What can I expect when I use a qualified saddle fitter?
Booking a fitting with a qualified saddle fitter is a very smart move - you’ll be getting someone who’s been trained and evaluated to ensure your horse’s comfort is a priority. If you’ve never had a fitter visit before then you might be wondering what will actually happen during the appointment, how long it will take, what you need to do and what you’ll walk away with at the end. In this blog, we’ll guide you through the whole process, so you know exactly what to expect and how to prepare.
And just a reminder - if you’re not sure what makes a qualified saddle fitter different from a saddler, retailer or brand rep, look at last month’s blog first. It explains the key differences and will give you some helpful context before diving into the fitting process itself.
1. What makes a saddle fitter ‘qualified’?
There are many qualifications and certifications in saddlery fitting, some take several months/years to complete and are accredited by awarding bodies such as City and Guilds and Lantra, whilst others may be shorter courses run by individuals, brand representatives or manufacturers which provide internal certification of attendance. Some qualifications may consist of practical on the job learning and assessment, others by online tutorials or a combination of both. Whatever the qualification or certification, it’s always a good idea to choose a fitter who has some form of accreditation in saddlery fitting and who holds appropriate professional indemnity insurance.
At Castle House Saddlery, all our saddle fittings are carried out by Society of Master Saddlers Registered, Qualified Saddle Fitters or Master Saddle Fitters. That means all of our fitters hold the City and Guilds Vocational Qualification in Saddle Fitting assured by the Society of Master Saddlers which is independently verified and is approved and regulated by Ofqual.
It means they have been evaluated and assessed by the Society of Master Saddlers, have several years experience and have been independently accredited through City and Guilds, and that makes us a very highly qualified and experienced team.
And it doesn’t end there, all our fitters also hold the City and Guilds flocking qualification which means you can trust them to do flocking alterations and adjustments to your saddle. Some of our fitters also hold a range of other accredited qualifications including bridle and bit fitting, saddle fitting and leatherwork. What’s more, we also have deep knowledge of the features and benefits of all the brands we work with and can help you choose the right saddle design for your horse, you and the goals you have. We’re led by Andrea Patterson, a Master Saddle fitter with over 20 years experience. Master status is only awarded by the Society of Master Saddlers, following qualification and a minimum of seven years practice, post-qualification checks, and ongoing quality assessment.
In short, you’re working with a team of professionals whose expertise is trusted and whose service is grounded in both technical excellence and equine wellbeing.
2. Booking and what happens next
You can book a saddle fitting appointment on our website or by calling or emailing. Here’s a quick link to our contact page, in case you need those details. If you are a new customer and you haven’t already done so, you will be asked to complete a detailed survey and pay for your first appointment up front. This ensures our fitters come prepared with the right tools and saddle options for you and your horse and avoids late cancellations on the day.
On the day, you will need access to a level, hard surface for in-hand assessments and a safe area (e.g., dry, flat grass paddock but ideally an arena or ménage) for ridden work. Please wear safe, riding clothing and boots (avoid jeans, motifs and silicone seats or sticky bums as they can mark new saddles & definitely no flip flops, trainers or shorts!) and bring clean, dry tack (numnahs, girth, stirrups).
Your fitter will be grateful if your horse is clean and dry when they arrive as it tends to make the fitter rather damp and grubby! You’ll appreciate we can’t try different sample saddles on a soaking wet or muddy horse nor will we able to undertake ridden assessments in wet weather unless indoors as it damages our stock.
3. The saddle fitting process: step-by-step
You can expect a saddle fitting to last around one and a half hours, and here’s how a typical session unfolds:
Horse examination
The fitter will assess your horse at rest, walk and trot to spot any conformational or biomechanical traits that will influence saddle fit.
Templating and measuring
Next, the fitter takes a series of templates - of your horse’s back to track changes over time, and to help them assess the fit of different branded saddles in relation to your horse on the day.
Static fit check
Your saddle or potential new saddles will be tried on the horse while they are standing square to check the suitability of: the horse’s conformation and skeletal structure in relation to the saddle; suitability of the the saddle design; the fit of the tree shape and width; the panel contact and shoulder freedom; overall balance and stability; wither and clearance of spinal processes; length of tree; girthing position and arrangement; suitability and requirements for the rider.
Ridden assessment
It’s time to head to the arena where you’ll be assisted to mount and stand square so the fitter can confirm before proceeding to the ridden assessment. The fitter may make some alterations to the saddle fit with flocking or pads/shims and repeat the exercise.
You will then be asked to ride at walk, trot, and canter on both reins (and jump if needed) so the fitter can see how the saddle moves with your biomechanics and your horse’s movement. Safety and welfare is the first priority, and our fitters will only ask you to carry out appropriate ridden exercises in accordance with the work the horse is in, your ability, the environment and what you feel comfortable doing.
Adjustment and feedback
Depending on what’s needed, further adjustments such as overflock adjustments, shims or gullet changes may be carried out to improve the fit followed by a further ridden assessment to ensure everything is the best fit. Our fitters will also advise when further adjustments and checks are required according to your horse’s individual needs. Every horse is different and timing between appointments can be influenced by several factors including the age of the horse, the amount of work it’s in, fitness, weight fluctuations, rider influence, time of year etc.
Written report
You’ll be asked to sign for a copy of the record of the fitting notes, along with your horse’s templates, which is worth holding onto for future fittings and tracking changes.
4. Next steps
Buying a saddle: If you’re lucky then you’ll be able to purchase your saddle from stock, and enjoy a 14-day money-back guarantee. Imagine being able to ride that very same day in your shiny new saddle!
Saddle loan service: If your chosen saddle is bespoke or not immediately available, a temporary loan saddle may be available (£10 per week with a minimum £50 charge) which keeps you riding until the new one arrives.
Final fitting included: Once your new saddle arrives, the fitter will return for a final check, ridden assessment and to make any minor tweaks that will ensure you’re completely happy with the result.
Costs and logistics: If you have any niggles then it’s important to get your saddle fitter back to take a look as soon as possible. At Castle House Saddlery our call-out charges start from £80 within a 20-mile radius which includes a full assessment of one horse and one saddle.
Mileage is charged for locations further afield which is spilt between the number of horses on the day. An extra premium of £10 is charged for planned evening and weekend visits. Additional charges apply for flocking and other adjustments which will be quoted for on the day. Most minor adjustments can be carried out on the van on the day.
5. The benefits of using a qualified fitter
A properly-fitting saddle is essential for your horse’s comfort, movement and soundness and it will support your balance and feel in the saddle. Conversely an ill-fitting saddle can cause behaviour changes, soreness or poor performance and even lead to longer term problems.
The rigorous qualifications and evaluation mean that your saddle fitter will have seen all shapes and sizes of horse and tackled lots of quirks in saddle fit, plus, they’ll be experts in all the different brands, and which one could be perfect for your horse and your needs.
Finally, they’ll know the importance of regular checkups and booking an appointment when there’s a chance your horse’s shape and muscle has changed. A horse will change shape throughout the day so imagine the changes after a field holiday, when they’re competition fit or after the loom of spring grass…
Learn more about our saddle fitters and book an appointment here.