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T O P I C R E V I E W
Susie T
Posted - 05 Sep 2011 : 3:23:15 PM I am pleased to report that the saddle company sent out a different saddle fitter and they have agreed to provide me with an exchange (for no cost!). The new fitter was horrified at how bad the original fit was - over an inch too long, wrong tree, and way too much padding at the front. I began to wonder if they had sent me the wrong saddle in the first place, but then remembered that the saddle fitter had brought it and "fitted" (HA!) it!!
I have to say the saddle company have been very good at responding to this problem and have not quibbled at all. They are going to try and turn the new saddle round in 2 weeks.
Original post - As with most arab owners I had trouble finding a saddle that would fit - and stay in the right place - on my rather wide arab. After trying several, I cajoled my OH into allowing me to have a saddle "made to measure" by a reputable saddlers in the West Midlands,which, as you can imagine, cost quite a lot of money!
A year down the line, I had my horses back checked last week and the chiropractor found severe problems and has said that she must not be ridden for 6 weeks. A well-known saddler who happened to be on the livery yard at the same time took a look at the saddle and immediately said that the saddle was too long and that was definitely what had caused the back problems, and I must under no circumstances use the saddle on her again. When she heard who had "fitted" the saddle she heaved a big sigh and said that this particular Saddle-fitter had been sacked by the company I used as they had had so many complaints!
I just wanted to warn other people who naively like myself thought that using a reputable Saddlers guaranteed you a good, well-fitting saddle . Although my horse was bucking and behaving strangely I am sorry to say it did not occur to me that the saddle I had had especially made for her would be the problem. I actually thought she was just being naughty and I feel terrible for that, as well as all the discomfort and pain she will have been in.
I have spoken to the Saddlers that I bought the saddle from and they have been very understanding and are sending someone out as soon as possible to have a look, and I have heard that they have helped other people out in this situation. I in no way want to bad mouth the Saddlers (although they should probably take better care about checking the capability of people they employ), but I just want to alert any of you who might be having issues with your horse and assuming, naively like me, that their expensive saddle can't be the cause!
If you are concerned you can PM me and I will tell you which saddle company they are - but like I said earlier - they are a very good firm with a years of good service, it seems to be just this one particular fitter, who they have now sacked, that has caused the problems.
Off now to give my poor little mare lots of attention, a massage and a massive apology!
7 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
Bebely
Posted - 09 Sep 2011 : 10:56:04 PM I have refrained from posting on any of the saddle threads as I was so scared of jinxing us. But - it has happened anyway! Just 6 months after I thought we were sorted we are having saddle problems again.
I'm in the Midlands and thinking of a M2M so will PM you Suzie T. Hopefully this time it is just a tweak and not a major re-think.
I guess I am lucky in that Tamba will not tolerate anything being even the tiniest bit "not right" so he tends to make a big fuss long before we have a major problem. We do have an lot of "down time" though!
Susie T
Posted - 06 Sep 2011 : 10:41:44 AM The Saddlers are coming out on Thursday and seem very keen to sort this out for me as soon as possible. I will keep you all posted!
My worry now is that she is already in a 16", so it looks like she actually needs a 15" - and I can't see my bum fitting in that!!
Pasha
Posted - 06 Sep 2011 : 09:44:26 AM Even the 'good' saddle fitters can get it wrong!
I had a m2m saddle for Pasha and it was perfect, the saddler did a very good job and the aftercare was great. So when I got Shesky, she was my first call. All was 'apparently' fine until he lost 50kg on his diet and she made the saddle narrower. He then started to stop and threaten to rear in the school, which was not like him at all. He was fine out on hacks and did the same bare back, so the saddler tried to convince me he was naughty!
Luckily though my instincts were spot on. I called another saddler for a second opinion, who said the saddle was fine! So I then called my physio and she spotted the problem immediately!
Poor Shesky also had to have 6 weeks off and the physio 2 times a week, and that was only after wearing the narrower gullet for a week!!! Christ knows what would have happened if I'd trusted her!
I changed saddler and saddles, and I know hear alarm bells when any saddler says a horse is difficult to fit or needs riser pads etc etc!
My saddler always seems to have something to fit, regardless of who he is fitting on the yard and the proof is in that none of his clients horses have sore backs... well not in the 2 years i've been using him anyway! Shesky loves both his new Ideal and his second hand Bates GP that the saddler fitted to him, when the other saddler said he was a difficult fit and needed a 2K Albion + adjustments!!!
I now she still has lots of very happy clients and I would never dissuade anyone form calling her BUT I only recommend my saddler
honey
Posted - 05 Sep 2011 : 11:15:36 PM i have to say i have used reputable saddle fitters in the past brought expensive saddles and not had the results i wanted. So now i have all mine in a bates wintec vsd and change the gullet as weight requires. I have ros in a 17" and use a appollo air competition pad underneath and not had any problems with combination and i check his back before and after every ride as i had issues with getting a saddle fitting correctly in the past. Only other saddle i have found to be a good fit was a jeffries pony falcon saddle in wide and 16" seat. Its really annoying when you trust someone and end up with this problem.
kim gasper
Posted - 05 Sep 2011 : 7:42:08 PM How infuriating for you Susie T! Having made every effort to try & insure you have done everything as thoroughly & correctly as possible...& still you have encountered the very problems you tried so hard to avoid I think I would definitely be looking to the makers to provide a saddle which fits your horse correctly if I were you...after all, that is what you requested, it's what they agreed to provide & quite clearly, they have NOT carried out their part of the contract! I live in North Lincolnshire & am VERY LUCKY to have a superb saddle fitter who is based in Lincoln but provides an excellent mobile "saddle checking" service. She is SO thorough, always insists on watching me ride each of my horses' if she has made any adjustments to the flocking. I have her here every 6 month's....& alway's count my blessings that I was lucky enough to find somebody who is, IMO amongst the BEST there is in the country. I would be gratefull if you could PM me the details of who it was that fitted your saddle. Good Luck with resolving your problem, let's hope they accept some responsibility for the situation you are now in. Regards, Kim
Callisto
Posted - 05 Sep 2011 : 6:50:16 PM Kelly
This is me 5'7" and ten stone (with long thighs) on my VERY close coupled 14 1hh round pony in his 16" Bates VSD, he's been wearing it for 3 years and has gone up 3 gullet sizes in that time, this year he has done over 400km at endurance and his back is fine (had it checked by 2 different back people this year. Fitting him was a nightmare until we found this saddle. Obviously it might not be right for your boy, but worth a look (very comfortable for me too), .
Not the best photo of me sitting in it, but shows you how short the saddle is (along his back). After various saddles leading to back problems my sister's 15hh Arab is now in a 16" Bates too - no problems so far...(She's now up to 50km rides). oh and two different saddlers told both me and my sister (same size) that we wouldn't fit in the 16" and were amazed when we did - I actually slide around in the 17", although I do now have a Bates in a 17" for Lily (15'3hh arab) for when her specialized saddle isn't appropriate
Susie, I went through the same thing with my anglo years ago - I knew there was something wrong with the saddle, he didn't trot out properly and started bucking, four different saddlers assured me the saddle fitted, it wasn't until white patches appeared that it necame obvious the stirrup bars were pressing into his withers - I felt awful too, but new saddle, white patches disappeared and all was well. Since then I always listen to the horse, I have spent approximately 5 x times the amount of money on saddles than I have on buying horses - it's a nightmare. Hope that the saddle company sort you out.
Kelly
Posted - 05 Sep 2011 : 6:39:15 PM Oh Susie, that's awful. I felt similar to you when I realised my saddle had made Jack's back sore. This was 3 days after the chiropractor told me that it wasn't perfect but his back wasn't suffering from it. Mind you, we'd ridden 50 miles in those 3 days. When he changed coat that year, he had white patches under the stirrup bars. Can you imagine my shame?
And now I'm in a sticky position in that I know the saddle I have isn't right, but where do I go and who do I listen to and trust?
I am by no means an expert but I have attacked Jack with a flexi curve, tape measure and saddle fitting guide, and plan to research, make my own mind up, and listen to my horse.
Problem is, his weight bearing surface appears to be either 14 or 15" long (can't remember where I measured it from). Now I'm stuck with the question of how the heck do I get a saddle to fit that, that I can fit into?!
The obvious answer seems to be 'made to measure', but then I hear stories like yours.....
I think I would definitely be looking to the makers to provide a saddle which fits your horse correctly if I were you...after all, that is what you requested, it's what they agreed to provide & quite clearly, they have NOT carried out their part of the contract!
