The Saddle Fitting Visit

The Saddle Fitting visit usually takes around 1 1/2 - 2 hours. If you are just having

a follow up visit or a saddle check and/or adjustment of your current saddle, this

time may be shorter. Your horse should be clean and dry, and wearing a bridle

through the fitting process. It is also important that the rider is dressed in

appropriate riding clothing and safety wear.

We'll arrive and introduce ourselves to you and your horse, and ask you of any vices or ailments. We will then assess your horse with an examination of the back for any lumps, bumps, or signs of pain or discomfort.

If all looks well, we'll proceed to take templates, see the horse move in walk and trot, try on some saddles, and choose some to ride in. You can read more about these stages below.

Templates

At your saddle fitting, your horse's back will be assessed, and with your horse standing square, templates will be taken as a record of their shape and current condition, and to establish if there have been any changes since the last visit (if applicable).

Walk & Trot In Hand

You will usually then be asked to walk and trot your horse up in hand, both towards and away from the fitter on an even level surface . This is to observe the horse's gait and natural movement with no rider influence, assess their straightness, and look for any unusual or relevant issues that may affect the saddle fit.

Static Fit

If you are just needing a fitting assessment of your current saddle, this will be placed on your horse's back and checked for any areas of adverse pressure, for balance & stability of the saddle, appropriate length and width and various other factors. Should you require a new saddle, a selection will be provided, based on the information you have given upon booking the appointment about your horse's size, breed & discipline, and about your own height, build and general preferences. We'll then place each potential saddle on the horse in turn, and assess them as described above.

Ridden Assessment

Saddles deemed suitable to try may then be assessed with the rider onboard, usually in walk, trot and canter. It is very important to observe the behaviour of the saddle once it is under load, and check to ensure the saddle remains in balance with factors such as the rider's weight and the horse's movement in the equation. At this point, the comfort and stability of the rider can be established as the saddle must be a good fit for them also.

Follow Up Visit

Upon purchasing a saddle from us, we will be keen to book in a follow up visit to make sure things are going well, and we can make any adjustments to the flocking or width of a changeable tree if required. This aftercare is really important as the flocking of a new saddle can settle quite quickly, and horses can change shape through the seasons.

A Guide To Costs & Charges

Our charge for a saddle fitting visit is £45.

Customers within a 10 mile radius of Salisbury just pay the fitting fee.

For customers who are further than 10 miles away, we charge 50p per mile return trip.

We endeavour to make our charges as transparent as possible so always happy to discuss this prior to an appointment.