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Post by Liz on Jan 21, 2013 20:50:04 GMT 1
I was once sold a new saddle by a "saddle fitter" and it was a disaster. It seemed OK at first but within a day or two my horse tried to avoid being saddled and I felt his back humping when being ridden. I used his old Wintec again and he reverted to being a happy horse. I took the saddle back to the shop and got a full refund BUT I found out that there was a court case pending against him for a very similar thing and I let him know I knew! When I bought the saddle I was told he would come out and fit the saddle - he claimed never to have said that he was a fitter, just that he'd fit the saddle on the horse Semantics or what? !!
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Post by shan on Jan 22, 2013 19:26:33 GMT 1
I think you may have to cut your losses on the saddle and sell it for less than you bought it...I sympathise, I had a 'reputable saddle fitter' out a couple of years ago. She didn't ask me to ride but she did say I needed to put the extra fish in my Thorowgood panels. I thought this was odd as Ginge was choppy anyway. But I thought 'she's the expert' so I changed the inserts and checked it myself and it was way too tight. I sold the saddle. I also phoned a very well known saddle fitter asking for advice about treeless, she asked what breed of horse I had then insisted, quite rudely, that I could not possibly use a treeless on a cob. I bought a treeless and it suits us both very well. I don't know what the answer is about trusting some of these 'experts'. I watched loads of youtube fitters and picked up tips from them, and though I am no expert I have learned alot about basic checking. This one is pretty good www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2mKz0uP_K8
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Post by specialized on Jan 22, 2013 21:54:16 GMT 1
To be fair I would not really expect a traditional saddle fitter to have a clue about a treeless saddle.
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Post by shan on Jan 22, 2013 21:57:02 GMT 1
To be fair I wouldn't expect a reputable fitter to tell a person what they don't want without seeing their horse!
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Post by cassiejane on Jan 22, 2013 23:31:56 GMT 1
Can I recommend a book called the pain free back and saddlec Fit book by Joyce Harman, very enlightening.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2013 11:25:37 GMT 1
I've got the same book as cassiejane and it is a very good place to start.
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rowanrachel
Olympic Poster
Life is better when you share it with Horses :-)
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Post by rowanrachel on Jan 24, 2013 0:44:01 GMT 1
Hello and thanks for ur comments. sorry ive taken so long to reply its been a hectic few days. Specialised I agree I left it too long but was feeling rather frustrated and untrusting with the whole thing. Although I have felt like takin the harsh route Jill and Maislow I have to agree with Cookie and RH that in this instance I need to suck it up and cut my losses, I should have really got her out sooner but didn't feel I could trust her. She never took a template or anything so I don't have any proof and she's not really changed shape I don't think. Jen I will look into the schleese sessions and Lisap I really like the idea of a saddle fitting sesh at the yard and all try to learn something. I did spend one night just trying on everyone else's saddles in the yard to compare with honeys and I was amazed at how I could see the differences in them and actually it seemed a lot about common sense really, when I took the time and looked I could see what did and didn't fit and why- previously I just hadn't looked much as thought I didn't know how and trusted that a professional would. Tikkatonks i do agree, the last thing I want is to be unfair to the professional and I wouldn't go about badmouthing her or anything(by name anyway :-)) but I did specify all I cared about was something that fitted her. I would rather have waited until I had more money and go without, than have a saddle that didn't fit- I feel the fitter should have provided me with a better service to begin with and I was clear that it was important to me that she was comfy. I kinda feel its too easy for 'professionals' to do a half hearted job if it seems and easy option and I could tell she was busy and in a rush on the day. The second saddle fitter who I got out was like chalk and cheese with the first- took her time, asked me all about Honey and what I do with her, wasn't in a rush at all and I never felt like she tried to 'sell'. She was very thourough. Now I know what to expect and feel its been a good learning curve, I'd be more confident in future too to say if something wasnt feeling right. I guess the moral is that professional doesn't actually mean you should trust what they say. Wasn't there a thread on here a whole ago about the difference between being a professional and acting professionally?
Oh well live and learn! :-)
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rowanrachel
Olympic Poster
Life is better when you share it with Horses :-)
Posts: 741
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Post by rowanrachel on Jan 24, 2013 0:54:11 GMT 1
Ps. BA I can't help agreeing with wills that ur comments a bit harsh. A saddle is the single most expensive thing we'll probably all get for our horses but just because I can't afford a £700 saddle or something does that mean I shouldn't own a horse? Surely the wrong thing would have been to try and buy a cheaper saddle of eBay and use it regardless of fit. I had offers of saddle from friends to uses but I tried to do what I thought was right by not riding her until i could afford a fitter out to check them all or buy another, researching saddle fitters in the area, getting one out, and stupidly believing she would give me a saddle that fitted. ?
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Post by cbc on Jan 24, 2013 10:03:43 GMT 1
Like you say, you live and learn, and you are right, the saddle fitter should have given you sound advice, also what was suitable within which budget. I am afraid that my experiences of trusting "professionals" over the years has been mixed so I tend to listen to my gut instinct as well as their advice. This is not out of disrespect for their knowledge, its just that sometimes advice does not suit a particular problem. Professionals are just as human as the rest of us. Your moral is, in my experience, quite right
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Post by ba on Jan 24, 2013 22:42:10 GMT 1
I stick by my previous comments/advice. It's your choice whether you take it on board or discard it.
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rowanrachel
Olympic Poster
Life is better when you share it with Horses :-)
Posts: 741
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Post by rowanrachel on Jan 25, 2013 0:19:06 GMT 1
I stick by my previous comments/advice. It's your choice whether you take it on board or discard it. No probs. everyone's entitled to their opinion. :-)
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