Busting Myths 11 - A Saddle Fitter said they couldn't come and fit my pony when told my budget; surely that's just being greedy?

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.

When a prospective client contacts a saddle fitter, there are many questions that they will ask. Details of the horse or pony, your height and weight (to bring the right sized saddle for you as well as for your horse), what you do with him, checking that there are suitable facilities for them to work in, such as a school or enclosed field for you to ride and – yes, budget. How much are you wanting to spend?

This is as necessary to know as all the other facts, as if you have unrealistic expectations of cost then the fitter cannot help you. They may ask you if you can ‘up your budget’ and give you a figure where they believe they will have saddles to offer you.’ It may be that you ‘only’ want something second-hand, but it is our responsibility as fitters to ensure that every saddle that we sell is safe and sound. No broken trees, crooked saddles or iffy girth straps. No over-flocked or lumpy panels, in fact nothing that will cause your horse pain or injury nor risk your safely. This is the least that you would expect I believe.

Saddles that pass this test have a reasonable value and most fitters will have a standard and price below which they will not sell a saddle.  The Society of Master Saddlers is committed to improving the welfare of the horse and selling saddles that are faulty in some way is the very opposite of this aim. Yes, you will see saddles on ebay or Gumtree at £75 or £100 new, or second-hand ones at these sorts of prices, but what are they? The former is usually of foreign manufacture and very poor quality, often uneven in make – twisted trees, uneven panels stuffed (you really couldn’t describe these as flocked) with torn up carpet or the poorest quality of synthetic flock possible and of overall very poor design. The plating on the tree is the thickness of a baked bean tin, riveting holding the stirrup bars on is very poor. If you want to risk your life and risk crippling your horse go ahead, but don’t expect a qualified fitter to fit one. If we were to do so we might be held responsible for any future consequences as we should have advised against it from the start.

Now the second-hand saddles. You might be lucky and pick something up that is good, straight and sound but how will you know? Do you have enough knowledge to assess the tree? That the panel is straight and sewn in correctly? That the flocking is suitable for your horse? Many people ask fitters to come out and fit a saddle that has been bought online, but personally I am reluctant to do this because of one incident. Asked to check a saddle bought this way I was horrified to find that it wasn’t anywhere near a fit. The pony was a medium fit with a reasonable wither and shape to its back. The saddle was extra wide with a flat seat and a shallow panel, suitable for a cob. When I refused to squeeze the tree in the owner was very abusive – ‘you are just annoyed because I didn’t buy the saddle from you’! So very untrue and unfair. I would never have sold her such a saddle in the first place.

There is nothing worse than finding yourself in this situation even if you have pre-warned the client. “Sorry but I can’t make this fit. Here is my bill.” doesn’t go down well but is the truth of the matter. Those that have tried to make an unsuitable saddle fit the horse often find themselves in trouble - “you fitted this saddle and it has damaged his back / made him lame / made him buck and rear.” You see our problem?

We really aren’t all just out to make money – you don’t see saddle fitters owning yachts or really posh cars, nor living in manor houses. Most of us do this job because we love it. It is very hard work, but it is the greatest feeling in the world for us to fit a saddle that results in a horse going beautifully and the rider happy and comfortable. That’s why we do it.

 

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 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
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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
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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/