Saddlers.. Grr

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rachk89

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I've contacted 5 saddlers today in this area as we realised my saddle is way too tight on my horse and needs the gullet changed (I should have noticed this WAY sooner and feel like crap that I didnt, so please dont judge me on that part, I am already judging myself enough).

Not one of them as replied! Going mad as I want to get it sorted as soon as possible as I refuse to ride him again while its at that size and digging into his shoulders. Feel really guilty that I never noticed, I had been checking his spine regularly as it was sore when I got him, but that went away once I got this saddle. Had checked the front of it too, but my judgement was wrong.

Please reply, any one of you saddlers! Want my saddle sorted so it doesnt hurt my horse anymore! I am finding more and more in the horse world that getting hold of professionals like saddlers, vets, farriers, physio's etc takes a long time and they dont reply within even a few hours. Ok I know I'm asking on a Sunday and it was a nice Sunday, but this happens even during the week.

Ok rant over. :)
 
It's a Sunday on a Bank Holiday weekend - Saddler's have a life too, I am sure if they had known you were going to be ringing them have waited with baited breath at the end of the phone.
Moral of the story - ring during the working week
 
FfionWinnie said:
Have you considered that if 5 professionals are dealing with you in the same way, it is probably you not them?
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All I have done is text/email them. Phoning just ended up going to voicemail. I am also pretty sure that asking politely isnt an issue with professionals.

Clannad - I would have rang them during the working week, but only noticed today that the saddle was too tight. My instructor noticed, we checked, and it was definitely too tight. I did also say this - Ok I know I'm asking on a Sunday and it was a nice Sunday, but this happens even during the week. - I know I am asking at a bad time, but it does happen all the time here, to everyone. Just want my horses saddle sorted so he is no longer in pain.
 
You're on here ranting about not getting a reply on the same day you contacted them, which is a Sunday on a bank holiday weekend.

Do you seriously think you are being reasonable?

A good saddler will have their diary for this week or even month, filled with appointments for customers who book in advance. Highly unlikely they are going to reply to you today I should say and if they do it's unlikely to say they will come immediately!

I'm actually astounded by your attitude.

Go and buy a gullet and change it yourself or don't ride until you get a reply.
 
rachk89 said:
All I have done is text/email them. Phoning just ended up going to voicemail. I am also pretty sure that asking politely isnt an issue with professionals.

Clannad - I would have rang them during the working week, but only noticed today that the saddle was too tight. My instructor noticed, we checked, and it was definitely too tight. I did also say this - Ok I know I'm asking on a Sunday and it was a nice Sunday, but this happens even during the week. - I know I am asking at a bad time, but it does happen all the time here, to everyone. Just want my horses saddle sorted so he is no longer in pain.
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Vets provide a 24x7 service as they deal with life and death situations. Saddlers don't. They don't deal with life and death situations and consequently they don't NEED to provide a 24x7 service.

Suggest your horse will live if turned away and not ridden for a few days or alternatively lunged or worked in long reins or even (god forbid!) ridden bareback.
 
Sorry ut I too cannot believe you are complaining. No wonder the non emergency horse professionals I know have 2 phones and turn their work one off to have a life!
 
rachk89 said:
All I have done is text/email them. Phoning just ended up going to voicemail. I am also pretty sure that asking politely isnt an issue with professionals.

Clannad - I would have rang them during the working week, but only noticed today that the saddle was too tight. My instructor noticed, we checked, and it was definitely too tight. I did also say this - Ok I know I'm asking on a Sunday and it was a nice Sunday, but this happens even during the week. - I know I am asking at a bad time, but it does happen all the time here, to everyone. Just want my horses saddle sorted so he is no longer in pain.
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It is not their fault your horse may be in pain, they will probably get back to you when they are back at work, you wouldn't be pleased if your workplace contacted you today expecting an immediate reply to something that can wait until Tuesday, unless you are employed in the emergency services and on call.
 
My saddle needs an alteration, and it has been a 9 week wait!

TBH, it would just have been 4 weeks, but she needed to get some materials (not a fitting, but an alteration to the design, but still simple enough, and a few hours Max to do).

I would not have expected a reply today or tomorrow. I thought a 4 week wait for someone to come out was reasonable.

Could you not borrow a more suitable saddle? Or, the gullets are not so hard to change yourself. For a temporary fix for light work I would be happy to make it a bit wide, and use a Prolite or similar.
 
I can't believe you are irate that no one has gotten back to you on a BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND, and you want a reply within hours?!?!

I am actually pretty gobsmacked you even tried to ring anyone, emails only on a Sunday.

It is hardly a crisis, just don't ride the horse.
 
My saddler is booked up 6 weeks in advance and certainly doesn't operate outside standard office hours. He is a fab saddler and if the horse has changed shape quickly and is uncomfortable he will do his best to fit you in sooner, but I would never get same day service! The good ones are rarely available at the drop of a hat.

I think on this occasion your expectations were probably pretty unrealistic tbh.

If it's just a question of changing a gullet can you not do that yourself? You can always pad it up if you make it a bit on the wide side, and although you probably wouldn't want to do too much in it until it's been blessed by a professional (well I wouldn't anyway), you're unlikely to do much damage with a bit of gentle hacking. In the meantime, if her saddle has been tight and pinching, your horse might appreciate a few days off in any case to let any bruising/sore bits sort themselves out.
 
I thought you might be joking to begin with!

This is not a life or death emergency, its is a Sunday on a Bank holiday weekend give them a break!

Your horse, i'm sure, will be absolutely fine with a few days off/ lunging/bareback riding until some one can fit you in.
 
Another one who is surprised you are annoyed you don't get a response on a Sunday!

I have a really good master saddler to look after my saddles for me. She is heavily in demand and booked weeks in advance. I count her as a good friend...but I still wouldn't expect her to drop what she was doing during her weekend,..
 
It's a Sunday - tbh I think it's rude you have texted/phoned them on a Sunday let alone think they should reply to you instantly! It's a saddle, nothing urgent - just don't ride horse or borrow another saddle if you have to ride.
If it was the vet it would be different- but it's a SADDLE!
 
ester said:
I can't believe you are irate that no one has gotten back to you on a BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND, and you want a reply within hours?!?!

I am actually pretty gobsmacked you even tried to ring anyone, emails only on a Sunday.

It is hardly a crisis, just don't ride the horse.
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^^^^ Exactly.

Its not life or death, looking at the roads a lot of people have gone away as its the half term break for schools. You need to improve your judgement on saddles and with people.
 
Do you seriously use a saddler to change your gullet??? I'm guessing you are talking about a simple job of unscrewing and fitting a new gullet bar?? Instead of blaming the 5 saddlers for not rushing immediately to your aid (would you like it better if they could use blue lights and a siren??), why not get off your backside and change it yourself, all the tack shops are open if you need to buy a new gullet and most of the adjustable gullet brand saddles have either a template to download or a measuring aid to buy if you don't know what size gullet your horse needs. You come across as selfish and completely unreasonable.
 
Makemineacob said:
Do you seriously use a saddler to change your gullet??? I'm guessing you are talking about a simple job of unscrewing and fitting a new gullet bar?? Instead of blaming the 5 saddlers for not rushing immediately to your aid (would you like it better if they could use blue lights and a siren??), why not get off your backside and change it yourself, all the tack shops are open if you need to buy a new gullet and most of the adjustable gullet brand saddles have either a template to download or a measuring aid to buy if you don't know what size gullet your horse needs. You come across as selfish and completely unreasonable.
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To be fair, when I had a Wintec I used to get a saddler to fit and check it. Yes, I can use a plastic measuring gauge and operate a screwdriver, but I can't tell if flocking needs faffing with, or undertake said faffing. But yes, in an "emergency" I would have been able to bung a wider gullet in and faff around with pads until it looked vaguely okay.
 
Micropony said:
To be fair, when I had a Wintec I used to get a saddler to fit and check it. Yes, I can use a plastic measuring gauge and operate a screwdriver, but I can't tell if flocking needs faffing with, or undertake said faffing. But yes, in an "emergency" I would have been able to bung a wider gullet in and faff around with pads until it looked vaguely okay.
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Exactly, if flocking needs attention it's a different matter, changing a gullet isn't rocket science and its hardly an emergency.
 
ester said:
I can't believe you are irate that no one has gotten back to you on a BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND, and you want a reply within hours?!?!

I am actually pretty gobsmacked you even tried to ring anyone, emails only on a Sunday.

It is hardly a crisis, just don't ride the horse.
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This definitely!
 
I along with everyone else am amazed that you would even contact a saddler on a sunday, let alone expect a reply. If your horse is sore you should not even think of riding him for a while. Lead him out, lunge, loose school, but do not sit on his sore back until the soreness has gone away.
 
OP what make is your saddle? I have had a Bates which is a DIY job and I understand Kent and Masters and Thorowgood (which I can't spell!) are not too difficult.

There are 'tutorials' on you tube which are a big help.

I think you will have a problem getting a saddler out ASAP, but it should not be too hard to source a correct gullet size to change youself.
 
OP - I think you have now realised from all the comments that your initial irritation was totally misplaced. I would however like to point out that, like most professionals, saddlers talk to each other and you may possibly have been unofficially blacklisted, it will depend on the wording of your emails/voicemails/texts.

Perhaps you could consider contacting one of them on Tuesday with an apologetic, 'I totally forgot it was the Bank Holiday Weekend/didn't realise it was Sunday' type of call and wondered if you could possibly fit me in when you next have a space/cancellation. A little bit of grovelling goes a long way.

Good saddlers are booked up well in advance and we need them more than they need us.
 
OP I feel your pain at wanting a saddle fitter out NOW! It seems like the end of the world when its your horses saddle that doesnt fit, but the fitter is dealing with lots of people that feel like that unfortunately. My fitter is amazing and is generally booked up for weeks in advance, but I'm lucky that she lives near me, likes my boy and my attitude to saddles and horse care generally, so being a total superstar she will try and squeeze me in at short notice if she can. But by short notice I mean a week or two or even 3. She also puts up with random text/Facebook messages about saddles. She usually replies within 24 hours or so, but I honestly dont expect an immediate response and am just grateful that she is prepared to discuss saddle stuff with me outside of a booked fitting :)

Good fitters get booked up quickly. I'm just happy I found one thats so very good and is helpful enough to try and slot me in when its not a routine thing. Dont panic! Lunge/long rein/free school your horse or hack out bareback until its sorted. Its really not the end of the world, even though it understandably feels like that to you :)
 
As a provider of a non-life critical horse service (I'm a bridle maker), if a customer or prospective customer had contacted me at the weekend or evening expecting an almost instant reply I would be furious at their cheek and would not accept their business. All my fellow horses services providers have to deal with people like this all the time and ironically as often as not they're the ones that don't keep appointments and that we have the devils own job getting money out of.
 
I try to get back to people when they leave a message in a reasonable time (within a day) but like others have said we do have a life too.
Saying that I have had customers ring me at weekends, before 7 am on a Sunday morning and at 11.20 pm Saturday night!
And yes I did answer the phone both times, they were people going to a show the next day/later that day and had broken their bridles/saddles and needed a really urgent repair and yes, I did them!
Oz :)
 
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