Saddle fitter Cornwall

jenbleep

jenbleep

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Good morning!

I am looking for a qualified and reputable saddle fitter in Cornwall (West - Newquay area) and wondered who you would recommend? Not looking to buy just yet, just want to check the fit of ours and go from there.

I have the number for SOS but have heard mixed reviews???
 
Blimey! Great minds and all that!

I have been looking for saddle fitters this morning as well!

I would be quite interested to hear from anyone who has used Michaela McNeil (sorry for slight hijacking :) :) )

x
 
I think she's based Camborne way, found her name on the master saddlers website - so really just interested in how she is, how she deals with the horses and owners etc - and mostly if she can fit a saddle ok :D
 
PM donkeymad- she is from cornwall and very knowledgeable about saddle fitting so she may be able to point you in the right direction and tell you who to avoid!
 
After not finding one good saddler but MANY bad saddlers in Cornwall and Devon. I will now only use Natheniel Underwood of Wychanger Barton, He is from ?Somerset way but often holds clinics group fittings in Cornwall/Devon.
Be very wary who you use, I had a Master Saddler to fit a saddle to my 16.3hh warmblood 8 year old, fully fit, filled out mare. She fitted her a narrow, after lots of rearing, wouldnt be sat on etc, had her back done to be told never to ride her in the saddle again finally had her correctly fitted with a wide saddle, and never a problem since.
So please really do your research there are some excellent con artist out there!
 
My mare came to me having been "perfectly fitted with a saddle despite being a funny shape by an expert saddler" somewhere in Cornwall. She had "issues", the majority of which mysteriously disappeared with my bog standard Wintec saddle and a good back person to sort out the damage she arrived with!! So I am also very leary of trying most down here - there aren't any I've only ever heard good things about.
 
Malcom Norman from Shaugh Prior just outside Plymouth.
SADDLE SHOP PLYMOUTH
HUXTON FARM, SHAUGH PRIOR, PLYMOUTH, PL7 5EQ

01752 839484
 
My friend recently had Emma Oakley from West Country Saddlery out to fit a saddle to her horse. Apparently she was very helpful and thorough and explained everything to her - she was quite impressed with her knowledge. Apparently she is covering most of Cornwall for Nathaniel Underwood now and has had individual training with him. My friend bought one of Nathaniel's saddles off her and loves it and her horse is going much better now. I think she mainly stocks nathaniel's saddles and farrington saddles though but has a good selection of them.
 
"I would be quite interested to hear from anyone who has used Michaela McNeil "

I googled her name just now to find her contact details, which I'd lost, as I wanted her to do some work for me.

New to the area, I was recommended to her by my farrier, and she made a saddle for my horse.
It is excellent, she was really conscientious and her after-care service is good.

The saddle was a GP - I'm thinking of investing in a dressage saddle now and will certainly use her.
 
teddyt said:
PM donkeymad- she is from cornwall and very knowledgeable about saddle fitting so she may be able to point you in the right direction and tell you who to avoid!
Click to expand...

I recommend Donkeymad's partner (MRH Saddler). He fitted a saddle to my "hard to fit" horse and was fantastic. Another livery also had him out to check the fit of her saddle and he reflocked it for her.
 
The best saddle fitter in cornwall is Maurice highly qualified, who used to be based at what was then called Houghton saddlery. He has been doing saddlery for years and used to make saddles for the Olympic team back in the day! He still does leather work and is based in Launceston but should usually travel, best to check with him, he is fab! 01566779567
 
I phoned Michaela McNeil once.....she was very grumpy and I continued my search. MRH saddler is good but I believe (correct me if I am wrong please) not a qualified saddler, but he has helped me a lot in the past so can't complain.

See my above post too re: Maurice :)
 
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I've used Bridget O'Meara who is now at Summercourt , formerly from Mylor , she's always been very knowlegable , very competant and has plenty of good quality second hand leather saddles. She'll spend time assessing your horses confo and movement and I've always felt very pleased with the saddles i've had - also she does re-flocking or taking flock out and i would trust her judgement entirely.
 
i have used a few, one put a 19 inch narrow saddle on my 12.2hh welsh x ...:eek:
i have used maurice and racheal in launsceston..ray hinton was good... also been told jodi hooper is good?...
 
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