How did you choose your saddler?

Mary Poppins

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Oct 10, 2004
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I am after a new saddle for Ben (Christmas present) and I am having huge problems trying to pick a saddler. I asked for local recommendations via my facebook page, and I came back with loads of recommendations, but also lots of people to avoid. For everyone who recommended a certain saddler, someone else told me to steer clear of them.

I want to use a Master Saddler, but there are only 2 in my area and they are hard to get hold of. Many of the people recommended don't seem to be fully qualified and this puts me off.

So how did you pick your saddler and why?
 
I don't use a saddler unless I need a reflock. I used one once and was basically led down the flowery path and wasted money on adjustments and fittings that made no difference, I already knew the saddle I wanted and the type as I did it the old way and tried different saddles on him until I found a style that fitted him and me and ordered it.

I did a short fitting course years ago also and it's saved me a fortune getting opinions from people out to sell you what they recommend rather than what fits your horse.
 
Stopped using saddlers about 5 years ago as I gave up with them. Now use treeless and fit myself and no problems here.

My main thing for treed or treeless is an independent fitter or seller,not one who only sells 1 or 2 makes of saddle. You could put money on a lot of those saying nothing else would fit your horse ;)
 
First time I went with recommendation from YO and it worked well but they retired.
Second time I went with recommendation from fellow liveries and it ended in tears (for me).
Third time lucky I just rang one locally and we clicked.
 
I went through nearly all my local ones - even two from your way.

In the end I was desperate and went to the Riding School I had had a few lessons on I like the ethos they had, the RI taught both with a treeless and treed saddles, I had her saddler out and I never looked back. Even with that saddler though (he is a master saddler too) there are reviews around that say 'No - never again'.

In the end it's like everything you just have to take a punt and see how it goes - everything is half chance you could get someone out who others rave about and you might think 'Meh - I wasn't impressed'.

Good luck though as finding a saddler you can trust is is a sticky point but when you find them then your set.

My saddler takes a template of my horses back each time he comes out and will happily spend ages sorting out the saddle for me. Other saddlers in the area will not even require you to sit in the saddle when checking the fit ! :eek: I avoided that one when I saw her fitting a saddle on another liveries horse !!
 
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I basically fitted my own for years as western fitters were few and far between. Then I worked with my friend who did a fab job until we thought my tree needed adjusting which he couldn't do. Since then ive used a few, the lady I had last time seems very good tho she isn't cheap as comes quite a distance to me, however if I needed a new saddle I'm not sure she'd be ideal as she has her own brand and they aren't cheap but she's happy to work with what I have so its working for now. I tried her when my neighbour booked her to come out.
 
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I went with one who fitted and stocked a wide choice. When that was exhausted (norty pony didn't like 'cheap' saddles!) I went to a solution fitter as they fit anything providing you pad to compensate for unequal development.
 
I mainly fit my own, however if buying from saddlery I ask for a fitting, also if a horse is particularly difficult to fit or needs a slight adjustment making. I was taught by a wise older horseman who also ran a small saddlery on his yard ( we bought various saddles from him and he made me fit them and he checked them, explaining what was right and wrong and why), I wouldn't dream of fitting other peoples horses as I'm not a expert but for my own I'm confident and have never had any issues with sores ect and thankfully for me the saddler has always been happy with my fitting. I would use a saddler not quite as local to us but you can wait over a month for a fitting and this is why I now just get on with it and use a saddler closer to us when the need arises. If I were looking for a saddler though I would go with word of mouth, maybe someone fairly independent who has access to a good range of saddles. x
 
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