At Trumbull Mountain Tack Shop, we’ve always made customer service our first priority. We don’t just want to sell you a saddle – we want to help you find the right saddle, one that makes you and your horse comfortable and happy and allows you both to perform at your absolute best, and we want to make the process as pleasant (or at least as painless!) as possible. Since saddles aren’t a stretchy-pants, “one size fits all” kind of thing, finding that “right” saddle means we need to know as much as possible about both of you: your present discipline and level, and what your goals are; any riding or training issues you’re encountering, what you like and what you don’t. We can then pinpoint which saddle(s) best fill those requirements and are most likely to suit you and your horse.
So along that same vein, I’d like to be able to tailor the newsletter articles I write to the subjects that you find interesting. There are dozens and dozens of issues relating to saddle fit and how it ties in with riding and training and performance issues. I could geek on forever about tree shape, saddle design and construction; I could discuss fitting issues specific to different conformations and the saddle features that address each; I could wax philosophical about different schools of thought and fitting theories and flocking and panel types and never lose interest.
However, this really isn’t about me … and I’d hate to think that people found my articles the perfect cure for occasional insomnia.
So I’m interested in what interests you. Whatever you’re wondering about, whatever your questions are, I’d really like to know. Your questions can be specific: “How does the fit of my dressage saddle affect my horse’s ability to bend?” or “What are the key things to consider when choosing an endurance saddle?” They can be general: “What are the different types of English saddles?” or “Which saddle is best for the type of riding I do?” They can be breed or discipline specific: “Now that I’m getting ready to compete Prelim in eventing, should I have different saddles for cross-country and stadium jumping?” or “What fitting features are best for a typically short-backed Arab with a very well-sprung rib cage?” They can be about a specific fitting feature: “What is the purpose of a K panel?” or about the pros and cons of wool vs. foam panels, or the difference between a hoop tree and a regular tree. They can be about saddle fit for the horse or rider, about saddle design or construction, about the affect the saddle has on any facet of training or performance … pretty much about anything saddle-related. The only requirement is that they be of interest to you.
You can send your questions to me through the comments feature here on the web site, or to my e-mail: kitt@trumbullmtn.com. Looking forward to hearing from you!