Victoria Hilton Saddle Fitting

10/02/2025

Why not share the love and nominate someone from your horses team of dedicated professionals 💗 I know I've got a couple I will be nominating for their hardwork and dedication to keeping my horses fit and well 💪

09/02/2025

09/02/2025

No body likes hidden extras, right!!!
So therefore I have had to slightly increase the cost of fitting to incorporate the overheads for onsite adjustments
So what does this mean?
Yes the cost of fitting will increase to £60 - However I will not be charging extra fees for flocking, tree adjustments and changing gullet bars ( purchase of new gullet bars are available to buy at rrp ). Adjustments and labour will be included in the cost of the fitting, this was the most cost effective way to keep saddle fitting available to everyone. I thankyou for your continued support, Victoria xx

05/02/2025

When you have had a busy day fitting, get to your last yard before heading home and get landed with a parking ticket for parking outside the stables 😂 I tried to use the excuse that it was a work vehicle and I needed my tools but William was having non of it 🤣 obviously it's not an official one but at those prices (£1600) he's going to go far in life 🤣

01/02/2025

To make life easier I am now able to accept card payments on site, on my phone, through the business account. However I will still be accepting cash as well, as some of you are on yards with no signal for miles 📵😊

29/01/2025

The Gorgeous Tom, enjoyed his pre ride snack before he was fitted with his new Bates saddle. He was feeling much more comfortable after his fitting and showed immediate improvement in his new Bates Saddle that has the HART (Horse and Rider Technology ) system in it ❤️

26/01/2025

Have you ever been told your horse is on 3 tracks?
There are many, many reasons WHY this may be happening but it is important that you recognise WHEN it's happening, so you can get to the bottom of it! Basically when in normal forwards motion your horse is not straight in his action. This could be due to compensatory movement, pain, this list goes on.....
When riding in the arena it will often feel like the horse is pushing your seat towards the outside, struggling with bend and picking up / maintaining the correct canter lead oh and let's not forget the saddle slip!!! If your unsure, contact your professional team around your horse for advice 💪

19/01/2025

# # Changes to card payments for appointments # #

If your paying by card, payment for your fitting will be required before your appointment to confirm your booking, this will help things to run smoother for everyone on the day!!!
Cash payments will still be accepted with prior agreement.
I really hadn't wanted to do this, but I really don't have enough free time to be chasing payments!!!
Saddle Fitting isn't cheap for anyone ⬇️

The cost of being an Independant Saddle Fitter!!!

🕑 Time - fitting normally takes approx 1hr 30mins plus time travelling to and from your yard
🚙 Diesel - the Running cost of not only travelling to and from your yard but also picking up supplies, gullet bars and saddles for your fitting
📄Insurance - both for the business and vehicle
💵 Supplies - tools, flocking, gullet bars, saddle adjuster and other necessities that are needed for your fitting ( all paid for by myself prior to your fitting )
🚛 Delivery of secondhand saddles - ordering saddles in gives me a vast stock supply to meet demand - delivery and return charges - normally £25 1 way so if any are returned as well that's £50
🪡 Onsite adjustments - flocking and tree adjuster - expensive overheads but enable me to provide a more comprehensive service - time spent on saddle on site ( or at home for bigger adjustments )
🐎 CPD - professional development - time and money spent attending online and practical training
📝Reports - filled in at the fitting ( duplicate left with you for your records ) £ of A3 pads plus postage
📖 Admin - time ( where possible ) to organise, the paper work from your fittings, including fitting reports, physio and vet reports, invoices, photos and outstanding payments!!!
📜 Professional Registration - annual renewal cost of membership and listing's
💰 Qualification - time and money spent training to become a Qualified Fitter so I could work with your wonderful equines
And last but not least
🧠 The dedication - it takes alot - both physically and mentally - the late night calls and messages, chasing overdue payment, hours and hours of driving, work / family balance, cancellations, physio and vet referrals, carrying saddles, working on saddles at home and returning them, paperwork, the list goes on!

16/01/2025

Proud to be a listed, verified professional fitter 💯

13/01/2025

At last the snow and ice has began to melt and normal service can resume 😊 however I have now got to catch up with everyone that had to unavoidably rearrange due to the weather last week. Please bear with me and I will catch up with everyone asap, many thanks Victoria xx

12/01/2025

It happens to us all!!!!
The worst part of my job as a saddle fitter is knowing people are dreading my arrival because their saddle might not fit anymore because their horse has changed shape. Believe me I get it and if I can adjust your saddle to work for you and your horse I will, however most of the time I am called out to new clients because you know somethings not right, either you can see a problem, feel a difference or your horse is trying to tell you in the only way they can! So let me share little update on my horse, Rocky 😍
18 years together this year and he's showing no signs of slowing down 😂 through the years he has changed shape so dramatically he has had around 6 different saddles. Adjustable saddles weren't really a thing back in his younger years and he needed a saddle that was good enough for the ring but if his saddle was no longer fitting I changed it immediately, why? Because it's the connection between us when we ride, it works for both of us keeping us balanced, comfortable and united. I didn't want him to associate his saddle with a bad experience so if he changed shape he got a different one. Recently he's had a few months off work due to my injury and he has lost all of the muscle we had built up over the years and yep, you guessed it, his saddle doesn't fit anymore 🤦‍♀️😂 so it is January ( worst month to be spending ) and he needs a different saddle for his more mature physique because I want to keep him fit and healthy for as long as I can. I also have to find a saddle that will help me with my leg position as I'm not sure how the knee is going to hold up. As he's coming back into work after a long period of being off I will take him right back and start with correct ground work to build him up ready to be fitted for a different saddle and hopefully look forwards to more amazing adventures as soon as the weather sorts itself out 🥶

03/01/2025

Looking forwards to getting back out and about!!!
Let's make 2025 the year that ambitions and dreams become a reality 🦄
A few days off at the start of the year has given me chance to catch up with both some professional and personal development 😊🦄

24/12/2024

And that's a wrap!! Merry Christmas to you all!!! The last of the fittings completed and now home to spend some quality time with the family ❤️. I wish you all the very best over the festivities, enjoy!!!🎅

21/12/2024

Ever wondered where the flocking comes from that I use in your saddles? The answer is Benridge Woolworks Just look at this lovely soft Jacobs Wool being produced, it's top quality, the horses love it and buying from them supports British Farmers 👍

02/12/2024

Borrowed by a IASF Saddle Fitter who also has over 20 years previous experience as a trainer & Qualified BHS Instructor
Written by Amy Skinner "When you pay for a lesson or training, you aren’t buying an hour of my time. You’re paying for thousands of hours of sweat, struggle, success and tears. You’re buying injuries, mistakes, and revelations. You’re buying nights awake thinking about a horse or student I need to help more, thinking about what could be bothering a certain horse. Searching on the internet about possible medical causes for certain behaviours. You’re paying for the time i spend updating owners late at night about how their horse is doing. For the emotional toll it sometimes takes on a trainer when an owner is dealing with big emotions. You’re buying hours of hauling hay, mucking stalls and grooming, of carefully checking your horse over like It was my own. You’re paying for my further education, because i still take lessons as frequently as possible. You’re paying for my care, concern, over dinner conversation, and you inevitably become a central part of my life.
You can’t put a price on education, or personal development, or the bliss of finally being “with” a horse. Thank you for sharing with me, teaching me, and letting me teach you, while I put food on my table and hay in my barn with the most fulfilling job ever. "❤️

29/11/2024

💥Black Friday Sale 💥👀

Our Biggest Black Friday Sale EVER is now live! 🖤

Get insane deals on New and Second hand saddles! As well as accessories and bundles to make Christmas shopping easier for you and the bank! 💸

Head to our website to shop now whilst stock lasts!