Saddle fit - any legal redress? (sorry, long)

[Eceni]

So....
Saddler 'A' - recommended by local dressage trainer, came out to see my newly backed young warmblood pony filly. He fitted an Ideal VSD, which wasn't my idea of a good saddle, but seemed to be the only one that fitted. He said the Ideal Jessica, which I had before wouldn't fit and all my good ideas about Albion or Passier or anything else were a) stupid and b) they wouldn't fit a roundly barrelled, no-wither, croup-high (still growing) pony anyway.

Saddle didn't feel good and after a while, when we started jumping, we had pressure points at her withers when I took the saddle off. Also evolving small, soft oedematous masses on pony's spine undeneath inner edge of right panel at mid-saddle level.

So called back Saddler 'A' who came out with very bad grace (initially asked me to send saddle into the workshop so they could reflock it WITHOUT seeing me or the horse!) - and said it fitted fine and wouldn't get any better.

so sacked Saddler 'A' and called out saddler 'B' who sells various makes, including Ideal, Albion, Jaguar.... and WOW.

She sucks in a lot of air as per garage mechanic looking at my car, says pony is a nightmare to fit (which may be true) says first saddle is OK-ish but could be made '100% better' by Flair flocking of the panels. Of course a WOW would be better, but it's a lot to spend. (when pushed, admits that the cost includes stirrup leathers....as if this is a personal favour).

so, because I've already spent £800, I elect to spend another £325 on the Flair flocking and refitting of girth points to stop it slipping forward.

Girth points DO stop it slipping forward. However, small, soft fluctuating masses still evolving on pony's back after an hour's hack and co-hacker says the saddle swings violently from side to side when we ride. I probably dont' have the most stable seat in the world, but after years, literally, of lunge lessons, it's not THAT bad...

so call up Saddler 'B', not impressed, and she says, 'of course it's not right, the gullet is way too narrow, that's why you need a WOW'.

I am immensely unimpressed. It may be that I need a WOW, but I'd rather have one from someone I trust. OTH, saddler 'B' MIGHT be prepared to part exchange my now-Flaired Ideal.

So today, Saddler 'C' comes along with his hand-made saddles (nice bloke, if a bit flakey in his presentation) and points out that not only does the gullet flare from back to front, the saddle's not symmetrical and so it's never going to fit properly anyway. Now someone's shown me, of course, this is obvious, I just didn't see it before

so my question to the forum is whether I have any legal rights in either case - to lever either saddler 'A' or 'B' to refund some of my hard-earned cash...

and then where do I go for independent, objective saddle-fit advise....?

(trying to get Sue Carson out, but hard to get hold of). ALl other suggestions welcome.

sigh

rant

E

 

[taceann]

"So today, Saddler 'C' comes along with his hand-made saddles (nice bloke, if a bit flakey in his presentation) and points out that not only does the gullet flare from back to front, the saddle's not symmetrical and so it's never going to fit properly anyway. Now someone's shown me, of course, this is obvious, I just didn't see it before "

If its an obvious defect in the saddle, ie manufacturing, you should be ok under the Sale of Goods Act and the "shop" in your case the saddler you bought it from, should be your first port of call. Look under Sale of Goods Act on google, under DTI and local trading standards would be helpful.

I had a problem with a GFS VSD Elite. Had it six weeks. Horse not happy in it. I rang a different saddler to the one who fitted it and he wanted to see it. Straightaway he pointed out the fault & as you say, obvious once somebody shows you. Mine was asymmetrical in the panels either side of the gullet. He said it should never have been put on the horse !

The saddler I bought it from offered exchange for another but I dug my feet in and got my money back. Bought a nice Jeffreis from the second saddler who pointed out the fault, so he benefited from his honesty.

Good luck !

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

As with any purchase it must be fit for the purpose it was bought for...cklearly your saddle isn't. You can return the saddle & request your money back. If the sadler decides not to offer a refund you can take court action...it's better to sort it out though out of court. Trading Standards will tell you all this chapter & verse

 

[dozzie]

I so feel for you! I have been in a similar situation. You trust the experts and they let you down. Not much help I know.

 

[Bosworth]

the basic problem you have now is that while the saddle might have been badly made from teh start you will never know because the saddler who added in flair has fundamentally altered the structure of teh saddle so Ideal will not accept it was badly made. And to be honest Ideal saddles are generally oneof the better made makes of saddle out there. But I would be taking the second saddle to task because they should never have fitted flair in a saddle that did not fit in the first place. Flair will not make a badly fitting saddle fit and any saddler who is any good knows that. They have in effect destroyed your saddle - so you have spent and additional £300 to actually devalue your saddle further. Sorry but that is the case. However it may be worth going back to Ideal and asking them if they have a saddle fitter in your area that they recommend. Ideal can replace the tree, totally reflock the saddle and chuck out the Flair so that may be the way to got - get a costing to have the work done that is needed to make the saddle fit ( yes Ideal can alter the width of teh tree) and then go back to the second saddler and ask for them to fund the cost. You may need to go to small claims court and to do so you need a signed statement from teh 3rd fitter to testify as to teh appaling fit etc.

It is a minefield and there are so many bad fitters out there. I am a saddle fitter and seem to spend my time sortingout problems like this.

 

[henryhorn]

What a dreadful saga..
I can only advise contacting SC as their fitters are so well trained, we have had two saddles refitted by them and both are great.
You need an independent report if necessary from saddler C or even saddler D(!) saying it isn't correct, take loads of photographs as well, but I reckon saddler A will say because you allowed saddler B to mess with the saddle they will no longer take responsibilty. Saddler B will say they didn't sell you the saddle etc and get out that way.
Let SC view it and advise, if it's never going to fit sell it after it's been corrected if that's possible.
It sounds a nightmare situation, really saddler A should have been forced to give you a refund but hindsight is a wonderful thing....
Keep an eye out on ebay, we bought a brand new SC dressage saddle for £530 on their, even with £50 fitting it was a bargain.

 

[Eceni]

Thanks all,

will talk to Trading Standards... Sue Carson can't come out until early May so looking at 2 months without saddle which is v frustrating, but doubtless good for my bareback riding, ground work and walking in hand...

sigh

ta

E

 

[Eceni]

Update:

Saddler B has agreed to refund the cost of the Flair flocking and to buy the saddle - not for anywhere close to its cost, but probably as much as I'd get on ebay.

thank you all for your help - it gave me the backbone to ask

E