Farm calls / on-site Saddle Fitting
For distances over 50 miles from 53594 a group of 3 or more is preferred and for longer distances is required. Trip charges in addition to mileage will apply for fewer clients to keep the travel to fitting time balanced. If no group, the minimum initial assessment charge or additional mileage applies. * I make every effort to keep this very reasonable and am generous with my teaching approach and my time!
$135.00 Fitting assessment: (Rechecks of same horse and saddle within 6 months are $75)
If you have a saddle that just needs an adjustment, it's helpful you ride prior to my arrival so that I can see you on the horse in your saddle when I arrive, and your horse will be warmed up in the back.
$75.00/ hour Additional services - (assessing and riding in other saddles, bodywork or further evaluation and discussion).
Flocking adjustments are dependent on complexity and time involved and range from $30 - $100 in addition to the fitting charge.
Saddle fitting includes a visual evaluation of your horse, his body type, musculature, any asymmetries or conformation challenges.
Then an evaluation of your saddle, including checking tree for soundness and evaluation of the panels (English) or shearling (Western), stitching and billets.
We will then place the saddle on your horse and I will discuss with you the positive and negative attributes of the saddles fit to your horse. This includes shape front to back and side to side, billets/girth placement (English) and rigging (Western), length of saddle and suitability to your horses back.
We will discuss horses current condition, future goals and past injuries or issues.
We will also go over the pads and girths you use and I will comment or make recommendations.
If your saddle is a candidate, a brief ridden evaluation would follow.
If adjustments are made to flocking, pads or shimming- another ridden evaluation will be necessary.
Please have your horse clean and ready and the pads, girths and saddles you use at the ready. It is helpful to remove your pads and girths and stirrup irons if you wish, to make it easier to view and discuss the saddle on your horse. You do not need to have the horse saddled at appointment time unless it is a recheck of flocking or otherwise suggested.
For distances over 50 miles from 53594 a group of 3 or more is preferred and for longer distances is required. Trip charges in addition to mileage will apply for fewer clients to keep the travel to fitting time balanced. If no group, the minimum initial assessment charge or additional mileage applies. * I make every effort to keep this very reasonable and am generous with my teaching approach and my time!
$135.00 Fitting assessment: (Rechecks of same horse and saddle within 6 months are $75)
If you have a saddle that just needs an adjustment, it's helpful you ride prior to my arrival so that I can see you on the horse in your saddle when I arrive, and your horse will be warmed up in the back.
$75.00/ hour Additional services - (assessing and riding in other saddles, bodywork or further evaluation and discussion).
Flocking adjustments are dependent on complexity and time involved and range from $30 - $100 in addition to the fitting charge.
Saddle fitting includes a visual evaluation of your horse, his body type, musculature, any asymmetries or conformation challenges.
Then an evaluation of your saddle, including checking tree for soundness and evaluation of the panels (English) or shearling (Western), stitching and billets.
We will then place the saddle on your horse and I will discuss with you the positive and negative attributes of the saddles fit to your horse. This includes shape front to back and side to side, billets/girth placement (English) and rigging (Western), length of saddle and suitability to your horses back.
We will discuss horses current condition, future goals and past injuries or issues.
We will also go over the pads and girths you use and I will comment or make recommendations.
If your saddle is a candidate, a brief ridden evaluation would follow.
If adjustments are made to flocking, pads or shimming- another ridden evaluation will be necessary.
Please have your horse clean and ready and the pads, girths and saddles you use at the ready. It is helpful to remove your pads and girths and stirrup irons if you wish, to make it easier to view and discuss the saddle on your horse. You do not need to have the horse saddled at appointment time unless it is a recheck of flocking or otherwise suggested.
Saddle Flocking and Repairs
English saddle billet replacement: $35 each
Billets will be ordered to best match your saddle and style desired! To begin, we need to know how many, and where and how they are attached on your saddle. If the panels need to be unstitched to access the webbing/tree to attach them, there is an extra charge. (just dressage saddles shown as the H/J and AP are more standardized.)
Please provide pictures under your saddle flap showing where the leather portion of each billet (for one side) is located and we will get you a quick quote! You may email this these pictures to SportHorseTherapeutics@hotmail.com.
English saddle wool re-flocking (complete strip flock). $225 - $275
For your “new used” or well loved saddle… (be sure to see our video below on how to tell if your saddle needs to be reflocked) You will ship your saddle with a return label. Saddle will be done within a week and promptly and safely returned to you.
There are some details to be discussed so that there are no surprises and the saddle works for the intended horse.
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN SENDING OUT / DROPPING OFF A SADDLE TO BE REFLOCKED>>>>>>>>>>>>>
**We start by asking, does the saddle currently fit the horse? If it does, we can simply replace the wool and all is well.
But.....
If the saddle fits a bit tight at the withers- You may want to consider having the tree widened, if it is a saddle that has a malleable iron head plate. SHTS can do this service for you.
If the current flocking is very compressed and hard - New flocking will cause it to fit tighter, at least for a while. If your flocking is compressed and it just fits your horse, then the saddle does not “truly” fit, as the panels are not to spec.
It fits great, but my horse is more uphill now and I feel like I am sitting in the “back seat” - No problem here! As long as I know, and you have the panel room (gusseted or full rear panels) I can be sure to add enough wool in the rear of the panels, because it is hard for a fitter to get to the very back after the saddle is sewn up.
**What if you just bought the saddle and are not quite sure it fits, but you are sure the flocking is felted (compressed and degraded beyond it’s life expectancy)?
In this case, I would advise we do a fitting. I can look at pictures of your horse and saddle and determine if it is a good fit and if I can make it better! (See the long distance fitting Notes on fb page)
Reflocking includes looking at the tree, to be sure there are no twists, cracks, protruding screws or tacks. Cleaning all the dirt out from under the panels and flaps, replacing all the wool and of course sewing it all back together.
You (unless local) would send it to me, with a return label in a box that is strong enough to make the return trip, that's it!
Note: I will not “try” to MAKE a saddle fit if I don’t feel it is right for you or your horse.
I think you will find that the level of communication and time I will spend with you, besides having more reasonable rates, sets my reflocking service in it’s own category. A saddle shop will just “take your saddle” and flock to spec or a tracing. I find viewing pictures and talking to my customers imperative to success with this, it’s important, it is a valuable asset to your training program or just your horses comfort on a trail ride!
As an independent saddle fitter, I have taken apart every version of English saddle there is. They come apart in many ways, shapes and forms. I have the knowledge, experience and tools to work with all types.
Watch the video below to learn a bit about checking your saddles wool flocking condition.
Videos on English Saddle Flocking
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The Video below is a 1/2 panel that is being re-flocked. The pictures to the left show the condition of the old flocking (balled up) and the start of the new!
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Coming soon!
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Saddle Shopping
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Saddle Tree Evaluation
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Saddle Adjustment Types
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