Saddle
fitting
What your saddler requires from
you in order to carry out a saddle fit.
The horse should be clean and
healthy.
The area for the saddle fit needs to be level and provide light and space to
move around the horse safely.
 You will need
a level firm surface on which to run the horse up in hand and a safe area for
riding the horse in. (if the weather is bad an area under cover is useful even
if only for the non riding part)
You will need your saddle and
other equipment for riding the horse in. Make sure you show the saddler the
saddle pad and girth you use and tell them about any other equipment such as
non slip pads etc.
Have any previous saddle fitting
records handy. It is helpful if you have all the information you know about the
horse's history ie. if there have been any injuries or behavioural issues etc
It may be useful to write down any
questions you think of so you remember to ask all of them at the time of the
fit.
If for any reason you have to
cancel a confirmed saddle fit please try to give a week's notice but a minimum
of 48 hours to allow us to fit someone else in and keep everyone's traveling
costs down.( we do appreciate it doesn't always work that way with horses but
the more notice the better)
It can take from 1.5 to 2 hours to
fit a saddle so it helps if the horse is in and ready when your saddler
arrives.
Some adjustments can be done on site such as flocking to balance panels and
adjust the way in which a saddle sits. Major work such as stripping out all the
flocking and replacing it needs to be done in the workshop. The saddle fit can
only be based on what the saddler sees on the day of the fit and on the
information given by the owner / rider. Saddle fit changes as the horse and
rider change and needs to be maintained with regular checks, at least twice per
year.
What you can expect from your
saddler
 In all cases the welfare
of the horse is the primary concern but the comfort of the rider is important
too.
We will try to meet the needs of
both within reason We will try to be punctual and if for any reason we are
delayed for more than 15 minutes we will try to notify you. We aim to deal with
everyone fairly and honestly and in a courteous manner. We will advise on
saddle fit for all types of horse and will assess and fit your own saddle as
long as it is a good quality saddle and appropriate for horse and rider. We
offer high quality saddles for sale but we recognize that these are not a
solution for all horses and riders and are happy to give advice on what else
may be on the market that may be suitable.( please see LINKS)
We will explain what we are
looking for and what we find and what we can do to alleviate any problems. If
for any reason you are not happy with our service we would ask you to contact
us as soon as possible to discuss what can be done to remedy this. We will
discuss costs before we undertake any fitting or work on your saddle and in the
case of finding something unexpected in a saddle we will contact you before
carrying out that work. In the case of traveling long distances for a saddle
fit we will try to combine it with several other clients and split the
traveling costs.
Our hourly rate for saddle fitting
is $50 +tax and traveling costs at 40c per km. Workshop rates vary and
pieces of work will be priced individually.
SADDLE FITTING TIPS FOR
RIDERS
Rachael Argo SMS Qualified Saddler
Learn what your horse's back feels
like when he is fit and sound. Run your hand over his back before and after you
ride and take note of lumps, hot spots and anything unusual or different.
Pay attention to any unwanted
behavior like nipping when girthed or pinning ears etc. A change in behavior
could indicate a problem.
Check your tack regularly for any
wear or breakage. Your safety and that of your horse depends on it. Replace
worn or broken tack immediately.
Ensure your tack is appropriate
for your horse and for yourself and fits correctly.
Poor quality tack should be
avoided. It can cause the horse pain and potentially lead to an
accident.
Have your saddle fit checked at
least twice per year by a qualified saddler / saddle fitter.
If your horse is stiff on one rein
, refuses to canter on a particular lead, goes with his head in the air and a
hollow back or displays any sign of discomfort and /or muscle wastage, have
your saddle checked.
Use a mounting block to get on. It
will save you, your horse and your saddle from damage.
Make yourself aware of how you sit
in the saddle. Most people sit on one side and this can make the saddle and the
horse uneven. Also be aware of how the horse moves and which hip he drops more
than the other. Most horses drop the saddle to one side when moving, some more
than others.
Be prepared to change your saddle
if necessary. Rarely, if ever, will one saddle fit a horse all his life.
Don't be tempted to use any old
saddle on your youngster when breaking him as this can cause a huge amount of
damage on a developing back. Have the saddle properly fitted and be prepared to
keep it that way. Don't think that you can get away with a bad saddle fit if
you only ride for a short while each time or the rider is lightweight. You
might get away with it, your horse won't !
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