Vicky Stacey - Trainee Saddle Fitter

02/12/2022

Horses change shape for many reasons, age, time of year, feeding, training or exercise regime, illness and change of home whether that be with you or a new owner. Change of home can have a huge impact on body shape, the landscape may be hillier or flatter, turnout may be more or less available, the grass may be a different quality as can the hay or haylage you feed. All of these things can have an impact on your saddle fitting. The SMS recommend having your saddle checked every six months, in reality it should be every time your horse changes shape. The Society of Master Saddlers has the largest number of saddlery fitters in the world. Always use a Registered Qualified Saddle Fitter to ensure the optimum fit for the welfare of your horse.

22/10/2022

Re-doing my sign for the workshop shop , showing the difference between hand stitched and machine stitched.

05/10/2022

What To Expect at A Saddle Fitting Appointment

🐴Firstly, if you have an instructor, it can be helpful if they are present at the fitting! They can help you choose what sort of saddle you need, and will give you confidence if you are inexperienced.

🐴You will need to allow a couple of hours for a saddle fitting appointment, along with the use of an arena or a suitable area to ride. Your horse/pony should be ready, clean and dry, and you will need to have your bridle, girth, stirrups and numnah to hand.

🐴Your appointment normally starts with having a good look at your horse or pony, checking for sore spots and asymmetries, and assessing the conformation; so that we can consider which saddles may be suitable for both the horse and rider needs. We will take templates (tracings) of your horse’s back and ask you to help me fill in the details of yourself and your horse. We will then sit some saddles on your horse’s back from which we can narrow it down as to which you should ride in. Any adjustable saddles will be adjusted at this point.

🐴It might be that you only ride in one saddle, but more often than not there will be multiple saddles to try. Nowadays saddles are fitted with a numnah to make it more comfortable for the horse. You will need to walk, trot and canter on both reins, and pop a fence if you are trying a jump saddle.

🐴Once you have made your decision, we can proceed with the purchase along with the necessary paperwork. If your saddle needs to be ordered, e.g., what stock I have is the wrong colour or fit; this can sometimes take a couple of months. Once your saddle arrives, we will arrange a convenient delivery date with you. Then, when we deliver the saddle, I will usually ask you to ride in the saddle to make sure all is well and both you and your horse are happy and comfortable. New saddles normally need to be checked after a couple of months of use when the flocking will have settled; you will need to contact us to arrange this.

📱Your saddle fitter is only a message or phone call away. If an issue arises with your saddle or you need a little help your fitter will be more than happy to talk this through with you and make an appointment to come check your saddle to keep you and your horse happy and comfortable

14/09/2022

Please be careful how you store your saddles when not in use. This is my own personal saddle that has not been used for about 4 weeks and has been sat on top of another smaller saddle. These indents on the panel have been caused by the back of the smaller saddle. A move around and top up of flocking has sorted this saddle out luckily but these dents are not able to be rectified completely.
I will certainly be practicing what I preach from now on and will be purchasing some more stands for my saddles 👍🏻

19/08/2022

First full reflock since passing my flocking exam. What else would you do on a Friday night 😂

11/08/2022

Be aware, this weather doesn’t just dry the ground out, it also dries your leather out! ☀️
Some top tips to prevent dry and cracked leather:
🔸 Wipe sweat off straight after use - sweat is one of the worst things for drying leather out
🔸 Don’t drench your leather with the hose or in a bucket, simply wipe with a damp cloth
🔸 When dry apply a good quality balm or cream to moisturise and condition the leather - some suggestions below
🔸 Store out of direct sunlight

Pay particular attention to girths at this time of year as they are more prone to cracking and a cracked girth will not be very comfortable for your horse!

Rapide Leather Gel - https://nationalsaddlecentre.co.uk/product/rapide-leather-gel/

Albion Leather Balm - https://nationalsaddlecentre.co.uk/product/albion-luxury-leather-balm/

02/08/2022

Your Saddle Fitter Should........

Work alongside other professionals – Especially during a period of rehabilitation having a team of professionals working together to make your horse as comfortable as possible. Each professional’s impact on your horse will affect the fit of your saddle as your horse will move differently.

28/07/2022

Pleased to say I passed my saddle flocking and adjustment exam today. It has been a fun week, meeting fellow trainees and making new saddle fitting friends. Now to practice what I have learnt 😊

27/07/2022

Your Saddle Fitter Should........

Adjust the fit where necessary –The flocking can settle in the saddle which will mean that it isn’t in the correct balance, it is at this point that your saddle fitter will adjust the fit. Changes in environment, workload or age can change your horse's shape temporarily, this is when your fitter will advise you on how it can be adjusted to fit until the changes have settled.

26/07/2022

Do you know what’s in your saddle. I am currently away on a flocking course and all three saddles I have taken apart and deflocked have all had lumpy, balled up wool inside. Two of these saddles also had a mix of wool. This is a no, no as different types of wool compress differently. This could cause unevenness in your saddle and discomfort to your horse. It is recommended to get your saddle fit checked atleast every 6 months and your saddle relcoked every 2 years to keep it in tiptop shape and your horse as comfortable as possible.

19/07/2022

Your Saddle Fitter Should........

Take Templates – You and your fitter will then have a clear record of the shape of your horse and how it changes over a period of time. Templates will also highlight any asymmetry which might not be noticeable from just looking at your horse.

18/07/2022

To find your nearest qualified saddle or bridle fitter visit The Society of Master Saddlers’ web site, www.mastersaddlers.co.uk where you will be able to see those in your area and their qualifications.

15/07/2022