Bl**dy Saddle fitters please can some one offer advice (Long)

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SAL66

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To cut a long story short, had one saddle fitter that said my saddle was fine then changed to too tight and maybe put a bit more flocking in would help, plus other weird comments, so decided to get another saddle fitter out, waited weeks for her to come and yes, she agreed with my instructer that the saddle was too tight across his shoulders and re flocking wouldn't really help with the width etc.

I had previously asked her to bring a particular saddle that I had tried and liked, she didn't bring that one but several others, that were an ok fit. We then tried my friends saddle that I had been borrowing and she said fantastic fit the tree sat on his back lovely, but instead of a M fit to go for MW fit.
If she hadn't got one in her stores she would order from Jeffries.

Great I thought, I rang them yesterday with fingers crossed only to be told No she hadn't got one and would order from Jeffries when she had time, then went on to explain that she has other customers to see blah blah blah.
I was gobsmacked she charged me £40 to come out, which was ok, I never even sat in a bloody saddle though and ow doesn't seem overly keen to help me out knowing how desparate I am.
I am spending just short of a grand and have never experienced anything like it.

The thing is that Eland Lodge have in the saddle that I want but if I bought it it wouldn't be fitted by a saddle fitter, I'm sorely tempted to take the risk.

Any one who is still reading this essay got any suggestions, I am truely at my wits end with people who don't do the job properly and when they seem Ok just can't be bothered to finish the job off.

Grrrr !
 
I sympathise. I once wanted a saddler to come as my horse had developed white hairs on his back. She had sold me this saddle and taken it away to be re-stuffed the previous year.

We arranged an appointment, and then she rang me on the morning to say she was running late and she couldn't come as she had more imporant calls to make!!!!!!!!!! She was supposed to re-arrange, but I never heard from her again.

In the end I got Kay Humphries and so pleased I did. (The white hairs went when the coat grew through).
 
Am a bit puzzled... if your friends saddle was a M and was a fantastic fit, why does she want you to order a MW? Anyway, that aside I do think you have been getting very shabby treatment and I really dont understand why the saddler hasnt placed an order for the saddle! They will be making a very handsome profit on it so it defeats me why they cant make a 2 minute phone call to order it!

Is there an independent saddle fitter in the area? If so I would def go and get the one from Eland Lodge. If you dont know of one could you ask Elands if they know of anyone? (am assuming they are a tack shop!). Or phone Jeffries and ask them if there is a local fitter they can recommend
 
When I had my saddle fitted I actually took my horse to them as the shop was sited at a riding club and we used the indoor school. I was there for a good few hours and I ended up buying a second hand saddle as the saddler said that was the best fit!
The saddler in question would also travel to you with 20-30 saddles new and second hand and never charged!
You could always contact the maker of the saddle and ask for help as quite a few are good like that and give you advice.
 
Oldmare- apparantly my friends saddle is a few years old and therefore bedded in but my horse could stand a slightly wider fit hence MW- her take on things anyway.This saddle fitter is recommended on Jeffries website.

Dianchi, I have thought about that but my biggest concern is spending all that money and just on the slight off chance it doesn't fit, Eland will not refund just a credit note and £987 to me is a lot of money tied in to a shop, and I'm guessing that if I didn't purchase the saddle directly from the fitters shop she wouldn't do a saddle fitting in a hurry.
 
I'm not a great fan of saddlers, they're very good at taking your money, promising a perfectly fitting saddle and yet months down the line you're still out of pocket and fannying about. I don't know of Eland Lodge but will they bring the saddle out for you to try or let you take it, they just don't have their own saddler, or will they not let you try it at all? If you can try it to see how it fits before you're stuck with it do it. When you get it to try have a few knowledgable professionals on hand for second opinions - between you you'll make a more unbiased decision than the saddler would. You'll know if it fits or not, saddlers promise all kinds of alterations which in my experience are bo**oks! A well fitting saddle should not need them. If it needs a bit of flocking alteration get an independent saddler out and let them assess and do the work - not someone trying to make a few hundred quid out of you. If you can't try the saddle at all give it a miss and look further afield for somewhere you can.
 
Sorry you've had so may problems! My saddle fitter is Andy Wheals and I can't recommend him enough. PM me if anyone wants his tel no. He's fab, I bought my Bates saddle from him, he spent time discussing it with me to make sure I had thought about it before he came over then spent a long time with the horse, checking his back, the fit of the saddle, watched me ride in it, checked horses action before and after saddle fitting with and without saddle. He was fab. I personally wouldn't waste my time using anyone else ever again.
 
Are you anywhere near Buxton? I know a fantastic saddlers if so...

Are there any other stockists of jeffries near you, where you could take it back? I think some of the online saddlerys have got jeffries saddles, and would do you a full refund if you find it doesn't fit.
 
THanks KVS, I am going to Eland Lodge later today and will ask them if I could borrow it, or if they can bring it down for me to try, so fingers crossed.

I know I shouldn't rush this as I have been trying to sort this out approx 8 weeks and a few more weeks shouldn't hurt, but in reality I'm saddleless as I can't ride him in mine anymore.

I truely never thought buying a saddle would be like this, I naievly thought it would be a pleasant and relaxing experience, the total opposite is what I have found - I could just be unlucky!.

Finding the blooming horse is the easiest bit finding a saddle to fit me and him well TBH its a bit of a joke and I've spent £85 on two saddle fitters and guess what still no bl**y saddle.!!
 
I wouldnt go with either Eland or your current fitter. Dont like either of them - Eland credit note only instead of a refund is very poor. Do they seriously expect you to spend that much money in the hope that it might fit! Is there another fitter on the Jeffreys website that you could use?
 
Fairhill , would your fitter travel out ? I'm on the Derbyshire/Uttoxeter border,its do able.

Do they have a shop is it "Hope" something?
 
I'm not sure if she will do fittings from here or not, but will probably be worth a phone call. I use her branch in dukinfield, and my yard is on her way home, so she just calls in.
Having said that, the last few times I've just took a load of saddles home with me, and fit them myself, as my mare seems to need a new saddle every 6 months at the moment. She has loads of 2nd hand ones in stock, so I've done well with part-exes.

It's called Peakdale saddlery - will PM you the details.
 
Oldmare- On Jeffries website it just lists the stockists and not sure if they all have fitters I guess I'll ring them up leaving out the one that has already pi$$ed me off with poor service.

Its pity the manufactuer's don't "mystery shop" them on the service they provide like they do in the car industry, in this way only the good ones would be recommended on saddle makers website as apposed (sp) to the crap!!
 
fairhill- thanks will call them shortly.

masterbronze, trouble with transport at the mo, having to rely on friends who work strange shifts, but could arrange something, again I will call them, but I expect it means waiting weeks for an appointment if they are good.
 
Barbara Edgerton is self employed but based at Macclesfield saddlery. IME she's the best saddle fitter in the Cheshire area. I avoid committing myself to buying from her because she tends to specialise in Barnsby/Jeffries and its an uphill struggle trying to get more of a selection from her but as you're after Jeffries she might be worth a phone call, she is a good judge of a well fitting saddle.
 
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Fairhill , would your fitter travel out ? I'm on the Derbyshire/Uttoxeter border,its do able.

Do they have a shop is it "Hope" something?

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Hope valley saddlery is the one you're thinking of. They stock jeffries saddles
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I've bought a rug online from them, and they were very efficient and they do full refunds
smile.gif
 
I dont think I would take the risk of buying the saddle and trying to get this woman out again - she will probably have even less incentive to come and see you.

I understand how frustrating it is having a horse and not having anything to ride in. But I think making sure you have a correctly fitting saddle is the most important thing here. Buying a saddle and fitting it yourself is risky and you do not want to risk injuring your horse AND not having money to buy another saddle/hassle of selling a second hand saddle.

I would definitely get an independent saddler out and before telling them what model you wanted etc ask them what would suit your horse. After all, she said that your friend's saddle was a great fit and then suggested a wider size? Although the flocking does bed in, it wont be so extreme as to change by an entire size (otherwise I suggest your friend has hers reflocked!)

And if a saddle is too tight putting more flocking is only going to make it tighter!
 
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Any one who is still reading this essay got any suggestions, I am truely at my wits end with people who don't do the job properly and when they seem Ok just can't be bothered to finish the job off.Grrrr !

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So am I! I wanted to buy a new show saddle so contacted the highly recommended saddler who had fitted my horse's saddle when with her previous owners. I did have to wait about a month for an appointment but the day duly arrived and I picked a saddle which she had to order in from the manufacturers and she took all the measurements. I stressed that I needed it for the Royal Highland Show, which was in 8 weeks time. It cost £795.

Still waiting 2 weeks before the RHS and I am phoning her on weekly basis. She had to fit it but could not book an appointment until it arrived. Then turns out the saddle had arrived a week before but she had gone on holiday and her husband was fielding the calls. Could I collect it (by this stage now really worried I would not have it for the RHS)? Yes, no question of them delivery it LOL, so 90 mile round trip to their place, only for husband to announce he had been mistaken and it had not arrived after all, it was not there. However 3 days later he phoned me and said it had been there, he just could not find it. She was back by this time but no question of fitting it, so back I go again to pick it up.

And I got the impression that by phoning them to ask if it was in yet and could I collect it and then complaining when I had to go back a second time to do so, they deliberately decided to be uncooperative. I wasn't even particularly rude, just stated firmly that it wasn't very good service and that I worked full time and couldn't keep doing 90 mile round trips to pick up saddles. Their answer - well we're very busy too.

In the end, I could not pin her down to fit the saddle but determined to have it properly fitted as it was included in the price, I took the horse and me the 90 mile round trip to get it fitted. By this time I got the strong impression they were totally sick of me.

It was like dealing with Royalty and trying to get an appointment with the Queen! When I got my new horse I spent £1000 on a new saddle from a completely different saddler, theres no way I was dealing with them again!

I cannot understand why people have such bad attitudes towards their customers. A little politeness and a simple apology goes a long way. Its not as if I'm a difficult type of customer to deal with. I deal with the public as well when I do my holiday lets and I haven't even had an argument with anyone in the last 3 years, which takes some doing, so I know its possible.
 
Also not hugely keen on saddle fitters, I would do away with that saddle fitter. If you want to order the saddle recommended if you like it and agree with what they said, although, if the M was a 'fantastic fit' then why buy a MW? or get a hold of the first saddle you wanted, Then use your knowledge, common sense, expert mate, combined with what the saddle fitter showed you to guage whether this is an ok fit. then at first opportunity, get a qualified saddler to come out. They often travel to the big shows, our yard gets an annual visit for checks from stirlingshire when they come to Burgie.

Or - the store where you get the saddle from might have an inhouse fitter - you should not be charged if you are buying the saddle from them.

Fi x
 
I am guilty of not using saddle fitters. I have to say that I have not met anyone who can say that their saddle fits more than 80%. I would rather spend ££ and get a new saddle if he changes shape - which he does VERY VERY easily. And also he can be a W in one, but a XW in others and a MW in some!

My current saddle is 'just' ok, and needs reflocked which it will do in the next week, and my older one needs a total reflock.

I have not heard of a saddler up here who has not had a client who has had serious issues with them - do do with saddle twist, touching withers, bad flocking. BUT then I think that a lot of it is also down to riders not caring. I know one girl whos saddle doesnt fit - she admitted it, but then just padded it up and shrugged, and then wonders why her horse wont jump and freaks out when ridden!!

Daisy_Duck - I can understand the choosing a MW over a M, as your horse may be more likely to put ON weight than lose, and it would be easier to add more flocking to a MW and have it sit better on the back than a M that could be too right and pinch. Well that is my understanding ot it.
 
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