Saddler Kent area

[Penny Less]

I have been looking for a saddler through the Master Saddlers website, a chap called Peter Husband has been recommended on this forum in the past as being good, but he is not listed on the MS website ?? Does this mean hes not got qualifications or is there another saddlery society ?

 

[ForeverBroke_]

If anyone comes up called Nicola..go for her haha. Sorry, i cant offer any more than that

I think her 'shop ' is called the Saddle Workshop or something like that, she's fantastic.

 

[Berkeley]

Where are you in Kent?

 

[Penny Less]

Near Maidstone

 

[black_horse]

ken at saddleworld is great! im in the maidstone area, pm me your details, i know a host off people you want and dont want

 

[alsxx]

I've used Peter Husband and will recommend to anyone. No he's not registered with the SMS, however I have used someone that is and lets just say she was utterly useless and caused more expense and trouble than she was worth.

PM if you want his number. x

 

[Berkeley]

Chaskits, Tunbridge Wells - they are great.

 

[toomanyhorses26]

I have recently had margeret new who I was impressed with - im stabled at east malling and she travelled from tunbridge wells to fit my saddle

 

[alsxx]

I do find it interesting how we all have very different opinions/experiences of a saddler

 

[toomanyhorses26]

I had used someone else for many years but his porr fitting left a horse on my yard with open sores after an hour of riding and even though it wasn't my horse it left me wary of using him again. I did phone saddleworld but my number got passed to margaret . I did find saddleworlds way of doingthings a bit odd as ken came out and did the basic fitting ie right length and width, he then sent it to another saddler to flock it even though the saddler hadn't seent he horse then ken came out to check the fit of the new flocking . Just seemed a longwinded way of doing things

 

[cyearsley]

Know of most of them and would only ever use Peter Husband. He is a trained saddler, used to work for the Royal saddlers and actually makes saddles, not like the dodgy Kent event riders come saddlers that simply fit them, adjust the flocking and fix keepers - ooh that was catty! Seriously, he is superb, is genuine, trustworthy and would highly recommend, Wouldn't trust any of the others as have met most of them and quite frankly, some of them are shocking!
Have had saddles reflocked, altered, repaired by Peter and have had bridles, stirrup leathers and my husbands gun gase all hand made by Peter and he is superb. Phew, got that off my chest!

 

[cyearsley]

PS I think you'll find that he is qualified to the hilt, just not on the register which I think is something you opt to pay for (ie membership)?

 

[alsxx]

That's interesting to know re peters qualifications. Don't they advise on the SMS website that you shouldn't use anyone not listed with them?

I think he is excellent and wouldn't use anyone else.

 

[Penny Less]

Thanks everyone. PH seems to have a vote!

 

[[59668]]

Another for Peter - lovely guy and really knows his stuff. I'm getting a bridle made by him too!

 

[Vicki1986]

PH have heard positive things but not used him myself.

saddleworld are poor from what ive seen and experienced.

i use clive bending. he's never let me down and my horse is going better than ever, finally in a saddle that fits her properly.

 

[emtrace]

don't use Minster. Sold me a saddle to small for my horse, total nightmare to get hold of once you've paid him for the saddle

 

[Maiko]

I have seen two saddles made and fitted by PH, neither of which fitted the horse they were made-to-measure for, and one of which put the rider in to a position where she looked like an old fashioned cavalry rider, with her legs stuck way forward.

PH is very very local to me, but I would not use him. Interesting how people have different experiences! I would also not use Ken Lyndon Dykes again, not because of his saddle fitting which was very good, but because I couldn't stand the waffle and the bullsh*t that goes with it!