WOW Headplates: The Science Behind The Flexibility
Here's something that blows people's minds when they understand it:
Most saddles come in maybe 4-6 different widths.
WOW comes in 19 different headplate sizes.
And it's not just about having more options. It's about how those options WORK.
First, the specs:
WOW headplates come in 19 sizes across 3 different shapes, with angles ranging from 73 to 143 degrees.
The most common "U" headplates are available in 11 sizes, with 7 degrees difference between each size.
That range means:
73 degrees = extremely narrow/very high withers
143 degrees = 8X wide/flat-backed horses
By contrast, most saddle manufacturers only offer headplates ranging from 80 degrees (narrow) to 110 degrees (extra wide).
WOW goes almost TWICE as wide.
BUT, the shape affects balance and fit
Now here's where it gets clever - the THREE shapes
"V" HEADPLATES
For horses with very narrow spinal processes and very little shoulder
But here's the interesting part: a V isn't just for narrow horses. A V headplate on a downhill horse with broad withers keeps the pommel up and the saddle balanced, where a UU on the same horse would allow the saddle to rock because the front isn't supported.
"U" HEADPLATES
The most commonly used headplates, available in 11 different sizes from 73-143 degrees. The middle arch - the "normal" position for most horses.
"UU" HEADPLATES
For horses with exceptionally wide spinal processes and musculature - your drafts, your broad-backed cold bloods, your horses with massive muscle development.
The ultra-wide arch accommodates horses that traditional saddles just can't fit.
Here's another thing that makes WOW different from other "changeable headplate" saddles:
The WOW tree is Y-shaped, with the point of the Y at the pommel. It's totally rigid front-to-back, but the area where the headplate sits is totally flexible which allows extreme flexibility at the front without sacrificing strength throughout the rest of the saddle. It allows the tree to mould around whatever shaped headplate is put in it.
Traditional saddles cannot do this angle change in a single tree because their trees are fixed-geometry. Change one thing, and everything shifts.
What does that mean in real terms?
With traditional saddles that have "changeable" headplates, if you change the angle, you change the ENTIRE geometry of the saddle.
The whole tree shifts.
With WOW?
The stirrup bars move to the new angle and keep a smooth line with the rest of the tree. The saddle maintains its structural integrity while the front flexes to fit.
So you're not compromising the rest of the saddle to fit a different width.
Why this matters in practice:
Horse A: Flat-backed cob with no wither
You find a headplate that fits the width. The saddle sits stable and secure. Not compromised, not fighting the shape.
Horse B: High-withered warmblood
You find a headplate that accommodates the height. The pommel clears properly. The rest of the saddle geometry stays intact.
Horse C: Broad-backed Iberian
You find a wide headplate. The saddle sits balanced. The UU arch accommodates the width without the rest of the tree distorting.
Horse D: Young draft growing weekly
You start with one headplate. As they develop, you swap to the next size up. The same saddle grows with them.
The 7-degree increments matter:
The difference between each U headplate size is 7 degrees.
That's small enough to fine-tune fit without massive jumps.
You can adjust gradually.
But headplate width isn't the whole story:
Horses change shape constantly:
In and out of training (muscle development changes wither height)
Young horses growing and developing
Seasonal weight changes
Returning from injury
As horses move in and out of work, a change in headplate may often be needed.
They often move between two sizes - one for when they're in training, and one for when they first return to work after resting.
With a WOW system, you swap the headplate. Easy. With a traditional saddle? You're stuck.
The flexibility difference:
Real-world examples:
Flat-backed cob that "can't be fitted" - WOW goes to 143 degrees. Problem solved.
Narrow Thoroughbred - WOW goes to 73 degrees. More range than anyone else.
Growing young horse - Start at one headplate size, swap as they develop. One saddle for years.
Horse developing massive musculature - Swap to a wider headplate as muscles build. Saddle adapts.
What this means for you:
If you have a "difficult to fit" horse, WOW's headplate range probably has a solution.
If you have a horse that changes shape seasonally or with training, you're not buying a new saddle - you're swapping a headplate.
If you have a growing young horse, one WOW saddle adapts throughout their development.
We'll find the right headplate for YOUR horse's shape without compromise for you or your horse
Your horse's shape is unique. Your saddle should be too.