saddle fitting

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dkwp

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I've recently bought a saddle fitted by a master saddler that slips forward and sideways. I've tried asking the saddler for advice by phone and have been told
a it's to do with his forward girth groove
b try a cord girth with point and balance straps (horse hated it and it didn't work anyway)
c it would help if horse lost his fat tummy (it's the shape of his ribcage - he can't change that)
d the saddle is too narrow and the horse is asymmetric.


The saddler is coming back when he's next in my area and has promised to sort things out. But I've lost confidence, especially as the girth he sold me was much too short.

At the fitting, he only offered me a choice of two saddles, both built on the same tree. I only tested them for a few minutes each. My horse moved really well in one of them and I agreed to buy it because the saddler assured me it fitted the horse and me. He didn't say it was too narrow then.

He's very pleasant but I've lost confidence. Am I being naive expecting a saddle fitted by an expert to fit? Is saddle fitting more of an art than a science - one that involves expensive trial and error? Should I ask for my money back? If so, am I likely to get it?
 
In my opinion you need to try lots of different saddles and when you do find one you like it would need to be flocked specifically for your horse. Kay Humphries does a great little book on the basics of saddle fitting. I was lucky enough to have a saddle built for my horse by her and it was only £800 but that was a few years back now
wink.gif


But even a custom made saddle needs reflocking and re adjusting every 6 months or so depending on how much your horses shape and workload changes. More so on youngsters or those in training.

Make your own wither template using a metal coat hanger and bend it to the shape of your horse then cut a piece of card to that shape and put it against any saddle you want to look at. If the tree is right then the flocking can be adjusted to sit the saddle level. I love the wintecs and Kay liked them too as you can easily change the gullet. So no saddle fitting doesn't have to be expensive.

Speak to trading standards if you are unhappy with the service as there are rules to protect the consumer if you have been given bum advice and sold a product unsuitable for the use it is intended i.e doesn't fit your horse.

Good luck.
 
dkwp- A few minutes is not long enough to ride in a saddle to see if it fits. Ideally you need to ride in walk, trot and canter on both reins. Unless the fitter feels it doesnt fit then you can stop and try a different saddle. Horses with broad ribs and forward girth grooves are harder to fit because the conformation pushes the saddle forwards. Point and back straps can help but if the tree was too narrow, using a point strap would pull the point into the back of the shoulder, which may be why your horse objected.

I would not use the saddle or girth, get the fitter out asap and if you are not happy after a longer second visit ask for your money back. This gives him a chance to see yur problems and help you but if you are not satisfied then you dont have to buy a saddle you thin doesnt fit! Unfortunately there are alot of fitters that just want to make a sale and arent too focused on safety and welfare.

Beatrice- Good advice about taking a template as a starting point. A flexi curve is much better than a coat hanger though because it moulds much more accurately. IMO Coat hangers are a bit stiff to do a template properly. I would also add that there is alot more to fitting a saddle than just changing the gullet, the rest of the tree profile and panel have to fit too. Personally i think wintecs are too banana shaped for British horses and if the right width gullet is used the back of the saddle frequently lifts up. Lots of saddlers sell them though!
 
Thanks to both of you for the advice. It's made me feel more confident.

I've now asked for my money back as my horse is in obvious distress with the saddle on his back. No reply yet - I'll have to wait and see. Thanks for the tip about trading standards - I'll use them if all else fails.
 
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