Charging to check new saddle after being fitted - what's fair ?

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Spangles

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Hi, would you expect to be charged a full fitting price on a saddle that was fitted and sold 3-4 months previously ? Very, very expensive saddle so Just gleaning information and advice really. Is there normally a bedding in time that the fitter would not charge a full fitting fee to come out and re-check ?

I appreciate horses change shape and the saddler needs to earn a crust but I would have thought a bit of leway allowing the saddle to settle would be accounted for ?

Interested in people experiences and thoughts. At the end of the day the saddle needs to be checked.
 
No, not a full fitting charge. But I would expect to pay a lesser charge (although many saddles won't charge for the first check).
 
Any time that I have bought brand new there has always been a free check and rebalance after its bedded in. That said I haven’t bought new for years so it may well have changed
 
When I had my saddle made, the saddler didn’t charge for any follow up checks, but he does just live up the road from me.
 
I have never paid for the first check on a custom saddle and if there’s been any issues I have had future checks / changes for free until we got it right .
 
I had a similar situation recently with a saddler I've used for years.

Had initial fitting for new saddle which had to be ordered - charge of around £65.

I collected the new saddle myself - saddler never fitted this one directly. I then booked a 3 month check which previously I'd never paid for.

During the check the saddler had to adjust the flocking (as expected as these saddles tend to be under flocked) and make a few other adjustments.

I was perhaps expecting to pay something for the flocking but was surprised to be charged around £70. I did challenge it and we agreed on a slightly lesser fee - I obviously don't want to short change anyone but it was definately different to previous experiences.
 
My fitter charges £90 to come out but she spends as long as necessary when she is on site and I often get her to check 4/5 saddles. The fitting charge is always additional so even on a 2.5k saddle its on top and any subsequent checks are all charged for.
 
It all depends really. If you make a shed load of £££ on a custom saddle, or only cover a pretty small area, then it's easy to not charge for the first visit. I spend more time in the van than I do doing chargeable work, my first visits mean a callout to cover travel, a basic re-balance to cover settling is free, but if the horse has changed shape to need a tree width adjustment then I charge the balance of the cost. This first visit must be within 3 months to qualify, beyond that odds are the horse has changed shape, and obviously we're trying to encourage you to get the new saddle checked in plenty of time to catch any issues caused by the flock settling. It's not fair to expect a fitter to cover the cost of your horse changing shape, after all many of these changes are because of better muscle because of a better saddle :)

I did a first proper check on a pony yesterday, I had already done a free visit within the trial period as it wasn't quite 100% after the first couple of rides, but had been in two minds as to whether to widen the tree at that point. Because of that I didn't charge any fees at the first check when I did need to widen the tree.
 
Hi, I've spent nearly £6k and paid a lot of money for the first call out and fitting. The first saddle is just outside of a 3 month period but the horse was off work for a period of time after. The second saddle is within the 3 month period. The saddler see's anywhere between 4-7 people at the yard on one visit so well worth his time. I don't mind paying for alterations etc as I appreciate horses change shape & the saddle has to settle but I was shocked to learn I'd have to pay about £150 to re-check two new saddles. I guess my fault for not checking but I wasn't expecting this scenario. Eek !!
 
Hmm, that does sound a little outrageous though obviously a horse being off work for a period makes it more likely they've changed shape so definitely not a reason that a fitter should cover the cost, though I understand it seems unfair. And also if someone had bought two saddles from me in a very short period of time I would probably try and be as accommodating as possible. My costs are all laid out in the email I send out initially so it's all there, but doesn't mean everyone reads it! Technically those terms and conditions should now, because of a new law, be sent out before the fitting.
 
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