Saddle fitters in Herts area that don't sell saddles or aren't too biased!

C

ChestnutConvert

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 September 2010
Messages
1,135
Location
Hertfordshire
Visit site
I was wondering if the above exists really, i don't want to be unfairly pushed into a brand that they are on commission to sell, or one that i can't afford!
I know it sounds selfish but fed up of the stories about saddle fitters. On the border of Herts, Beds, Bucks, just would genuine recommendations of fitters that are worth their salt.
 
Toni from TC Feeds / Dovehouse Farm is always very geniune and never tries to push anything particular on to you.

Have also heard good things about RB Equestrian
 
Allie at Bridlepath International. Amazing. I WANTED to buy a new saddle and she wouldn't let me spend the money! Told me what I had just needed some work and I should save my money! Brilliant job and very nice lady.
 
Good luck!

Toni @ TC I will agree doesnt push saddles on you and sticks to a budget but I have had no end of problems with the saddles she says that fit. Both my horses have been done by her and they ended up really sore, same with another horse at my yard. However I know a few others who have used her and never had problems.
I tried Alice Nuttgens but she is an Albion saddler so be prepared to leave with an Albion! The saddle fitted great for a year then my horse changed shape, she came out to refit and said it fitted perfectly but I could tell was causing discomfort and his back was sore. Physio came up and said saddle didnt fit at all :mad:
Martin Wilkinson are good I've heard but their second hand saddles start @ £800 and when I called up with a 'do you have anything in this size etc' they were all £1300 + (still second hand!). So I guess they are the saddler for deep pockets. Though saying that they reflocked one of my other saddles for my mare and said it would be fine for 6 months and not cause problems but its rubbing and she is sore on her back :(
I asked my vet to recommend one and he laughed in my face and asked me to let him know if I managed to find a good one...
Maybe I should retrain as a saddler....
 
No fitter should ever say a saddle will be fine for a certain period of time and that's whay I encourage my customers to know what to look for to see if their horse has changed shape, and to try and nip in the bud any potential saddle fit problems. Some horses will be fine checked once a year and hardly need any adjustments, others will need very regular adjustments - it's very hard to know accurately how long a horse will be able to go without adjustment.

The best recommendations are for saddle fitters who have been able to keep your horse comfortable long term, no matter what brand, what bias they have.
 
EllenJay said:
Toni from TC Feeds / Dovehouse Farm is always very geniune and never tries to push anything particular on to you.

Have also heard good things about RB Equestrian
Click to expand...

Spottyappy said:
I second TC feeds,though use Laura. But,both very good. They also have very good supply of second hand saddles,and part exchange.
If you want a saddle flocked or repairs doing, Michael Jennings is very good. His website s www.mobilesaddler.co.uk.
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Do TC look at the saddle while ridden?
Also would they be peed off if i just wanted her measured?
 
To be fair CC it sounds like you don't quite have the experience to fit yourself so you might just need to bite the bullet and pay for a fitting! I don't know a saddler who would come out JUST to measure and not either look at/fit your current saddle and advise.....
 
BillieBlitzen said:
To be fair CC it sounds like you don't quite have the experience to fit yourself so you might just need to bite the bullet and pay for a fitting! I don't know a saddler who would come out JUST to measure and not either look at/fit your current saddle and advise.....
Click to expand...

I by no means want to fit myself but fed up of being pushed into 1 type of saddle, also i will be on a budget which can't be helped and would like the best advice i can get without the cr@p that can come with it. There are too many bad ones out there. I would like them to check my saddle first of course as maybe something can be done with that, if not then will have to go with what i can!
 
Hello
I use Sue from Foreversaddles http://www.foreversaddles.co.uk/Index.html
She comes out and watches you ride in the saddle etc
She only sells new, but she will fit/reflock etc your own saddle
She talked me out of buying new and re-flocked my old saddle as she felt it was the best fit
She also got in lots of dressage saddles for me to try (anything I wanted to try) and then fitted a different second hand one as none of the other ones were as good
Definately worth a try
 
Yes,TC look at you while you ride,and I you need to try several saddles,that's fine too. They charge a call out,so if you only want measuring,imagine that would encompass it. However,don't forget different makes still come up differently and your horse will change shape with workload etc,so what it measures now could be different in,say,6months. I have a saddle company saddle which can be fully adjusted by a saddler,without having to keep changing saddles.
If just want measurements done,Michael Jennings would also be helpful. He also works outside normal 9 to 5 hours,which may help you too.
 
Cant you get an experienced horse person to advise with measure etc and go to ie Sandon Saddlery or similar they sell tons of second hand or new etc and if you get them to agree they will change etc if it doesnt fit etc etc. They will take cost of saddle. OR take your horse to them if you can. They offered to do this for me ie I paid for saddle and if it didnt fit they would change it within certain period as long as its not damaged etc. But if you have a livery yard /riding school see if they can help you measure up. I have never had problems doing this.
 
Def going to speak to a couple, I'm not saying that i won't buy a saddle off of anyone and get one myself but just want to be sure that I'm getting a good person out. Also would be handy if you could part exchange or pay it up but i only know of one that lets you pay up and i'm not keen on her!
Will all get sorted! Just wish i hadn't listened to the hype about Wintecs in a way, very handy but kind of a 'hard' saddle, for the horse i mean, but maybe it just isn't for her just because her old owner had one doesn't mean it was right.
 
There is a lovely lady from cat lips farm in chorleywood who did mine. She measures the horse and then asks you your budget, and brings about 10 saddles and then does the usual trying them on etc :)
 
There is one on here I wouldn't recommend, but m
Melissa from horseatac was brilliant. Admittedly we did end up buying a saddle from them but not the expensive one we had originally considered. She spent a long time assessing our made and we ended up buying her recommendation, not the most expensive either. We were charged £50 for the assessment and fitting.
 
There is one on here I wouldn't recommend, but m
Melissa from horseatac was brilliant. Admittedly we did end up buying a saddle from them but not the expensive one we had originally considered. She spent a long time assessing our mare and we ended up buying her recommendation, not the most expensive either. We were charged £50 for the assessment and fitting.
 
There will be bad and good about every fitter. So ring one of the others? Stop riding in that saddle in the meantime as you may do more harm than good. GL
 
AntxGeorgiax said:
There is a lovely lady from cat lips farm in chorleywood who did mine. She measures the horse and then asks you your budget, and brings about 10 saddles and then does the usual trying them on etc :)
Click to expand...

Apart from this BLATANT advertising being absolutely forbidden by HHO T&C's - I'm total agreement! This place used to be a quite mad experience to visit - I expect it still is - but is honest, open and amazingly trusting.

Other folks I've known - several liveries have had the visiting type of saddler - they always seem to find that your horse needs a bespoke model - top of the range, signed by an eventer/ jumper or dressage rider with the best foreign sounding name - with extra stuffing because of Dobbin's wide / narrow/ lumpy back - so they usually carry a card of their friendly mortgage advisor too.
 
Unless AntxGeorgiax is actually from Catlips I think H&H views that as a recommendation rather than advertising?

There ARE saddle fitters who fit you a saddle on the day, from stock, at the price advertised - I'm one, but I'm not independent and not SMS, sometimes worth looking outside the box.
 
I personally wouldn't use the lady from Catlips, she tried to fit me a saddle that was too long on my horse.

Michael Jennings came out to me at the weekend and he was lovely and my horse seems happy with his fitting! I had already bought the second hand saddle and he checked and fitted it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top