sharp , young pony who moved very big for his size. I couldn’t believe how secure I felt in this saddle!!

I bought a jump saddle with wool flocking as that was all I could afford at the time. It became very obvious that he went so much better in his dressage saddle, so I saved up and bought him a WOW jump saddle the following summer.

Rupert sustained a field injury so spent 18 months on rehab. During that time he changed shape regularly, so having a saddle that was so adjustable was amazing!

When my 12 year old decided she wanted to start riding him, we felt she needed a saddle that would fit her as well as she was tiny! We bought a Duskin Saddles Dressage and the improvement in how she rode was incredible!

We use the FreeSpace Girth with all my saddles as I feel that Rupert’s comfort is really important to me."

Caroline Jüngling

My name is Caroline Jüngling and my horse, WP Hardcash Thunderstorm, and I are the European 3-Gait Grand Champion 2022 and German 3-Gait Champion 2023.

Together with Mailie Johnson we found our perfect saddle solution in the WOW Saddle. The past half year has shown an unbelievable upward trend in our training largely due to the perfect and flexible fit of the WOW saddle. Coming from the dressage and showjumping sport in the U.S.A., it was very important for me to find a saddle that enables correct classical training while allowing the big movement of the Tennessee Walking Horse and not hindering my movement in the saddle. The modular system of the WOW saddle gave me the freedom to build the saddle that I needed.

Thank you to the whole WOW Team and especially to Mailie Johnson for the phenomenal saddle and the support we needed! In future I hope to advance in Versatility with WP Hardcash Thunderstorm and will be starting my young horse Dusky’s Glorious Renegade in the Rail classes, although Versatility is my main goal with all of my Tennessee Walking Horses.

Tim Smith

I have just realised that it's nearly 5 years since I first met Nicola Nicholls and bought my first WOW saddle .
Very briefly I got back into riding at the age of 32 ( now 60 ) and before I knew it was a horse owner! After a couple of years I was introduced to Arab racing and then found myself owning an arab. Later I started competing at endurance and before long was participating in race rides.
My trusty partner through all of this was Hamac a French bred arab.
By the time he got to 19, saddle fitting was becoming a problem as hes very short backed and I'm not the smallest rider. Getting someone to help us was not easy and back problems were occurring.
Someone suggested WOW and then I met Nicola.
We had a good chat about what I wanted to do and that was simply to find a suitable saddle for my horse and myself to carry on riding together
Nicola was very keen to help and lent me a saddle to ride in. I actually rode in a graded ride at Euston Park and we completed with a grade1 and no back issues.
After that I bought my first WOW saddle!
In the five years that we have had the saddle Hamac has had NO back issues, no saddle related problems and most importantly for me he is still in full work helping to train younger endurance horses and still competing himself at the shorter distances and getting grade 1s.
I'm very lucky to have a good support team with an excellent vet , Mc timoney specialist and saddler.
Without the saddle and Nicola's regular visits to make sure all is well I am of the opinion that Hamac would not be doing what he is today.
At 25 my little horse still loves going out having fun and I am very grateful that I'm still able to enjoy him after 21 years together!

Thankyou WOW but most importantly thank you Nicola!

Rachel Cordle & Trigger

I have loved your saddles for years and eventually saved up to buy one for my beautiful dressage cob Trigger. I use Alison Braithwaite WOW Saddler and she very kindly asked to sponsor us, so we have a beautiful wow saddle cloth to compete in.

I am completely in love with my WOW saddle and so is Trigger, he really appreciates your soft release girth. As a round cob he has always had to have tight girths, and showed clear signs of discomfort. The soft release girth gives him so much more freedom and he doesn’t bat an eyelid when I girth him up anymore.

We have had great success competing in the new saddle and have already qualified for area festivals, at prelim silver and novice bronze in our first three outings. Our results even got us in Horse and Hound!

Gemma Hart

Caroline Jüngling

Tim Smith

Rachel Cordle & Trigger

Gemma Hart

Caroline Jüngling

Tim Smith

Rachel Cordle & Trigger

WOW AMBASSADORS

TRIED AND TRUSTED BY THE VERY BEST RIDERS

Katie Watson

We have an event and livery yard in County Durham with horses ranging from 3 year olds to 4*. We've had one of our best season yet, Wilf (pictured is modelling his wow stud girth and jump saddle with a flat seat and Tapner Xc flaps)has shown huge promise for the future, he's only 9 and has made very light work of the step up to 4*.
Claude, my established 4* horse finished with a super double clear at Blenheim 4* L having had some super 4* s runs this year.
The younger horses are showing huge promise too, with 7 year old Louis being selected to go to the world young horse championships later this month at Le Lion.
Indy has also had a super season finishing top of the 6 year old league and winning 4 events including his first 2*s.
I've used Wow saddles for the last 20 years and simply wouldn't use any other saddles on my horses. Lizzie from Priory Saddlery does a super job of fitting them and it's brilliant to know they're comfortable in their work all the time.
I love the new Free Space girth and have been using that for dressage alongside my Wow stud girths for jumping.

Marit Louwerse

I've been using WOW saddles for 15 years already. With a few really nice saddles in our collection a real 'diehard' fan. It's really nice to have my saddles perfectly fitted for my horses.
I have 2 completely different jumping saddles. One DMK with litex seat and the other is more standard, continental flaps with movable blocks. Despite the big differences they are both perfect for me as a rider. They really give me security and comfort, during cross country or with the young green horses. Also the dressage saddles with the equitana flaps are just perfect , I use them with a simple neoprene girth or with the H-girth, depending on the horse.
What I love about WOW is the fact that you can fit them so perfectly, because everything is adjustable. With the smallest adjustments you can make big differences, and with the air in the panels, and the newest technology it's possible to make those tiny changes. Also the horses really love the saddles because of that perfect fit and the possible freedom in the movements. For the young horses it's a big plus the saddles can grow with them.
The most important is ofcourse the perfect fit for both horse and rider, but I also love to customize the saddles with the special colours and pieces of leather, it's all in the details!

Sophie Byford

I’ve ridden my horses exclusively in Wow Saddles since 2017, no other brand offers the innovation, attention to detail and commitment to both horse and rider comfort.
I have competed up to 3* with my top horse Handsome, but as he recovers from a tendon injury I am focusing on the next generation and am very excited to see what they can bring to the team. Handsome’s saddles have been temporarily fitted onto other horses while he’s recuperating so have not sat idle in the tack room.
My first WOW DMK was originally fitted to my 14.2hh event pony, it’s now been used on horses upto 18hh, and is my favourite for starting youngsters.
I now have a number of WOW saddles ranging from xc jump saddles to the latest Pinnacle dressage, due to the versatility of these saddles my fitter (Jenny Basham) is able to customise them to fit the wide range of horses I work with, and of course they all suit me perfectly!
Jenny always ensures my horses and I are able to concentrate on our work together, allowing me to ride with confidence and balance and ensuring excellent weight distribution, freedom of movement and comfort for my horses.
I use various WOW girths, all chosen to suit the individual needs of that horse. Most do particularly well in the FreeSpace, but I also love the Switcha for jumping and the Split Elegance is very useful, particularly for narrow horses.
I'm proud to represent a brand that truly understands and caters to the needs of both riders and horses from any discipline.

Alex Harrison

I love the versatility of my WOW saddle. From a riders point of view, the narrow twist really allows me to wrap my leg around the horse and feel close to them without locking me in.
Their modular design and adjustability allows me to alter them depending on what my horse's need at different times throughout the season and levels of training. Due to the flexibility of the tree and unique panel design everything feels easy! I’m not having to work against my saddle to get the expression I want, the horses WANT to let go over their back and swing under the saddle.

Nicky Hill

My Name is Nicky Hill and I am an event rider currently competing up to 5* level with horses competing at all levels. I am also lucky enough to ride some very good showjumpers competing up to 1m40 level.
I have ridden in WOW saddles since 2018, when I was first lucky enough to sit in one. At Blenheim horse trials Dawn Britnell, an eventing friend and WOW saddle fitter, noted some areas we were struggling in with my top horse and suggested it might be worth trying a WOW saddle. The difference it made for my top horse was quite amazing, he instantly became freer and softer over the back and for the first time was easily maintaining a good 4 beat can’t. The difference was huge, so we managed to get sorted to take a WOW dressage saddle to our first 5* just a few weeks later. In those few weeks his dressage mark went from a 41 at Blenheim, to a 34 in his first 5*, the only change was his saddle!

Since then we have never looked back and I am now very privileged to ride all my horses in WOWs for both jumping and dressage. They are second to none in both comfort and performance for horse and rider. I have some particularly tricky horses to fit a saddle to but with the adjustable nature of the saddles we’ve managed to get them all in perfectly fitting tack.
The new pinnacle saddle has been a real game changer for me (short legs!) and is the first dressage saddle I’ve ridden in that I feel has really allowed me to get my leg into the right position.
Alongside the saddles, the range of girths WOW provide allow even more comfort for the horses. The freedom girth has made a real notable difference to all my horses. It allows a huge range of movement for the forelimbs and they all finally feel like they really can move freely with tack on. We also love the switcha stud girth which all of my horses use xc. It provides super protection and also has a clever design that allows it to be used as a full stud girth or smaller everyday girth. I’m also very impressed with the hidden martingale attachment that limits the risk of horses getting their foot stuck which I have seen happen on a few occasions recently.

I’m very honoured to ride in WOW saddles and can’t speak highly enough of the difference they have made for my horses, without a doubt we would not have achieved many of our results without them.

Steff Parry

Im Steff Parry and I train with my horses to compete in Dressage. I’ve been lucky to compete up to inter 1 level with Grand Prix movements at home. I changed to WOW saddles after a recommendation from our saddle fitter Laura Dempsey. My advanced horse Lexi loved it straight away.
WOW is so easy to work with as so many adjustments can be made. Lex was always quick to tell me when an adjustment was required and equally quick to say “ thanks that feels great”
My home bred Joey, who now steps up to be my main horse, feels exactly the same. Just recently we added the new free space girth to our kit and “wow” I felt the different immediately!!
The team at WOW are constantly researching and helping horses move comfortably with new innovations. I’m very privileged and proud to be a part of this team and so are my horses.

Juliana Kaup

I first got interested in the WOW-Saddles because I was hardly able to sit my geldings trot, as soon as there was even a tiny bit of tension in him I had no chance, I was hopelessly bumping around which in turn obviously led to more tension. WOW was the first saddle that I could not only sit him in properly, it wasn’t even exhausting anymore. And due to the better fit and the freedom the saddle gave him there was also rarely any tension to begin with, and if there was I was able to work him through it productively without being hindered by my own discomfort. Since then I was hooked, I would not buy another brand anymore. All of my horses are happier, move more freely and have considerable better muscles along their top line.
Most recently even my 4* mare, who has always had a rather unique jumping style has suddenly, at sixteen years old, started to actually use her back over the jumps after switching her jumping saddle to WOW.

Steph Quintrell

Prior to July 2019 I was an able bodied, full time working Mum to a very energetic 2-year-old boy and spent my spare time in the saddle riding my beautiful Welsh section D mare, Bubba. But in 2019, mine and my families’ lives were turned upside down when I became suddenly very unwell and was subsequently diagnosed with a complex neurological condition. I became fully dependant on a wheelchair, completely lost the use in my right-hand fingers and lost partial use in my wrist as well, started have seizures and began what would turn out to be an ongoing battle managing my many other debilitating symptoms. Initially I had to stop riding all together, due to the fact I was unable to even hold my own weight up in my chair, let along keep myself upright in the saddle. However, I always knew that sometime and somehow, I would ride again. In the meantime, I spent my time just sitting with my beautiful Bubba and cheeky miniature pony Loki, in their stables and enjoyed that feeling of being there with them. A matter of months after I became unwell was when I met Maggie from Wow saddles and we instantly connected as I told her my story and shared my desire to ride again. From this meeting on, we knew that getting me back in the saddle meant I needed to be getting back in the perfect saddle, perfect for both me and Bubba. Fast forward a couple of years and with the help of my incredibly supportive, and (luckily) physically strong husband Jon, I achieved my dream and started riding again. It felt like a long and slow process of me building strength and both Bubba and me relearning how to ride with the way my body had become, but 4 years on and we are now out regularly cross country jumping, long distance hacking and generally just loving the freedom that riding has given me back. I genuinely believe having a saddle made to measure, with support for me in exactly the right places, that fits Bubba perfectly, and having the ability to adjust the saddle as and when we need to, has played a big part in my journey to not only get back in the saddle, but to get to the point I am at today and to achieve what I have so far. Bubba and I have the most special partnership, with total trust in each other and just the right amount of sassy attitude to keep the spark there when we are out having fun, and we have our sights set on even more for the future. My long-term dream is to successfully compete in para show jumping and at least we will most definitely look the part in my beautiful saddle, complete with crystals and patterned leather that I of course needed to have.

Alexandra Munn

I have been using Wow Saddles since the age of 13 years old & have never looked back! I still have the same dressage saddle that I originally bought for my pony in 2010 that has since gone on to win South African Pony Rider Eventing Champs & South African Adult Eventing Champs as well as be used at my first 4*-L at Blenheim Palace Horse Trials (with updated panels)! The adjustability & comfort us unrivaled. Not to mention the newest styles and patterns available for any aesthetic preference. Wow are constantly researching, evolving and adapting which means that our horses will always receive the best when having a Wow Saddler out for a fitting! Huge thank you to Nicola Purdy & the rest of the Wow team for their continued support for myself & on behalf of all South African Wow Saddle fans❤️🇿🇦

Maddi Ellis

My name is Maddi Ellis and I currently event my horse Traq Time, known as Blondie, at BE100/1* level. I have ridden in WOW for the past two seasons, and I cannot believe the difference in my horses way of going. I will never forget the first time we tried the free space girth and couldn’t believe the freedom Blondie had through his shoulder and the difference it made in his lateral work. I also love their adjustability as like many horses, Blondie changes shape as the event season comes to an end and we go in to winter, so the ability to make minor adjustments to the saddle to ensures the saddle fits correctly throughout the year is a massive advantage. It also gives me comfort as a rider to know I have the ability to maximise my horses comfort at all times without having to buy a new saddle! I wouldn’t ride him in anything else!

Kirstie McPherson

I’m Kirstie I’m a grade 2 para dressage rider and para endurance rider / ambassador.
I have EDS, dystonia, degenerative disc disease, semi prolapsed discs, hip dysplasia and half hip sockets and suffer hemiplegic migraine.
In short I can become paralysed or blind and my limbs fall off lol.

I was extremely lucky to be awarded and ambassadorship for the sponsored rides I do over long distances across the moors. My first one was to buy a defibrillator for our local RDA centre, the second to raise money for the Cornwall air ambulance trust across Dartmoor and the third again to raise money for the Cornwall air ambulance across Bodmin moor. We have our next ride scheduled for the 23/9/24 across Exmoor.

With all my body blips having a saddle which is comfortable, shock absorbing , holds me in a nice secure and balance seat is paramount, not only to make me less wonky but to help keep Connie as comfortable as possible having a wonky rider.

My saddle is amazing. It’s held me on a few feral pony moments and when my legs have given up I have been held securely on board by my saddle.
I also ride Connie in a wow FreeSpace girth. It’s taken me from having a pony who tripped a lot and slipped a lot going down hills to a pony who could March and trot down hills with no problems. I wouldn’t ride in any other set up now.
Sadly this year has been a bit of a let down on the ridden side when I ended up in hospital paralysed after my last training ride. I have managed to get back on my feet but face extensive surgery to my pelvis and both hips in just 3 weeks. So am grounded till after then. But we have already set a date for Exmoor, have our team as I can’t ride alone , accommodation with stabling and a livery yard I can move Connie to in spring where I have access to other endurance riders and plenty of off road riding so it’s perfect to get Connie and I fit and ready to hit Exmoor for our biggest challenge yet.

My biggest fear this year was being told I could lose my legs. But I took on board a post about a wow saddle for a lady with paralysis and I knew in that moment that if the worst happens wow has a solution. When you have 4 legs that can run with you you will always find freedom.

I look forwards next year to getting back in between the white boards.
I write a blog, the wonky
Zebra, Beautiful Giraffe and Dashy Doo in the hope that I can help others and raise awareness Of para endurance as a sport and of hidden disabilities.