Let’s talk about air panels. There are basically two versions of air panels on the market, both trademarked: the Flair Panels and the Cair panels. The main difference between the two is that Flair can be adjusted (air added in or taken out of it) and Cair is a sealed bag. So the air bags located inside the panels are basically two on each side, one in front one in the back, overlapping in the middle. Flair panels are empty rubber bags that get filled with air then foam is laid on top to protect the valve and according to their website act as “shock absorption”. Flair panels are the same depth in the front and the back is more wedge shaped. The Cair panels are sealed rubber type bags with foam inside. The bag is the same thickness front to back (about 3/4” thick). The foam used in both these panels is a general sponge-type foam.
Being sealed, Cair panels are not adjustable. These panels are in Bates saddles, Wintec Saddles and Collegiate Saddles. There are four in each saddle. They have a shim system you can shim in behind the air bags to alter the fit. Being rubber means they can get quite hot on a horse’s back. The overlap of the bags in the middle creates a lumpy panel and also it is basically where your seat bones are so the air can escape to the front and back of the saddle allowing a bottoming out effect in the middle. The air bags have a tendency to crack along the seams, and it is harder to know when the bags have holes since the foam in the middle of the bag will expand when weight is taken off. So people may be riding on a flat air bag and not even know it. This can cause pain, and crookedness. They are also quite hard and unforgiving on a horse’s backs. It is quite a challenge to get replacement Cair bags, so I recommend replacing the Cair panels with wool.
Flair panels are adjustable. There is a piping system that is stored between the saddle tree and panel. You pull out the piping to access the plug where you can fill with air. You can inflate each bag independently so it is easy to fit an asymmetrical horse. You can use any air pump with a narrow gauge ball needle. The Flair people recommend adjusting the air while the horse is tacked up with the rider on. I see many flaws in this system; riders are not even, horses are not even, no proper visual of the panels, and could be scary for the horse. I prefer assessing the saddle on the horse then taking the saddle to my bench, flipping it upside down, and filling the bags where I have assessed it is needed. I can then push flat palmed on the panels and assess how much air is in each panel and try to get it as even as possible by using both hands to compare the panels. The panel should be filled enough that it is soft and forgiving but when I push flat palmed on the bags I should not feel anything behind the air bladder.
The Flair company has come up with another system called the Flair Mark II, which they describe as a foam panel with small air bags sitting in the foam that are adjustable. When I read up on why this second system was designed I have to admit I had quite the giggle. So what they said is that when a horse is ridden in Flair panels they become so free in their movement that many riders cannot sit the horse’s movement! So they created a panel that did not encourage the horse to elevate their stride as much, because the panel is not massaging their muscles the same, so the horse has a flatter movement riders can sit to.
If you have a horse with a back injury in the saddle area, or a super sensitive back, these horses often respond well to the air panels. Since the air bladders have to be inflated to a certain point you will find yourself further away from your horse’s back. Air bags are a rubber material, so synthetic and can become very hot on your horse’s back over a long period of time. Since the air bags overlap through the middle basically in line with your seat bones the air can move out of the way leaving no air support there. The valve of the air bags comes straight out of the top, and middle at a 90 degree angle and they get bent constantly. The layer of foam wraps around the valve, I assume, to protect this pipe. However when the bags get flatter, the valves get bent and it is the most common location for leaks through perished seams. It is very common to have leaks in these air bags. It is way easier to spot a flat Flair panel than a Cair panel, and obviously easy to test since we can inflate the air bags and watch for the pressure to decrease.
Recently I tested the thermal expansion of these bags. Basically when the bags freeze overnight and the air shrinks, the air bags do not inflate when the air heats up again.
As much as the Flair company has argued with me, I have proof and have tested this over and over and the results are always the same. So if your saddle is not in a heated tack room, or if the saddle’s overall temperature drops below zero your air bags will go flat and need reinflating. Also just like a car tire, they slowly lose air through time, so you must be very vigilant and keep an eye on the air pressure in your bags. There is also the issues of altitude to consider if you are travelling. You can learn to do maintenance on your air bags yourself (with training) or have a trained saddle fitter do it for you. I recommend the air bags get checked every three months.
The most common complaint I hear is that the airbag rides like a trampoline; people actually feel the air bouncing below them. This is not because your horse is moving more freely I can assure you. Also air creates a false contact to your horse’s back. Think about it, air moves constantly, how in the world can you feel or direct your seat aid to your horse’s back through air?? You can’t. The good news is it is super easy to remove the air panels and replace with wool, then you will have all those benefits. You can also retrofit air panels in just about any wool flocked panelled saddle.
