Usual saddler has lost the plot! Laughable!!

[hellfire]

My normal saddler has been out a few times lately with my new horse. He's always been good and thorough. I think he's lost the plot! Twice he's forgotten all his measuring stuff and the Thorowgood gullets as I told him that's what I wanted saddle wise as just hacking him at the mo to build fitness and as he's young and green I'll wait untill I get a really lovely saddle. Firstly he tried on every saddle he had all with a price tag of £1000 + as apparently the cob saddle I had was too flat for him. So I went and bought a standard thorowgood. The gullet I had was too wide and knew I needed a White or even narrower. Well again he comes out with no gullets. This time I'm told to ride on the saddle for a month so the flocking can compress down at the back to even it out!!!! WTF??!! He didn't even ask me to mount to see how bad it is with weight on top. Not that I would of! It's clearly too wide and low at the front so imagine riding on a saddle that tilted forward for one, on a young green horse, not to mention the pressure it would cause him, the back ache it would cause me let alone if he suddenly stoped! I'm shocked. So now in need of a new saddler. Typical the good one I called is booked solid untill April!!

Llpmp

 

[Frumpoon]

Where are you?

 

[Ellietotz]

Blimey... I hope he didn't charge for the visits! As Frumpoon said, where are you based? You can look on the master saddlers website for ones in your area too.

 

[hellfire]

I'm in south Devon. No he didn't charge and wouldn't of paid if he did!! I've looked and going to give a one a call tomorrow. Heard good and bad about all but two I mainly hear good so will try them.

 

[Wheels]

Did your saddle fitter advise you to buy a standard thorowgood or sell that to you as a fitted saddle?

 

[hellfire]

Did your saddle fitter advise you to buy a standard thorowgood or sell that to you as a fitted saddle?

Advised me to buy one and said he'd fit it. Bought a cob one as he's fairly flat but apparently that was too flat so got told to get a standard one instead! So ended up with two saddles. Just managed to sell the cob luckily. The cob was 17" and was told I need a 17.5" which I know is better for me but considering he's only 14.3 and not exactly long backed I thought it was too long coming slightly over that last rib. Two saddlers I know now have sad slightly over is OK if it's just a inch 🙄. Give up. Think I fit saddles better these days and need to learn the art of flocking myself!!!

 

[Sukistokes2]

My saddler is now ill and went from being excellent to hit and miss, his last visit made my saddle fitted so badly I nearly gave up riding. I am just about to book a new one. It happens.

 

[hellfire]

My saddler is now ill and went from being excellent to hit and miss, his last visit made my saddle fitted so badly I nearly gave up riding. I am just about to book a new one. It happens.

I'm sorry this happened to you too. I guess we all get old and loose it a bit 😄. Your not from Devon are you??

 

[sbloom]

One of the saddle fitters in your area advocates fitting beyond the back rib but has a very INTERESTING take on fitting full stop and is generally felt to be way too "out there". Fitting an inch over the back rib is very high risk, not something I'd ever do. And I've seen plenty of flattish backs thought to be not flat enough for the TG cob, and then fitted with the regular TG which is much too curvy, this will exacerbate the tip forwards. Often it's the panel, not the tree, in the Cob model which is too flat, and going to a curvy tree isn't the right way to go, you need a less flat panel, ie shorter, less "pointy" rear gussets built on to a tree that really fits his back and wither shape.

 

[hellfire]

One of the saddle fitters in your area advocates fitting beyond the back rib but has a very INTERESTING take on fitting full stop and is generally felt to be way too "out there". Fitting an inch over the back rib is very high risk, not something I'd ever do. And I've seen plenty of flattish backs thought to be not flat enough for the TG cob, and then fitted with the regular TG which is much too curvy, this will exacerbate the tip forwards. Often it's the panel, not the tree, in the Cob model which is too flat, and going to a curvy tree isn't the right way to go, you need a less flat panel, ie shorter, less "pointy" rear gussets built on to a tree that really fits his back and wither shape.

From my understanding over the years of being on here you are very reputable and a good fitter. Do you have anyone locally from your company to come out? I've been put off using native pony saddles in all honesty because of what went on and a carts in someone not too far from me who claimed their saddles were the same. I don't know if you have a fitter who comes out to fit a saddle or has second hand ones for a budget that's not £1000+. I went down the road with my fell x of what I thought was a true AH saddle and wasn't. I know the fitter you mean. Never used them. Spoke to them once and put me off for life!

 

[flying_high]

I am Surrey based, a good few years back, I had issues with a saddler I had used for years, becoming very erratic. Time keeping had never been good, and he’d frequently been 3 hours late, but I think he developed a drink issue, and I had some very off fit advice and outcomes. I walked away after two non-trivial mistakes.

 

[hellfire]

I am Surrey based, a good few years back, I had issues with a saddler I had used for years, becoming very erratic. Time keeping had never been good, and he’d frequently been 3 hours late, but I think he developed a drink issue, and I had some very off fit advice and outcomes. I walked away after two non-trivial mistakes.

My farrier ended up with a drink problem. He used to ne so good and ended up running stupidly later or forgetting and then a set of shoes lasted 2 weeks! He got done for drink driving and gave up after that. I'd have him back in a heartbeat sober as was a brilliant farrier originally.

 

[sbloom]

Not to be too flippant but sometimes I can see how these jobs drive people to drink....

From my understanding over the years of being on here you are very reputable and a good fitter. Do you have anyone locally from your company to come out? I've been put off using native pony saddles in all honesty because of what went on and a carts in someone not too far from me who claimed their saddles were the same. I don't know if you have a fitter who comes out to fit a saddle or has second hand ones for a budget that's not £1000+. I went down the road with my fell x of what I thought was a true AH saddle and wasn't. I know the fitter you mean. Never used them. Spoke to them once and put me off for life!

We're based near you, just go to www.ahsaddles.com , I'd recommend contacting head office. Budget might be an issue, even used aren't cheap because they hold their values so well. And yes, there's a messy history to the company, and several imitators, apologies!

 

[hellfire]

Not to be too flippant but sometimes I can see how these jobs drive people to drink....



We're based near you, just go to www.ahsaddles.com, I'd recommend contacting head office. Budget might be an issue, even used aren't cheap because they hold their values so well. And yes, there's a messy history to the company, and several imitators, apologies!

Yes I know he had a long hard days work with some particularly horrid customers and used to stop in at my farm for a good hour at times just to sit down and vent I think. Ok thanks for that. No apology required not your fault. I will have a look at funds. I was going to ride in the Thorowgood for a big untill he's fully mature and then spend out on a expensive saddle. I was worried I'd end up in the situation before with my other lad. Spent out on a lovely K&M and a year down the road it didn't fit at all as he muscled out so much and his top line developed. Just the wrong shape for him then. Hence cheaper to start with this time.

 

[flying_high]

Yes I know he had a long hard days work with some particularly horrid customers and used to stop in at my farm for a good hour at times just to sit down and vent I think. Ok thanks for that. No apology required not your fault. I will have a look at funds. I was going to ride in the Thorowgood for a big untill he's fully mature and then spend out on a expensive saddle. I was worried I'd end up in the situation before with my other lad. Spent out on a lovely K&M and a year down the road it didn't fit at all as he muscled out so much and his top line developed. Just the wrong shape for him then. Hence cheaper to start with this time.

My advice is to always buy second hand, it is worth the extra looking / searching leg work. Then with a bit of luck if do need to sell on, it will sell on at about the same as what you bought it for. I have done this many many times over the years. I have only ever bought new twice.