Glasgow people - Donald Mclellan Master Saddler

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blood_magik

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Hi,
I was wondering if anyone has used Donald McLellan to fit/repair their saddle?
I've got a new m2m dressage saddle coming and I want to make sure it fits before i use it.
I also want to get my GP checked.

Any comments would be appreciated. I'm new to owning a horse in the UK so I'm having to close my eyes and pick, so to speak. Luckily, it's all worked out fine so far - my farrier and vet are both excellent :D
 
Yes - years ago though!

From what I remember he was fantastic, really seemed interested in my horse and how he moved. He was also not at all pushy towards certain types (normally the most expensive ones) like some other saddlers I have known.

I would have continued using him but I ended up moving to Dorset - would certainly use him again now I'm back in the local (ish) area.

x
 
I got him last year to fit my pony, he can be a bit shirty on the phone but don't let that put you off, he's really nice in person. He assessed pony on a flat level surface first, was very pleased with saddle and service. You can take horse to him too, he has facilities for riding.
 
oh good - i picked the right name then :p
I have no transport so i guess i'll be asking him to come to me - think one of the other liveries wants his saddle checked as well so it'll be worth his while if he's coming to check 3 saddles.
 
I'm not so keen. Never used him personally (largely due to shirty phone manner!) and have since seem him fit a couple of REAL bumpers that imo come no where close to fitting the horses in question. When said saddles were checked by other saddlers they were shocked that a master saddler had fitted them.....
 
Have used him many times & on my v high withered & difficult to handle horse- No probs he was gr8 with her & has never tried to push new saddles onto me
More recently came out to fit my youngster again no pushing new saddle he was the 1 that said he'd prob be able to sort my old saddle to fit new horse before i even asked
Wud defo recommend him!
 
I'm afraid that I wouldn't recommend using Donald McLellan. He came to my yard and carried out a saddle fitting for a new saddle for my new horse. He then showed me his stock of saddles that would suit my horse. I chose one and was happily enjoying riding my horse until he became lame. I called the vet and, after examination, he said that the lameness was due to back pain. Vet checked my saddle and said that it was pinching his back. Through vet's referral, my horse received 6 months of intensive physio - who also confirmed that the saddle didn't fit the horse.

I asked other saddle fitter to come out to take a template of the horses back and compared it to the one done by Donald. Both were the same but the saddler said the saddle didn't fit the template. I visited Donald at his shop with the saddle and the fitting templates but he flatly refused to admit he was wrong and wouldn't take the ill-fitting saddle back. He was very rude - bordering on abusive.

This is just my experience and know a few people who use Donald and are happy with him. I have been using Louise @ Stirlingshire Saddlery for many years now and would highly recommend her.

Good luck in finding a new saddle
 
NiknKia said:
I havent used him personally but I have used Laura Simpson at Amayzing Saddlery, shes been great over the years :)
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Is that the one in Johnstone? I didn't see her on the society of master saddlers website

Also just to clear something up: I've already purchased the saddle - I made the template, which is why I want the saddle checked before I use it just in case I completely cocked it up. My GP is also needing checked as my horse has put on a bit of weight and I've had comments about my saddle tipping people forwards
 
I don't know if she covers Renfrewshire, but I used Shirley Justice-Vose when I got my new saddle. She's registered with the society of master saddlers, really nice, and did a very thorough fitting with me and Dylan. I'd recommend her.
 
shirley Justice-vose is who i use and she is great she came to my yard in paisley measured horse and took very detailed info then fitted saddle highley recommend.oh i have her number if you want it.
 
blood_magik said:
Is that the one in Johnstone? I didn't see her on the society of master saddlers website

Also just to clear something up: I've already purchased the saddle - I made the template, which is why I want the saddle checked before I use it just in case I completely cocked it up. My GP is also needing checked as my horse has put on a bit of weight and I've had comments about my saddle tipping people forwards
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Yes i am not sure if shes part of the masters yet but shes a good fitter and very thorough and not pushy, will try her hardest to get something sorted without damaging the horse, I met her when I took an old saddle to her to be flocked, :)
 
Another vote for Donald, I've used him twice and he was spot on. First horse I took to him he would't even fit for a saddle after he examined him - said to sell the horse as I was too heavy for him, and his back was sore anyway from the few times I had ridden him (I was silly novice with first TB horse). He wasn't rude or nasty just honest in his opinion, which I respected. Vet confirmed this when he visited next day, TB was sold when well!

Another time a few years later he came to yard to fit my superheavy weight cob. Took 2 hours taking measurements and templates and fitted various saddles. Narrowed it to 2 which fitted us. After I'd ridden in one for 30 minutes, I wanted to buy it then, but he said to wait. He suggested I get horse checked out as she wasn't quite right although he couldn't say what was wrong (horse had won at show previous day and seemed fine to everyone else including judge and instructor).
Few days later horse was very lame, X rays revealed fractured bone cyst in coffin joint and horse was pts few months later.
Donald never pressurised to me to buy and only had the horses welfare at heart on each occassion.
And yes I've had rotten luck with horses and now don't have any!!
 
Sorry folks to bring this up after so long but keen to know how you got on Magik? Did you get sorted?

I am not going into the whole story of my very recent experience but would you all agree that saddle fitters seem to spend one hell of a lot of their time slagging each other off?? The replies to this thread confirm what I learned on Saturday when I had a supposed MS out to fit my horse with a dressage saddle.

Most of the session was devoted to undermining work that had been done on my two existing saddles which had been checked and adjusted 6 months ago by someone else!! Not to mention undermining my confidence in my poor horse, who always does his best.

You can imagine my upset and confusion when I was told my horse is in considerable discomfort and it's all the fault of a fellow saddler.

Now I am looking for someone else to come out and wonder if Dour Donald is the man to see?

Very interesting thread this, all the conflicting stories/advice/gripes and accolades.....who does one trust is the lingering question??? And why do they see the need to be so unprofessional about each other?? We run a wee biz and no way would I slag off a competitor....what's the point?
 
I use Laura from amazying saddlerly too. Last year she tryed to adjust my saddle to fit my horse the best she could as I couldn't afford a new one. This year i recently bought a saddle from her and she was great really takes time to look at your horse and when riding in the saddle doesn't rush you, gives you all the time you need to see how you and your horse feel in it. Shes got a website. Would defo recommend! Haven't used Donald personally but know of a couple of people that have had problems with the saddles he's fitted to their horses.
 
ronansmum said:
I am not going into the whole story of my very recent experience but would you all agree that saddle fitters seem to spend one hell of a lot of their time slagging each other off??
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I have never experienced that :) I also never found Donald unpleasant or rude and he is recommended by a number of the local equine vets.

The only person I knew who had an issue with him had bought a new saddle on the understanding that it would need reflocked in the first 3 - 6 months of use (Donald always did 50% off for these reflocks). She couldn't be bothered getting it done so it is her fault entirely the saddle didn't fit after a year :rolleyes:

Also, as he is a fully registered and qualified master saddler, if you were to have an issue with him there is always comeback through the Society of Master Saddlers, something you just don't have with many of the other recommended 'saddle fitters'

Hope you get it sorted! :)
 
Tadon said:
This is just my experience and know a few people who use Donald and are happy with him. I have been using Louise @ Stirlingshire Saddlery for many years now and would highly recommend her.
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I havent used Donald but same as above and would recoment Louise from Stirlingshire Saddlery although I know she is extremly busy (which is surely a good thing!) so you may need to wait a couple of weeks.
 
rhino said:
I have never experienced that :) I also never found Donald unpleasant or rude and he is recommended by a number of the local equine vets.

The only person I knew who had an issue with him had bought a new saddle on the understanding that it would need reflocked in the first 3 - 6 months of use (Donald always did 50% off for these reflocks). She couldn't be bothered getting it done so it is her fault entirely the saddle didn't fit after a year :rolleyes:

Also, as he is a fully registered and qualified master saddler, if you were to have an issue with him there is always comeback through the Society of Master Saddlers, something you just don't have with many of the other recommended 'saddle fitters'

Hope you get it sorted! :)
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There do seem to be several votes on here for Donald so he will probably be the man I turn to. We actually used him years ago, when he was less grumpy, to fit our first horse and had no complaints!!! In fact I think he was probably one of the only local SMS people all those years ago...

Thank you too for mentioning Louise at Stirlingshire and Laura. Will get it all sorted in due course no doubt...
 
I did get everything sorted :)

Donald is lovely - he came out and fitted jerry in both saddles and reflocked them.
I've had him out a few times now because jerry has changed shape and gone from a medium wide to a medium. he altered the tree in my gp and said that if it didn't fit, he wouldn't charge me.

it did, of course :p :rolleyes:
he also took the time to explain how my saddle differed from the norm and what he was going to
do.

I would recommend him and I'll be using him to fit a saddle when I get my new horse :)
 
I was reccomended Donald by my chiropractor.
He was pleasant, very good and explained everything about flair. He fitted the saddle and my horse has never had a sore back where saddle sits since. Elsewhere yes but he has various other problems.
:D
 
I have used Donald a couple of times and would recommend him. I didn't find him grumpy at all and in fact I found him very patient with my nervy TB.
 
Thank you again everyone, very pleased you have had such good positive experiences.

Looks like Donald is the man to use right enough...hope I get him on a good day lol

Good luck with your new horse Magik!!
 
I have used Donald McLellan on a few occassions, he is very straight talking and to the point, which I like. I would not see past him.

Had him out to the yard for a few of us to have a saddle fitting and also had a few bits and bobs repaired by him, always found his services very reasonable.

He could maybe polish up a bit on his telephone manner!
 
I would agree that Donald is the man for the job , I've never had a problem with him and find him very pleasant to deal with even though he did slag off my lanky legs!!
My sister used the girl from amayzing saddlery she was ok but nothing more or less , she will be going back to Donald now the only reason she didn't is I had sold my trailer and not yet replaced .
He recognised a girth he made me from about 10 yards away if that doesn't show attention to detail I don't know what does.
 
he fixed my wintec for me, the screws has rusted so i couldnt change the gullet and he had to keep it for a couple of days haha, also gave me new girth straps as he said mine were going to snap..

does an amazing job, prices are a bit mad though i have to say. hes not one for casual chat, and he can be a bit nippy but he does do a good job.
 
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