Saddles & Saddle Fitters

[Tiffany]

I'm compiling a survey/thesis on saddles and saddle fitters and wondered if any of you would mind helping by telling me about your experiences? For instance make of saddle/saddle fitter. Was saddle new or second hand? Was it fitted by a qualified saddle fitter? What made it a good expeience? If it was a bad experience, what was the problem and did they resolve it to your total satisfaction? Please feel free to PM me. Thanks in advance. Please note I won't be mentioning specific companies but am trying to build a picture of the saddle fitting industry as a whole.

 

[lyndsayberesford]

crewe saddlery are really good fitters with an excellent reputation

 

[Tiffany]

[ QUOTE ]
crewe saddlery are really good fitters with an excellent reputation

[/ QUOTE ]
Thank you

 

[catembi]

TBH, you might be better off doing some sort of questionnaire, so you get some sort of structure / coherence to your data? I'm afraid I could ramble on for quite some time re my experience with various saddles & fitters.

Then you'd have some good data to analyse. Sorry... did a data gathering project for my MA not so long ago. Prob no help.

 

[Tiffany]

[ QUOTE ]
TBH, you might be better off doing some sort of questionnaire, so you get some sort of structure / coherence to your data? I'm afraid I could ramble on for quite some time re my experience with various saddles & fitters.

Then you'd have some good data to analyse. Sorry... did a data gathering project for my MA not so long ago. Prob no help.

[/ QUOTE ]
I did think of that but I'm quite happy for people to ramble on so please feel free.

 

[Darkly_Dreaming_Dex]

Ever considered it from the saddle fitters side?

Clients who insist on a saddle brand that will never be suitable for their horse, you refuse to sell them one so they buy one anyway (elsewhere) and end up coming back complaining of problems.
Clients who call you out but dont listen to a word you say- prefering their friends/ instructors/ Yo opinion.
Clients who order a saddle, let you get it in (and pay for it) only to change their mind once
Clients who call you out but because you are

female

under 50

you must be rubbish
Clients who let you drive miles to an empty yard because they forgot to ring and cancel.
Clients who fail to ring you at the first sign of a problem, preferring to wait untill that little rub turns into a full saddle sore or the horse bucks everyone off before ringing up in hysterics.
Clients who insist on using riser pads etc when the saddle doesnt need it thereby causing problems.
Clients who never oil or feed the leather who complain about excessive wear/staining/light patches on flaps or cracks in girth straps.
Saddle companies that take your order for a saddle for a client who send something that bears no resemblance to the order.
Saddle fitters who only sell one brand because only their saddles can make your horse perfect

Why are good secondhand saddle fitters so rare yet so sought after?

Why are so many saddle fitters so unwilling to return to sort out any problems that may arise?
Why doesnt the Society of Master Saddlers make clearer the difference between a registered retailer and a saddler?
Why is the society such a closed shop to highly qualified saddlers who dont come through the apprenticeship route?
Did you know that anyone can call themselves a master saddler as long as they dont display the society logo as its not protected like farriery?

Rant over

 

[Tiffany]

[ QUOTE ]
Ever considered it from the saddle fitters side?

Clients who insist on a saddle brand that will never be suitable for their horse, you refuse to sell them one so they buy one anyway (elsewhere) and end up coming back complaining of problems.
Clients who call you out but dont listen to a word you say- prefering their friends/ instructors/ Yo opinion.
Clients who order a saddle, let you get it in (and pay for it) only to change their mind once
Clients who call you out but because you are

female

under 50

you must be rubbish
Clients who let you drive miles to an empty yard because they forgot to ring and cancel.
Clients who fail to ring you at the first sign of a problem, preferring to wait untill that little rub turns into a full saddle sore or the horse bucks everyone off before ringing up in hysterics.
Clients who insist on using riser pads etc when the saddle doesnt need it thereby causing problems.
Clients who never oil or feed the leather who complain about excessive wear/staining/light patches on flaps or cracks in girth straps.
Saddle companies that take your order for a saddle for a client who send something that bears no resemblance to the order.
Saddle fitters who only sell one brand because only their saddles can make your horse perfect

Why are good secondhand saddle fitters so rare yet so sought after?

Why are so many saddle fitters so unwilling to return to sort out any problems that may arise?
Why doesnt the Society of Master Saddlers make clearer the difference between a registered retailer and a saddler?
Why is the society such a closed shop to highly qualified saddlers who dont come through the apprenticeship route?
Did you know that anyone can call themselves a master saddler as long as they dont display the society logo as its not protected like farriery?

Rant over

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for your comments

I am also looking at it from your angle and I've asked saddle fitters I know for their comments. Like buyers they all have a story to tell both good and bad. Don't know much about Society of Master Saddlers but may get in touch to see if they want to participate.

 

[Donkeymad]

[ QUOTE ]
Did you know that anyone can call themselves a master saddler as long as they dont display the society logo as its not protected like farriery?



[/ QUOTE ]

Anyone can call themselves a farrier, but shouldn't the buyer check?? The logo is Protected and should not be used or displayed without the Authority of the SMS.