MD Saddle Fitting & Flocking

17/03/2024

Things have been a bit quiet recently... But that's all about to change!

I will be on maternity leave now until the end of 2024.
Thank you to all my lovely customers for their well wishes and see you all soon! 👶🏻

29/06/2023

Looking for more stock 👀

Up to £300
15"-17.5"
GPs or jump saddles

Also taking saddles on commission sales. If you have a saddle you need to sell but don't have time, we can sell it for you.

Message with photos and measurements please :)

14/05/2023

Searching for:
17.5" GP on a cob or flatter tree.
Any colour
Adjustable or fixed gullet
XW/XXW width

Please message or comment with pictures if you are selling one.

14/03/2023

📆 Fitting dates left for March

Wednesday 22nd March - Whitchurch

Now taking bookings for April

Usual reflocking bookings still being taken. Turn around time is usually 2-3 days if the saddle is dropped off and collected.

Contact me at [email protected] or message to book a slot 😊

26/01/2023

Can you see a problem with the tree here?...

This client recently bought a second hand saddle, and noticed a squeeking noise when riding.

The saddle was brought to us to check the soundness of the saddle tree.
Unfortunately on inspection this saddle had a broken headplate/tree in 2 places. If this wasn't replaced or fixed the pressure would continue to build up causing the headplate to completely snap!

Make sure you have your saddle checked if you notice anything unusual or hear any suspicious squeeks! It could save you £££'s in treatments trying to fix your horse's sore back!

Get in touch on [email protected] or message for more information or pricing for getting your saddle checked 😊

01/11/2022

Morning of fittings, back home for a quick hack between the rain showers, ready for an afternoon of admin 🤓

30/10/2022

It is that time of year again...
As the days are getting shorter and some horses might be having a short break over Winter it is a good time to check your saddles.

This weekend consisted of completely reflocking the saddle below ready to be returned and refitted in the upcoming week.

Message or email if you are thinking about having your saddle checked or flocked.

[email protected]

19/10/2022

Lola has muscled up and gone up two gullet bar sizes in her Kent and Masters GP saddle from a N/M to a W/XW in just 8 months! 💪💪
The benefit of having an adjustable saddle with a youngster is that we can monitor how they change shape over time and adjust the width to suit.

19/10/2022

Super sweet 21 year old Billy having a routine saddle check today. All sorted to continue his schooling and hacking through the winter😊

17/10/2022

Looking for 14" Wide pony saddle

Please message with photos and price if you think you may have something suitable.

13/09/2022

☀️I am going away for a couple of weeks until the beginning of October ☀️

I will have access to WhatsApp messages and Facebook messenger, so please get in touch if you would like to book in.

I currently have the following locations available:
Monday 3rd October - Mold/Wrexham
Tuesday 4th October - Oswestry
Thursday 6th October - Chester

30/08/2022

"Having your tyres pumped up"....

I really liked the way a recent customer explained how their saddle changed after having it topped up with some wool flocking. You can see in the photo below how the panel on the right hand side has been "pumped up", whereas the side on the left has "a flat tyre".

Have a look at the key points to consider to keep yourself and your horse in good health:

🐴 Fit assessment every 4-6 months

🐴 Your saddle should be totally reflocked when you notice lumps and bumps forming in the panels or any asymmetry in the panels. Leaving a saddle too long before getting it reflocked can lead to pressure points and musculoskeletal damage to the horse. It can even cause back soreness in the rider from creating an unbalanced seat leading to poor distribution of weight across the saddle. Saddles should always be refitted to the horse after a total reflock to make sure it has been flocked to your horse's back shape correctly.

🐴 Partial flocking or spot flocking can be done on-site and is the topping up of wool in some areas in the panels that have compressed. This can happen if a saddle has just been reflocked.

🐴 Check your saddle fitter for saddler has been certified to reflock saddles as an incorrectly flocked saddle can be just as harmful as an ill fitting saddle.

17/08/2022

Are you struggling to sell your saddle?

MD Saddle Fitting Ltd are looking for saddles to hold in stock to take to fittings.

What does this mean for you?

✅Saves you time in listing your saddle for sale
✅No need for you to deal with potential buyers
✅Access to your saddle if you want it back at any point
✅Pre agreed prices for your saddle - guaranteed if your saddle sells
✅Signed agreement between yourself and MD Saddle Fitting Ltd
✅Small repairs can be agreed and sorted before sale

Get in touch if you would like to discuss selling your saddle.

📨[email protected]
📱07580126389
🔗www.mdsaddlefitting.co.uk

Society of Master Saddlers Qualified Saddle Flocking and Adjustment services across North Wales, North West and Shropshire. Fully insured and qualified saddle fitting services will also be available in 2022.

09/08/2022

Common Symptoms - Part 2

Atrophy behind the shoulder/of the trapezius muscle is extremely common to see at every level of riding and is caused when the saddle is fitting to the wither angle, as well as trees that are too narrow in the width (different than the angle). When a saddle tree is too narrow, it leaves no room for the lateral movement of the spine, as well as the flexion of the muscles during movement. An excess of pressure limits the blood flow and utilization of the muscle, both causing atrophy as well as an altered gait and posture that directly conflicts with the development of a healthy athlete. Abnormal posture is quite insidious in that it has a domino effect on other structures within the body, causing early wear and tear and additional impact and concussion on delicate structures along with compensatory muscling and an overall upside down way of going. A horse who is heavy on the forehand, leaning into the hands, dropped in the ribcage and not able to utilize the thoracic sling is predisposed to problems ranging from the poll to the hind legs if posture is not corrected.

Lack of mobility in the pelvis, pulling themselves along with the brachiocephalic muscle, ewe necked, sharp and angular topline as opposed to soft and round, heavy on the fore, prone to tripping, disunited, the list goes on.

Checking to see if a saddle pinches at the withers is fairly easy and straight forward. First and foremost you want to check the gap between the withers and the pommel, not just the vertical gap but also how much space is on the sides. You'd want to see a bare minimum of a 2 finger gap all the way around the withers (from one side, over the top, to the other). Secondly, the placement of the panels and the angle of the tree, with many panels placed too high namely due to the fact that the gullet points are simply too short in many saddles. Think of the trapezius as a river, and the arms of the gullet plate a bridge that needs to extend beyond the width of the river to not disturb the flow. Short tree points typically end within the trapezius, a muscle we know should not be carrying the weight of the rider, and as such, you see the atrophy as mentioned above. Ideally, the contact of your panel (and the tree points) begins 4" down from the edge of the spine where the D-ring of your saddle is, allowing the trapezius enough room to flex and develop without impingement.

02/08/2022

28/07/2022

Did you know that the tree inside your saddle comes in all sorts of different shapes in the same way that horses back shapes or 'topline profiles' vary greatly? Put a curvy shaped tree on a flatter backed horse and it will rock like a banana and can lift at the back. Put a flatter tree on a horse with a taller wither and more curve in its back and it will cause a bridge, putting extreme pressure at the front and back and nothing in the middle.

👉Example: Hoop V/S Standard trees – what’s it all about?
Broader, flatter backs like many Arabians and native breeds, need broader, flatter 'hoop' trees and more 'AFrame' shaped thoroughbred types need more triangular, standard shaped trees. A hoop tree is generally wider through the pommel arch, the waist of the saddle and the angles of the rails are flatter. A standard tree is more triangular in shape, with a higher, narrower pommel arch, narrower through the waist or ‘twist’ and the distance between the stirrup bars is closer together than in a hoop tree.

Often people mistakenly think that they can just widen the gullet angle out for wide backed horses to make it fit, but that won’t actually fix a narrow, triangular shaped tree – in fact it often makes it curvy on the horse’s back and it rocks like a banana on a table top!
Ask yourself - What back shape is your horse? Does your saddle rock or bridge on movement?

24/07/2022

Last minute spaces available for saddle fitting/flocking next week for the following areas:

Whitchurch/Ellesmere - Tuesday 26th July 12.30 onwards

Kelsall/Northwich - Wednesday 27th July 12.30 onwards

Ruabon/Oswestry - Thursday 28th July 12.30 onwards

WhatsApp me or FB message if you would like a last minute booking :)

07580126389
[email protected]

12/07/2022

👀Looking for hoop tree saddles👀

I have a number of customers looking for hoop tree saddles suitable for rounder, flat back type.

Size: 14"-17.5"
Width: W-XXW

Any colour

Please message if you have something suitable you are looking to sell 😊

24/06/2022

🗓️Saddle Fitting Dates🗓️
I have slots available on the following dates:

Thursday 30th June - Coedpoeth/Wrexham
Tuesday 5th July - Warrington
Wednesday 6th July - Oswestry
Tuesday 12th July - Oswestry

Second hand saddles in stock - I can source some if you are after a particular saddle
Part exchange accepted
Partial flocking available on-site
Message for availability or prices 🙂

19/06/2022

Looking for the following:

✅XW or XXW 17.5" jump or forward cut GP saddle

✅Wide 16" Cavaletti monoflap jump saddle

Get in touch via messenger or WhatsApp if you think you have anything that would be suitable.

16/06/2022

A few saddles for sale at the moment, ranging from £300-£750.

✔️GP and jump saddles
✔️Safety checked
✔️Saddle fitting available in area covered by MD Saddle Fitting Ltd
✔️1 week trial available

Message for more info or pictures

07/06/2022

It's always exciting coming home to a new saddle. This one is being added to the stock pile to take to saddle fittings.

I am also now taking saddles to sell on behalf of clients as well as taking part exchange. All saddles are safety checked before being taken out on fittings.

07/06/2022

🗓️Saddle Fitting Dates🗓️

Monday 13th June - Macclesfield
Saturday 18th June - Flintshire
Monday 20th June - Whitchurch
Wednesday 22nd June - Wrexham
Thursday 23rd June - Ellesmere Port
Tuesday 28th June - Oswestry

Second hand saddles in stock - I can source some if you are after a particular saddle
Part exchange accepted
Partial flocking available on-site

Message for availability or prices 🙂

04/06/2022

01/06/2022

World Horse Welfare have released useful information on correct bridle fitting...

Download here: https://bit.ly/3GMNVrZ

24/04/2022

£650
KENT & MASTERS MGX Cob GP Saddle

Seat: 17"
Gullet width: currently fitted with wide bar (red) - takes S bar
Colour: Black
Series: Original
Conformation: low profile

Few marks on back of cantle as seen in photos.

✔️Suitable for low withered flat backed types.
✔️Adjustable gullet
✔️Saddle fitting can be provided in areas that are covered by MD Saddle Fitting Ltd
✔️Saddle cover included
✔️Excellent used condition
✔️Velcro adjustable knee rolls

Price: £650