Saddle Fitting

We often see people looking for cheap saddles for young horses. But this is the worst thing you can do. A young horse, although still growing, still deserves a saddle that fits at the time. How can you expect a horse to enjoy being ridden when the saddle causes the horse pain? Cheap saddles bring a whole host of problems with them such as faulty trees, nails sticking out, narrow channels, lumpy flocking, the wrong width/model/fit for your horse. It really is not worth damaging your horse for the sake of saving a few quid? Likewise, ill fitting saddles can cause irreparable damage to your horse at a crucial time in your horses education. If you have the budget, get a good quality adjustable saddle, fitted to your horse by a qualified saddle fitter and have the fitter out to check the saddle at least every 6 months. 4 months may be more advisable as the horse will develop muscle and change shape through growth and ridden work. If you do not have the budget get a good quality synthetic saddle such as a Thorowgood T4 or Wintec 500. The older models are not that great so it is worth spending around £300-350 to get something a bit newer and better quality. However, you need to ensure you get the correct model for your horses shape.

So often we see posts on social media of people asking for cheap saddles as they are on tight budgets. But does your horse deserve a cheap saddle? Cheap saddles bring a whole host of problems with them such as faulty trees, nails sticking out, narrow channels, lumpy flocking, the wrong width/model/fit for your horse. It really is not worth damaging your horse for the sake of saving a few quid?
Save up further and get a good quality synthetic saddle such as a Thorowgood T4 or Wintec 500. The older models are not that great so it is worth spending around £300-350 to get something a bit newer and better quality. However, you need to ensure you get the correct model for your horses shape.

It is important to note here that not all saddles are flocked. Some saddles have foam panels, some have CAIR cushion panels (Bates/Wintec/Arena) and some have FLAIR bags fitted. In terms of a flocked saddle, it is advisable to have the saddle stripped and reflocked every 2 years to keep the flocking fresh and to prevent hard lumps from forming and causing your horse discomfort. When a saddle is completely stripped and reflocked you may need a further top up between 4-8 weeks later (depending on how often you ride) once the flocking has settled.

Your saddle should be checked every 6 months by a qualified professional saddle fitter. The saddle fitter should assess your saddle for soundness and faults before checking the fit on your horse. In between regular appointments if you notice your saddle tipping you forward/backwards or you feel uncomfortable in the saddle this could be a sign something has changed and it would be worth having your fitter out to check. Likewise if your horse starts misbehaving or showing negative emotions towards the saddle when you tack up again it would be worth having your fitter out as soon as possible to check the fit for you.

We are often asked what are the best or most popular saddles for high wither horses. Depending on your horses conformation and whether they have high withers with a flat back, high withers and a dipped back, atrophy etc you may want to try any of the following;
Wintec High Wither
Arena High Wither
Bates High Wither
Albion K2
Kent and Masters High Wither Compact
Kent and Masters High Wither Original

We are often asked what are the best or most popular saddles for cobs. Depending on your cob and their shape, you may want to try any of the following; Wintec WIDE - Adjustable 1XW-4XW, starts at 16 inch up to 18 inch. Great for those on a budget. Also great for shorter backed cobs as comes in smaller sizes. Arena Cob- Adjustable 1XW-4XW, starts at 16 inch up to 18 inch. Great for those who want leather but don't want to spend thousands. Also great for shorter backed cobs as comes in smaller sizes. Bates WIDE -Adjustable 1XW-4XW, starts at 16 inch up to 18 inch. Has 3 different leather options; Heritage, Opulence or Luxe. Also great for shorter backed cobs as comes in smaller sizes. Monarch Cob - Adjustable from Narrow - 4XW, starts at 16.5 up to 18 inch. Great leather option. Works well on super wide horses. Also great for shorter backed cobs as comes in smaller sizes. GFS Cob- Adjustable from Narrow - 4XW, 17-17.5 inch. Great leather option. Kent and Masters Cob - Adjustable from NM-XXW, 17-17.5 inch. Popular model, but not suitable for shorter backs. Works well on flat backs. Thorowgood Cob. - Adjustable from NM-XXW, 17-17.5 inch. Great lightweight, low budget option but not suitable to shorter backs. Works well on flat backs.

The virtual saddle fitting service is designed as a personalised service for those who are unsure where to start, or may be in an extremely remote location and unable to access a saddle fitter. There is no guarantee from the virtual fitting that the saddle will fit. However, when using this service our qualified saddle fitters will dedicate the time to reviewing your videos, photos and requirements to make the best possible recommendation. You will also get FREE access to the recognising saddle fit issues course so that you are able to understand what you are feeling and communicate this back to our saddle fitters.

When choosing a saddle fitter you need to factor in a couple of things. Are you looking for a new or second hand saddle? Some fitters will only come to you if you are willing to buy a brand new saddle. Therefore, if your budget only allows for secondhand you will need to find a fitter who is happy to fit a secondhand saddle for you. Secondly, the fitter should have access to a wide range of stock. There is no point having a fitter out who doesn't have any suitable saddles for your horse. Ideally a fitter will have 10-12 saddles to try on your horse narrowing this down to 1-2 which may be suitable for riding.

You should have your saddle checked at least every 6 months, possibly more frequently if something has changed (rider, horses training regime, young developing horse, change of feed, changing fields). Having your saddle checked at least every 6 months ensures it is still the correct width and fit for your horse. If the saddle is flocked, your fitter will be able to check and top up the flocking for you and make any necessary changes. It also enables you to have your saddle checked regularly by a professional for any faults/damage.

The Saddle Bank no longer offer a saddle fitting service. However, we do have a list of saddle fitters who may be local to you who will gladly fit a secondhand saddle for you. Therefore you can trial a saddle from The Saddle Bank and have a local fitter out to fit during your 5 day trial.