The Right Answers to Saddle Fitting 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 their trainers. In this uniquely informative article, 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…….

 

 Learning more about saddles and a correct fit for your horse will never be time wasted and now you can do that in your own time with Kay's informative 2-part video series for all Riders and Trainers. 

 

In it she presents a wealth of knowledge, distilling her 50 years of experience into what is an unrivalled resource.

 

If you've read this far, you're someone interested in this fascinating and important area of equine knowledge, so find out how you can 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 don't forget to join in the conversation on Facebook

How To Train And Qualify As A Saddle Fitter

Many people ask me how they can obtain training as a saddle fitter and what qualifications are required to start. If you are someone thinking of a career as a saddle fitter, you’ll also want to understand what qualification they will get at the end of your training and assessment. For a seemingly simple question the answers aren’t just so straightforward, says Master Saddler and Master Saddle Fitter Kay Hastilow (pictured left), but here I will try and put together both facts and advice on this subject.

Academic qualifications are not required to become a saddle fitter although sufficient literacy and numeracy are necessary to carry out your work. It is a craft / skill as much as anything and a surprising number of fitters are, for example, dyslexic to some extent. However, you must be able to take readable notes, communicate with your clients clearly and work out your bills correctly.

Experience with horses is a bonus. Perhaps surprisingly, in the early days many people on the saddle fitting course came from a truly trade background and didn’t know much about horses at all. Over the years this has changed, and the majority of trainee saddle fitters now come from an equestrian background.

At present it takes a minimum of three years to train and qualify as a saddle fitter with the Society of Master saddlers (SMS Qualified Saddle Fitter), which is a City and Guilds qualification. This qualification is recognised world-wide and is, in my opinion, the only qualification worth considering. This course is currently being reviewed and updated to enhance the training, but it won’t be any shorter overall. It will however give greater help and guidance along the way than has sometimes been the case in the past. Of course, more intensive training and modules will come at a cost, so you will need money to complete your training and attend the modules as is expected of you to gain your qualification. Details of the course and costs involved will be available soon from the SMS, although of course Covid has delayed the development work to some extent - but see link at the end of this piece.

There are shorter courses out there, but I suggest that these might be missing out on rather a lot, as our three years are very full. One week’s training, or even six weeks isn’t going to give you anything like sufficient knowledge to be a good saddle fitter. People trained this way just don’t know how much they just don’t know and sadly many horses may suffer from this ignorance.

You cannot sit the SMS assessment until you have been fitting for a minimum of three years to ensure that you have good experience in fitting – miles on the clock if you will. This time should be spent under the mentorship of a Master Saddle Fitter (MSF) or Qualified saddle fitter (QSF). This does not mean that you have to work for them, but rather that they will be available to you for some training, advice and to help you with any problems that might occur. This would mean that a saddlery shop without a qualified fitter could employ you (after some basic training) and you could still be registered as a trainee with mentorship with the SMS.

Getting a job as a trainee with a Qualified Saddle Fitter will not be easy as there are many applications for such a post should one come available. Good QSFs or MSFs will be very busy and taking on a trainee will seriously restrict the amount of work that they can do, as each fitting takes much longer if you are explaining everything and pointing out things of importance and interest. I would say that it would be, at the very least, the equivalent of losing one fitting a day for the first three months. Add to that your wages (low as you may think them) and you will see that taking on a trainee is a serious and costly consideration. There are also many legalities that must be dealt with correctly when taking on a trainee, all time consuming. At some time, the trainee will be sent out on their own and this is a big worry for their Master. They value their clients and will always worry for the first few months that everything is going okay. Remember that these people have spent many years building their reputation and business and it only takes a wrong attitude or bad error to destroy that reputation. I am not trying to justify the reluctance of some fitters to take on trainees, rather to explain some of the reasoning behind it.

Anyone considering taking on a trainee will be looking for someone keen and committed. Someone with a driving licence. Confident but not arrogant, prepared to work very hard (saddle fitting is NOT an easy job!) and happy in their own company. You will be on your own for many hours of the day so that is an essential attribute. Remember that if you gain such a position your employer is investing many thousands of pounds in you. Yes, the wages might not be massive, but I doubt many taking on trainees will see a return on their investment until the last couple of months of training. Some trainees find the going tough – clients are VERY demanding - and many trainees quit after a couple of years. For the employer, that represents a loss of thousands of pounds. Others, having gained their qualification promptly leave, so again the employer has lost out. This is why they will want determination, loyalty and commitment from prospective trainees. Training in bench skills may be a good indicator of such commitment.,

 Whilst you don’t have to be a ‘bench saddler’, i.e. making and repairing saddlery to become a saddle fitter this certainly adds to your appeal to a prospective employer. You will have to take the flocking course and exam before you can qualify, and this will be much easier if you already have some bench skills. It also means that when you go out fitting and a saddle needs re-flocking you can do that work yourself, (provided you have practised and practised until you can consistently produce an excellent finish) knowing exactly how you want it to be and make any adjustments required at the re-fitting. 

There are several options for this type of training.  There is Capel Manor in Enfield, just inside Greater London and a saddlery training centre is due to open this year in Walsall, West Midlands. Both offer courses of two years, I believe, and these can lead to a City and Guilds qualification. They will teach you a broad range of skills, many of which will help you as a saddle fitter and to understand just how a saddle is made – essential knowledge for a fitter. There are also several small commercial saddlery schools around the country offering short courses that can work towards City and Guilds qualifications. Some will take you right the way through but many offer ‘starter’ courses to teach you basic skills. Once you have the basics you can go to The Saddlery Training Centre in Salisbury, Wiltshire where they again do week long courses that can, over time, get you to your bench skills qualifications. This excellent centre is an approved test centre and many bench saddlers have honed their skills with Mark Romain here.

Another thing that can improve your chances of landing that precious training job is broadening your equestrian knowledge in many fields, as will any relevant training that you have taken prior to applying. I’m thinking things like Horses Inside Out with Gillian Higgins, so that you understand anatomy and movement more clearly (so essential for fitting successfully), any of the training sessions or webinars run by Dr Russell McKechnie-Guire of Centaur Biomechanics and other courses providing knowledge and training about horses, especially in anatomy, movement, gait abnormalities and the like. Time spent out with a good equestrian vet will also be beneficial if you can arrange it. It all helps and shows determination and commitment.

Just be careful if you are looking at ‘training in saddle fitting’ from some sources. There are some weird, unsubstantiated theories out there and you don’t want to muddy your thinking with such content. Look by all means, but always ask “what testing has been done to substantiate your claims”? Has such testing been done to strict protocols, has it been repeated and is it repeatable?’ You will be amazed how many of these enthusiastic people go very quiet when you ask this question. I know of some that have just refused to answer after repeated requests for this information (we know, then that realistic testing has not been carried out in such cases.)  Alternatively, they will say something like “Overall it showed XYZ”, but refuse to tell you what protocols have been used. You can make figures tell you many things if you cherry pick the bits you want. Always question, never take anything as gospel without proper backup. Almost all of the training given by the SMS is backed up by scientific research, so can be trusted.

Some saddle fitters are prepared to take people out for a day’s fitting to observe the work and gain a great deal of knowledge during the day. This will give you an idea if you like the work and want to pursue it as a career or increase your knowledge if you are working towards your qualification, but do expect to pay for this as it is time consuming and very tiring to take trainees with you. Also, some fitters will give a couple of days intensive training in fitting to get you started or to improve your skills. This is something that I do  occasionally, but you should expect to pay for this, whoever gives it.

You will know that I produced a series of films on saddle fitting – ‘ Fitting Saddles: The Essential Guide’ available from my Vimeo On Demand pages (details at the end of this piece),  which will give a good insight into what is expected of you as a fitter and all that is involved, as well as a great deal of information on fitting. The series is very good starting point for anyone thinking of this as a career and provides a good basic knowledge if you are lucky enough to gain a position as a trainee.

When looking for a trainee position, be prepared to move and live elsewhere. You would be very lucky to find someone willing to take you within easy travelling distance unfortunately.  Understand that the pay will not be very much at least for the first few years so you won’t be earning a lot, but neither will your employer whilst training you!

It may seem to you that I have not been very encouraging in this article. This is because you need to want this very badly to get into the profession, but having said that, this is the most rewarding, pleasurable job that I can imagine. I have been a saddler for over 50 years, specialising in fitting for at least 45 of those. I have seen horses branded as ‘bad’ blossom and become happy and contented, as are their owners. I have seen ‘lame’ horses come sound. I have seen ‘stoppers’ and ‘nappers’ learn to love their work and the amazing thing is that the horses often remember you. To be greeted with a whinny and a cuddle from past equine customers is a thrill that I just can’t describe, so if you think that this is a job for you, go for it and I hope that you get as much joy from it as I have done.

©  Kay Hastilow July 2020

More information on training as a saddle fitter can be found on
The Society of Master Saddlers' website at www.mastersaddlers.co.uk/training

You can find our more about my series of training films -
Fitting Saddles; The Essential Guide at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/fittingsaddles
which once purchased, can be streamed anytime, watched on TV, mobile or tablet or downloaded as DRM-free SD, HD and mobile files. 

Research and Its Relevance to You and Your Saddle Fitter

Many of you will follow the work of Dr Russell Mackechnie-Guire of Centaur Biomechanics and be justifiably amazed at the information that he has uncovered through his research, as am I, says Master Saddler and Master Saddler Fitter Kay Hastilow (pictured left).

Although most of us are aware of his work as he generously publishes it on social media, gives many talks, presentations and webinars, he is also part of a team of talented and knowledgeable people similarly involved in research.

Mark Fisher, MS MSF, Dr Jane Nixon MRCVS  and many others are all busy working on different aspects of saddlery – note, no longer just saddle fitting but also girths, bridles, pads and many other items. Mark works regularly with Russell, top class vets and of course, the video operator, as all of this research has to be covered from every angle and to strict protocols. Such research is expensive, so we have to thank Fairfax saddles, in particular Vanessa Fairfax, for really getting the ball rolling with their work on girths, work that has since been continued across their range.

The research is great for design and development, but does this have any advantages for the saddler or saddle fitter working in the front line? You bet it does! Apart from knowing the proven facts of many products, there are many little pieces of information that have been a real help to us.

For example, experienced saddle fitters know that too wide a tree will not work very well, and that horses will not ‘grow into it’ as some have claimed – in fact the result was often the very opposite, but we were a voice crying in the wilderness if we tried to say this. Now we can point to the validated and widely available research done by Russell, Mark and their team that PROVES this. However, we have also found that the odd horse, not all by any means can alter width from the static fitting to the dynamic. Some go wider when working, but some go narrower. Many just stay the same.

It has become glaringly obvious that a horse fitted when static can completely change once ridden, in that a saddle in balance static can tip forward or back once the horse is ridden, often to a considerable degree. I used to fit a good dressage horse where I had to remember to set the saddle at a 30% angle tipping back, because as soon as his rider picked up the reins he would engage his quarters and lift his back so much that the saddle would then be level. If I fitted it level when static, the rider would have been tipped forward so much that she just couldn’t ride him.

Thanks to the research done by all, we now know that the horse’s gait and shape can change when ridden, affecting the fit and balance of the saddle. If your saddle fitter only ‘fits’ your saddle static, you will know that this is a job only half done. Unless there are justifiable reasons for not seeing the horse ridden in the saddle, do not accept this.

You will have seen that I mentioned Dr Jane Nixon in an earlier paragraph , widow of the late and much-lamented Stewart Hastie. He was the veterinary advisor to the Society of Master Saddlers and had been a font of knowledge for the Society when they initiated the qualified saddle fitter course and qualification 25 years ago. I am happy to say that Jane has continued his good work and now advises the SMS on relevant veterinary matters.

However, Jane’s main interest is in soundness, feet, shoeing and the influence of this on gait – an area where she has done a great deal of research. Is this relevant to saddle fitting? Oh yes! Amongst many other things, over long toes can give your horse a sore back! Who knew? And how does this help the saddle fitter? Hands up now. How many people have their horses shod regularly with a space of no more than 4 to 6 weeks between shoeing? Not that many I’m sure, and yet it is so important. Badly balanced feet, different heel depth or a host of other problems can all affect a saddle’s performance. In fact, it is becoming more and more obvious that we really have to look at the horse ‘in the round’, with every aspect of his care, comfort and welfare vitally important as they are all  interlinked.

The research work done by these people has given us so much helpful information and, whilst many of the longer serving fitters knew that back pain was as often as not a symptom rather than a saddle problem per se, we now have the research evidence to which we can refer. In view of this, the SMS has set up a research group who look out areas of saddlery, fitting, design and other areas where research might enhance our knowledge and therefore the comfort and welfare of your horse.

I have just touched the tip of the iceberg with this topic, but at least now you know that much of the information your SMS qualified saddle fitter tells you is research led, verified and available for you to look up yourself. Different days indeed from when you just had to believe what you were told!

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Building your knowledge will benefit both your horse and your riding – and help you work more effectively alongside not only your saddle fitter, but also other professionals in your equine support network.

Kay explains; “I have spent more than 50 years working with saddles and fitting them to horses and ponies. Having now having retired from actively fitting saddles, I am focused on sharing what I’ve learnt to help develop knowledge and understanding of what goes into achieving a correct saddle fit. I feel that video enables me to do that much more effectively than would be possible in a book and have produced two videos that I am sure you will find both informative and interesting. Ienjoyed the project immensely and am delighted with feedback from those who have bought my videos.”

Saddle Fitting Know How - For Riders and Trainers is available as two videos for unlimited download or streaming from Kay’s own Vimeo On Demand page for a one-off charge of just £35 per video – less than the cost of a good quality saddlecloth or a lesson from a trainer! 

The first video looks at Conformation and Movement of the Horse, Types of Tree and their Influence, Different Panels and the Position of Girth Straps.

The second video explains How to Assess a Saddle for Soundness, Straightness and Safety, Recognising a Good Fit, the Balance of a Saddle, When Saddles Move and finally, Rider Influences.

These two new videos contain a huge amount of information and together they provide over an hour of expert Saddle Fitting Know How. Certain to become a ‘go-to’ resource, one that you’ll view again and again, Saddle Fitting Know How – For Riders and Trainers uses clever graphics alongside clear explanations and insight into many different aspects of achieving and maintaining a correctly fitting saddle.

Find out more and get access to these unrivalled and informative videos at  

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/saddlefittingknowhow  

Your horse will thank you in more ways than one - and your riding will benefit too!

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