Is it normal....

[Happytohack]

for a saddle fitter to charge a consultation fee and mileage if you want to buy a saddle? Am after a new saddle for my mare and was vaguely interested in another treeless (my old Torsion doesn't fit her too well). Was horrified that the agent for one particular make would charge over £90 just to come out with the saddle which cost approx £1000. Have now booked my local saddler who is brill to come out and fit a treed saddle for me - no charge at all for coming out and first re-flocking is free. Just wondered if most saddle fitters charge?

 

[Chex]

I think so, my local saddlery charged about £50 for a fitting, with petrol on top. It was £15 to get a saddle checked. Seems a bit much if you're buying an expensive saddle from them!

 

[Alibear]

If I buy a saddle then no fee , if i don't then it's £50 which includes travelling expenses etc.

 

[samp]

They all seem to be going that way. I wanted new dressage saddle and my flair saddle chaecked. I got charged 2 x consultations IMO was a joke and then mileage - crazy money

 

[Skhosu]

have been to two,l one charges to come out, one doesn't no matter what he's doing. Funny enough I use the second.

 

[Patchwork]

Ours charges for second-hand saddle fittings but not if you buy a new one.

 

[Rambo]

Ours charges a £35 consultation fee, which is then refunded if you buy a saddle.

 

[LEC]

I must be really lucky my local saddler comes out for free and will come out to check for free as well. I have borrowed up to 5 saddles at same time for 4 weeks trying to work out what I liked and all these were fitted at the time with advice as to what they would need to alter.
I am just an average customer who buys the occassional thing. Though I did have a bit of an extortonate one having to cough up for 3 saddles through combination of new horse, dressage saddle and broken tree.

 

[SouthWestWhippet]

My saddlery charges £40 for a fitting (plus travelling expenses minimum £15). If you then go on to buy a saddle from them, you can have it 'checked' for only £25 and the first check is free if it is done within 12 weeks.

Although, in my case, they didn't charge for the fit as the saddle that fit best was a little over budget (isn't it always LOL) and the fitter said she'd rather throw in the fitting for free and send me away with a saddle that would do its job than have my horse settle for second best.

 

[Tempi]

i got my albion from a place about a 1.5hr drive away from my yard, so their callout fee was £57. I did however know roughly what saddle i wanted so he brought the right ones with him and didnt have to come out again as we brought it there and then. i have someone else come to stuff my saddles and he dosent charge mileage (i dont think, unless he jsut adds it on and dosent write it on the bill) - but he only lives about 10miles away.