Cost of saddler call out/reflock

[Emma_1994]

Hi everyone,

I had the saddler out today to just check my horses saddle. I have just received the invoice and I am shocked at how much the price has gone up again. The saddle just needed a slight reflock and that was all. It came to £130 thereabouts and is broken into 3 fees: call out, saddle check and advise and onsite reflock. Does this sound about right in comparison to what you would pay?

 

[AmyMay]

That sounds very reasonable. I was paying that 10 years ago.

 

[EllenJay]

Guessing that was a minimum of 2 hours work, supplies plus the expertise you were paying for - sounds more than reasonable to me.

The 2 hours includes travel and admin.

 

[Emma_1994]

Guessing that was a minimum of 2 hours work, supplies plus the expertise you were paying for - sounds more than reasonable to me.

The 2 hours includes travel and admin.

No, so she was only here for a matter of minutes. Looked at the saddle, said it needed a reflock. Did the reflock in a few minutes and then I rode for maybe 15minutes. She was here for maybe 40mins and only comes down the road from me.

 

[Emma_1994]

That sounds very reasonable. I was paying that 10 years ago.

That's good to know. I've never used anyone else so was just interested to know what others are paying and if this is standard.

 

[EllenJay]

No, so she was only here for a matter of minutes. Looked at the saddle, said it needed a reflock. Did the reflock in a few minutes and then I rode for maybe 15minutes. She was here for maybe 40mins and only comes down the road from me.

I can’t be asked! I will 100% guarantee that she was with you for more than 40 mins. Putting on the saddle, seeing you riding, putting in flocking, putting on the saddle, seeing you ride again will all take more than 40 mins.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Think it was a bargain

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

I paid £60 18months ago.

 

[Emma_1994]

I can’t be asked! I will 100% guarantee that she was with you for more than 40 mins. Putting on the saddle, seeing you riding, putting in flocking, putting on the saddle, seeing you ride again will all take more than 40 mins.

No, she was not. She did not see me ride before checking/readjusting the saddle. A quick check and a few minutes to reflock. It was reflocked before in the time I'd put my boots, hat and just getting the bridle on.

 

[Zoeypxo]

I pay £60 for fit reflock and seeing me ride, Takes between 30-60 mins

 

[Emma_1994]

I pay £60 for fit reflock and seeing me ride, Takes between 30-60 mins

That seems very good!

 

[Baywonder]

Was it a total re-flock, or did the fitter just to add some extra flocking? A total re-flock would take longer than a few minutes

 

[Goofus]

To have my saddle assessed/reflocked a few months ago was £258! I am in the US

 

[Emma_1994]

Was it a total re-flock, or did the fitter just to add some extra flocking? A total re-flock would take longer than a few minutes

It was just extra flocking. The saddle is brand new but just needed to have extra flocking put in at the front to fit my horse better.

 

[Baywonder]

It was just extra flocking. The saddle is brand new but just needed to have extra flocking put in at the front to fit my horse better.

Ah thank you. It would not take long just to add a bit of extra flocking tbh. As for the cost, it seems a bit steep to me, especially as she was just down the road!

 

[Emma_1994]

Ah thank you. It would not take long just to add a bit of extra flocking tbh. As for the cost, it seems a bit steep to me, especially as she was just down the road!

Thank you, that's what I thought. I didn't mind that she wasn't here long as it was actually quite convenient for me and I'm happy with the fit now. I just wondered whether this was perhaps just the going rate now, which looks like it might well be.

 

[Emma_1994]

To have my saddle assessed/reflocked a few months ago was £258! I am in the US

Gosh, that really is a lot!

 

[poiuytrewq]

I pay £100 ish that’s call out, check and adjust flocking.

 

[cauda equina]

Roughly £150 for me

 

[Red-1]

I think I paid £70 last time, or thereabouts. I did think it was a bargain at the time!

As an aside, whenever I have bought a new saddle, it has included a visit and adjust after a few months, once it has settled. I guess the first re-fit is usually a quick one and many saddlers would prefer to do that than have someone put them down on social media when the saddle no longer fits.

All that said, I think I would prefer to pay a bit more for someone who will do the work while you wait and then check it on the horse. The locally well known shop to me has the fitter come out, assess the saddle, takes it away for a week for someone else to do the work (who has not seen it on the horse) and then you either pick it up or, for a bigger fee, pay him to come back and have a look at it on the horse. I don't use these people, although they are cheap to buy from.

Eta - I had 2 done, so £70 each. The person is very thorough.

 

[j1ffy]

I paid £60 in September but it was just a quick adjustment (some additional flocking) and he didn't watch me ride.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Sounds about right. I pay a call out fee , assessment fee and then depending on how much wool is used ,.pay for the top up.
Just for reference , you haven't had a re-flock , you've had a flocking top-up. I paid £160 for a total re-flock and my fitter took my saddle away and did it over night at home. That means all of the flocking is replaced.

 

[sassandbells]

I pay £60 + travel for checking 1 saddle. It’s then an additional £10-£30 for flocking.

She does a full assessment of the saddle & horse, as well as a ridden assessment.

I have also paid £65 for someone to just come out, take templates and advise on the type of saddle we could try without actually putting a saddle on the horse so it seems to vary greatly between fitters.

£60-70 seems the going rate in my area.

 

[criso]

I paid £60 for a saddle check, then about 20 for a reflock. Callout has varied between 0 for a local saddler checking several at the same yard to £40 for wanting someone to come just for me out of their usual area.

What I would say is, I'm not sure if it applies in this but where I've had a new saddle, I've got the first check up free though not flocking and callout.

 

[olop]

I pay £30 for mine, she comes from quite a distance as well but she only comes up my end if she has others to do so I’d say that was quite expensive but looking at what I pay it’s very cheap to everyone else!

 

[Sossigpoker]

I pay £30 for mine, she comes from quite a distance as well but she only comes up my end if she has others to do so I’d say that was quite expensive but looking at what I pay it’s very cheap to everyone else!

That wouldn't even cover their travel time let alone the time taken to do adjustments. That person must be very rich to be able to work for literally peanuts. If they drive a fair distance most of that would be taken up in fuel alone

 

[caileag]

Last time was £40, watched me ride, then reflocked. I think she does others in the same area on same day so no individual call out.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

My saddler comes a fair way but fits me in when she is in the area. I pay around £80. That's for her ti check saddle unmounted, then I ride, then she adjusts if needs be, then I ride again. Takes about an hour and a half.

 

[Squeak]

I was charged £460 for a saddler to not even watch me ride, 10 mins travel time max for them and they were there for max 30 mins and all that needed doing were minor balance/ adjustments. I was fuming.

 

[Baywonder]

I was charged £460 for a saddler to not even watch me ride, 10 mins travel time max for them and they were there for max 30 mins and all that needed doing were minor balance/ adjustments. I was fuming.

Please tell me the £460 is a typo.........