Saddle fitting- what should happen

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SAL66

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After my posts of last week and also reading various other members posts relating to saddle fitting problems, what should actually happen ?.

I must admit I was expecting to be told an estimated size, eg, a 17" with a medium wide tree would be your starting point dependant on make.

Do they measure your horse, or just look at your existing saddle, do they give you a template?

I am amazed and disappointed that so many people who pay good money to have a saddle checked/ measured by a so call professional be dissatisfied.

What should happen I would really be interested to know.
 
okay, based on my good and bad experiences over the years:
if they're bringing lots of saddles, they should look at horse to determine approx width, look at rider (size of bum, length of thigh!), have a chat about what you like (if you haven't already done that over the phone), and then try a few of the selection on.
usually one or two will be very obviously nearly there, or pretty much perfect, and others (if they bother trying them at all, depends how good their eye is!) won't look right at all. when a good one's on, they'll run flat hands down front of panels from pommel downwards, on both sides, and along under the flap from below pommel back, along the panel, checking that it is uniformly in contact with the horse's back. they'll obv look at the gap down the horse's spine, from front and back, and at the saddle balance on the horse. then, if happy, girth up lightly and put rider on, check fit and gaps again. if happy, then get you to ride around in it on both reins, if good at walk, try trot, etc etc, watching carefully for movement in any direction.
obv you get some input at this point - are the knee rolls in the right place? do you prefer flatter seat, deeper seat, reverse hide (sticky) seat, are the stirrup bars in the right place, etc etc.
if they're making to measure, then they'll take a good template or two of horse's back, and a few pics possibly, and work from those, but you should be able to sit in a few demo saddles, to make sure they suit you too.
hope that makes sense.
btw, the worst saddle fitting i ever had (saddle turned out to have a badly twisted tree, totally wrecked a very very good young horse) was by a Master Saddler.
i only trust myself, my chiro, Barrie Swain and Kay Humphries now.
 
If I am going out saddle fitting - would want to see the horse trotted up without a saddle or rug, I would then assess it physically, looking for increased muscle growth on one side or the other, check for unevenness in muscle tone and build. I want to be sure it is sound before I do anything with it.

I then check all over for white marks and rubbed hair and then rub my finders down the spin, all over the saddle area and then round the girth area. I am looking for damage and pain areas

After I have done that I then discuss with the customer what I have found. I can normally tell if the current saddle doesn't fit - if the horse struggles to work one side or the other if the saddle slips to one side or slips backwards or forwards.

i will discuss the horses condition - under weight - over weight, under muscled etc and the implications on fitting a saddle.

Once I have done that I will then template the horse and transfer that to paper, And then take the length of the back.

Only then will I look at the exisiting saddle. I will check it to the template I have taken, check it for fit. and then discuss opportunities for refitting the existing saddle or requirements for a new saddle.

Often the existing saddle can be adjusted - normally they need a complete reflock as so many fitters simply stuff in more flocking in the hope of making the saddle fit and that just makes the flocking really hard and the saddle uncomfortable. And in many cases the tree can be adjusted to template.

I also discuss stirrup leather - you would be amazed at how many people have odd leathers and they can make a real difference to your position and your saddle fit.

I also discuss numnahs and pads, what the customer wants to use and why and recommendations for a better fit.

and then girths - which work and which don't and recommendations for improvements.

If the customer needs a new saddle then i will discuss what they want to do, the conformation of the horse and limitations that causes to saddle type. Then we get on to fitting the saddle.

You should get to ride in the saddle at walk and trot, I do not normally want a customer to try canter until the saddle has been bedded in for about 3 hours in walk. I can see fit from trot as that will show bounce and slip. I normally want teh customer to ride in it for about 20 mins.

I leave the customer with strict instructions on where to position the saddle, how to store it, how to clean it and care for it and what to look for in the future for fit. i will arrange to come back again in 3 months as tha saddle will have bedded in and settled and the horse will have changed shape. That revisit is not charged for.
 
Kerilli

your history of saddle fitting experience ties in exactly with mine - even down to the only using Barry or Kay or myself - but only because I trained with both Barry and Kay to fit before doing my Master Saddlers fitting course. I got into saddle fitting because my saddle which was fitted by a very well known Master Saddler caused horrific back pain for my first horse and my vet recommended Kay.
 
Bosworth/Kerilli

Thanks for the replies, its what I thought should happen, I have had an horrific experience with a Master Saddler and supposedly qualified saddle fitter, he never checked the condition of my saddle, or stirrup leathers, I do find I have too ride with odd ones, now that could be me or my saddle but it was never picked up.
When asked about saddle clothes which ones gave greater benefit, he said a plain one !, Girths he didn't touch on even when asked for a recommendation.

I had hoped that he would have measured my horse as you have described bosworth, them match the template to my existing saddle- nope, never measured anything.

When asked about cleaning the saddle and what's best , he replied furniture polish, but be careful it could make it slippey.
Yes he saw me ride and thought horse looked abit tense , but saddle looked OK, it went from fine to ok during the check.
My instructer then came afterwards and told me to take the bloody thing off, far too tight.

And he came recommended!!!!!!
 
Good post, very interesting
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Bosworth - if the client hasn't got a menage would you still be able to get an fairly accurate view from someone say just trotting up and down the yard/road?

Sorry to hijack post
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Edited to say, what areas to do you cover
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Thanks
 
I have fitted saddles in fields and on the side of roads - you can check a saddle going up and down a lane - you do not need to see it in the Manege. I had mine fitted By Kay at her shop in Beaconsfield and I rode my horse up and down a main road in walk and trot!!

I have fitted them to horses that cannot be ridden and those have been walked round in hand - lunged if possible and if not then just walked and trotted in hand - you have to keep adjusting the girth as the beds in and it will take longer to bed without a rider than with one so that is not a particularly good thing to do but it is doable with patience.

Area wise I only really do Devon Cornwall and Somerset now as have recently moved down here.
 
I agree with Bosworth. i got an excellent Master saddler to come and fit my saddle and he did all of those things. Altered my dressage saddle and said my GP was fine and left with only charging me £70. What a bargain.
 
Pretty much as my own saddle fitter Bosworth. If there is no mange then he will make the most of roads or fields, but he will check somehow. He always tried to re-flock on site so that he can ensure that the saddle fits well. he is also fairly cheap I believe.
 
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