Saddle fitter/master saddler

[AdorableAlice]

In Worcestershire/south Birmingham area.

several saddles to be altered and maybe a new purchase if the existing ones cannot be altered to fit the new horse.

Names of good saddlers please. Thank you.

 

[lamlyn2012]

Jeremy Rudge Saddlery, Aldridge, West Mids are really good if thats not too far away.
Their saddle fitter is Amy, she is very good and they make beautiful bespoke saddles. They do have a website.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Thank you, I will get in touch with them. Must remember not to tell them the horse is a grumpy, rotound mare with loaded shoulders and sharp teeth !!

 

[millitiger]

I am in Worcestershire too and really struggled to find a good mobile saddler (found a few I wouldn't recommend though!).

I now take mine up to Horsesense to be fitted there- they can do all alterations, have a huge 2nd hand selection and wide range of new saddles too.
And they have the indoor school so you don't have to get wet/blown away by wind when you are there.

 

[fizzer]

Keith Bryan is excellent, master saddle fitter. He is a saddle teacher also.

www.keithbryansaddlery.com

 

[Old Bat]

Jo Beavis is a NSC saddler, she hasn't let us down yet.....

 

[Tiarella]

Jo Beavis is a NSC saddler, she hasn't let us down yet.....

Really?!

hmmmm £90 call out fee to drive 5 minutes down the road to fit a saddle that quite clearly even to an untrained eye does not fit at all....no thanks!

 

[AdorableAlice]

Really?!

hmmmm £90 call out fee to drive 5 minutes down the road to fit a saddle that quite clearly even to an untrained eye does not fit at all....no thanks!

How much !

A friend had a saddle made by the NSC last year, absolutely superb dressage saddle, but the total cost was way over £2,000 with all the fittings and it took over 6 months from first measure up to finally being perfected and in use.

Sadly I am not in that league, but the saddle was to die for in the end.

 

[Highlands]

Mel issac from stoke prior

 

[sophiebailey]

I'm in Shropshire (Telford) and use my old yard owner Claire Taylor who's a qualified saddler, she made me a saddle for my cob (best saddle I've ever sat in!!) And fits the saddles for our local RS and a lot of local livery yards.

She does travel to you and I believe her call out fee is really cheap (cheaper if there's more than one of you!) And she always does a great job can tell from 10 yards away if a saddle doesn't fit just by looking lol. I have her number if you want it xx

 

[amandaco2]

I use Andy the saddleman.
Also had issues with nsc as per rachaelstar

 

[Cobsndogs]

Really?!

hmmmm £90 call out fee to drive 5 minutes down the road to fit a saddle that quite clearly even to an untrained eye does not fit at all....no thanks!

I have to say I am suprised at this as Jo is always someone that I would recommend. We have used her for years and she has fitted five of our horses a variety of saddles. We have always been happy with her, and we are ultra fussy! Have never paid £90 for call out whether we have been 5 mins up the road or 15 miles away, in fact haven't paid call out for a fitting where a new saddle has been bought, and usually pay around £50 for my annual saddle check. I guess everyone has different experiences with different saddlers.
Have to say I also think Lizzie at Horsesense is good too, as is Laura Dempsey in Kineton.

 

[JenEn]

I'm in Shropshire (Telford) and use my old yard owner Claire Taylor who's a qualified saddler, she made me a saddle for my cob (best saddle I've ever sat in!!) And fits the saddles for our local RS and a lot of local livery yards.

She does travel to you and I believe her call out fee is really cheap (cheaper if there's more than one of you!) And she always does a great job can tell from 10 yards away if a saddle doesn't fit just by looking lol. I have her number if you want it xx

Hi, do you still have Claire Taylor's number? If so, please could I have it. Thanks

 

[jnb]

Andy Wheals - the Saddle Man. I have found him to be amazing, alters on site if possible and will fit the saddle to the horse not the other way around!
Also makes to measure and has worked for major saddle brands and gives sound advice.
Very busy though - which says it all and not cheap (not unreasonable at all though). But.....IMO, you get what you pay for in the saddling world!
Just check the Master Saddlers website for his contact details.

 

[Frumpoon]

Another one to avoid Jo Beavis...profiteer of the lowest order...also wouldn't bother with horse sense....

Try Barnsby they do a mobile master saddler service and John is a brilliant old boy who has been there, done it and worn the t shirt...

 

[Frumpoon]

Andy Wheals - the Saddle Man. I have found him to be amazing, alters on site if possible and will fit the saddle to the horse not the other way around!
Also makes to measure and has worked for major saddle brands and gives sound advice.
Very busy though - which says it all and not cheap (not unreasonable at all though). But.....IMO, you get what you pay for in the saddling world!
Just check the Master Saddlers website for his contact details.

Oh god no!!!!! Avoid Andy .....had a so called made to measure saddle off him....no idea what kind of horse it was measured for but not mine....

 

[Justturnedfifty]

Hi there, would highly recommend Miles Pearson from Bromsgrove Saddlery. Look him up on line, not just a Master Saddle Fitter but competes and really understands what you want. Great at fitting, repairing etc. Independent so doesn't attempt to sell you something that's not suitable for you, your horse and your horses shape! A breath of fresh air, call out charge around £40, that was what we paid last year. Knowledgable horse man and saddler.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Hi there, would highly recommend Miles Pearson from Bromsgrove Saddlery. Look him up on line, not just a Master Saddle Fitter but competes and really understands what you want. Great at fitting, repairing etc. Independent so doesn't attempt to sell you something that's not suitable for you, your horse and your horses shape! A breath of fresh air, call out charge around £40, that was what we paid last year. Knowledgable horse man and saddler.

Seconded. Came out to me (I am 10 miles from his yard) last year. I had bought a maxi cob complete with an almost new Jefferies saddle that was far too narrow for her. I asked him to bring new saddles for me to try with a view of chopping the Jefferies in against a new GP saddle.

We tried a variety of new saddles and he was not happy with any of them, I mentioned that I have a 20 year old Farrington hunting/gp saddle that I love, feel safe in and had many happy hours of fun in with a previous big shouldered/wide horse. He asked me to get it out, it needed a good reflock but after 3 on and off's the mare he finished it. Charged me £65.00. I have my favourite saddle back in use and a comfortable horse.

 

[Flummoxed]

It seems you have answered your own question then!!

 

[AdorableAlice]

It seems you have answered your own question then!!

Miles was recommended to me after I asked the question.

 

[Orangehorse]

Hi there, would highly recommend Miles Pearson from Bromsgrove Saddlery. Look him up on line, not just a Master Saddle Fitter but competes and really understands what you want. Great at fitting, repairing etc. Independent so doesn't attempt to sell you something that's not suitable for you, your horse and your horses shape! A breath of fresh air, call out charge around £40, that was what we paid last year. Knowledgable horse man and saddler.

Sorry, not my experience at all.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Sorry, not my experience at all.

It is alarming how many saddlers have been mentioned with both good and poor reviews, minefield by the look of things.

 

[Renvers]

Hi there, would highly recommend Miles Pearson from Bromsgrove Saddlery. Look him up on line, not just a Master Saddle Fitter but competes and really understands what you want. Great at fitting, repairing etc. Independent so doesn't attempt to sell you something that's not suitable for you, your horse and your horses shape! A breath of fresh air, call out charge around £40, that was what we paid last year. Knowledgable horse man and saddler.

Another vote for Miles, he has fitted my very odd sized horse in the past and always honest to the point of advising current saddle needed adjustment when i was planning to buy a new one form him. He is used by many i know including some very fussy people.

As lovely as Jo Beavis is, and she has some lovely stuff for sale, I know of several people (very local to her) who have had innumerable problems with the fitting of saddles and will not recommend her at all.

 

[Renvers]

It is alarming how many saddlers have been mentioned with both good and poor reviews, minefield by the look of things.

Certainly is, I was speaking with someone today about Laura Dempsey over at Pittern Hill and we have both heard opposing opinions about her too. Does any saddler have a 100% record??

 

[Orangehorse]

No I don't think so. Not even Kay Humphries!

Miles left my saddle with lumps in the flocking, so I had to pay someone else to do it again - actually I got Kay's saddler to do it so I had to pay a lot for that.

 

[Gift Horse]

I agree John from Barnsby is brilliant. I would not want to use anyone else.

 

[Joyous70]

Im also looking for someone in this area, and am now even more confused as to who to try.

 

[chestnut cob]

I've used most of the saddle fitters in this area and am now using Crewe Saddlery. They will come out to South Shrops but call out/ mileage is extortionate and works out cheaper for me to take horse up to them in the trailer. I had a bad experience with one particular fitter in the area who fitted my saddle and swore blind it fit, despite my nagging doubts. Horse was losing more and more muscle, becoming gradually more sore and my super-bold jumping pony stopped wanting to jump. It's really difficult when a highly experienced fitter has checked and re-checked, fitted and re-fitted the saddle, promising you it is fine. You are supposed to be able to trust the pro's! Changed to Crewe Saddlery (I use Beatrice), bought a 2nd hand saddle from them actually in the end. Physio came out 3 or 4 months after getting the new saddle and couldn't believe the difference in the horse - total change of shape (for the better), back had come (back) up, much improved topline, no longer grumpy about being tacked up, complete change of attitude when ridden. He was immediately confident jumping in the new saddle.

So for me, definitely Bea at Crewe Saddlery now. They (Bea, in particular) were recommended by my physio and wouldn't use anyone else now.

 

[cobwithattitude]

Barnsby get my vote. Lovely people and am very happy with saddle. Laura from Kineton has been on the yard and fitted another saddle, seemed ok & owner happy. I have had a lady from Northampton, but never again.

 

[Frumpoon]

Barnsby get my vote. Lovely people and am very happy with saddle. Laura from Kineton has been on the yard and fitted another saddle, seemed ok & owner happy. I have had a lady from Northampton, but never again.

Was that Antonia wills?