Who would use a saddle fitter?

[Pennylane]

As an avid equestrian with a good working knowledge of equine anatomy and movement, and also being certified in multiple equine therapy modalities, I’m considering going to saddle fitting school!

So here’s the question. . . How many of you guys would like to be able to use an independent saddle fitter with access to multiple brands, both expensive, and not so much? Obviously, I would also be available to evaluate and fit a rider’s current saddle as well. . . I am located in the Midwest, the Indianapolis area specifically. I feel as though finding someone not trying to sell a very expensive saddle is hard to find. I’ve also found that as far as hunter/jumpers go, a good saddle fitter is hard to find. . . I could be very wrong! That’s why I’m asking the experts! Thanks.

[CHT]

My frustrations recently looking for saddle left me less than impressed with various fitters I contacted through their websites. (I finally went with Jay and Trumbullmtn)

Main issue I had was that the other fitters would stop trying to help me once they decided that they didn’t have anything in their shop that would fit within my price range. I want a saddle fitter that has a wide range of knowledge and will work to find a solution…not just stop when they realize they don’t have anything suitable in stock!

I would also want value added advice such as girths best suited for the horse, and shaped pads best suited to the saddle (thinking CC)

[ArabDiva]

I <3 independent fitters.

Most of the (few) fitters in my area are affiliated with one or two expensive brands. I consider them “dealers” more than actual fitters. Stubben, Custom…and on up. I only know of a couple of fitters who are willing and knowledgeable to look at any saddle, not just hawk their own wares and say what the company wants them to say.

[Chaila]

There is one fitter in New England who uses infared technology and doesn’t sell tack. We’ve been trying to get on her schedule for MONTHS. She’s finally coming next week. I think there is a big market for somebody like this, who comes and works with what you have.

[PNWjumper]

Totally depends on your skill as a saddle fitter.

I have one gal that I would use for any horse any time, though she is a brand rep.

I have used several independent fitters who left me less than fulfilled. Wouldn’t use the one’s I’ve used again. It seemed that each had a brand preference (though the particular brand varied from person to person and often with the same person from one time period to the next).

But if you’re good at it, then definitely!

[Pennylane]

Thanks for the replies! My goal is to work with any saddle that a client has, however, not every saddle can be made to fit every horse. I will be working with a tack shop that has several brands available as well as working with a few companies that have custom options. I really want to be someone, that you can call for a saddle within almost any budget. I realize that just because you can’t spend 5K+ for a saddle, it doesn’t mean you don’t want what is the most comfortable and appropriate for your horse. The few saddle fitters who I have had experience with seemed to only be interested in helping if I was going to purchase a very expensive saddle. They advertised being able to fit all brands, but even if the saddle fit they were telling me why their (insert French brand name here) saddle would be better.

I had the pleasure of meeting a very accomplished fitter at a clinic, and was fascinated by the process and learned a ton! Of course, it was too bad I didn’t have my horse there to have him fitted! Becoming a fitter has been at the back of my mind for awhile, and it seems like there is a need for people who aren’t just repping a specific brand.

Thanks again for the responses.

[Sunflower]

I think that a good saddle fitter is as essential as a competent farrier. A correctly fitting saddle is essential for the well being and performance of the horse, no matter what discipline or casual riding the horse is involved in. A good saddle fitter-- that is involved in that-- and not focused on peddling a particular brand or price range of saddle-- ought to be in high demand, anywhere.

[grayci]

This times 1000! I don’t care if you have nothing in my price range that will fit my horse. At least come fit her so I know what to look for. Heck, if anyone had actually bothered to respond, call back, anything I may have even found a budget matching their stock if we found a good fit.

Not one response except for the fitter I went to myself, and he at least told me he’d not go to my area without a few more horses to fit at the same time. No one else responded after I gave my budget (which wasn’t THAT low!) or explained my horse’s shape. So freaking frustrating. I finally found something WELL below my budget myself, though it’s still not a perfect fit (and was still well below my budget after the shim pad and shims).

So to the OP: yes I would certainly use one, and if you get into the field: PLEASE respond to potential clients!

[QUOTE=CHT;7813218]
My frustrations recently looking for saddle left me less than impressed with various fitters I contacted through their websites. (I finally went with Jay and Trumbullmtn)

Main issue I had was that the other fitters would stop trying to help me once they decided that they didn’t have anything in their shop that would fit within my price range. I want a saddle fitter that has a wide range of knowledge and will work to find a solution…not just stop when they realize they don’t have anything suitable in stock!

I would also want value added advice such as girths best suited for the horse, and shaped pads best suited to the saddle (thinking CC)[/QUOTE]

[EventingJ]

I use Ann Forest/Equestrian Imports - I bought both my saddles though her (a close contact/jumping saddle Amerigo Vesuvio and a dressage saddle Albion Plantinum SLK) and continue to use her for saddle maintenance/reflocking. She worked with my old saddle (a county stabilizer) but it got to the point I needed a new tree. She sent me several to try in my budget (several different brands), and i settled on the vesuvio.

I’ve used several other saddle fitters in the past with varying degrees of success. Shes the first one I’ve encountered that fit the horse standing still, and also while moving, and fit me as well. A horse standing still might hold their body differently when moving in a frame. My horse is built a bit downhill and needs space in her lower back for her back to move up - this had been ignored several times by other saddle fitters, when I finally had a saddle that fit her moving body, she was so much more willing to swing through her back.

I have each saddle checked once a year (she comes to my area every six months) for flocking changes.

[Pocket_Pony]

I definitely do use this service and have done so with the last few saddles I’ve purchased. The fitter doesn’t work for a specific company so has lots of different models on the trailer and will fit/flock whatever you need help with. One thing she doesn’t do is h/j saddles, but I know there are others out there who do (she mostly focuses on “balanced seat” so does dressage, endurance, western).

I actually have a call into another person right now who does fitting as well as massage and custom pads/shimming if that’s what your saddle needs. My friend used her recently and was very impressed so I’m going to give her a try.

[Jo]

I have, and will continue to use, this service. I lucked into a very talented lady here in Texas who reps for a few companies but was very understanding when I told her (before our appointment) that I would NOT be ordering a new custom saddle and needed help in figuring out what the heck would work for my table top, wide backed mare. I have met with her several times (initial appointment and subsequent appointment to fit a saddle I purchased online) and each time she was patient, thorough, and EXPLAINED what the heck she was doing/thinking which was invaluable to me.

[OveroHunter]

We have an ex County saddle fitter that now works independently in our area. I absolutely love independent fitters! While she does own a consignment shop, she has never tried to sell me anything out of her store and just does a fabulous job. They are vital to horse people!

[soloudinhere]

@CHT;7813218

Main issue I had was that the other fitters would stop trying to help me once they decided that they didn’t have anything in their shop that would fit within my price range. I want a saddle fitter that has a wide range of knowledge and will work to find a solution…not just stop when they realize they don’t have anything suitable in stock!

This is a problem I have been seeing more and more of.

Sometimes, there ISN’T an answer within the shopper’s budget. If your horse is funky enough to need a saddle from a specialty brand, or custom features, and you tell me to find you something for $600, there’s nothing I can do for you. I can’t magically make your much-loved-very-old saddle fit a modern horse, or make a super wide horse fit into a used collegiate.

Now, if you were willing to spend a reasonable amount, then that is annoying behavior on the part of the saddle fitters. But I think it’s becoming more common that buyers have a lot of unrealistic expectations of a perfectly fitting saddle for very little money-- especially because the costs of saddlery in general have been shooting up due to increased costs for raw materials and a dwindling labor source outside of third-world countries.

So, to the OP, expect that in your new business and try to figure out a way to be able to accommodate these people. The biggest problem I had in buying a saddle was not having access to suitable demos, and I seriously considered also becoming a saddler purposefully to have a suitable stock of demos, as I think it is impossible to sell high $$ saddles by telling someone it will be “like this one, but different.”

[CHT]

Yes, I think it is fair to tell a client that their budget is unreasonable. Mine was $2500 new or used, leather or synthetic, which I thought was reasonable.

OP: also make sure you learn how to fit for the rider too, not just the horse. I am a hard to fit rider (for dressage anyway) and it was frustrating to saddle shop when the retailers would only consider my horse and not me.

The other thing I thought of, is to be willing to fit remotely (through tracings sent through mail and such). People in remote locations want good fitting saddles too! I had this issue with one shop who really wanted to send their fitter out before telling me the price of a saddle I was interested in. The issue was the fitter wouldn’t be out for a month, and the horse already had a month off…I didn’t want to wait, and I also wanted the fitter to fit the horse I measured when in work…not the one that had been sitting for a month or so.

[Kerrysmom818]

I am really lucky, in that I have a terrific saddle fitter in my area. She works for a local saddle shop and tries really hard to work with what you’ve got - if she can. She’s honest, easy to work with and really knows her stuff (she is a certified fitter). No hard sell either and is willing to work within your budget and make recommendations as to used saddles, etc. I can’t imagine ever buying another saddle without getting her input.

[mvp]

OP, I think you need to ask yourself how you’ll get paid. Do you think you can make a living from fitting alone? Or will you need to sell saddles, too, to make ends meet?

I can tell you that I live (and have lived) in parts of the country where it would take a fitter the better part of a day to travel to me and fit saddles. I can’t imagine how much they’d have to charge me for that service and travel alone. And if I were the person who wanted to do my saddle fitting on a budget, but still had to pay to ship a bunch of saddles for the fitter to try on that day, I might be spending a lot of money.

Don’t get me wrong. I think saddle fit is important and worth paying for. I have done plenty of shipping back and forth in the past. I have had a rep for a manufacturer come out when I had one of that maker’s saddles on hand and was willing to consider ordering one. Even then, it was hard to schedule that visit as it was most likely a money-losing day for the rep.

[js]

I’d like to just add, I would love a saddle fitter that appreciated every breed and fitted each horse regardless of size, breed or talent like it was a million dollar FEI horse. I have used a fitter that really didn’t appreciate the fact that I rode a QH and an OTTB. Needed a dressage saddle to fit each and was willing to spend $$ to get a great fit, tried to convince me some horses like wearing saddles that were too narrow; (really?) because getting the correct width would be a special order, to which I was more than willing to do, neither did this individual offer any customization even though I would happily paid for it; I felt she didn’t take my riding or my horses seriously, even though I had the money to spend.

I would prefer an independent fitter that is willing to offer suggestions of saddles even if they themselves don’t carry it. Will stay in your budget with saddle suggestions and not try a hard sell on the latest fads or brands but really works to get the right fit regardless of the brand.

[Pennylane]

Thanks for all the answers!

Mvp- I will sell saddles, but I will not be affiliated with one specific brand. . . I will also take on nice used saddles for sale.

I think being independent will allow me to truly fit every horse and rider without having to worry about a commission for selling a specific saddle. It means being able to work with saddles that clients already have also. It seems that people are looking for fitters that are independent, because with budget constraints, most people cannot afford to purchase new French custom saddles, nor do they want to wait forever for them.

In a perfect world I will be able to keep a wide variety of saddles, so that when I meet a client for an evaluation, I have a good chance of having a saddle that fits them, their horse and their budget. I’m sure there will be times when a custom saddle will be the best option, and I will be able to measure both rider and horse and get them the saddle they want.

Thanks again for all the input! I appreciate it!

[Trakehner]

Saddle fitters…right up there with animal communicators and magikal crystals…at least in the US. In England, lots of training and actual professionals with a very good website: http://www.mastersaddlers.co.uk/

I’ve seen only ghastly jokes of fitters…we’ve got one in the area who failed at other horse voodoo specialties and got a magnetic sign for the van, made up a checklist and tadaa! ruined saddles and sore horses. But, they have business cards and a magnetic sign, they must be professionals.

[arapaloosa_lady]

Set up your pricing schedule so that you get a nice hourly rate for your work INSTEAD of making a large commission when people buy $$$$ custom saddles. That way you can go out & spend time helping people custom fit their $500 saddles & not need to push people into big purchases of new saddles.