What Does A Saddle Fitting Involve

A first visit can take upwards of 2-3 hours. In this time the horse’s conformation, gait, and muscle condition are assessed. A template is taken from 4 lines (front, middle and thoracic 18 where the saddle will sit and a spinal profile) to show the horse’s wither outline. Please note, that a ridden assessment is included to see how your horse is reacting/moving with saddle and their rider on top. This rider and saddle evaluation is completed using a saddle supplied or your own if deemed suitable.

As we are booking clients from a very large area (most of central and southern Scotland, as well as the Isles and further afield) we have to plan appointments carefully to ensure an economical route and timings to suit needs. You may have to wait until we have sufficient requests in your area before we can offer appointments. We do our best to keep waiting times to a minimum but during busy periods there may be a wait time. If you don’t hear from us please send a text again!

WHY SHOULD I USE A QUALIFIED SADDLE FITTER? Every SMS Qualified Saddle Fitter has done a minimum of 3 years in the field before being allowed to take the exam. Years of experience make all the difference when assessing the correct solution for both horse and rider. Laura is also a SMS Qualified Saddler meaning she has a deep understanding of saddle construction and how this affects the way a saddle fits.

WILL YOU BE ABLE TO MAKE MY CURRENT SADDLE FIT? Whenever possible a saddle will be adjusted to suit the needs of both horse and rider. This is not always possible and priority is given to finding the best solution to ensure horse comfort and rider security. Tree shape is the most important part of saddle fitting as it is what makes the difference between the saddle fitting or not. Our saddle fitters do extra training in tree shape suitability as it is so fundamental to the job to get it correct for the horse.