I am just curious…
I see barns full of saddles, puchased because a trainer recommended them to the students. At one time I was naïve enough to believe it was because the trainer believed in the product. But today trainer’s being "paid off’ to promote a saddle to their students is common. Does that bother anyone ?
Yes. But your yelling also bothers me.
no.
Trainers gotta make a living. Sponsorship’s help that living.
Ya… Have to learn to use lower case …
Yes, I do understand sponsorship and I agree that is a great thing. My question was a bit more pointed than that. I am talking about trainers getting paid to advise you to go into a shop and buy a specific saddle… I think there is a distinction between a transparent sponsorship and the a trainer pushing you to buy a saddle so they can make a kick-back ?
The client needs to say no. Pretty simple. If they can’t say no to “saddle pressure” then they’ll have trouble saying no to other, perhaps good or bad, pressures from their trainer. My trainer is sponsored by a saddle company. Several of those saddles are in the tack room, owned by clients. More clients have a other types of saddles. While trainer suggested I ride in a couple of “her” type of saddle when I was having saddle fit issues with my custom of another type, there was no undue pressure to buy one from her sponsor. Maybe it’s just my trainer, but that’s my experience. And really, in the end, no is a complete sentence.
The buyer should know, in advance, the the trainer is a sponsored rider, and that she is encouraged to ‘encourage’ the student to use that saddle. To pass the test, the buyer needs an outside opinion. Few trainers would ride in a saddle they did not like, tho.
NO!
(sorry couldn’t help it LoL)
If you were the Pro, you would probably do the same, maybe in a more ethical way but it’s a way to make money.
Unless a trainer is pushing unsuitable saddles on their students, I see no problem with trainers trying to sell saddles and make a little cash (or get their own saddle for free - which is more the case than getting real money)
I, as a student, can and will say no if I’m not interrested or doesn’t have the budget. I’ e dodge that bullet a few time and survived to tell the tale! 
I rode with a trainer who was sponsored by a saddle company. He received a free saddle from them each year. When I needed a new saddle after purchasing a new horse, I did buy that particular brand (used). Not because my trainer suggested it, but because I was currently riding in one of his saddles and it fit my horse well and I found it comfortable. My trainer didn’t get a kick back from my purchase and mainly just wanted to make sure that the saddle I purchased fit my horse. Since I was buying used I decided to go with something that I knew would fit instead of having to send saddles back and forth trying them out.
No, because I am a grown-up and if I don’t like a saddle I will not buy it.
Plus, most of those trainers get paid ‘in kind’ - they get free saddles to use rather than actual cash.
Not nearly as much as people who type in all caps.
Doesn’t bother me. My trainer is sponsored but she does not push people to buy that brand.
When I wanted to buy a new saddle this year I did buy the brand that sponsors her. Not because of the sponsorship but because it is a good brand and I liked it.
The fact that the trainer is sponsored actually worked to my advantage. Since I was associated with a known account the rep made herself available quickly to come out, left demos because she knew she would be back around to pick them up etc.
A bigger problem IMO is that many trainers and most clients are not that good at telling when a saddle really fits. And the saddle reps are invested in claiming that they can make their saddle fit any horse. But actually, they can’t. Most brands use one style of tree for all their models, and so all the saddles from a particular brand have the same basic tree shape. Some horses will fit a particular brand, and some never will.
I’ve watched (not saying anything, MYYOB) while barn friends spend $6000 on a saddle, get it tweaked by the rep continually, and never get a good fit. In this case, I’m not sure if the trainer was getting points back from the company for “recommending” her clients as customers, but I believe several people bought the saddle in the same time period.
A trainer who believes the sales reps pitch that one brand can be made to fit any horse, will steer clients wrong whether or not trainer is getting a kickback.
And a trainer who understands saddle fit would be less likely to push one brand, as the trainer would realize that there will be long-term consequences to clients’ performance if the saddles don’t fit, and these consequences will rebound on the trainer.
[QUOTE=Hej;8678873]
No, because I am a grown-up and if I don’t like a saddle I will not buy it.
Plus, most of those trainers get paid ‘in kind’ - they get free saddles to use rather than actual cash.[/QUOTE]
More specifically the deal they get is that if they get a certain number of saddles sold, as in to their students, they get to keep the saddle free, if not the saddle goes back or they own money on. That is how the contract is written… Essentially a pay-o-la scheme…
[QUOTE=Hej;8678873]
No, because I am a grown-up and if I don’t like a saddle I will not buy it.
Plus, most of those trainers get paid ‘in kind’ - they get free saddles to use rather than actual cash.[/QUOTE]
More specifically the deal they get is that if they get a certain number of saddles sold, as in to their students, they get to keep the saddle free, if not the saddle goes back or they own money on. That is how the contract is written… Essentially a pay-o-la scheme…
I think Hej is right, trainers get free or extremely discounted saddles. I bet you have to reach like Beezie Madden level of stardom to actually get paid by anybody.
The principle of trainers plugging a particular saddle when a student is in the market for one doesn’t bother me. But I have met trainers who have a huge hang-up on saddles, and that bothers me. Trainers who seem to think that you can’t ride properly without a certain saddle. Like every lesson comes with a glass of “Tad Coffin Kool-Aid.” I knew a trainer who LOVED Devoucoux and told everyone to buy one, but she didn’t have any kind of relationship with the company so it was different from a sponsorship. She just loved everything French. And she took every opportunity to tell you about how much your horse and your riding would benefit from a Devoucoux. So at her suggestion, most of her students sold their saddles that were working just fine and got nifty new Devoucouxs. That’s wrong.
Are trainers properly reporting these saddles for tax purposes? Free saddle, sold for thousands. Giver of the saddle properly reporting? Pretty sweet loophole to avoid income/capital gains/luxury/net investment income tax depending on whatever laws are applicable.
I am not opposed to the promotion, but it would cross the line for me if clients felt they were unable to choose to purchase a different, more ideal saddle for their situation.
I wouldn’t want to feel forced to “stick to the ways of the barn” if that particular brand did not make a suitable saddle for my horse or perhaps I just didn’t prefer it myself.
As long as it is a promotion and a preference- yet not a prerequisite for that trainer’s program all is well with me.
I don’t know if it’s the absolute norm but I had a trainer absolutely take a fit on me when he found out that I purchased a new saddle from a local tack store. Apparently I was “supposed” to go through him for all saddles of this particular make.
Last time I noticed I did not see him working for this tack store. As a 50 plus year old rider I sure as heck did not need a young up and start trainer telling me what type or model of saddle I needed.
I did find out later that he receives $100.00 for every client he recommends purchase these saddles. Needless to say he never mentioned that part to me. We parted ways shortly after…this was just the final straw for me.
I think it’s an unethical practice personally. If the trainer is up front that he is being compensated for his recommendation for a particular horse item that’s fine. But trying to cover it up… that’s sneaky and unprofessional.
I don’t ride with anyone now - but would have difficulty riding with a trainer who ‘owned’ me in that way. I suppose it happens.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
