A.D Equestrian Saddlery Services

05/08/2025

Although I have now officially finished for maternity leave I’m going to try and improve my social media presence over the upcoming months.

To start off with here is Joey in his new Erreplus GTS - isn’t it beautiful 😍
Joey’s owners Lara and Grace are complete Erreplus converts, they just love the fit for the horse, the quality of the saddles and the support for the riders.

23/07/2025

"You need to use bare trees on a horse to fit the saddle properly"
Nope. I disagree.

Firstly, sometimes I DO use bare trees on a horse (see photo), but 99% of the time it's for the client's benefit. It's to show them something, or demonstrate something about the fitting.

Why don't I think it's essential?
Well, firstly, your fitter should know about the trees in the saddles they're fitting. They'll know how each tree sits and fits....
Also, the bare tree sits VERY differently than the tree inside the saddle. The traditional wooden trees are webbed and strained according to the horse. Eg when I order a saddle for a horse, I will not only ask for a specific tree in the saddle (some models can have multiple tree options in them) but I will often ask for it to be webbed differently for specific fits.
Some trees are a different shape outside of the saddle - as the rest of the saddle give structure to the tree in some brands (eg Aviar)
Some companies - Eg Albion - MAKE each tree to the template of the horse (I've got a super video of this, I'll dig it out one day soon) so a bare tree can give some idea of how it'll fit but not be exact.
And also, let's take Ideal as an example... they have about 200 different models of trees in their saddles. If we have to carry a 15, 15.5, 16, 16.5, 17, 17.5, 18 in each one, in NM, M, MW, W, W+, XW, XXW, ###W... then that is 11,200 trees we would have to carry... JUST FOR ONE BRAND. So, if we do 8 brands, that's about 90,000 trees... and each one costs about £200.... so that's a mere £18 million worth of trees to carry... 🤣

I see things online where non-fitters are implying that the saddle companies and fitters are keeping things secret by not sharing their trees with the world. I can say, hand on heart, that every company that I work with are happy to share the bare trees with me. I have a selection of trees from Ideal, Bates, Aviar, Custom, Wintec, Arena, Envy, WRSC/Excelle etc.

And... if you're interested in bare trees, and think they're hidden from the public, check out Abbey England... you can buy them on there. Including my personal favourite... the BB3 tree...

So, if your fitter brings some bare trees to your fitting - YAY for them! and you! It's GREAT! You can have a good look at the tree, and have a feel of how it sits etc. But, if your fitter doesn't bring bare trees, is it the end of the world? No, not at all, not if you trust your fitter to know about the saddles that they fit. Just ask them some questions and they'll be happy to answer.
We all want you to be as informed as possible.

17/06/2025

Summer diary dates - notice for all clients of AD Saddlery Services

I wanted to be organised and remind everyone that I finish work for maternity leave on the 25th August and plan to return on the 3rd Nov in a part time capacity till Christmas holidays and back full time from 6th Jan.

I have appointments from the 7th July to the 19th August, but these are filling up so please get in touch if you would like your saddle checked before Nov 2025.

I will have some limited cover in place from other fitters in the area for Sept and Oct in case of an emergency.

Please pass this message on to any clients of mine that you know or think this will affect. Appreciate I am now likely to have an influx of messages - please stick to WhatsApp or text only where possible so I can keep better track and get back to everyone.

Wishing you all a lovely summer of fun with your horses and ponies.

Kind regards
Abby Duncan

10/05/2025

09/05/2025

If you are at Badminton this weekend and interested in an Albion saddle go across to the stand and take advantage of their offer.

🤩 Take advantage of our exclusive show offer! 🤩

Receive a free accessories bundle worth over £200 when you place a deposit on any Albion saddle this weekend at Badminton.
Terms and conditions apply.

08/05/2025

“I’m looking for a MW saddle.”

Wait, what? Medium-Wide in WHICH universe? 😅

Did you know that tree size labels (like MW, M, W) are not universal? They can vary wildly between brands—and even between different models *within* the same brand. A “MW” in one saddle might be 2-3 cm different from a “MW” in another.

And if you’ve been following us for a while, you’ll know that even 5mm can make a big difference in how a saddle fits your horse.

So no, shopping for saddles like you're picking shoe sizes online doesn’t make sense. Trust a professional to help you fit—not guess.

01/05/2025

This app is made by a local talented friend and equine colleague - if you haven’t downloaded it take a look!

30/04/2025

Utterly heartbroken to say that we lost Ethan suddenly to colic yesterday morning.
Ethan looked after me always, made me love riding again and was always there for a cuddle and scratch. He was my horse of a lifetime and I will never forget him.
Please bear with me whilst I take a couple of personal days to get my head together. Thank you for the understanding and kind words from those I had to cancel - I will be in touch shortly to reschedule. I respond to messages where I can but I won’t be taking phonecalls or doing fittings over the next 2 days.


“The best horses in Heaven they have no tail.
This is a rule they all know without fail.
For when a new horse arrives
with a short cut bob,
they all know that this horse did a very good job.

His owner could not bear to part with her friend
so she saved his tail,
wrapped in ribbons
and in braids,
to hold with his memory in a very loving way.

To enter Heaven without a tail is an honor,
a message, that without fail announces to everyone, far and wide that this horse
was more than a wonderful ride.

But this horse was loved and cherished by one
when his time serving on this Earth was done
he left behind a broken heart
and a soul from which he never will part.”

by Miska Paget

19/04/2025

Star says Happy Easter weekend everyone 🤩
Isn’t he handsome?
Star and his owner Hannah were needing a jump saddle now he has strengthened and developed enough. They ended up choosing the Erreplus EM model - lucky boy!

Happy Easter everyone 🐣

04/04/2025

Replying to messages.

Hi all,
I have been completely inundated with over 100 messages, calls, emails etc this week. Must be because the sun is shining 🌞
I will do my best to get back to everyone by this evening/tomorrow morning but please bare with me as I work long days fitting top on of trying to get keep on top of admin and messages etc.

Thanks for your patience
Abby

26/03/2025

Which part of the horse’s back do you think is most influential to movement?
Relieving saddle pressure around the 10th and 13th thoracic vertebrae – where a high concentration of muscle activity occurs -   is proven to improve the horse’s movement.
The Fairfax Performance Panel (patent GB25105079) relieves pressure at the base of the wither and accommodates the musculature of the horse in motion, improving comfort and freedom of movement.

24/03/2025

Excellent post from Poppy Webber - Qualified Saddle Fitter
I am always explaining to clients that they don’t need to panic about a jump saddle sitting over the shoulder as it’s the tree point that must be behind the shoulder and the leather and wool flap can sit on the shoulder as it’s soft and flexible.