What to do about saddle/saddler (long, sorry)

marioforever

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:mad:I have just bought a new horse. She was ridden by her previous owner in a close contact saddle as she was show jumped. I called out a saddler and asked if he could bring both new and secondhand saddles for me to try. As usual (even though it was advertised on his website) he only brought new saddles. Most of them didnt fit. I want a saddle for everyday riding and a bit of jumping. He found one that he thought would be okay and I have had it now for 3 weeks. It slips forward when she jumps and the back of the saddle hits you in the butt when you go over the jump. Also it wrinkles her shoulder in canter and she has got lazy and I am worrying that it is the saddle that is causing it. The saddler has agreed to return but I am worried that he will never get the saddle to fit properly. Where do I stand if he cannot make it fit? I have soaped saddle and fed the leather and of course used it for 3 weeks. Should I ask him to return my money and perhaps get a close contact saddle as they seem to fit most horses much better. The saddler dosent sell any close contact ones. The mare has a wither but quite a flat back so may not be the easiest to fit but surely a product has to be fit for the purpose it is intended and also fit the horse. Sorry for the rant but am really depressed as you think you are doing the best for your horse and then find you havent!
 

quirky

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I would try a different saddler and I definitely wouldn't part with any money for a saddle he "thought" would be okay.
As for a refund, not sure how you'd got on with that :(
 

Marydoll

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Quite simply hes gave you a saddle that doesnt fit.:eek:
I would give him it back and ask for a suitable well fitted saddle in the same price bracket or my money back as imo he has not provided you with a good service. If he insists you need to take another saddle from him, tell him you may be having a 2nd opinion on the fit by another saddler, if you get no joy inform trading standards .
 

marioforever

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Thank you for the replies. The saddler is coming back next week to see the saddle. Three people have ridden in it and say it just dosent fit the mare. I think the saddler will attempt to get it to fit but I have lost confidence in him and I dont think he will get it much better than it is now. I am going to see what he says and if it isnt 100% then will ask for a different saddle or a refund. I just hate riding her in a saddle that I feel isnt right. I have had saddlers in the past for various horses and I have yet to find one that dosent want to just sell you a new one even if it isnt a particularly good fit. In future I will try saddles and decide myself with the help of my instructor and knowledgeable friends what we think fits. If the horse goes well in the saddle then that is perhaps the best recommendation. I am really cheesed off with saddlers as a whole and I have many friends who feel the same. Even when I have bought saddles in the past which were fitted by master saddlers, I have had other saddlers say they dont fit. Its sooo hard to believe any of them!
 

sbloom

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Hard to say what is wrong with it - lifting at the back often means the tree is too curved or too wide, moving forwards usually means that it is cantle low, would be an unusual combination of problems but not impossible. With a high wither you need a deeper rear panel, so a true close contact may not be the answer.

General advice - if a saddle fitter comes to your home or yard, and you don't go to them, you are protected by the Distance Trading regulations and have a 7 day trial, so always phone the fitter within a week if you have any concerns then there is no debate as you have the right to send it back full stop.

Saddle fitters DO all have different approaches, and when it's not how we would fit a saddle, it takes quite an eye to say "well that's not how I'd fit that horse, but I can see it's working". If I saw a saddle that was fundamentally not how I'd fit, I would then have a problem flocking it to correct it, not sure if you can understand that, but it is what SMS fitters face all the time, and I do quite often when faced with saddles not fitted by me, and especially when not the brands that I sell.

Ultimately of course it's an art not a science and there is no absolute right or wrong - there are saddle fitting systems which aren't compatible - for instance the English approach where the panel is large and spreads weight right to the back of the saddle, and the Continental approach where the rider is sat as far forwards as possible and the back of the saddle may curve up away from the horse and MAY lift a little in work, a real no-no in the English style of saddle fitting.

Hope that helps.
 

Pidgeon

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Had similar problem a couple of years ago with Master Saddler who despite making lovely saddles couldn't fit them! If its lifting at the back then please stop using when lifting at the back the front of the saddle and the tree points will be digging in your horse. Can you get any pictures?
Don't bother with the SMS as they are useless in these instances :mad: PM Bosworth as she is excellent on saddle fit and advice.
 
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