Bridlepath and other saddlers.

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sare_bear

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HI.

I have a saddle that needs re-flocking to fit a youngster of mine. The saddle is old, but fits well on the whole, but this horse has slight assymetrical muscling. Saddles tend to slip to the right so will need to be adjusted to reduce this.

I am in Leics and have arranged for a local master saddler to come out. However the charge is £50 to assess horse + £25 milage (50 p per return mile), and then £95 to take back and reflock it as wont do it on site! Saddle only cost me £300 2 years ago, so seems very expensive to me. I am just not living in the real world.

I have used Bridlepath years ago and liked Laura. Does anyone know if she still comes to Leics and roughly how much she charges. Or any other recommendations. Or do I just have to swallow the money to get an old, but well fitting saddle.

I have also thought about upgrading to a newer model, but this will still need re-adjusting to fit this horse so with this saddler the price was still standing at nearly £200 and then new (second hand) saddle in addition!

Any info appreciated.

Thanks
 
I recently paid £100 cash for pick up of Cair saddle, removal of Cair, total reflock, bring back to yard and fit to horse.
Will probably need to have him back in 3 months to add some flock as it beds down, at which point he'll check both this saddle and my other one and flock/adjust as needed for £50.
Yours does sound expensive!!
 
Ouch! That does sound expensive, I've posted here today already about the cost of a saddle check, but yours sounds even worse! I'd ask around, I will certainly be looking for someone else for the future.
 
I had saddler out, £42 call out and a new gullet for my wintec £19.99 plus re-flocking etc total bill was..... £61.99! Great saddler, his second visit to me and is there for over an hour making sure its right!
 
Sj superstar - that is who has given me the quote!!

Does sound expensive compared to everyone else. Shall have to think whether to cancel appointment and try someone else.

Anyone know how much Laura charges? or any other suggestions for Leics area.

Thanks.
 
My goodness that does sound alot, just paid £30.00 for a check no work needed this time, but last years was checked again and the total amount with work done on it there and then came to £50,00 we are in Kent just to give you an idea
 
For my asymmetric horse I bought the Wow Korrector pad that could be adjusted as required as horse changed shape with work and levelled up.

It was a god send as he changed shape nearly weekly with the correct work! Cost £112 and I could make all the adjustments myself.
 
Is £95 for a total re-flock or just for top-up flocking to suit your asymetrical horse?

£95 does seem rather steep unless it is for a total reflock! :eek:

Have you though about using a Prolite (or similar) with shimz in one side only to asses the asymetry? This would still need 'fitting' by a saddle fitter, but if the horse muscles up it is lots easier to just take the shimz out and use as a normal pad than to get the saddler to come out again and take flocking out to even saddle up!

it is also easier for the horse to muscle up with a pad with shimz apposed to an unevenly flocked saddle. :)
 
Thanks all. Shall give Laura a call.

Interested in the Korrector pad, had not seen one of those. May start another post as that would save the saddle being constantly reflocked as horse becomes more symmetrical.
 
I am no expert but I would want to level the horse rather than unlevel the saddle, did the saddler not suggest this? I'd try a pad as suggested by others, this is same cost but may solve the problem, remember there are lots of yards [in racing for example] where one saddle fits all]
in ye olde days we used to use two thin [ie not padded] girths with single buckles , this seemed to help with side slip, also for rotund ponies some saddlers fit a fourth girth strap so the girth is coming at an angle, I would definitely try a few more options
Treeless saddle fitters seem to have endless ideas on shims and pads and non slip things, so look at their sites for ideas and expertise.
 
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Laura came out to me 4 weeks ago, we are Nott's/Derby border. I'll double check my receipt but i'm sure it was £60/£70 that included reflocking one side of saddle that was slightly out of balance. In my opinion Bridlepath are worth the money and I would never have a saddler that sent the saddle away to be flocked. I've used them for years and it's nice that they bring drawings of your horses template back, straight away from that this time we could see where the problem was. :)
 
One method I use to check saddle fit is to ride in a saddle, no pads, without scrupulously body brushing the horse for a few days, then I check where dried sweat and dirt are underneath, it should be even, in your case it will show you where you might need a shim, will also be a good guide to progress, make sure you use the body brush a bit more on the weak area to encourage blood flow and muscle build up
 
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