Saddle company saddles

Winger23man

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Advice please
I’ve had the saddle company make me some saddles for my ponies
All tip backwards and are far too high over the withers two slip forwards

had the fitter out numerous time’s no solution to the slipping. I’m not happy and asked for a full refund on them all

the fitter has agreed to fully refund for some but not all and wants me to post them back at my cost

any advice please
 

P.forpony

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When you say fitter will fully refund some but not all, do you mean refund some of the saddles but not all of them?
Or some of the total including fittings but not all?
And did they give a reason for this?
 

TPO

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Not Saddle Company but I had a fitter out for a custom made western saddle.

When it arrived it was clear it wouldn't fit as the eejit had asked for flare over one shoulder. Saddle would fall forward even in a big wooden saddle horse on a flat floor.

I had to take photos of every angle on and off the horse. Finally she accepted liability (well blamed the factory rather than her fitting) and refunded the saddle money but I was left out of pocket having paid her for a fitting that she didnt carry out correctly and I paid postage both ways. Then there was the time as her customer service was non existent and what she told me would take 6wks took more than double even for the saddle to arrive then weeks of no replies before she finally agreed to refund (I was on my way to Trading Standards).

I'd say if the fitter is refunding the saddles minus postage then take it. I can't imagine you getting a better deal than that tbh
 

Frano

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A qualified saddle company fitter can adjust the saddle at your yard. Width ,flocking etc. Some of these fitters are not qualified and have just done a very short course. Some of their fitters are qualified saddlers before doing the saddle company courses. Talk to the company directly they have @ website and are very helpful.
 

Winger23man

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When you say fitter will fully refund some but not all, do you mean refund some of the saddles but not all of them?
Or some of the total including fittings but not all?
And did they give a reason for this?
They will refund two out of the three but not fitting charges or mileage. The two to be refunded are the ones that slip forwards
 

Winger23man

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A qualified saddle company fitter can adjust the saddle at your yard. Width ,flocking etc. Some of these fitters are not qualified and have just done a very short course. Some of their fitters are qualified saddlers before doing the saddle company courses. Talk to the company directly they have @ website and are very helpful.
They have only been on the saddle company course. The saddle company arnt particularly helpful as they haven’t seen the horse A qualified master saddler has seen the saddles and stated even a blind man can see these don’t fit
 

Winger23man

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A qualified saddle company fitter can adjust the saddle at your yard. Width ,flocking etc. Some of these fitters are not qualified and have just done a very short course. Some of their fitters are qualified saddlers before doing the saddle company courses. Talk to the company directly they have @ website and are very helpful.
If the measurements and tree is the wrong sort are you still saying that the saddle can be adjusted
 

TPO

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If the measurements and tree is the wrong sort are you still saying that the saddle can be adjusted

No, not if the tree doesnt fit. It might have changed but they only used to have 3 trees and the templating machine/flocking could be used to custom the fit further.

The saddle company HQ manufacture the saddles but they dont have any liability for the fitting of them. You can only deal directly with the fitter.

How long have you had each saddle and how often have they been ridden in?

I'm going to assume you were happy when you tried them and they were fitted initially as that is why you paid for them?

Is it three saddles for three different horses? How often where the saddles ridden in before you had problems?

I cant remember the details but the leaflet with new saddles tell you to walk for X hours (10?) to let the saddle bed in and to get the fitter back within 12wks to reassess as the Serge panels mean that it adapts to the shape of the horse and may need more flocking. Also the Serge helps some horses who have been tight along their back and in those cases 12wks is plenty of time to develop muscles and for the saddles to need widened.

It really comes down to when you got each saddle and the fitters terms. You accepted the terms when you bought the saddles after they were fitted and kept them however long you've had them.

14 days is in my head from when I looked into Trading Standards but I could have that totally wrong..

Basically no one here can advise you without details including dates of:
Saddles fitted
Paying for saddles
Contacting fitter with concerns
Fitter visiting to refit
You accepting/letting fitter leave
To now when you've been offered a refund for two (now used?) saddles
 

sbloom

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Saddles made for you ie custom have no right of return, you are completely beholden on their customer service. If you buy off the shelf and have a fitting at your premises you have the distance trading type regs to be able to send the saddle back, notifying within 14 days, and another 14 days from that notification to actually get it back. Some companies will offer a full 14 day ridden trial within certain conditions.

If the tree is the right width and the panel is flocked as well as it can be then either the tree, or the panel or both are wrong. And yes, there are many fitters with a very minimal "qualification" fitting SC saddles. I am not qualified but had a long training period with my boss/mentor 12 years ago when I started, and still do cpd, work together with my mentor etc as well as other fitters in the company, always learning from each other. I say go on experience (including relevant training) and reputation over qualifications.

If you were not given full terms and conditions on booking it may be worth consulting the CAB who run consumer trading standards. We are under the impression we legally have to send copies by email as a minimum to every booking in advance of the appointment, otherwise we have way fewer rights as a company if anything is thought to have gone wrong.

For anyonw who does have problems with any saddle notify in writing your concerns as soon as they happen. The sooner you let the fitter know the sooner they can fix it, and it's evidence if they can't fix it that the issues were there from the start, or soon after. You can't say "it's never fitted" if you first complain two months, even possibly a month, later, horses can change shape rapidly.
 

SO1

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I think you are lucky to get a refund. Most saddlers will just tell you that your horse has changed shape since the original fitting and the only saddle that will now fit is the most expensive one they have which you then buy and then 6 months later that no longer fits and again your horse has changed shape so another saddle etc.

I presume when the saddler fitted them you rode in them and they were not slipping and you were happy with them?

Or was the slipping issue only identifed when you got the saddle checked by the master saddler who I presume also sells saddles so it would be in their best interest to say the saddle doesnt fit so they can sell you 3 new saddles.
 

Dave's Mam

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If the fitter has been out numerous times, did they leave with you satisfied with their work or was it a "Try that & see"?
Did you ride in the saddles & try them?
You might not be entitled to refund for their time & travel.
*Playing Devil's Advocate here*
 
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poiuytrewq

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Out of interest will a regular qualified saddle fitter or saddler actually deal with Saddle Company saddles or does it have to be a specific saddle company fitter?
I did buy one once, years ago and absolutely hated the damn thing!
 

TPO

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They are only adjustable by using the SC templating machine and its only sold to people who have completed the fitting course.

Although it's not actually a fitting course. It's a course about the saddles ans how to adjust them to fit. There is (or was) no training re fitting to a horses back

If you dont have a machine you can send to HQ with a template and they'll adjust/reflock etc for you

So basically any saddle fitter could fit and get them.adjusted but I think it tends to be SC fitters only and most of them use SC as a stepping stone to setting themselves up to sell other brands ime
 
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Kaylum

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My friend had a custom saddle made. Not by this company. It's a company that make and fit the saddles. She was shocked at how bad the saddle was and asked for her money back. She got her physio to show the saddle fitter that the saddle did not fit as they would not take her word for it.
 
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