Does your horse require a custom saddle? There are many options available but how do you know what you need or don’t need and how do you sort through all the labels and advice?
When you start your search for a saddle, it is important to rely on someone that has saddle fitting knowledge. Of course, that “title” comes with various amounts of expertise. Some are more experienced than others and some have a better feel or “eye” than others. It’s important to find someone that has an open mind and who is willing to or has at their disposal, different types of trees and panel configurations to suit different types of horses.
I see many interesting posts on sources such as the COTH and on Facebook and they can help educate but also confuse people as not everything one reads is accurate. Most “forum posters” have good intentions but what works for them may not work for your particular horse. Word of mouth can be helpful in finding information and there are a lot of resources in terms of articles and people who can steer one in the right direction.
Although we fit long distance all the time, we also often work with other fitters that the customers use locally. I can say that the majority receive great reviews but everyone makes mistakes and we have heard at least one bad review for just about everyone including us.. Fitters can have differing opinions on what may work so it is important to sift through and ask plenty of questions. Some charge for evaluations long distance and some don’t, (we don’t) and all charge for travel fitting evaluations. We also offer on site fitting evaluations at no charge.
Many customers come to us because they feel that they have a difficult horse to fit. Some turn out to be quite easy once we suggest a different type tree or panel. Often, it IS just a matter of matching the tree and proper panel configuration to the horse. However, some can be challenging due to issues such as excessively short backs ridden by a large rider or a horse with a sway back and so on. It is a matter of education to some extent.
We highly recommend sending tracings/templates, conformation shots and our questionnaire as the more information one has, the easier it will be to narrow the suggestions. Whether you work with us or not, the more info the fitter has the more accurate they can be. We also suggest trying a stock saddle that comes the closest to you and your horse’s needs and taking notes, photos of it girthed without a pad and paying close attention as to how the saddle makes you feel and how your horse goes in it. That way, the rider and fitter can have a meaningful conversation about what tweaking the saddle may need in terms of options for your horse if you need to order a saddle with special options.
Some of those options can include a fuller front panel such as a K or trapezius panel. Wither gussets and full front gussets are options as well. Some horses need a freedom or hoop tree and some need a wider gullet channel, a narrower one or an upswept panel. Billet configurations can sometimes be modified and blocks can be moved, made on velcro, shortened, lengthened, narrowed and so on. Some panels can even be made slightly shorter longitudinally for a short backed horse. Flaps can be longer, shorter, more forward or straighter.
Not all companies offer these options. Some companies offer these options at no charge and some charge for them. That is why having a variety to try and choose from can be helpful.
Some saddle companies or fitters will assess a restock fee if a saddle is returned after ordering and if the saddle is very customized it may be non-returnable so it is important to make sure it is close fit before ordering. Each saddle is hand made so there will always be slight differences in fit but generally, the fit can be adjusted by a good fitter. There are some companies that will not accept any return so it is important to know the return policies.
Most importantly, educate yourself, ask questions, make use of the trial policy and pay attention to what you and your horse feel. If you are not comfortable with long distance fitting, ask for our recommendation of a local independant fitter who can assess your trial saddles. We are happy to work with them and have a dialogue about how best to fit the horse and rider. Also, keep in mind that it may be more challenging to resell a saddle that is highly customized to your horse.
The bottom line is that if you try a saddle and it fits well and your horse goes well in it, you are better off purchasing that one because, as I mentioned in the beginning of the article, the saddles are hand made and the new saddle may fit slightly different when it arrives, options notwithstanding. If indeed, special consideration is needed to fit you and your horse, then make sure to understand why and what you are getting. There is nothing wrong with asking a lot of questions and we are always happy to answer them. If we don’t know the answer, we will make it our business to find the answers.
*Post Script: This post was written a month ago and not in response to other recent posts and blogs. Our goal is to answer questions that we encounter and to educate in a positive manner. We are always looking for suggestions for future posts so feel free to email your ideas.