All saddles are crap except British ones?

[Sunflower]

I am surprised at some of the comments on the Society of Master Saddlers as some sort of brand only rep group. Perhaps there is a fundamental misunderstanding about what the SMS is or does. There is no US equivalent, not even in concept, and brand rep certainly does not match in any way.

http://www.mastersaddlers.co.uk/downloads/pathqsf.pdf

That is a useful link that shows how someone can obtain the qualification of a Qualified Saddle Fitter. Note the three years of work experience required!!

I have worked with a Qualified Saddle Fitter and there was absolutely no brand preference expressed, nor any favoritism towards British made saddles. It was all about what fit the horse, and then, whether the saddle fit me. I would give her price point, and she would bring along a truck full of saddles that might fit my horse and I. I specified new or used-- and in each case of purchase, it was used. Because that was the best fit for my horse, first of all, and me, second.

[PeteyPie]

[QUOTE=Rth88;9022865]
…Although an independent fitter she does sell some of the British brands and those were the brands she recommended would fit him (they’re also hard to find used so I’d pretty much have to buy a new one through her if I went that route)… [/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=findeight;9023045]Anytime anybody endorses something they get a commission for selling, especially if they trash every other brand they don’t sell and earn commissions for selling?

You have to consider they are just a wee wee bit more motivated by getting a commission then helping you get the best saddle and fit for you and your horse.

Consider using a fitter representing several brands or an independent that charges for their time instead of collecting a commission off what they sell.

Theres no certificate, training in all brands or any requirement for anything regarding saddle fitting. Anybody can call themselves one when all they are is a commissioned sales person who only gets paid if they sell you a product that pays them for selling it.

Seek a better, independent fitter.[/QUOTE]

This.

She’s selling you a saddle.

[BeeHoney]

Marley is right, I do think that many so-called “independent” fitters prefer wool flocked because they can come out and adjust the flocking as often as every six months and charge for it. Also, because of the adjustability, the logistics of having a saddle arrive that doesn’t fit the horse are more workable–“oh, let’s adjust the flocking” instead of “oops, I guess we’ll have to send that back.”

In fact, no matter what type of saddle fitter you use (independent vs. brand rep.) or which type of flocking you are looking at, the best thing to do is to educate yourself on saddle fit and be your own educated advocate during the saddle shopping process. Before you have the fitter out, ask friends if you can set their saddles on your horse’s back or ride in their saddles for five minutes. This will give you an idea of what fits and what doesn’t.

There are pros and cons to each type of flocking (wool vs. memory foam) and any saddle fitter that can’t approach that discussion in a reasonable manner doesn’t make the cut in my book. I ride in both and I don’t really have a preference and neither do the horses unless I put a saddle on them that doesn’t fit.

As far as how much you need to spend, I think that a lot of that depends on you and your horse. If your horse has an average type of back, he should be easy to fit and you should have a lot of options. However, there are some horses that are much more difficult to fit and require a lot more work and expense to get them properly fitted. Again, I think that trying out as many saddles as you can that belong to trainers, friends, etc. will help you narrow things down fitting-wise before you spend $$ on another fitting.

[equest]

I love my Black Country (wool flocked British saddle) but I think the fitter is indeed biased.
The appropriate saddle is the one that fits you AND your horse, and that you are comfortable in.

[SendenHorse]

I think people, generally, underestimate first how great it can be to customize with wool vs foam, and just how much the average saddle compresses over time. I fluff &fit every 4 months.
This is an important aspect to me. Others love foam. Decide what is best for your horse, but most fitters can’t do anything with foam. I prefer the more adjustable options.

[Nonsmom]

Saddle fitters can be interesting folk. I had one tell me that any saddle over 6 years old was worthless. This fitter was excellent at reflocking, but the refusal to work on older saddles was a “Bye-Bye!”