Saddle Fitter Cambridgeshire Bedfordshire Hertfordshire Northamptonshire All saddle fitting appointments with Oonagh follow the SMS protocol and guidelines.
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Oonagh came to saddle fitting through her background as an equine and human bodywork therapist. She also has a keen interest in rider biomechanics and the effect that saddles have on the horse’s performance and rider balance and position. The horse and rider need to find the best balance for harmony and to be able to achieve the optimum for their potential ability. She is a freelance Saddle Fitter
(LANTRA certified) with a special interest in remedial fitting and rehab post illness or injury. She has attended the following courses:
2017-2018 Remedial Saddle Fitting Horse1st Saddle Fitting
2018 Saddle Repair and Re-flocking Saddlers Den
2019 Basic Leatherwork Saddlers Den
2019 SMS Introductory Course in Saddle Fitting
2021 City & Guilds Flocking and saddle repair Passed
2021 SMS Intro Bridle Fitting
She has a part time saddle fitter position at TC Feeds and Tack Haven in Kensworth as well as Working near her home. Oonagh is currently a trainee member of The Society of Master Saddlers (SMS) she is will be taking the SMS Qualified Saddle Fitter exams in 2022 (reserve for 2021). Please contact Oonagh to book in or for more information. All appointments are to be booked in advance.
Things are very busy but I do have some availability to take on new clients in the Huntingdon St Neots St Ives and Bedford areas. Please get in touch to book in.
New saddle brands available
Kent & Masters Saddles
Thorowgood Saddles
Albion Saddlemakers Co. Ltd
And also in association with crewe_saddlery
gfs_saddlesuk
Arena Saddles
Wintec Saddles
Please bear with me. I'm extremely busy with incoming messages and sorting appointments so you may not get a reply on the same day. I will get back to everyone as soon as possible. Thanks Oonagh
*Everyday blindness*
We all find it hard to notice slight changes on a daily basis. It’s easy for us to see changes in a shoeing or trimming cycle. We are seeing a steady rise in overweight fluffys, substantially high numbers suffering from laminitis or health issues directly linked to obesity.
- girths not fitting
- letting out rug straps
- lack of performance
- breathing issues
- saddles not fitting
The list of signs are endless, if you’re experiencing things like this take a step back and look at your fluffy. If you can’t see any defining anatomical landmarks, the fluffy is to fat.
Do something before it’s too late. Dont make excuses. Your fluffy needs you 🫵
I’m pleased to say I’m now an Approved Albion Fitter.
Last week I attended a training course to see how these beautiful saddles are crafted with a second day fitting them on some lovely dressage horses.
Demo stock will be with me shortly for test rides and to help you find your perfect saddle. In the meantime, I’m available to check and adjust any Albion saddles that require attention or routine servicing.
Please get in touch to book in, thanks Oonagh
Albion Saddlemakers Co. Ltd
Oonagh is a SMS Qualified & Registered Saddle Fitter. She works in the Huntingdon/ Bedford/ St Neots /St Ives areas. Working area also includes other parts of Cambridgeshire plus Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Northamptonshire. Please get in touch to see if your area is covered.
Appointments available for existing saddle checks, fitting new or second hand saddles, on site flocking adjustments, gullet bar changes plus off site repairs and full reflocks available with a SMS Qualified Saddler.
New saddle stock and a good selection of second hand saddles always available. Crewe Saddlery fitting partner for 2024.
Please message or call to book your saddle fitting appointment.
Great day of product knowledge at Team GFS and catching up with colleagues from Crewe Saddlery
Thank you Bea for organising the training day.
Training day for the Crewe Saddlery Fitters and Fitting Partners aka the Crewe Crew - at Team GFS Headquarters 😃
A refresh on all the saddle models and a fab opportunity to talk saddles and fitting with the GFS team. We even managed a group pic with Mr Fieldhouse founder and head of design at GFS Saddles 📸
Pleased to say I am now listed on the Equine Fitters Directory
For sale on behalf of client
John Whitaker Bedale Jump/GP Black 17" Adjustable gullet currently W can swap to size you need. In very good condition, foam and latex close contact panels. Competitively priced for quick sale £550
🤩 Celebrating the lovely ladies who make up the Crewe Saddlery Team of Qualified Fitters & Partners on International Women’s Day 🫶🏻
Deva Saddle Fitting
Claire Chadwick Bit and Bridle Consultant
Oonagh Endersby - D’Alton Saddle Fitting
Emma Kettle Master Saddle Fitter
Pleased to say I'm a Crewe Saddlery Fitting Partner for this year. New saddles always in stock. Please contact me to arrange a fitting
📣 We’re excited to announce our Fitting Partners for 2024
👋 Say hello to Oonagh Endersby - D’Alton Saddle Fitting
✅ Oonagh will have a range of our saddles in stock for you try.
✅ Areas covered Cambs - Beds - Herts - Northants
✅ New customers in these areas who are looking for a new saddle will automatically be referred to Oonagh.
✅ Brands in stock:
• Thorowgood, Kent & Masters, Fairfax Classic , GFS, Ideal & Wintec
• Access to our second hand saddles
T&C’s
• Existing customers will continue to be serviced by the Crewe Team
• Saddles invoiced by Crewe Saddlery
• Fitting charges invoiced by D’Alton
• Fitting responsibilty is D’Alton
• Quality responsibility is Crewe Saddlery
When you get flowers to wish a 'Happy Christmas and thank you for everything' from a lovely client. How nice!
I have some availability left in December daytime week days. Please get in touch if you need your current saddle checked which includes saddles that have not supplied by myself. All flocked or CAIR/ HART saddles can be checked. I do not do FLAIR panel adjustments. All gullet bars available if size swap required.
Or if you need a new saddle fitted, I have new and ex demo/ good quality second hand always in stock.
Late afternoon and evening appointments are now limited depending on yard facilities. Weekends not available.
WhatsApp or text 07930464123
Or DM through this page.
Thank you Oonagh
Definitely great advice. As one of the listed fitters please get in touch if you need to book your six monthly check or have a new saddle fitted.
How important is it to have the saddle fitter out?💭
The simple answer? Very important. A well-fitted saddle is essential for your horse's comfort and performance.
Horses change shape all the time, this can be due to a variety of factors, including weight, fitness and muscle development. These factors can cause your saddle fit to fluctuate.
Here at The Saddle Bank, we recommend seeing your Qualified Saddle Fitter every 6 months at a minimum.
When you consider the impacts that a poorly fitting saddle could have on your equine best friend, a simple check every 6 months could really prevent a range of issues.
A well-fitted saddle guarantees your horse's comfort, freedom of movement and muscle development.
Not only can a poorly fitted saddle cause problems for your horse, but for you as a rider too. An out of balance saddle can alter the position of your riding, meaning you no longer feel as safe in the saddle!
The Saddle Bank has a directory of saddle fitters available, and saddle fitters can be found on our website under Saddle Fitting!
If you're looking for a new saddle, but you're unsure what to look for? Why not check out our Personalised Saddle Recommendations page? Our team of saddle professionals will take a look at the information provided, and narrow down your saddle options in preparation to your visit with your saddle fitter!
https://www.thesaddlebank.com/saddle-recommendations/
To learn more about Recognising Saddle Fit Issues, why not head over to The Saddle Bank Academy, where you will find our course specifically on recognising saddle fit issues, what these are, and when to call the saddle fitter out!
Pleased to say I can now supply Tapestry Comfort Girths at saddle checks & fittings.
These feature a sternum pad and elastic sides, allows the horse to breathe with plenty of elbow space.
Sizes available in black or brown
Dressage 20 - 34"
GP 38 - 56"
Thanks to The Comfy Horse Company for making this possible
First delivery of 100% British wool saddle flocking from Benridge Woolworks
Lovely soft long fibre wool, just right for the job!
An interesting read
The unhappy relationship between the digestive system, Trapezius and lameness.
I’ve known my Lusitano for over a decade now, but some pieces of his golden jigsaw are only just starting to fall into place..
When Des arrived he had a socking great dip in front of the withers. I believed at the time that this was atrophy of the Trapezius muscle, which I figured I could help improve. This dip has driven me insane.
It has come and gone seemingly like the wind and I have chased around after it, looking at his feet, his saddle, his state of mind, his herd dynamics. Me, my riding, my weight, my hands, the bit. Sometimes it’s there and sometimes it’s not.
And finally, after my best efforts to actually observe and record, it’s clear it’s directly related to his digestive health.
Des has always had a sensitive stomach. He was not designed for Devon grass, growing up as he did in a stable in Portugal. Every time there is a significant change in the grass situation here, he suffers.
Last year we had a serious drought and the land turned dry and dusty. Des was on most excellent form, this suited him very well thank you. Then, the rain came and everything was a lush green and Des became very unwell indeed.
His symptoms were so odd that it took us some time to trace it to his stomach, His entire posture changed rapidly, his whole front end collapsed with that tell tale pull on Trapezius now looking like a valley. He became lame in front and walked slowly around looking like an old dairy cow. I stopped doing any work with him and seriously considered whether keeping him going was fair. Did he have cancer? Has he had a stupendous accident?
Thankfully, after some initial x rays of feet and neck, my vet said he’d seen so many responses to that rapid change in grass, that even though this wasn’t obviously presenting as a digestive issue, maybe it was. We treated him for ulcers - everything was almost instantaneously better. And Trapezius was restored. It was not atrophied, it was being pulled down by his collapsing front end. Which was responding to the pain and pull of his internal organs. The body is an amazing thing and it’s rare that the most obvious symptom is the root of the problem.
I have just got back from a week away and greeting Des it’s immediately apparent that we’re back into the same situation. In 7 days he’s looking like that dairy cow again. He’s dropped his thoracic sling, that dip in Trapezius is back and his stomach is muttering.
Of course I understand that all of this tells me his biome is not as healthy as it should be. I know that I have to change my grass management (I am). And I thought it might be useful to share. Many of us get ‘bothered’ by that dip in front of the withers - it’s not always as a result of poor saddle fit or the use of gadgets. But it is always an indication that something is amiss.
As from 5th June I will be working closer to home.
This means I will be concentrating on local saddle fittings and will be available to take on new clients in the Huntingdon, St Neots, St Ives, and Ramsey areas. I will also travel out towards Chatteris, Earith, Willingham, Arrington, Croydon, Sandy, Biggleswade and beyond towards Hitchin, Bedford and beyond to Milton Keynes, Kimbolton, Thrapston and Oundle as well as Stilton, Yaxley and towards Peterborough. I will share postcodes in another post.
If you want to book in please send message.
Existing saddle checks
Supplying & fitting new or second hand saddles
Full reflocks
Saddler services for repairs
Many thanks Oonagh
I've been very quiet on here in recent months. Watch this page for second hand saddle sales that will be listed very soon.
Also to remind you of the services I can offer:
Check of current saddle
On site flocking adjustments
Gullet bar swaps
New/ second hand saddle fittings
Stock and demo saddles available from many manufacturers
Full reflock in workshop
Girth strap replacement
Repairs by a saddler
Please get in touch to book your saddle check or fitting
Saddle fitting is not easy. I'm lucky enough to have good mentors but every week has its challenges. Sadly it has been much easier to work away from home as part of a team where nobody has preconceptions about me and my knowledge or skill as a saddle fitter than it is to work as an individual around where I live. People in the equine world really do need to be more kind to each other.
Now this is going to be a controversial post, but I think the time is overdue for a reality check for the horsey world on this. I also apologise for the length of the post.
Being a saddle fitter isn’t easy. Most people start out with a career change in later life, taking a big risk to their finances, not only while they’re training, but while they’re growing the business, and ultimately affecting their financial future. But we do it anyway because we’re passionate about helping horses and riders, and having a fulfilling job. Arguably there are some who don’t care, but you can find them easily online if you just Google and look for long term feedback on the equine forums. Very few of the rest of us are getting anywhere near rich and most of us work LONG hours. The money you pay us has to cover so much more than the time we spend with you (not insignificant overheads and admin time, pensions, holidays…).
So, the skill set required? Saddle fitting is only a small part of the job, and while it’s not rocket science, it takes a certain combination of scientific theory and artistic application. Most people can train to do a basic job, but it takes commitment and a certain flair to be a great fitter.
On top of that you need to be happy to drive miles and miles, hours and hours every week and to jump out of the van and work at full capacity every time for an hour or two. You need to be able to plan one of the most complicated diaries known to man, trying to work around people’s spare time, never as easy as working in a business to business environment. You need to be pretty hot at admin, systems, managing stock, and ultimately at running a small business; activities such as financial planning, marketing, and now things like understanding GDPR.
What I have only briefly mentioned is customer communication, and customer service. This is the toughest part of the job. We are not, as I often say, Network Rail. I’ve already explained that we are pretty much all passionate about what we do, but there is a fundamental misunderstanding of what a fitter does, leading to upset customers, and complaints.
There is no magic answer to the perfect saddle for a horse. And even if there was, it’s the perfect saddle only on that day, with the horse moving that way. Horses change, more than most owners can ever believe possible. And not always reflected well in the tracings we take.
We have osteopathic vets explaining that rubs at the back of the saddle can be caused by tightness in the SI joint, we know that low level lameness, and certainly an asymmetrical movement pattern, is a massive contributor to saddle slip. We know that using a pad other than that agreed with the fitter will change the fit of your saddle and potentially cause problems. We know that large competitive yards, often with a saddle sponsor, will have fitter out every 6 weeks to cast a quick eye over all saddle fits and attend to those that need adjustment (anyone ever told you 6 weekly checks would be ideal?!). And surely we know that if 99-odd saddles haven’t fitted, you’ve tried umpteen fitters and brands, and finally when you found one that did fit, that if it took at least a couple of tweaks to get your saddle to fit, then if your horse changes shape by just a millimetre it’s highly likely to affect your saddle fit?
So we need to come to a new place where we work WITH you as an ongoing part of your trusted team, and not be the first person to be blamed when your horse is sore. To really listen to your back person when they say the saddle’s not the issue. It’s too easy a target, it’s a big cost and we DO understand why you might be worried. BUT…a wonderful saddle fitter has just quit fitting today and I am gutted, for her, and for her customers. She’s not the first, I also know someone who was approaching the end of her training who decided she didn’t have a thick enough skin for this job. She would have been a fabulous asset to the saddle fitting world.
We are but flesh, please remember that we always do our best, and that sometimes you need to look elsewhere, and perhaps to yourself, for the cause of your problems with your horse. Because if you stomp all over your saddle fitter, in these days of social media and instant communication, you're probably going to cause them a sleepless night or two, and you might just cause someone to quit something they were really fabulous at, and all of us are the losers.
Oonagh is a SMS Qualified & Registered Saddle Fitter. She works in the Huntingdon/ Bedford/ St Neots /St Ives areas. Working area also includes other parts of Cambridgeshire plus Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Northamptonshire. Please get in touch to see if your area is covered.
Appointments available for existing saddle checks, fitting new or second hand saddles, on site flocking adjustments, gullet bar changes plus off site repairs and full reflocks available with a Qualified Saddler.
New saddle stock and a good selection of second hand saddles always available.
Please message or call Oonagh to book your saddle fitting appointment.
Early start to go to the SMS Bridle Fitting course practical day. Looking forward to another day of learning
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