Saddle fitting

Fitting a saddle takes time and patience so please allow 1-2 hours.

When we come out for a fitting appointment we will bring around 20-25 saddles to try on your horse. We allow time to firstly find out which saddles fit your horse and then time for you try them out and assess your horse and your comfort before making a choice. The price on the saddle is the total price you pay and includes the fitting session.

When you contact us to make an appointment we will ask you to provide us with the following information: height, age and breed of your horse, their current condition, what disciplines you intend to perform with them, have they been vetted (if new to you) and have they had any back problems recently and if so have these been attended to by a vet or physio.

We carry a stock of over 150 excellent quality English leather new & used saddles (GP/Dressage/ Show jumping/Showing/VSD) by makers such as Ideal, Silhouette, Barnsby, GFS, Jeffries, Black Country etc. If you are looking for a saddle please contact us and even if we cannot supply what you need from current stock, we are getting saddles in all the time and can source one for you. All our second hand saddles are 6 months old or less and in excellent condition. These retail at £500-£650.

We also make our own bespoke saddles. These are individually hand made with top quality English leather and have a double cushioned seat for comfort, double padded knee rolls and skirts. They are finished with brass fittings and have both point and balance straps fitted in addition to the usual girth straps. We make GP, Working Hunter, Show Saddles, VSD and Event models in sizes from 15” up to 19” and in all widths. These retail at £600 for 15"up to 16.5" and £650 for 17" - 19".

We can also make a completely custom made saddle if necessary giving a choice of seat depth and width, cut(shape), depth and width of flap, and depth of knee/thigh rolls.

 

The Art of Good Saddle Fitting

 

Fitting a saddle correctly has always demanded a high level of knowledge and skill in three main areas.

 

Firstly it is vital to have an in depth knowledge and understanding of equine anatomy including how schooling methods and work undertaken will affect the musculature of the animal, and also to be able to detect any lameness or incorrect movement.

 

Secondly it is important to understand the purpose of the large range of saddles made these days and their suitability in relation to the particular horse being fitted.

 

The final factor in the fitting triangle is the rider. Their size and build will be a factor in fitting the correct saddle so knowledge of how human anatomy relates and fits in is important too. The needs of a more petite rider are going to be very different from the tall, long legged rider.

 

The diversity of saddles made today by the various manufacturers has changed the saddle fitters options as there are saddles for just about every equestrian interest these days. We also enjoy a wider range of breeds in the horse itself these days and this in turn has led to saddles being developed for specific breeds that have a particular type of confirmation e.g. Arabs, Haflingers, and Thoroughbreds.

 

A saddle fitter has to take all these matters into consideration when fitting a saddle and on occasion the rider may have to compromise their demand for a particular saddle if it is not the right type for their horse, for the riders physique, or is not ‘the right tool for the job’.

 

One of the most common problems encountered in saddle fitting is asymmetry of the horse and/or the rider. Asymmetry in one or the other will have a knock on effect. For example, if a rider does not sit squarely in the centre of the saddle it will shift to one side, the horse will adapt his movement and probably develop more muscle on one side which in turn means the saddle may be pushed out of square even more. It is therefore important to establish the root cause of the problem – is it the rider or the horse or the saddle? The rider may need to work with their instructor to learn to maintain a square/central seat, the horse may need extra work on one rein to build up balanced muscles and the saddle flocking may need adjusting to help restore balance.

 

Richard qualified nearly 30 ago and brings over 25 years experience as a saddle fitter to his work along with a lifetimes experience with horses as an owner and rider himself. He is always happy to talk to people and explain everything he can with regard to their saddle and their horse and give them a greater understanding of how rider, saddle and horse work together.