Answers To Those All Important Questions

Throughout her many years of experience as a Master Saddler and Master Saddle Fitter, Kay Hastilow has been asked innumerable different questions by horseowners and here she gives brief answers to just some of the most frequently heard enquiries....

Q.  What is the difference between a saddler and a saddle fitter?

A.  A Qualified saddler is a skilled craftsman who can sit at a bench and make saddles, bridles or other items of leatherwork. A saddler (referred to in the trade as a bench saddler) might have absolutely no knowledge of how a saddle should fit, nor recognise good or bad fit.

A saddle fitter understands how the saddle should fit, will understand which tree, panel design and girth strap arrangement is needed for each individual horse and why, and how well the saddle fits for the rider. However, they might have no bench skills and so not be able to make, nor to adjust an existing saddle to fit the horse.

The finest saddle fitters have both the skills of a saddler and a saddle fitter. Ideally, they will also be horsemen and be able to ride, but this is not always the case.

Q. Why is good saddle fit important?

A.  We need the saddle to give us security, balance and position and all of this will help the horse to perform to the best of his ability, be it in competition or out hacking. If his saddle is uncomfortable (or in some cases downright painful), we shouldn’t be surprised if our horse is less than enthusiastic or blatantly 'naughty' when we ride him.

Q. What should we look for in a good saddle fitter?

A. The Society of Master Saddlers has been training and assessing saddle fitters to the Qualified Saddle Fitter (QSF) qualification since 1995, so has more experience in this field than other qualification awarding bodies. If the fitter is good, you may well have to wait up to six weeks for a visit, but he or she will be worth waiting for. 

Q. Where can you find out about good saddle fitters?

A. The Society of Master Saddlers website has all of the qualified fitters listed by county. There are symbols to show what qualifications each holds, so that you can see if the fitter is also a qualified saddler. Whilst there are other fitters, both with or without qualifications out there, the SMS QSF gives you an assurance that the fitter knows what is what, and you have the Society to turn to if you have any problems.

Q. How often should I get my saddle fitted?

A. It rather depends on the age and breed of your horse and the work that they are doing. Young horses especially, from being backed at three to being in a regular routine by the age of six to nine, can change a great deal in a very short space of time. I have seen horses change by more than a width fitting in a matter of weeks. For this age group, every three to four months is ideal. Older horses can change dramatically as well, so four to six months for them.

A middle-aged horse with a regular stable routine and in regular work will need checking once every six months, but if the horse has changes to his routine, such as eventers, hunters, or horses kept in during the winter but turned out to grass 24/7 in the summer, they will need more regular visits.

Of course, ANY horse showing discomfort or changes in their way of going should have the saddle checked as soon as possible.

Q. What should I look for in a good saddle fit?

Ask the horse! He should not go to the back of the stable when you walk in with the saddle. The saddle should just slide into place on the horse’s back and want to stay in the right position. When ridden in, the saddle should be level so that you do not need to lean forward to maintain your balance. It should be stable, not lifting or bouncing at the back. There should be sufficient clearance to the top and sides of the spine right through the length of the saddle so that there is no pressure from the saddle anywhere in this area. Note, we do not say 2/3/4 fingers, as this can be very misleading. The tree of the saddle (shorter than the panel) should not go beyond T18 (the position of the last rib), although it is okay if the panel extends beyond here by an inch or so. The panel should be smooth and giving, not hard and lumpy. There should be an even contact between the saddle and the horse’s back.

Q. How can I tell if my saddle needs checked?

A. If your horse does not seem happy to be tacked up, or is not going as freely and as well as normal, this might indicate discomfort. If you are finding it difficult to sit still or in balance, or you feel as if you are going to be tipped forward or back, this will indicate that the saddle is out of balance. Get a friend to film you riding and look to see if you are riding in a good position, legs in the right place and that you are upright.

It is good practice to measure your horse’s girth each week, especially when the grass starts coming through, or in the middle of winter. Measure in centimetres (all weight tapes have this measurement, and it will be the same whichever tape you use, whereas the weights shown will differ) A gain or loss of 5 cm. is roughly equivalent to 40 kg. weight change, which can totally alter the way the saddle is fitting. A 3 cm. change will signify the need to get the saddle fitter in to check.  

Q. What affects saddle fit?

A. This could be a long list!

Putting the saddle too far forward. (My pet bug bear)

Using very thick numnahs or pads with a saddle fitted using something thinner.

Different girths.

Using different girth straps (say 1 & 2 rather than 1 & 3)

Uneven stirrup leathers.

Weight gain or loss. (time of year)

Change in the type or level of work.

A different rider.

Lameness.

Injury.

Crooked riders.

Riders carrying an injury.

I could go on…….

Kay presents an informative 2-part video series distilling her 50 years of experience into what is an unrivalled resource for all Riders & Trainers interested in Saddles and Saddle Fitting. Find out how to get copies of SADDLE FITTING KNOW HOW - FOR RIDERS AND TRAINERS at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/saddlefittingknowhow 

Find out more by visiting Kay Hastilow’s website at www.khsaddlery.co.uk, check out the Educational Films page and join in the conversation on Facebook

The Pitfalls of Buying a Secondhand Saddle Online

If you are looking to buy second hand saddles on line - beware! If I have fitted for someone and their old saddle is faulty, as in not straight, the panels are uneven, the flock is very poor or the tree is ‘suspect’, or even broken, many will not accept my advice to burn it to save another horse from pain or discomfort. Rather, they want to get ‘something for it’, so I tell them to sell it on ebay or gumtree.

Buyer beware! Yes, you can send it back, but it’s not always just that straightforward. We hear many stories of sellers refusing to take goods back as they were damaged.  Try proving differently! 

You may buy a saddle on line and ask a fitter to come and check the fit, but I refuse to do this. Not because I want to sell one of my own saddles as many think, but rather, it is horrible to arrive at a yard to fit a saddle that the client has purchased, only to see straight away that there is no way in a month of Sundays’ that the saddle they have bought is ever going to fit their horse.

Now, the fitter may have driven many miles and booked an hour or so to do your fitting. Almost certainly, if they are a good fitter, they will have a 4 to 6 week wait for a slot, but here they are, knowing that the end result will not be what the client wants. Do you just say “sorry, it won’t fit” and drive away without charge, which will leave you considerably out of pocket, or go through the motions of a fit and charge for it, still ending up saying that the saddle is unsuitable and still having a disgruntled customer who thinks you just want to sell one of your own saddles.

In one case, I was told to “make it fit by squeezing the tree ”. Now, tree squeezers, if used properly can improve the fit of a saddle by bringing it in or out by up to one width fitting maximum, but this is only possible if the tree is of the correct shape and style for the horse in question. Also, there is always a risk that the tree can break, and who is going to take responsibility for that? In this case, the client had bought a new saddle on line, it was totally the wrong tree for the horse, apart from being extra wide when the animal needed a medium. I was roundly abused for refusing to squeeze it in. They then asked who they could go to to squeeze the tree, having chosen to ignore the fact that you can’t squeeze a tree in by that much.

You can see why now I just say “sorry, no”. Perhaps if you have had this response from a saddle fitter in the past, you might now understand why. 

Find out more from Kay Hastilow’s series of expert videos available online - visit https://vimeo.com/ondemand/saddlefittingknowhow/

How To Keep Your Expensive Tack Soft and Supple

How To Keep Your Expensive Tack Soft and Supple

When buying new leatherwork, it is best (having first satisfied yourself that it all fits and you are not going to want to return it) to treat it with a good leather dressing. We do not recommend using oil now- neatsfoot was the favourite when I was younger, followed rapidly by Mars oil, but many of the dressings available today are far superior to these advises Kay Hastilow Master Saddler and Master Saddle Fitter. I use Oakwood leather dressing on my own tack. Rapide is another good one, but there are many more on the market, most of which do a good job.

Take the leatherwork apart if it is a bridle or accessories and go over all of the leather with a LIGHT covering of dressing. Leave to soak in, preferably over- night, then put the items back together. Saddles, likewise give a light covering, and don’t forget to treat up under the skirts of the saddle (the flaps of leather that cover the stirrup bars) and get the dressing into all nooks and crevices. BE CAREFUL if the seat and knee pads are of suede or nubuck. You do not want to get leather dressing onto these.

DONT smother the leather as the dressing will not soak in and the leather will become dull and sticky. Apply two or three times a month rather than 3 times as much in one go.

If your Tack becomes hard and dry. What to do?

First of all, some leather used is of very poor quality. This tends to be hard and inflexible when you buy it and stays that way no matter what you treat it with. It can be rather brittle and can break in use. Best get rid of it before you or your horse gets injured by it.

Sometimes, leatherwork of a good quality may go hard and dry in use. This can be due to neglect- leather needs help to stay supple and if you don’t treat it occasionally with a good leather dressing it will become very hard. That means taking bridles apart, cleaning the leather thoroughly with a damp cloth or sponge and importantly  allowing to dry afterwards (best left overnight in somewhere warm, not somewhere cold and damp) and then making sure the dressing gets into all the turns, under keepers and the like. The turn on the body of a martingale for instance (the bit that the girth goes through) gets very wet and muddy, plus sweat from the horse gets into the leather here. Make sure that the dressing gets to the inside edge of all the leather, as well as the outside. 

NEVER USE HEAT TO DRY TACK. If your leatherwork has been soaked, say a day out in heavy rain, and then dried too rapidly, possibly with heat being used to help dry it out. It will go very brittle and could be dangerous. Keep the leatherwork in a warm room until it is dry, then put on a light covering of leather dressing. Do not put dressing on until the leather is totally dry, as that would seal any remaining damp into the leather.

To summerise, care for your tack by treating it with a good leather dressing when you first get it, wipe the leatherwork with a damp cloth or sponge after use and add more dressing when it starts to look a little dry. Rarely more than once a month once the leather is worn in, unless it has been soaked or heavily used (think endurance). I still use glycerine saddle soap to ‘finish’ a bridle when we are going somewhere. It gives a nice finish if used sparingly, but apparently this is no longer considered the right thing to do. Hey Ho. Some of my bridles are over 30 years old, so perhaps it’s not too bad!

For more information about Saddles and Saddle Fitting please visit
http://www.khsaddlery.co.uk/educational.html

Busting - Just Two - Myths

Myth 1. A horse that bucks after a jump must need to have the saddle fit checked.

Well, I wouldn’t disagree with that thought as it is one of the things to check for a horse behaving in this fashion. Possibly the saddle fitter will suggest that you put the saddle slightly back from your normal position as many show jumpers seem to put the saddle right up on the shoulders, and that could well be causing the horse to buck as he lands and tries to move away. That excess pressure pushing down onto the shoulders would be uncomfortable and could cause that reaction.

What else could cause this? Learned behaviour must never be dismissed, but always look to see if you can find a cause. An uncomfortable bit or bridle, skin in the elbows catching on the girth, saddle cloth wrinkled up under the saddle? A poorly balanced rider could upset the horse and he might show this in the only way that he knows – to buck.

Myth 2. A riding instructor can fit a saddle as well as a saddle fitter.

Please! NO!! Nowadays many instructors appreciate how much is involved in fitting a saddle correctly and call in the professionals, but there are always those that know better.  My comment about these people is that they just don’t know how much they don’t know, and they are, frankly, dangerous.

Society of Master Saddlers qualified fitters are highly qualified, having spent a minimum of 3 years training before they can even sit their assessments. 

When a Qualified Saddle Fitter looks at a horse’s conformation they are seeing many aspects that your instructor would not consider.

• They understand how saddles are constructed, know what is possible and what is not.
• Most can adjust the flocking or totally re-flock your saddle if necessary.
• They will know what types of trees are available, and what may suit your horse.
• They will know different ways that a panel can be made to facilitate a good fit.
• They can know where girth straps could be fitted to achieve maximum position and comfort.
• They will have access to a good and varied stock of saddles.
• They understand the importance of balance in the saddle and how to achieve this.
• They will understand the way a horse might change in his carriage or way of going when ridden.
• They will be able to tell if your saddle is of good or poor quality and assess its suitability for use.
• They will know how to assess all makes of saddles for fit.
• They will be able to assess all saddles for safety.
• They will understand how a horse “works” and how the use of all saddlery can affect his ability to work at his optimum level.
• They will know if your saddle is suitable for you, and the activities that you wish to use it for.
• They will be familiar with research work being undertaken, and the results of this.
• They will know which pads could help your horse and which could harm him.
• They will not be tied to one manufacturer and may sell many different brands and models of saddles. (Saddle ‘fitters’, usually only ‘qualified’ with the company that they work for, that are tied to one company are, in my opinion  saddle sellers; NOT saddle fitters!)
• Our members have to abide by a code of conduct.
• The Society of Master Saddlers provides continuous professional development for Qualified Saddle Fitters.
• Qualified Saddle Fitters regularly share ideas and solutions to fitting problems with other fitters.
• There is a complaints procedure with the Society of Master Saddlers if things go wrong.
• All Society Of Master Saddlers and Qualified Saddle Fitters have to have insurance cover.

Now, I ask you. Do you think that your instructor has all of these attributes? I think not.

Whilst you are here, do watch the short trailer below for my two-part video series specifically for  Riders and Trainer 

Kay Hastilow’s Saddle Fitting Know How For Riders and Trainers is a two part video series, giving a fascinating, practical insight into saddles, correct fit and common problems.

Click to Buy Videos Now

It's The Little Things.....

Welcome to the conscientious horse owners who follow my posts. By now you appreciate the importance of having your saddle correctly fitted and regularly checked, the changes in a horse's performance in different girths, that fitting the bit and choosing one suitable for the anatomy of your horses mouth and also how bridle fits can be hugely influential in your horses way of going. I am delighted that more and more people are taking note and action to give their horse maximum comfort and therefore enhanced performance.  

All of this is excellent, but sometimes,  by only looking at the bigger picture, it's the little things that get missed. Let’s start with putting the bridle on. I am always careful to ensure that all of the mane and forelock are pulled through evenly so that no hairs are caught up that might pull and cause discomfort.  Personally, I like to clip a bridle path in the mane to make this easier to achieve but I know that some don't like this, whilst others can’t because of showing requirements such as in M & M classes. In such cases extra care must be taken over this. Also, as it becomes less acceptable to trim a horse's whiskers, please make sure that any straps from nose bands around the muzzle are not catching or pulling any of the whiskers.  If this area and the whiskers are considered so sensitive that it is sometimes considered cruelty to remove them, surely it is doubly important to check this!

Whilst we are on the subject of bridles, please double check that the browband is big enough.  So often they are not, and this just pulls the headpiece into the bulbs of the ears. Also, some of the modern, fashionable bridles seem to have a very strange shape in the headpiece,  the cut away is above the ears and the leather then comes forward directly into the back of the ear! ?? Anyone worked out why? Me neither, but do have a very good look at your latest purchase, to check that the shaping actually follows the shape of your horse’s head. Look at symmetry as well; all buckles to sit as level as possible and ideally you want twin fastening on nosebands to ensure even, symmetrical fastening.  

Despite my advising that elastic-ended girths really aren't very good for your horse I know that many people still use them. Some of these girths have a pad behind the elastic, which can get wrinkled up when the girth is tightened.  Often, in the initial fastening this is smoothed out, but so often the rider will then get on and tighten the girth.  No smoothing out now. Just a block of pressure under the girth in an area where the skin is quite thin and there is little covering to the ribs. There is also a lot of movement here. Ouch!

Whilst talking of girths, for many years it was thought to be good practice to pull your horse's front legs right forward ‘to remove any wrinkles in the skin under the girth.’ We now know that this just pulls flesh in front of the girth, blocking it there. This actually causes girth galls in many cases rather than preventing them. The first few steps once you are on board will remove any creases in the skin but, if you want to be sure, just lead the horse for a minute or so before mounting.

Please try to girth up as evenly as possible, no more than one hole different side to side. We are becoming more and more aware of the effect of symmetry on the horse's way of going. Of course, girths with elastic one end can never give a symmetrical hold. I rest my case.

Back to girthing up the saddle. The saddle cloth or numnah will have been lifted into the gullet of the saddle and the cloth beneath the girth smoothed out (I hope), but again, once the rider is on and tightens the girth the cloth can ruck up causing an area of excessive pressure. I am assuming that our C.R. (conscientious rider) has already made sure that any decorative piping does not run beneath the girth and that there is a gap in such piping to allow for this. I am also assuming that they have checked that the saddle doesn't sit on such piping at the back, nor that it is under the saddle at the front by the knee rolls. Also, it will have been checked that the cloth, pad or numnah is big enough, so that at no point do the outer edges of the cloth come beneath the bearing area of the saddle.  If you have sheepskin saddle pads, also check that they haven't shrunk a bit so that the sheepskin roll at the back of the pad is actually under the bearing area of the saddle.  Pressure points again.

Mounting. Has everyone seen the film on YouTube of someone mounting their rather tall horse from the ground, with a mounting block and with a leg up? Well worth a look as it shows the pressures exerted by each method, and some of the readings are pretty horrific. Please train your horses to stand by a block to let you mount. Whilst the pressures are still high, they are for a much shorter duration.  The young and athletic amongst us can just step onto the horse from the block without putting a foot in the stirrup.  This gave by far the best reading but few of us would be nimble or brave enough to do it this way. 

So there you have it. Even if our C.R. has taken great pains to ensure that all of their tack fits, lack of attention whilst tacking up and mounting can still cause harm or discomfort to your horse. Please bear this in mind.