Busting Myths 9 – “The saddle fitter should be prepared to come and measure my horse so that I can buy a saddle cheaper on line”

There are many myths that have been going around with regards to saddlery and the use thereof. In this series of posts, I endeavour to show most of them are without foundations and can, in some cases, be the opposite of the actual facts.

Pictured left is author Kay Hastilow, Master Saddler and Master Saddle Fitter.

 

I was recently made aware of yet another saddle fitter receiving abuse for refusing to come out and measure a horse so that the client could buy a saddle on line at a cheaper price. “I’m prepared to pay you for the visit. You just want to have the profit for yourself.” Is a phrase often heard.

NOT TRUE!

Yes, of course we want to sell saddles – that is a big part of our business after all, but it really isn’t why we refuse this service. The client will either want templates to send off to someone to ‘make a bespoke saddle’ or they will expect us to say ‘you need a medium fit’ or in some cases expect us to specify the make of saddle that will fit. If only that was all there is  to it.

I learned my lesson many years ago. In those days I always gave the client a copy of the templates that I had taken and in this case said client used these to order a saddle on line ‘bespoke for your horse’. It was a horse with a high wither but when the saddle came it didn’t have a suitable panel. It was actually quite skimpy so totally unsuitable. I was told in no uncertain terms that the fact that the saddle came down onto the horse’s withers and tipped back badly was my fault as I obviously hadn’t measured the horse correctly! I was then told to make it fit. No chance! As I was told once when asking directions to somewhere “well, if I was going there I wouldn’t be starting from here!”

When your Society of Master Saddlers (SMS) qualified saddle fitter comes to assess your horse for a saddle they will look firstly at his conformation, then muscle development, asymmetry of the body and at his movement. They will also look at you, as it is just as important that the saddle is a good fit for you as for your horse – an uncomfortable rider will be constantly moving about trying to find somewhere to sit and this really unbalances the horse. He won’t work well for you in this situation.

All of this is so that the saddle fitter will know what type of tree the horse needs, both in width and shape at the head and the shape of the rest of the tree, the cut and depth of the panel, position of girth straps, size and shape of flap and seat for you and many other factors that you probably never thought of or knew about. This is before they have even taken a saddle out of the van, let alone tried one on the horse.

It is because all of these factors are important in achieving a good fit that we won’t help with these requests. For sure, the minute there is a problem with the saddle that the client ordered, they will be on the phone to the person who measured the horse, and they will be told that they are to blame, they are responsible! But who is responsible? Who would you turn to? Do you now understand why we won’t offer this service?

It’s the same if you ask what saddle to buy. We really can’t tell what saddle will fit unless we’ve done a full fitting and even if you have done this, it doesn’t mean that the saddle that you order elsewhere will be the same. Many fitters have a supposedly standard saddle made with slight differences that they find helpful. Also, most saddles are still bench made to some degree and all will fit slightly differently. We cannot take responsibility for that.

Also consider who is going to service the saddle? Give it the first check and lift? Come to that, check that its right in the first place? Not the fitter that you were rude to for sure, as I doubt that they will want to know. Good saddle fitters regularly have a long waiting list for visits so understand if they prioritise existing clients over you. 

Yes, a saddle fitted by an SMS qualified fitter might be a little dearer than one bought on line, but you have the comfort of knowing that a) the fitter has spent a minimum of three years and a lot of hard work to achieve their qualification, b) that they will come and check and adjust the saddle once it has settled, c) that they are looking to care for the fit of the saddle in the long term, d) that to be a RQSF with the Society you must hold insurance, not always the case with other fitters out there and e), provided they are registered as well as qualified with the SMS (always check this – all registered qualified fitters are on the SMS website) the Society will be there to try and sort any problems in the unlikely event that there should be any.

Worth the little bit extra I would have thought.

Understanding more about saddles and saddle fitting has the potential to help you improve your horse's comfort, performance and also long-term soundness - and you can now do that whenever fits into your busy lifestyle.

With online learning and training now credibly established as 'the new normal', Kay's highly acclaimed and informative 2-part video series continues to sell around the world since its launch in 2019. Aptly titled Saddle Fitting Know How - For Riders and Trainers, the two videos distil her 50 years of experience into over an hour of what is an unrivalled go-to resource for all Riders and Trainers interested in saddles and saddle fitting. They contain a wealth of information that will be of practical relevance to everyone serious about improving their riding, competing with more success or at a higher level and for those whose career is focused on training riders to develop their horses correctly.
Watch a brief trailer and buy securely online for unlimited streaming or downloading to your device at
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/saddlefittingknowhow

 

If you are working as a saddle fitter or in training for a career in saddle fitting, Kay's 8-part video series titled Fitting Saddles: The Essential Guide will support your learning and help you develop a more in-depth knowledge of the subject and include invaluable insights into running a successful business as an SMS qualified saddle fitter.

Watch a trailer and invest in one or more of the series that together form a definitive resource to enhance your understanding of saddles and saddle fitting.
Buy securely online for unlimited streaming or downloading to your device at
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/fittingsaddles