Saddle Fitting Cost

[HazuraJane]

This is possibly a US issue; if so, ignore my question. Is anyone else staggered by the cost of saddle fitting? I have had fairly horrible experiences when it came time to settle the bill. Schleese saddle fitters always cost me $125 more than I was expecting. I am now using a Custom saddle that is a bit tight across the shoulders, so have contacted a fitter to adjust it. On the fitter's website, I totted up the potential final costs; I expect it will be: $75 call fee/$125 fitting fee, $225 re-flocking fee. Heaven forbid the tree needs work, that's another $275. WHAT THE ACTUAL.

Yes, I understand the importance of a well-fitting saddle and how it is money well spent to save on future vet/osteo/chiro bills in future. I'm just so weary of spending money on my horses at the moment.

 

[dominobrown]

I had a saddle fitter out here, check/ assessment is £60, trying various saddles, both dressage and jump, after trotting the horse up in hand first, looking through my saddles, girths, pads etc which would work first before looking at new new saddles (takes well over an hour per horse). Call out was £25 but as she was looking at 3 of mine and one livery if split between a few people it wouldn't of been that bad. Reflect is £160 for a full re-flock of an old saddle. Not sure where the $ is to the £ at the moment though...

 

[Wheels]

Schleese know how to charge that's for sure

 

[Lintel]

£65 for fitting, trying out various saddles etc.

 

[Myloubylou]

Check was £55 which includes small adjustments like gullet change & light flocking. 50p a mile call out over 10 miles from premises.

 

[chaps89]

I paid £45 for a check this week (should have been £50 as she out her prices up between me booking and her coming out, but she kindly gave me the old price)
It's a further £25 if any adjustments need to be made.
Even with exchange rates, that's quite alot cheaper than you OP!
Out of curiosity, what does the chiro and the farrier charge?

 

[Pinkvboots]

My fitter charged me £60 for fitting and flocking 2 saddles for both of my horses he was with me over an hour.

 

[oldie48]

I took Rose up to my saddler on Wednesday and he charged me £20 for checking and altering two saddles. When he comes to me, he charges £50, he's a 40 min drive from me by car. If I buy a new saddle there's no charge for fitting but he doesn't do deals, the price is the price but looking at other suppliers he's no more expensive. He's sold me a secondhand saddle and bought it back for the same amount when I've exchanged it for a new one. He's a gem, hugely experienced but always up to date with new innovations just very hard to book as he's so busy.

 

[Bonnie Allie]

Like everything - I think you get what you pay for.

There are saddlefitters and then there are folk who fit saddles. I’ve experienced both.

Cheapy bloke who is also a saddle seller will fit one of his stores saddles to your horse for AUD$150. If you buy one his brand new saddles the $150is deducted. Great sales pitch, nice chap, lots of selection. Doesn’t see the client ride, stands the horse square and fits the saddle. He also has a great selection of corrective pads as well.

Fav chap AUD$90 call out + $165 for fit and half reflock and an additional $100 if a full reflock required. He is a respected instructor and horse trainer as well, watches you ride and uses imported pure British wool to reflock, not the cheaper wool blend. I’m ok with these prices as this guy has a great reputation and is super patient and knowledgeable.

 

[HazuraJane]

Oof. No matter how you slice it, I'm paying a lot more than any one who's commented. Double oof, right in the purse.

 

[oldie48]

Like everything - I think you get what you pay for.

There are saddlefitters and then there are folk who fit saddles. I’ve experienced both.

Cheapy bloke who is also a saddle seller will fit one of his stores saddles to your horse for AUD$150. If you buy one his brand new saddles the $150is deducted. Great sales pitch, nice chap, lots of selection. Doesn’t see the client ride, stands the horse square and fits the saddle. He also has a great selection of corrective pads as well.

Fav chap AUD$90 call out + $165 for fit and half reflock and an additional $100 if a full reflock required. He is a respected instructor and horse trainer as well, watches you ride and uses imported pure British wool to reflock, not the cheaper wool blend. I’m ok with these prices as this guy has a great reputation and is super patient and knowledgeable.

Generally I'd agree with you but occasionally you come across someone who is good at their job and doesn't charge top wack. I'm interested in your comment about the corrective pads, would you like to illuminate on what you mean? I think there are times when a corrective pad, used for the right purpose is the best option.

 

[Bonnie Allie]

Generally I'd agree with you but occasionally you come across someone who is good at their job and doesn't charge top wack. I'm interested in your comment about the corrective pads, would you like to illuminate on what you mean? I think there are times when a corrective pad, used for the right purpose is the best option.

We all believe that the best way for comfort for horse is correctly fitted saddle. However over the years I’ve had some oddly shaped horses and one with injury that meant he had muscle wastage in strange spots That needed rebuilding.

in both of these cases the saddle fit was taken as close as it could be to being considered a “fit”. However it was really only 85% fit. This was after exhausting a large range of saddles as well. So the solution was to supplement with a corrective pad until the muscle could be built up and saddle fitted 100%.

The rehab horse after 12 weeks didn’t need pad anymore but funny shaped horse has had his Corrective pad under his saddle forever. They are both seen regularly by physio (qualified) and are very well in these arrangements.

I won’t touch the Wintec pads as we are in Sydney and those pads generate a huge amount of heat under the saddle. My faves are Acavallo and a wool felt one from the UK and the good old Korrector Flair pad.

 

[oldie48]

We all believe that the best way for comfort for horse is correctly fitted saddle. However over the years I’ve had some oddly shaped horses and one with injury that meant he had muscle wastage in strange spots That needed rebuilding.

in both of these cases the saddle fit was taken as close as it could be to being considered a “fit”. However it was really only 85% fit. This was after exhausting a large range of saddles as well. So the solution was to supplement with a corrective pad until the muscle could be built up and saddle fitted 100%.

The rehab horse after 12 weeks didn’t need pad anymore but funny shaped horse has had his Corrective pad under his saddle forever. They are both seen regularly by physio (qualified) and are very well in these arrangements.

I won’t touch the Wintec pads as we are in Sydney and those pads generate a huge amount of heat under the saddle. My faves are Acavallo and a wool felt one from the UK and the good old Korrector Flair pad.

OK, I misunderstood your comment about the cheapie guy selling lots of corrector pads, sounded as if you might be saying they were needed because his saddles didn't fit! I always appreciate it when my saddler suggests using a pad as a short term measure rather than refitting the saddle. I sometimes need to use my Acavallo front riser coming out of winter if the horse loses a bit of condition, knowing as soon as the new grass comes through we'll be back to the usual fitting. My present horse came to me after three years standing in a field, very little muscle and a bit underweight. My saddler worked with a saddler I had initially, then I bought a secondhand one from him and when she outgrew that I exchanged it for a new adjustable saddle which is still being adjusted as her shape changes. I've had her 20 months.

 

[Bonnie Allie]

Sounds like you are really knowledgeable about saddle fit and rehabbing Oldie48. And it’s clear you know how to collaborate with others to get a great outcome.

 

[oldie48]

Sounds like you are really knowledgeable about saddle fit and rehabbing Oldie48. And it’s clear you know how to collaborate with others to get a great outcome.

No not at all, wish I was but I do trust my saddler and have been a client for 20 years. Sadly though I do see a lot of horses being ridden in saddles that don't fit them and know loads of riders who never have their saddle checked.

 

[sbloom]

If you fit a horse with issues with a saddle that is 100% now, then it's less likely to fit in the future, or it may prevent them repairing. A good corrective pad (I like Mattes shim pads) can be used to "fill in" the gaps where there should be muscle, or a more lifted spine, and mean that you alter the pad rather than trading in the saddle. I am a big fan of sheepskin under most saddles, now it doesn't suit all budgets, the odd (very rare) horse doesn't like it and it causes instability in very rare cases (even on very wide horses) but it provides sweat wicking, more space for soft tissue expansion and some shock absorbing ability, as well as the better know pressure distribution. Some saddle fitters still believe a cotton numnah is the optimum, but many back people, and fitters, are coming round to using pads more often.

Most fitters here charge a similar mileage rate but fitting charges vary, but £60 for a one hour fitting would bankrupt me; most are over an hour away, so that's at least one dedicated hour's driving for that appointment on a day on the road, and then there's the behind the scenes work, of which there's a lot. Some of that is directly attributable to the appointment, and I would say I can easily have 90 minutes attributed to a new saddle fitting before I actually get to come out, then there is paperwork afterwards, and then the overheads associated with running the business and a vehicle.

It's not easy to make a decent living doing this, especially if you spend the time required to see all saddles ridden in, especially after adjustment, and to ensure that all holistic issues are also discussed, as well as some degree of education about knowing when a saddle needs checking, where to place the saddle etc.