Ah, this sounds like the local camera shop where I went to look at equipment. They informed me that Real Photographers Use Tripods. Their attitude lost them $5k of business as I bought my Canon DSLR and lenses, plus a monopod for my equine action photography… elsewhere.
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Sascha, I think we are saying the same thing. I find you more forgiving than I tend to be. Good! For the record, I recently turned 65. Do I qualify as an antique? 
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This reminds me of the last time I went to Brother sewing machine dealer that is 1 mile from my house. I needed a new presser foot. The little plastic piece in the middle popped out and I wanted a new one. It was usable without the little plastic piece, but I liked it better with the piece in.
Instead of just ordering it online, I made time to go to the local store. Their hours are moderately inconvenient. I told them what I wanted, they looked and didn’t have it. They then tried to convince me I didn’t need it. Hello! I’m trying to buy something from you; I’ll even order it from you! WTH is wrong with you?
I left and ordered it online, which I should have done in the first place. When I bought a new sewing machine, it didn’t come from them. If I need work done on a machine, they don’t do it. It’s easier to deal with the shop 30 miles away. It’s not just the OP’s tack shop that sucks.
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Saddle shopping is almost worse than horse shopping. I had a great experience with Ann Forest at Equestrian Imports. I took the requested photos and did a wither tracing and paid her to evaluate six saddles I was considering trialing from online consignment and local shops. She explained why the saddle would or wouldn’t work and that helped me rule out several saddles. She obviously had saddles that would work but they were out of my price range, yet she gave me great advice.
I wish more experienced fitters would offer this service but my assumption is there is no money in it.
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Ann Forest is excellent! Highly recommend her. Very knowledgeable and professional.
I like shopping retail but usually appreciate being left to shop in peace until i have a question. And when approached i just thank them for offering and say i’ll just look for a while first please.
One thing good about tack shops are they’re really good if you are looking at used saddles. Also, if you’re looking at new ones and wish to see/feel the quality of leather and workmanship, construction.
What i’m doing now (have yet to get there/do that yet, but i will ‘someday’) is i’ve found a saddlefitter and made pre-arrangements for location to meetUp midway and prior to fitting i’ll go to the tack shop and check0ut to try 3 saddles for fitter to work with. And we’ll go from there.
I’m usually pretty immune to ‘attitudes’ of people, especially in real life… So if that shopkeeper was rude i probably wouldn’t have even noticed.
Most recently i was shopping online for big ass fans. I phoned the company to ask my questions, decided which models/sizes and how many i wanted and checked out their pricing. Then i went price shopping online. When i had a match i sent the pricing to the guy i’d been talking to and told him if he could meet the price i would buy from him. He did even better and i did buy from him. For me, i just like to be upfront- direct and truthful with people.
So, if i was looking at a new saddle, saw one there that didn’t quite fit, but was the model/quality i wanted…i’d shop online, and before purchasing go back to the retailer and offer her an opportunity to meet the price.
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So, if I went to a car dealership, or a furniture store, or any business where I would need some advice before purchase, I should pay for that advice? I hope you have other options for saddle shoping in your area. I would have walked out the door.
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