Cost of saddler call out/reflock

[irishdraft]

Well I've been watching this thread with interest as I had a saddler booked for today, she is very local to me but as she had recently moved here I hadn't used her before and didn't ask her what she charged. She was here for about an hour or so saw me ride, took templates and did a little tweaking of the saddle & charged 75.00.

 

[Horseysheepy]

£60 and that includes travel expenses, template and adjustments.

She drove about an hour and I had to wait a few weeks for her to travel to my area so she could build up a few bookings in my area on that day to make it worthwhile

 

[Squeak]

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

No! I even rang them when I got the bill to check there wasn't an error - I'd used them previously and so naively hadn't checked their prices when I booked the appointment.

 

[Baywonder]

No! I even rang them when I got the bill to check there wasn't an error - I'd used them previously and so naively hadn't checked their prices when I booked the appointment.

That is utterly diabolical!

Everyone has to cover their costs and make a living but £460?!!! I am absolutely gobsmacked

ETA - I will not repeat what my DH said in response to this as I would be banned from the forum

 

[Hallo2012]

I pay £80-120 depending on amount of work needed.

 

[Upthecreek]

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.

Wow! I’ve never been charged anywhere near that and I’ve never had a saddler not want to see me ride before and after adjustments.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Mine charges £40 if I go to her. £50 if it's a day when she's in my local area. £75 if I need a more urgent visit. Obs any flocking or adjustments are extra but always discussed 1st.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

My last bill for saddle check and adding some flocking was £80 and she travels from Hampshire. She spent 2hrs with me as she looks at the horse and rider holistically. I did try a dressage saddle to see how it felt as thinking about getting one and we looked at using different blocks for jumping in my GP. I’m always shocked at how little she charges. She also took my saddle that I bought from her last April for my oldie and resold in a week for only £30 less than I paid for it.

 

[gallopingby]

If the fitter is coming to you and altering on the day then around £70 is probably reasonable taking into account how much it would cost you to take a saddle somewhere or post it but some of these costs are extortionate. Basic training for saddle fitting is as little as a two day course and adding a bit of flocking can take less than 10 mins. Some fitters do break down into travel time, assessment and work done which at least is transparent. They should always be able to give you a rough idea of costs in advance and an indication of on going costs for the work required.

 

[Squeak]

That is utterly diabolical!

Everyone has to cover their costs and make a living but £460?!!! I am absolutely gobsmacked

ETA - I will not repeat what my DH said in response to this as I would be banned from the forum

It was outrageous and also a real shame tbh, they'd done a brilliant job in the past and I now can't/ wont use them again. It was also of course when I needed an unexpected bill like that, like a kick in the teeth

 

[gallopingby]

Is there not a saddle fitters trade association? Maybe worth checking with them the current suggested charges? Obviously travel costs will differ but £460 seems extreme for less than an hours work on an existing saddle. Different if you were also buying a new girth, saddle pad/shims etc

 

[Sossigpoker]

It was outrageous and also a real shame tbh, they'd done a brilliant job in the past and I now can't/ wont use them again. It was also of course when I needed an unexpected bill like that, like a kick in the teeth

Did they travel from far ? How was the bill broken down? As in how much for travel,.how much for flocking etc?

 

[Squeak]

Did they travel from far ? How was the bill broken down? As in how much for travel,.how much for flocking etc?

I travelled the horse to them it was less than ten minutes for them to get to the stables we went to.

Hmmm I can’t remember exactly how it was broken down, I think it was something like £100 for the appointment and travel then £160 and £200 for the adjustments. I picked the saddles up from them on my way home so I know it was absolutely max two hours work.

 

[Squeak]

Is there not a saddle fitters trade association? Maybe worth checking with them the current suggested charges? Obviously travel costs will differ but £460 seems extreme for less than an hours work on an existing saddle. Different if you were also buying a new girth, saddle pad/shims etc

I didn’t even think about a trade association or anything and tbh, I’m not sure I’d have been brave enough to pursue it but I probably should have. At the time I just felt a bit trapped as they’d already performed the service so I just drowned my tears in a bottle (or two…) of wine and paid it.

 

[sport horse]

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.

Did this sadddler supply the new saddle? If they did I would expect the first reflock either free or at a very basic charge. If she did not supply it why did you not call out the person who did - after all they were the ones that took the major profit.

 

[gallopingby]

They should have been able to put in a bit of new flocking at the fitting and then check to make sure all ok.

 

[Fieldlife]

I travelled the horse to them it was less than ten minutes for them to get to the stables we went to.

Hmmm I can’t remember exactly how it was broken down, I think it was something like £100 for the appointment and travel then £160 and £200 for the adjustments. I picked the saddles up from them on my way home so I know it was absolutely max two hours work.

that’s a bit different they checked to horse and made adjustments two Saddles. Though still extortionate

 

[EventingMum]

My excellent saddler travels about 35 miles to me. Her charges have just gone up to £90 which includes any flocking adjustments needed. She watches the horse trot up does templates and watches the horse being ridden before and after any adjustments. She spends anything up to two hours per horse so I reckon it's good value for money.

 

[sbloom]

SaddleFITTER please!

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

I think so many do it for pocket money, it makes those of us who need to earn a living doing it look expensive.

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.

Being in the area is such a tricky one, I've recently had a real argument with someone over this, if I'm in Suffolk and you're in North Lincs then "being in your area" does not mean I have reduced travel costs! In this instance the previous appointment was over 1.5 from her.

I always recommend people get a quote if they're unsure, I only offer a discount if you're at the same yard. Some diary days mean the travel barely gets covered and I lose, other days I might get the bonus of two appoointments fairly close together where I "win".

If the fitter is coming to you and altering on the day then around £70 is probably reasonable taking into account how much it would cost you to take a saddle somewhere or post it but some of these costs are extortionate. Basic training for saddle fitting is as little as a two day course and adding a bit of flocking can take less than 10 mins. Some fitters do break down into travel time, assessment and work done which at least is transparent. They should always be able to give you a rough idea of costs in advance and an indication of on going costs for the work required.

"Basic training for saddle fitting" - there's a whole can of worms. You're talking about one particular course which 100% does NOT leave anyone ready placed to go out and be a saddle fitter. Always ask your fitter's experience, qualifications (well, accreditations as that's what they all are) and CPD if it's important to you.

Is there not a saddle fitters trade association? Maybe worth checking with them the current suggested charges? Obviously travel costs will differ but £460 seems extreme for less than an hours work on an existing saddle. Different if you were also buying a new girth, saddle pad/shims etc

There are a couple, if the fitter is a member they might help, but read posts on here on dissatisfied customers of "qualified" fitters, members of the appropriate organisation, who have not had success claiming with that organisation.