saddle update

[Patches]

Thanks to all who posted.


I've contacted the shop I had the saddle from. They've told me it sounds as though it needs reflocking and have told me to take it to the Walsall Factory to have it flocked, as they can't do it on site, where you keep the horse.

I've then got to arrange for the saddle fitter to come and check whether the saddle needs adjusting at the tree after I've had it done.

I don't do travelling.....and it's 1 1/2 hours away at least by car.

 

[Tierra]

They sound really helpful

Im no saddle fitting expert, but surely when reflocking, its helpful for the person doing it to see it on the horse so they know roughly how much flocking needs to go in? Overflocked saddles are a nightmare so i dont see how they can just randomly start reflocking it..

As i said though, im no saddle fitter and im afraid ive used flair for years now so im pretty clueless on traditional flocks :/

 

[Pedantic]

Non of this sounds very proffesional to me, a really important issue like saddle fitting and it sounds like they cant be arsed, I'm not anti traditional saddle but it's stuff like this which makes me glad I have a treeless.

 

[MaverickMD]

Agree with other posts - the shop you bought the saddle from sound pantz and exceedingly unhelpful (if they are registered as a saddle supplier with the Society of Master Saddlers I would even consider reporting them !).

You should have a Master Saddler or Master Saddle Fitter look at the saddle insitu on the horse for the best outcome. However, I have not seen your earlier posts (I dont think) so dont know what is the problem with your saddle. If it has been a new saddle and fitted perfectly when you got it - then it may have just "settled" and could be reflocked and re-balanced (ie all the flocking made symetrical again) by a competant master saddler without the horse being present - so you could post it with pictures and explanations to a Master Saddler (after contacting them out of consideration first !!!) but this is deffinately NOT the best option.

However, if there appears to be a specific problem then I would say you MUST have it looked at by a Master Saddler / Master Saddle Fitter with the horse there.

Many MS/MSF's will travel out to visit site - so your best bet would be to get in touch with the Society of Master Saddlers(google the name) and find a Master Saddler near to you and arrange for a visit from them - afterall, it is your horses back that is at stake. You wouldn't want to run a marathon in a pair of ill fitting shoes or a tight bra would you ... well neither would your horse !! Tee Hee !

PM me if you want to chat further.

 

[Bosworth]

Patches - the shop you bought it from needs to deal directly with the Saddle Company - they do not deal directly with the general public so you cannot take it up to them. Also the saddle fitter needs to see it on the horse and take a template to send up to the Saddle Company with your saddle so they reflock and refit to template. Yes the Saddle Company can totally reflock your saddle without seeing your horse, the saddle fitter will then refit the saddle to fit your horse but it is not normal procedure for them to ask you to take it up for a reflock.

 

[Flame_]

I don't know anything about The Saddle Company saddles, but unless they've go flair/cair or sealed close contact panels you'd be best just finding a reputable freelance saddler to come out and re-flock. They may need to take it away to do but should assess it on the horse before and after stuffing until you are both happy with the fit. TBH I think you often get a more reliable opinion on the fit of the saddle from an independent saddler than the one you bought it off in the first place, although it did look a good fit in your old picture.

 

[Louby]

Great to hear youve got some responce and sorry to sound negative but the 'flocker' needs to know where it needs flocking. I too know nothing about The Saddle Company Saddles and may be talking rubbish but you could end up worse if they flock it wrong or too much. I'd get another saddler to come out, check it again and either take it away to flock themselves or at least tell them in Walsall where and how much flocking it needs.
Goof Luck.

 

[TirionWirion]

Hi Patches me again! My saddle company saddle fitter has a all the gear in his shop to do all the adjustments necesarry, reflocking and adjusting the tree etc that was one of the reasons that I chose a saddle company saddle. Have you looked on their website? They have a link which takes you to saddle company dealers in different areas maybe you could ring round and find one nearer who would come out and look at the horse and saddle take it away to do all the necessarry and then bring it back to fit it. Mine did and the turnaround was four days. If he can't do anything for any reason he will send it away to the saddle company and at this time of year their turnaround I think is quite quick - my new saddle was ready and in the shop within five days. I agree with Maverick about reporting them they sound very uninterested and quite rubbish.

 

[Donkeymad]

Saddlers down here prefer to reflock 'on the horse'. That is they reflock and fit it to the horse as they go, to ensure a perfect fit. They sometimes take them away if it's how the owner wants it done. I supose at least you have some sort of positive result here.

 

[Patches]

I don't really get it, but apparently the flocking is pretty standard. It's the adjustable tree that is altered, not the flocking. It needs to be re-flocked before they adjust it to fit her.

My saddle has serge panels underneath it. It's not like a traditional saddle. The serge (wool) goes hard over time with sweat etc penetrating into it during work. As I ride for hours at a time in my saddle (3 hours hacks four times a week is not uncommon as well as other work), they recommend a total re-flock at this time. It's not a case of flocking to alter the fit at all.

 

[CBAnglo]

The point about reflocking a Saddle Company saddle is that actually the wool is different from the white stuff used in other saddles. The wool the Saddle Company use is much softer and forgiving.

Re reflocking - usually you would call a saddle fitter to come out, assess whether you needed a reflock then they would arrange sending the saddle back to the factory, with a template of the horses back to reflock according to the horse. Bear in mind that you would need to ride the saddle in again, and so there may be further adjustments in the next 3 weeks or so (depending on how much you ride). I also reflock adjusting to the rider as well (some riders need the flocking a little bit firmer).

I just had mine totally reflocked at the factory on Monday and will spend this weekend bedding them in before I do any serious work in them. Some fitters can reflock on site and I do my own minor adjustments, but for a total reflock it is best to have the whole thing done back at the factory.