Horse careers

kayeandGin

kayeandGin

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Hello,

I am 30, I have a 23 year old mare called Gin. I got in to horses quite late in life, Gin is my first horse and I have had her for three years now. I still have weekly riding lessons to gain experience in areas Gin can’t do anymore. I am studying Rural Business Management and Horse Care at university and am in year 3 of my degree. I am writing this post as although i did a small bit of riding when I was younger, i was not lucky enough to be around horses or have lessons as it was just my mum and I and she had to work full time so money was stretched, Is it possible for me to have a career with horses? I don’t know if i’m just flogging a dead horse with trying to do this. I want to be a saddle fitter and currently work on the weekends at a competition/sales yard. But compared to others who have had the funds for constant lessons and have been around them their whole lives i feel weak in comparison.
 

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Hello and welcome.

Gin is lovely. 😍

It’s definitely not too late to start working with horses. Thinking of going into saddle fitting sounds like a good plan and definitely achievable. Is there many fitters in your area or is there a gap you could fit into?

FWIW I’ve been lucky to have had horses for 19 years and I still feel like I don’t know anything sometimes 😂

Good luck with university and well done on getting more experience with your weekend job. Sounds like your doing everything right.
 
Hello,
Thank you so much for your lovely reply. It’s an intimidating and difficult community at times so it can make me feel insecure. There is a gap I can fit in to, In hoping to shadow the other local one.

Your response is so real thank you, I agree you never stop learning with horses it’s brilliant. I wish i’d had the confidence to do it when i was in my early twenties.
 
Hello, and welcome to the forum. There are plenty of places in the horse industry for people who don't necessarily ride at high levels, in fact I would argue that you're better off earning a living around horses rather than actually on them. Saddle fitting is an excellent choice, and one that is skilled and fascinating, and highly beneficial to the horse, without the need to be an expert rider. It's something that has its own areas of study and qualification (some better than others, so be choosey) and seems to be in high demand. I wonder if Sbloom on here (an expert saddle fitter) can be of help in filling you in on what's required and pointing you in the right direction?
 
Cortez said:
Hello, and welcome to the forum. There are plenty of places in the horse industry for people who don't necessarily ride at high levels, in fact I would argue that you're better off earning a living around horses rather than actually on them. Saddle fitting is an excellent choice, and one that is skilled and fascinating, and highly beneficial to the horse, without the need to be an expert rider. It's something that has its own areas of study and qualification (some better than others, so be choosey) and seems to be in high demand. I wonder if Sbloom on here (an expert saddle fitter) can be of help in filling you in on what's required and pointing you in the right direction?
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Thank you for your reply. yes any saddle fitting advixe would be greatly appreciated. I think my worry is that people may not want to use me as I came to horses later on in life?
 
I don’t think it’s a massive problem for potential customers if you’re later in life to horses. And possibly some of the skills you have from other jobs might help in other ways. Good luck!
 
I know several saddlers (makers of saddles, not fitters), loriners, farriers, etc. who've never sat on a horse, you don't have to be an expert horseman to be good at those kind of jobs. I understand what you're saying about time in the horse world, but if you acquire the skills and are good at the job I think that will be more important, and before you know it you'll be part of it too.
 
kayeandGin said:
Thank you for your reply. yes any saddle fitting advixe would be greatly appreciated. I think my worry is that people may not want to use me as I came to horses later on in life?
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Around here there is a lot of demand for saddle fitters and the good ones get booked up months in advance! I can't say I've ever asked a saddle fitter how long they've been in the industry or what their background is! I try to go off personal recommendation wherever possible, which I think is true of a lot of people?

If other people I knew/on my yard thought you were good, I wouldn't be worried about your background!
 
One area in which you could win trust as a saddle fitter is by not trying too hard to sell expensive new saddles to people. This may be a personal bugbear but I’ve seen too many saddlers arrive at the yard and pull out the latest fairfax / Albion / whatever with hardly a first look at the horse. And having ignored the clear directive that we’d like to make the existing saddle work or source one second hand. I appreciate that they need to make a living but I’m prepared to pay the market price for the visit and fitting, and somewhat above ‘eBay prices’ for a checked and fitted second hand saddle if needed. We’ve recently ‘sacked’ a saddler who has a terrible local reputation for fleecing people who won’t stand up to her. Trust goes a long way and you can expect to build long term relationships rather than make one expensive sale.
 
I couldn't tell you if my last very good saddle fitter of many years had ever sat on a horse in his life, he was good at fitting saddles and that was all that interested me.
Good luck
 
kayeandGin said:
Hello,

I am 30, I have a 23 year old mare called Gin. I got in to horses quite late in life, Gin is my first horse and I have had her for three years now. I still have weekly riding lessons to gain experience in areas Gin can’t do anymore. I am studying Rural Business Management and Horse Care at university and am in year 3 of my degree. I am writing this post as although i did a small bit of riding when I was younger, i was not lucky enough to be around horses or have lessons as it was just my mum and I and she had to work full time so money was stretched, Is it possible for me to have a career with horses? I don’t know if i’m just flogging a dead horse with trying to do this. I want to be a saddle fitter and currently work on the weekends at a competition/sales yard. But compared to others who have had the funds for constant lessons and have been around them their whole lives i feel weak in comparison.
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I don’t see any reason why you’d need to be able to ride at all to be a good saddle fitter (and if you’re having lessons you’re probably already better than lots of people who’ve ridden for decades!)

I really understand about feeling ‘weaker’ than others - I’ve been around horses for 30 years but still feel behind at times. I had riding lessons for years, a horse on loan for 2 years which I shared with a friend and was on grass livery (so there weren’t many jobs to do and the stables put hay out etc) and have ridden others’ horses but I’ve always lacked the funds for another horse/lessons and now feel hopelessly behind in terms of riding and horse care! If you haven’t had a ‘horsey’ upbringing it can feel hard to fit in.

You sound pretty organised and as if you’re doing all the right things to me!
 
I think moving into saddle fitting would be excellent. I have no idea how much income you could potentially earn, but I love reading SBloom's post on here. If you could also learn about fitting for the rider, and have a facebook page where you talk about relevant stuff, then I would pick you above another saddler fitter who doesn't do that.
 
I suppose the one area in which you might be at a disadvantage is having the contacts when you first start out - someone who has been around horses a long time will also, most likely, have been around horsey people.

There are ways to mitigate that though. I'd join your local riding club now if you can and even if you can't get there with Gin all the time, go along to events, volunteer, make friends. You could also do the same with pony club or your local RDA if you have time. Anything that will help you meet horsey people and show them how trustworthy and reliable you are.

Then, when you're qualified, offer demos and talks, discounts for club members or do a mass saddle fitting day at a local venue. Social media that isn't just advertising - share good articles, funny little stories or memes to get some engagement going - is a big help too.
 
The first thing I say to anyone wanting to become a fitter is....don't. So sorry to start off negative but it's a really tough job. I had barely been involved with saddles before I became a fitter, and I do wonder that if I'd seen the trouncing fitters get online etc whether I'd have gone for a different option. No idea. It's easy to think all saddle fitters are a bit cr*p and think you can do a better job, but it's not easy to find that route up into becoming a fitter and it can take a while to get the experience and the skillset.

I have no interest qualifications, especially in SMS training (I went to the introductory weekend and that confirmed it) and am lucky enough to be trainedby the longest standing wide horse specialist in the world initially. More recently by one of the most cutting edge designers/fitters who looks at physical forces affecting horse and rider and what the rider needs in order to resist those forces, and to help the horse resist them.

I do think you need to be a decent rider to be a good fitter, and that means nuance, learning how being aligned in the saddle should feel, some dressage movements, some jumping. You'll see plenty of comments from customers and other fitters saying the same. You need to know how things feel, to understand those forces, to understand how we want the horse to move. You do ride, but keep on with refining your skillset and experience there. In the type of saddle fitting I'm in I'm at a disadvantage for not riding any more, not having horses myself.

Take up any shares etc that you can, if you can be around progressive trainers etc who are working on posture, straightness, soundness etc all to the good.

If you have a thick skin, can learn information until it's coming out of your ears, wear a million hats (long distance driver, PA, book-keeper, social media person, saddle tech, customer liason...which really borders on being a psychotherapist at times!...we have to be authoritative and yet kind and supportive, an advocate for the horse yet try not to trample all over people)...if you can invest in stock to be able to have demos or stock to sell...and can find a route to train, mentors etc, then go for it. But you'll see it's a long tick list.

Newly qualified fitters are coming out of the new schools (International Academy of Saddle Fitters and I think it's called the College of Saddle Fitting or similar) and I have no idea how good they are, but there are quite a lot of them. Many are young and will struggle to get all customers to fully respect them (in an industry where we are generally NOT respected), not many will have the funds to be able to get stock, and I can't see banks would see the rate of return on a business loan being very attractive. Lots drop out. Lots. Even after several years, hell this cost of living crisis is going to put fitters and saddle companies out of business. It's not good.

But, if you are passionate about it, don't mind being self employed with all the boundary/financial issues etc that they come with, then helping horses, seeing them transform, getting riders out of pain....working with teams of like minded professionals (though good luck finding them lol)...this is where the joy lies.
 
sbloom said:
The first thing I say to anyone wanting to become a fitter is....don't. So sorry to start off negative but it's a really tough job. I had barely been involved with saddles before I became a fitter, and I do wonder that if I'd seen the trouncing fitters get online etc whether I'd have gone for a different option. No idea. It's easy to think all saddle fitters are a bit cr*p and think you can do a better job, but it's not easy to find that route up into becoming a fitter and it can take a while to get the experience and the skillset.

I have no interest qualifications, especially in SMS training (I went to the introductory weekend and that confirmed it) and am lucky enough to be trainedby the longest standing wide horse specialist in the world initially. More recently by one of the most cutting edge designers/fitters who looks at physical forces affecting horse and rider and what the rider needs in order to resist those forces, and to help the horse resist them.

I do think you need to be a decent rider to be a good fitter, and that means nuance, learning how being aligned in the saddle should feel, some dressage movements, some jumping. You'll see plenty of comments from customers and other fitters saying the same. You need to know how things feel, to understand those forces, to understand how we want the horse to move. You do ride, but keep on with refining your skillset and experience there. In the type of saddle fitting I'm in I'm at a disadvantage for not riding any more, not having horses myself.

Take up any shares etc that you can, if you can be around progressive trainers etc who are working on posture, straightness, soundness etc all to the good.

If you have a thick skin, can learn information until it's coming out of your ears, wear a million hats (long distance driver, PA, book-keeper, social media person, saddle tech, customer liason...which really borders on being a psychotherapist at times!...we have to be authoritative and yet kind and supportive, an advocate for the horse yet try not to trample all over people)...if you can invest in stock to be able to have demos or stock to sell...and can find a route to train, mentors etc, then go for it. But you'll see it's a long tick list.

Newly qualified fitters are coming out of the new schools (International Academy of Saddle Fitters and I think it's called the College of Saddle Fitting or similar) and I have no idea how good they are, but there are quite a lot of them. Many are young and will struggle to get all customers to fully respect them (in an industry where we are generally NOT respected), not many will have the funds to be able to get stock, and I can't see banks would see the rate of return on a business loan being very attractive. Lots drop out. Lots. Even after several years, hell this cost of living crisis is going to put fitters and saddle companies out of business. It's not good.

But, if you are passionate about it, don't mind being self employed with all the boundary/financial issues etc that they come with, then helping horses, seeing them transform, getting riders out of pain....working with teams of like minded professionals (though good luck finding them lol)...this is where the joy lies.
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Ah that’s disheartening and hard to read. Thank you for being honest. Another 11 years at Tesco it is then 😞.
 
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