Sue Carson Saddle fitting

HannahPatsy

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Hi,
Please can people give me their honest opinions on these saddles? I have had nothing but trouble since I bought my Sue Carson SJ saddle and seem to be spending more on saddle fittings and physio than anything else. I love the saddle itself, but it just never seems to fit properly.
Has anyone had any good/bad experiences? And can anyone recommend a good saddle fitter for these saddles? Help please!
Thanks
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I know someone with one, it never really seems to have fitted the horse properly it always seems to need adjusting. Really cant understand the need for 5 girth straps either, it was supplied and is adjusted by Sue Carson fitters.

IMO wouldnt give one house room let alone horse room, then again same applies to WOW, three people I know have them and none fit properly, despite regular (3-6 monthly) adjustment.
 
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I know someone with one, it never really seems to have fitted the horse properly it always seems to need adjusting. Really cant understand the need for 5 girth straps either, it was supplied and is adjusted by Sue Carson fitters.

IMO wouldnt give one house room let alone horse room, then again same applies to WOW, three people I know have them and none fit properly, despite regular (3-6 monthly) adjustment.

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i would say similar for both SC and Wow....
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Thanks... Really appreciate your opinions/experiences. I had a Wow previously and found it did not suit me, but never had any problems fitting it to the horse.
I hear more and more negative comments about SC saddles... Think I'm gonna have to look into getting another make of saddle! Oh joy!
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Just found it... Thank You! Oh dear... There are a lot of unhappy customers out there - Pleased to hear I'm not being my usual paranoid self!!
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I know someone with one, it never really seems to have fitted the horse properly it always seems to need adjusting. Really cant understand the need for 5 girth straps either, it was supplied and is adjusted by Sue Carson fitters.

IMO wouldnt give one house room let alone horse room, then again same applies to WOW, three people I know have them and none fit properly, despite regular (3-6 monthly) adjustment.

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SOunds identical to the one I know.... if I didnt know better it sounds like teh same person, but unfortunately I think it is just typical of Sue Carsons!!
 
PatsyHan, nice to know there are others out there in a similar position to me! I have Sue Carson herself coming to see my horse tomorow, my area saddle fitter is also coming aswell. I'll let you HHO's know how I get on, especialle as Sc told me I was wasting her day, and there were better things she could be doing than driving 80 miles to see my horse!
R the pics in ur siggy taken at Richmond EC?????, if so we will have the same SC saddle fitter!!!!!!!!!!
 
We have a sue carson, and we have been very pleased with the saddle and the fitters. Our horse had stopped show jumping well with another make of saddle so had a SC fitted and the horse has grown in confidence again. Everybody will have horror stories about every make of saddle I suspect, in the end they are only as good as the person who fits them, and there lies the problem. Often these people selling saddles go on a 2 day or weeks course and suddenly become experts.
 
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Often these people selling saddles go on a 2 day or weeks course and suddenly become experts.

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The SMS saddle fitters 'qualification' is only a 2 day course followed by 5 days the year after, with an exam on the 5th day. Although they want experience as well as this, despite saying that you shouldnt use an 'unqualified' fitter.
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So how do you get experience if people are encouraged not to use a sms fitter?

I agree macidoodle, 6 days of training is hardly a thorough education.
 
Thanks macidoodle.. It's good to have some positive feedback about the saddles. I love the saddle itself, and like you said, there'll be horror stories about every make.

Charlimouse... yeah, that's at Richmond, so think there is definitely a familiar link here!! I'm going to get in touch with them today and see what they have to say - I begrudge paying anymore.. I haven't owned it 6 months yet and have seen her at least 3 times, and it still doesn't fit! How frustrating. If I get no joy then will have to get someone else to fit it. Let me know how you get on with Sue Carson herself... I'm very intrigued to hear what she's got to say!
Thanks
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charlimouse - i think she sounds very rude and would be pritty p*** off if she had said that too me. let us know how you get on and i think i may give the SC a miss in my hunt for a new saddle. good luck
 
I cant believe it reading the OPs and the other post somewhere else about these saddles and the level of/lack of service purchasers are getting.

Am I the only person here that would be sending the saddles back and asking for a refund???? Why on earth are you all chucking good money at repeated saddle fitter visits....I genuinely dont understand??

The saddles DO NOT fit....get rid!!!!
 
Both MG (OH not horse) and I have dressage and jumping Equipe saddles that we got from fitted Retfords saddlery by Byron, very good very reasonable and very very good after sales service!!!
 
I know this is an old thread- Im having these issues too and Im glad Im not the only one. Every time, they show me the drawings saying ‘but look how much she has changed shape’- but my other saddle (which isnt SC) continues to fit the mare all year round? As soon as I put the SC on the mare, I cant get on her and she walks with her back up, I have nothing but arguments with her and she’s not happy. Never have these issues as soon as I change back to my albion. Its so frustrating. I love the SC to ride in, its so comfy and supportive when jumping but it never fits her. I pay over £100 each time to get it refitted, just for the mare to be unhappy and the saddle slipping back again after 2 weeks.
If you’re thinking of buying one, I wouldnt bother. Not for the price that they are... devastated.
 
I know this is an old thread- Im having these issues too and Im glad Im not the only one. Every time, they show me the drawings saying ‘but look how much she has changed shape’- but my other saddle (which isnt SC) continues to fit the mare all year round? As soon as I put the SC on the mare, I cant get on her and she walks with her back up, I have nothing but arguments with her and she’s not happy. Never have these issues as soon as I change back to my albion. Its so frustrating. I love the SC to ride in, its so comfy and supportive when jumping but it never fits her. I pay over £100 each time to get it refitted, just for the mare to be unhappy and the saddle slipping back again after 2 weeks.
If you’re thinking of buying one, I wouldnt bother. Not for the price that they are... devastated.

If the tree is wrong no amount of reflocking will make it really fit, much the same with her changing shape her muscles will alter but the bone structure remains much the same so it will probably never fit, any improvement to her topline are due to the one that does suit allowing her to build up, no help to you but it does seem to be an issue with so many saddles/ fitters that they will not accept they have got it wrong and the client, and their horse, may be right.
 
If the tree is wrong no amount of reflocking will make it really fit, much the same with her changing shape her muscles will alter but the bone structure remains much the same so it will probably never fit, any improvement to her topline are due to the one that does suit allowing her to build up, no help to you but it does seem to be an issue with so many saddles/ fitters that they will not accept they have got it wrong and the client, and their horse, may be right.

Exactly. Ive told them before that the saddle wasnt bought to fit that mare so I dont mind if I need to change it- they are always sure that it fits her perfectly fine and never recommend for me to change it.
 
I briefly owned a Sue Carson saddle many moons ago, bought it and had it fitted by their fitter. it never fitted. Tried a WOW which crept forward and skinned my horse behind the elbow in a twenty minute trial session, only to be told it would need a 'fore girth'. Ehh..no! No idea how good the saddles would really have been with a decent fitter but it is too much of a gamble when the fitters are useless.
 
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