Newly fitted saddle, unhappy horse

[alsxx]

I had a recommended Saddler out on Friday to try and fit a saddle for my 4 year old. Fitting seemed to go well, tried a couple out and ended up purchasing a second hand one (at decent expense).

Since then I've ridden 3 times in it, the first time started out ok and as our hack went on he became more and more resistant to the contact and heavier on one rein, the second and third time I may as well be riding a different animal - he has suddenly become incredibly crooked and curls to one side, completely heavy on the other, and has lost all of his usual natural self carriage and spring, although remains forwards. I'm going to try him tomorrow in the saddle I was using on him before, which while wasn't perfect he seemed much more comfortable in.

Where do I stand though, I plan to contact the Saddler asap and ask them to come back out but if they have nothing else suitable I hope I would be able to get a refund as the horse is clearly very unhappy after not even a week, but how do I prove that?

 

[Barton Bounty]

You have been sold something that is not fit for purpose! Second hand or not, but hopefully the saddle fitter will exchange for you for something that will fit better! Possibly ask if they have a trial basis or something to allow for that. I know that when my saddle fitter fitted a saddle and it was 8 weeks till it was made, it did not fit at all , she immediately changed it for another brand new saddle, generally they will help out as best they can.
Can you ride in the school? Or field?

 

[Celtic Fringe]

I believe that saddlers are included in the direct sales (door to door sales) rules and so you should have a fourteen day 'cooling off' period to return anything that is not suitable. A reputable saddler told me this though perhaps someone with more expertise could confirm whether this is true?

 

[Marigold4]

I think it's difficult for a saddler to find a saddle that fits a horse and that the horse feels comfortable in in a single session. I have a horse that is difficult to fit and have tried several saddles. He often seems to like the saddle at first, but becomes increasingly unhappy after three or four rides in it. I expect your saddler will be fine with you asking him/ her to come back and try another saddle instead. You will have to pay for another fitting though. That's just part of the frustrations of saddle fitting and not necessarily the saddler's fault.

 

[Polos Mum]

My newly broken youngster is on saddle 7 or 8 (in the last six months) I paid the saddler for one (the third one) after having had 2 on trial for 3 weeks each. I felt guilty about not having paid for any.
She charges for her time and travel to come each time.
He's really awkward but luckily she has lots of patients.

Young horses are not straightforward at the best of times, I'm sure your saddler will be very used to the call!

 

[alsxx]

Thanks all! I had a terrible experience some years ago with a Saddler so I'm probably expecting the worse!

Tried him this morning in the other saddle and he went a lot better, although I suspect he's sore now as he wasn't as good as he was but there was a significant improvement.

Yikes to 7 or 8 saddles there Polo's Mum!!! ? I think he's going to be awkward to fit, he has massive shoulders, short ish back due to his height but isn't super wide.

 

[sbloom]

If you were given terms and conditions for your purchase (I email all customers with them at least once before a fitting, and they're on my website) then you have a 14 day cooling off period, and another 14 days to return the saddle. The fitter can deduct for wear and tear etc but on a used saddle that shouldn't be too much at all, obviously. If you weren't given terms and conditions then they've not fulfilled their obligations and your rights are incredibly strong, see the 2013 distance trading regulations.

 

[Birker2020]

Yep my new horse (last October) didn't come with a saddle so my friends existing one was fitted to him. The saddle fitter had gone to a lot of trouble to ensure the saddle fitted him by changing the gullet and adding a pad and came out three times in four days spending an hour or so each time.

The first two days he went lovely in it in the school in the saddle. But by day three he started acting up. I thought he was playing me up and testing boundaries, after all he'd just been seen by a professional saddle fitter so I didn't consider the saddle might be hurting him. So I was quite firm with him and he got short shift and a smack with the whip for his trouble. His behaviour under saddle got progressively worse throughout the week but I battled, worrying about why he was trying it on so much and what kind of 'monster' I had bought.

It wasn't until day six of riding him that I realised the saddle didn't fit him when he fly bucked in the school and I nearly came off. I felt so guilty but I honestly thought he was testing boundaries. The saddle had started moving inwards in a vice like grip over his trapezius muscle (or lack of) so it must have really hurt him. I could cry now thinking back, poor horse but none of us had an inkling it was to do with the saddle.

I'm sure your saddle fitter won't mind you calling her back again.

 

[Caol Ila]

Saddlers sent me to treeless/leather trees.

I had one refit a saddle to my horse, but after a week, it was clear that it wasn't quite right. Yeah, I get it, it's not an exact science, so I politely messaged the saddler (well, her secretary because you could not get a hold of her directly) and said that it needed a wee bit more work. As you say, this is normal. I was told that saddler would not be in my area for a while, and the next available appointment was in three months. I pointed out that she had just done a fitting, but it required tweaking because it wasn't right. Secretary said, "She is very busy, and this is the soonest she can come to you."

What was I supposed to do for the next three months?

I contacted saddler #2, who came out within a week. Great! He watched the horse walk and trot under saddle for about three minutes. Pointed out that the trot looked a bit slow and stiff. Duh. She was about 24, and hadn't been warmed up. I mean, three minutes! He whacked a new head iron into the saddle, a Thorowgood, but didn't touch the flocking. Not so great. And the bloody thing still wasn't right! I was at my wit's end.

My friend (who would later become Caso's owner) had just treated herself to a brand new leather tree saddle. She kindly gave me her old leather tree one, which used the Wintec/Thorowgood head irons and had panels you could flock yourself. Heresy to sbloom, I am sure! But the horse was very happy in that for the next four years. So was I. Saved a ton of money as well, because that horse always changed shape significantly between winter and summer, and when we used traditional treed saddles, I needed the saddler twice per year.

 

[alsxx]

If you were given terms and conditions for your purchase (I email all customers with them at least once before a fitting, and they're on my website) then you have a 14 day cooling off period, and another 14 days to return the saddle. The fitter can deduct for wear and tear etc but on a used saddle that shouldn't be too much at all, obviously. If you weren't given terms and conditions then they've not fulfilled their obligations and your rights are incredibly strong, see the 2013 distance trading regulations.

Hmm not given terms and conditions and other than my card receipt and the label off the saddle, no formal receipt either.

I contacted the Saddler yesterday, who came back to me and offered a date end of next week that I can't do, and I'm still waiting a response to my reply (unfortunately instructed to message, would much prefer to discuss on phone tbh). I'm sure all will be fine but feel a bit twitchy about too long passing in terms of getting a refund if they have no other suitable options. I really don't think this saddle fits him, he certainly doesn't like it, and not sure any adjustment will make much difference; he measures as a MW-W apparently and this is W, but he goes better in an XW saddle that the pro who has just been schooling him for 2 weeks feels is too tight on his shoulders (he has huge shoulders) and put him in an even wider saddle and got a better response from him. Trust me to end up with an awkward one ?‍

 

[sbloom]

So you've not had Ts and Cs, and are in a very strong position. Work with the fitter, it's always hard when a horse likes something at the fitting then not afterwards (notwithstanding whether it's classed as the "right" width or not). Be very wary of just going wider, he might like it now but it can build up issues. He may like the wider, flatter rail shape that a wider saddle brings, but the uneven pressure at the front, and potentially more than 50% of weight on the front if it's also out of balance, will likely cause issues in the medium term.

When it comes to complaints it has to be done in writing, pure and simple. Please do go look at the legislation so you understand what your rights are, and even if you were in contract properly you have 14 full days to "cancel your order" and another 14 days to return the saddle. She can ask you not to use the saddle if there is any chance you'd return it, but she should effectively extend the trial period. Because she's not let you know it has a trial period (Ts and Cs) you have all the power here. CAB can help if you're still worried, they run Trading Standards on the consumer side.