Western saddle fitters

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haycroft

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Hi
I'm new to western riding n bought a saddle spontaneously , a very good saddle n hardly been used due to being too big n now changed horse
Do any one recommend a western saddle fitter in Oxfordshire or would come out to either swap / buy n re fit saddle ,, my saddle would fit a bigger wider horse
Looking for a saddle to fit TB
 
Or try Pullman Western Store, probably your nearest on the Oxon/Wiltshire border - you can google them. They stock the same brands of saddles as the Western Saddler - both of these have trees suitable for non-stock horse breeds.
 
haycroft said:
Thanks , it's always a catch 22 buying any second hand saddles n now I'm abut wiser on the western front
I've been smitten by this style
Click to expand...

Good for you! I have to agree with you - but I am rather biased :)

If you don't get much joy from Maria at Western Saddler or Sarah at Pullman Western Store, another person you should try is Jenn at Western Tack Trader - she is a Western rider and has a wide range of stock and is very good on her saddle fitting. Her FB page is https://www.facebook.com/WesternTackTrader . Enjoy the ride!
 
I am genuinely curious! How do you "fit" an existing western saddle? I've been riding western horses on and off my whole life and never heard of a western saddle being adjusted, only ever that the saddle is determined to have the appropriate bars and possibly skirt length and seat size, and then any individual fitting has been done with pads. It's not true that western saddles, especially cheap ones, are "one size fits all" but certainly the options are more limited. I'm interested to know what services are offered here?
 
Tarrsteps you are of course right - you can't re-fit a Western saddle except where a pad can improve on that particular saddle's fit. All any saddler can do is check the current saddle for correct fit and recommend alternatives if it is inappropriate. Unfortunately there is a dearth of saddle fitters in this country who actually ride Western and therefore appreciate the difference between a well-fitting and poorly-fitting Western saddle. The number of people who buy a saddle having only sat on it at a slow walk on their horse - or even worse, not at all - is unfortunately high.
 
I can imagine! It must be a minefield.

I saw quite a nice Western saddle for sale the other day for a fraction of what it would be new and was sorely tempted but I know it's not a design that's likely to fit a wide variety of horses. The ad did say it 'would fit any horse' though, which made me wince.
 
Thx for all replies
Yes I need to sell / move my saddle on to fund another which fits myself n horse
My saddle is far too big n long for current horse but don't want to spend a fortune as I know some of the westerns are. £s
I've been having lessons on a top western horse n just love it now the relax style as I'm in my mature years haha
 
Jenn The Western Tack Trader in Cambridgeshire is a gen-u-ine American and very knowledgeable on fit and all the types. She imports saddles from the states and you can get a decent second hand one under £1k, or newer/fancier if your budget allows!
 
Certainly is. ! Fab little horse , must book some more I'm getting withdrawal symptoms ,,
Even had him going without a bridle which was so much fun n lots of laughter ,, got him going eventually even a nice lope ,, it felt great
I've just gotta keep on working n earning the £s !!
 
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