Saddlers and saddles

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archiesmum

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First of all.... as a relatively new newbie, and this being the first time I've posted a topic, I would just like to say Hello
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Now... saddles.... the bain of my life at the moment!!!
I am after some recommendations for saddle fitters in the South West region, I've had enough of 'Master Saddlers' fobbing me off and telling me Archie's saddle fits when they don't even see me in the saddle or Archie out of his stable!!!
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Also any idea's on saddles, if the worst comes to the worst and I have to get another saddle, for older TBs with big withers
confused.gif
He currently has a Saddle Co saddle.

In the spirit of summer... Pimms if you get this far
grin.gif
 
Well to be honest if a saddle fits you can tell immediately with the horse standing in the stable. as long as you can see it girthed up and it is bedded in and you are a half decent saddler. However if you are convinced it doesn't fit then the saddler should see you ride, watch the horse trotted and cantered before they make the statement that it fits. If they are not satisfying you with their judgement you need to find someone else.

If it is a Saddle Company Saddle it should be fine for your older TB with withers as it can be adjusted and altered as and when needed.


Whereabouts in wiltshire are you? I may be able to recommend someone who can help you with the Saddle Company Saddle
 
First of all welcome to the forum!

If you are not happy you should get a second opinion. The Saddle Co website has links to all the fitters they recommend, many of whom have the machine for adjusting the saddle, so perhaps one of them can help?
 
Julia Duffin (from swindon,i think,)was at a display i went to and gave a q and a on saddles,showed us how they are made,took one to pieces and fiited different trees on horses.she seemed very good,i think i would have her if i needed one.
 
Best saddler in the South west as far as I know is Nathaniel Underwood. He is very very good.
He does have a website if you google his name.
 
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Well to be honest if a saddle fits you can tell immediately with the horse standing in the stable. as long as you can see it girthed up and it is bedded in and you are a half decent saddler.

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Having had saddle fitting problems myself I have to disagree. The horse is 50% of the equation - the rider the other 50%. How can a saddler tell if the saddle fits the combination - ie. the horse AND the rider unless he/she sees the rider on the horse and diong the dscipline for which the saddle is intended? In addition, my last horse bucked when he didn't like a saddle. Often saddles that were sat on him looked as if they fitted - but he often didn't agree. He actually liked the fit of the saddle to be a touch too wide for him which was a matter of trial and riding round until we found out what he liked.
 
I am sorry - but a good saddler can tell if a saddle fits a horse from looking at it on the horse and looking closely at the saddle itself. I can also tell from just looking at the saddle itself if the horse has problems taking certain canter leads, if the rider sits to one side - and which side that is and if the riders legs are in the correct position. I can also tell if it is put on in the correct place. Once the saddle is on I can see if it fits correctly, but I also feel to check it is sitting correctly. If I am fitting a new saddle to a horse/rider I insist they ride in it. But I do not want to see them jump or canter as they should not be doing that until the saddle has bedded down. I will see trot both sitting and rising which is enough to tell if the saddle is going to bed down too low. I then ask them to ride in walk and trot for 3 hours ensuring they sit perfectly straight. If horse doesn;'t like the saddle or the rider doesn;t like it then that is another aspect of the fitting, They the type of saddle a horse can carry is limited by the length of the horses back, the size of the horses shoulder, the position of the girth and the shape of the body. The riders leg length needs to be considered along with their backside size and their discipline. BUT the horses comfort must always come first. I would put the horses at 80% of the combination - the rider 20 % - The rider can always get off if they are uncomfortable - a horse has to put up

Some horses have serious back problems, previous bad saddles which have left a memory imprint and are as such 'remedial cases' Which need careful consideration from the fitter, I have also had a few horses to fit which cannot have a saddle that fits perfectly - they need it to fit wide. That is a case of trying and testing options in as safe an environment as possible taking into account previous history. THat is not the situation the OP raised.
 
[ QUOTE ]
First of all.... as a relatively new newbie, and this being the first time I've posted a topic, I would just like to say Hello
smile.gif


Now... saddles.... the bain of my life at the moment!!!
I am after some recommendations for saddle fitters in the South West region, I've had enough of 'Master Saddlers' fobbing me off and telling me Archie's saddle fits when they don't even see me in the saddle or Archie out of his stable!!!
confused.gif


Also any idea's on saddles, if the worst comes to the worst and I have to get another saddle, for older TBs with big withers
confused.gif
He currently has a Saddle Co saddle.

In the spirit of summer... Pimms if you get this far
grin.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

blimey this could be me talking- having the same problem with my archie and have a saddle fitter coming on thurs (through recommendation this time) but think we're a bit far away for you - new forest area?

been through 2 saddles already and havent had him a year yet- just bought a torsion saddle for hacking which he went unbelievebly well in over the weekend and am hopefully getting an english on thursday but i know how frustrating it is when a saddler tells you it fits and your horse is telling you it doesnt!!
 
Just out of interest, and I am not a saddler or saddle-fitter, but I was always taught there were two ways of fitting a saddle, either with the horse stationary and standing square, or with the horse ridden and moving. The difference being that many horse's shape changes with movement as the back comes up. I have certainly come across saddlers who had a strong preference for one or the other method and a person who preferred to use either depending on the horse. I have had a horse whose saddle fit perfectly stationary and was a disaster when he tried to move, so for him I prefer to ride test a saddle with the saddler there.
 
Thanks for all the replys!! Lots to think about re: fitting!
We are near Trowbridge, not far from Bath.

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i know how frustrating it is when a saddler tells you it fits and your horse is telling you it doesnt!!


[/ QUOTE ] Glad there is someone in the same boat!!!
smile.gif
 
Actually it's not even as simple as whether the saddle fits or not - you can have a perfectly fitting saddle that is so badly made there are lumps in the tree and in the flocking that dig into the horse as soon as it tries to move. I once shook a brand new - extremely well known make of expensive saddles and 3 tacks fell out. Tried again and I got another 4. They were the tacks that were put in when the saddle was being made to hold the leather in place and should have been removed before it was finished. Imagine that coming out into your horses back. So many saddlers also stick in extra flock every time they see the saddle - that then gets hard and lumpy and feels like wearing lumpy socks in wellies.

A saddle should fit the horses when it is both standing still and moving. If it only looks to fit in one - then it doesn;t fit. It should fit when being lunged, ridden in or stationary.
 
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