How on earth do I buy a saddle?

[StableMum]

My daughter wants to upgrade her dressage saddle as although hers fits her horse her instructor says she could do with something with a bigger thigh block and deeper seat. We have a good saddle fitter whose opinion we trust but she carries very little stock. The horse isn't the easiest to fit having large shoulders and not much wither and my daughter is small and would benefit from a narrow twist.
I really would like to find a nice second hand one but would go new if necessary but it seems that you can't try before you buy and I can't risk ordering a new one only to find that its not quite right, same goes for taking a punt on a second hand one off Ebay or Facebook.
I just wondered what other people do, it's so frustrating, we seem to have hit a brick wall!
I'm aware of Saddles Direct, does anyone know of other similar places where you can trial saddles?

 

[SamBean]

Do you have a tack shop nearby with a fitter on site or would made to measure be an option?

 

[eggs]

Could you try with your current saddle fitter to see if they have anything in stock and if not try another saddle fitter?

 

[tamsinkb]

Could you try with your current saddle fitter to see if they have anything in stock and if not try another saddle fitter?

Or you could ask them if they would recommend a suitable make/ model to meet your requirements that you can then source elsewhere....my old saddler carried a limited stock, but advised me exactly what would suit my and my horses needs which I then bought second hand from ebay.

 

[HBB]

I can't risk ordering a new one only to find that its not quite right

I am going through this just now and it is so frustrating! I wanted to order a m2m saddle and ended up being asked to supply them with all the measurements and photo's. I asked if their local fitter could come and measure this particular pony and was told no?! I was a bit taken aback, it'll be a huge expensive mistake if I've got it wrong

 

[StableMum]

Or you could ask them if they would recommend a suitable make/ model to meet your requirements that you can then source elsewhere....my old saddler carried a limited stock, but advised me exactly what would suit my and my horses needs which I then bought second hand from ebay.

My saddle fitter is excellent at advising on what will and won't fit so we do have an idea what to look for but its still a scary prospect. We are looking but as yet haven't found anything that would work. We had a made to measure event saddle and I'm thinking we might have to go down that road again.

 

[AandK]

The Saddle Bank have a good stock and offer a 5 day trial. I used them recently and had to return the saddle, very easy to deal with.

 

[Diddleydoo]

Sheepham saddles and The saddle bank both offer trials. Between 3 and 5 days I think.

 

[Nasicus]

I am going through this just now and it is so frustrating! I wanted to order a m2m saddle and ended up being asked to supply them with all the measurements and photo's. I asked if their local fitter could come and measure this particular pony and was told no?! I was a bit taken aback, it'll be a huge expensive mistake if I've got it wrong

That's a bit naff! Like you say, very expensive mistake to possibly make!

 

[catkin]

As a starting point perhaps worth asking your saddle fitter if the make of saddle you already have do any other models on the same tree.

I would also ask them whether blocks could be made and put on your existing saddle (that may alter the balance but 'tis worth an ask)

 

[CMcC]

I had advice from saddle fitter (who I know and trust) on size, width and recommended make for my youngster before she was backed.
Found what I wanted on Sheepham Saddles, very good service and I thought the saddle was in better condition than described. Very happy with the service.

 

[sbloom]

I would want to know why a bigger seat and bigger blocks were needed, some horses DO move bigger than they used to, but riders used to ride in more or less a flat seated VSD with no blocks at all, yet now we need all this support....perhaps just the basic geometry of her current saddle doesn't suit her? I would ask current fitter what to look for but I am not a big fan of these bucket seats etc (for rider OR horse, it does have an effect in terms of leverage on the horse's back, plus the deeper the seat the less flat spot there is in the tree, and the less intrinsic stability the saddle has).

 

[asmp]

I bought one recently from Patrick Wilkinson Saddlery who offered a 7 day trial so there are saddles out there if you know exactly what you want.

 

[Vodkagirly]

As well as saddles direct and sheepham there is also saddles select of York.
I also tried asking around friends and asking to have a sit in there saddle.
None of the fitters around my area have much 2nd hand stock so I took advice on which would of fitted and tried friends saddles till I decided which one suited me.