Saddle fitter that doesn't sell saddles in Herts and Beds?

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Daisy1905

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I am so fed up with people that just want to sell you a new saddle and tell you the old one is rubbish. Have gone through this twice in the past 10 months.

Any recommendations?
 
Mmm, Michael Jennings sorry but i wouldn't recommend having once told me that an 18inch narrow saddle fitted fine on a 13.3hh pony that is actually a 16 inch x wide fitting.....

Have you tried Toni or Charlie at Dovehouse Farm?

Or the fitter at Catlips?
 
^^ What she said. If you can take the horse to Ingatestone, Catlips, Dovehouse (TC Feeds) or Horsehouse, you would be well off, IMO.

Saying that, Martin Wilkinson works out of a shop in London Colney (near ST Albans) and while they talk the talk on the phone, he will come out and fit an existing saddle.:) He has a website. My whole yard uses him, as does the yard opposite. I love him.
 
Second Dovehouse aka TC Feeds/TackHaven. Not only are they quite happy to fit an existing saddle, but if you do need a new one they nearly always have a well priced 2nd hand saddle available.
 
pricklyflower said:
Hmmmm not sure MW is not of the same vein as your old saddle is rubbish, here by my sparkling new one for £1,500 and I'll still charge you top whack for coming to fit it.....
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He runs the business, of course he'll try to persuade you to buy a fab sparkly new saddle! You just say no, not at the minute, thanks. He tried to tell me I should buy his special cob saddle and I jsut smiled nicely and got him to adjust the Thorowgood. He's a nice guy, but obviously he wants to increase his profits if poss.
 
Which is why I drag my saddle fitter all the way from Swindon and pay over the odds for mileage.

I had both my saddles checked and reflocked a few weeks ago, I was aware that my GP wasn't right and said to her I would consider trading it in for a jump saddle. A more ruthless sales orientated person would have jumped on that and sold me a shiny new saddle but she looked at Frankie, looked at my saddle and said it could be adjusted and she had a feeling now I am upping the work that he was going to change shape again and suggested I wait till spring.
If I was determined to get a jump saddle, she gave me a couple of tips of ones to look out for second hand too.

She does do other people in the area but it sometimes means waiting for a couple of visits to coincide if it's a check up which is a pain but worth it.

Just to add that's not a dig specifically at any of the saddlers mentioned about, haven't used them myself and heard good and bad about various, just why I like my saddler.
 
I can highly recommend Kay Humphries. She does sell saddles and does make her own but she mainly concentrates on her job as a saddle fitter.

I have used Kay for 4 years now.

She once visited a lady on my yard who asked her to measure her horse for a NEW saddle. Kay came out and said that the saddle she was using was a marvellous fit and she wouldnt advise parting with your money.

http://www.nortonandnewby.co.uk/
 
SmartieBean09 said:
I can highly recommend Kay Humphries. She does sell saddles and does make her own but she mainly concentrates on her job as a saddle fitter.

I have used Kay for 4 years now.

She once visited a lady on my yard who asked her to measure her horse for a NEW saddle. Kay came out and said that the saddle she was using was a marvellous fit and she wouldnt advise parting with your money.

http://www.nortonandnewby.co.uk/
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How much is her call out fee? Have read many good things on here :)
 
Martin Wilkinson is the only chap for saddles in your area. Used him for 15 years bought old and new off him and have had saddles fitted/altered.
 
Provided your saddle is not out by a tree size a good saddler should be able to adjust it for you.
I would go to Sandon saddlery and take a template. You find something you like for very little money and be able to try it for a week.
 
Not sure if this thread is still going but I recommend Tom Connally - based in Kent but regularly in Herts (used to work at Colemans croft years ago and has kept a lot of his old customers).

He is fantastic and I'd never use anyone else. He doesn't sell saddles and so will give you a really honest opinion and refit it if at all possible. Charges about £40 to reflock, but will do as much as he can. For example he took my medium albion I had for my TB and sent it back to Albion to have a new wide tree put in, then completely rebuilt the saddle specifically for my new chunkier horse. All for less than £200 (a few years ago) so just a fraction of the price of a new one that most saddlers would have tried to sell me.
 
flippa_t said:
Not sure if this thread is still going but I recommend Tom Connally - based in Kent but regularly in Herts (used to work at Colemans croft years ago and has kept a lot of his old customers).

He is fantastic and I'd never use anyone else. He doesn't sell saddles and so will give you a really honest opinion and refit it if at all possible. Charges about £40 to reflock, but will do as much as he can. For example he took my medium albion I had for my TB and sent it back to Albion to have a new wide tree put in, then completely rebuilt the saddle specifically for my new chunkier horse. All for less than £200 (a few years ago) so just a fraction of the price of a new one that most saddlers would have tried to sell me.
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Could you pm me his details please? Have heard of him before :)
 
Cant believe Dawn at RB'S hasnt had a mention, based in MK, she will travel and i wouldnt let any one else touch my saddle. She helped me particularly when my saddle was sitting to one side due to horse and me being unbalanced. She made up a special numnah for me with insert pockerts for prolite pads to go in, worked a treat and much cheaper than a off the peg designed one.
 
Russel doesnt sell saddles, will come out and if he does nothing he doesnt charge!! Very honest because as I said he doesnt actually sell saddles. Hes actually amazing but I dont have his number on me but can get it? :)
 
I've had Martin Wilkinson out to check my saddles before and he was great. They do a telephone consultation before he comes out so they know what to expect - at that point they asked if I wanted to buy or have a check or whatever. I was clear that it was just a check and reflock if necessary and he was really good. He spent a while with us, took a template of my horse (very convenient as I later had the Flair taken out of my saddle so they were able to fit it to her without another call out) and checked my three saddles all for £35 which I thought was reasonable.
A couple of people on my yard have also used him - he will sell new and second hand saddles if you want him to and they were very satisfied with his service. He never tried to sell me anything though.

Russell - I have used him too and I agree he was very honest. Call out is nothing - he only charges if he actually does anything. A friend of mine has used him for years and is a great fan. The only reason I switched to Martin Wilkinson is that I needed a saddler urgently and Russell can be very difficult to get hold of.
 
Had MW out to two horses on our yard, not the guy himself but two assistants. Despite phoning in advance to say exactly what we were looking for and they had some second hand available on their website, they brought nothing remotely suitable to try, we wanted black, they brought brown, we wanted second hand, they brought new! Didn't even offer to make a template so got absolutely nothing for the price of two call out fees. :mad:
 
Ive had really good results with Barnsby Saddle fitters, they tweak my saddle every year or so for me, and its not even a Barnsby! think saddle checks are free at the mo, just give them a call and see what they suggest. I also like the fact they have been around for like forever
 
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