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Saddle Fitting - Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. The Saddle Bank

By Jade | November 12, 2019
  1. Saddle Fitting

Saddle Fitting service in and around Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.  

The Saddle Bank are pleased to offer a qualified and insured saddle fitting service in and around the Peterborough, Cambridgeshire area. This includes saddles checks/refits as well as the sale of new/used saddles.

You can book an appointment here.

 

Why should you use a saddle fitter?

On average a typical rider will spend around £5,000-10,000 on purchasing a new horse but prices can increase into the hundreds of thousands of pounds for well bred, talented sports horses. As the saddle is the main point of contact between horse and rider it is imperative that it is well fitted. A well fitted saddle will enable the rider to communicate fully to the horse.

Until recently saddle fitting was not considered very significant. The vast majority of horse owners took little interest in the fit of the saddle until something went wrong.

In today’s equestrian sport there is a much greater awareness of the importance of a correctly fitted saddle in relation to the horse’s well being and achieving optimum performance.
A well crafted and fitted saddle can be used as a highly effective tool. It promotes a greater connection and communication between horse and rider. A poorly fitted saddle will act as a hindrance and will have a negative impact on the horse’s comfort and ultimately performance.

The Saddle Bank can assist clients with saddle fitting appointments in and around Peterborough.

You can book an appointment here.

When should you have your saddle checked?

An increase in knowledge and awareness in horse owners has led to the consensus that prevention is better than cure. Therefore, more horse owners are recognising the importance of having their saddles checked regularly in the same way they would get their horse’s teeth checked, feet shod or vaccinations.
The Society Of Master Saddlers recommend saddles should be checked twice a year as a general guideline. However, some horses may change shape more often due to injury, box rest, age and condition so this should also be taken into consideration and more checks may be necessary. Similarly, if the horses exercise regime changes significantly, consider getting the saddle checked more frequently.

Over time the flocking in the panels can settle disrupting the balance of the saddle. This is particularly common with new saddles which is why it is important to have the saddle rechecked after three and six months.

How do you know if your saddle needs checking?

There are some key negative issues which may indicate the saddle is out of balance or no longer fits, such as;

  • Rider finding it difficult to maintain the correct position.
  • Horse feels or looks restricted in its stride length.
  • Saddle doesn’t feel correctly balanced.
  • Rider can feel the saddle moving around too much.
  • Panel underneath the saddle feels hard or lumpy.
  • Horse is showing signs of discomfort in the back when grooming/palpating /tacking up.
  • Horse begins to show behavior problems when being ridden. For example bucking or striking off into canter on the wrong leg.

If any of these issue arise call your Saddle Fitter to investigate whether you need any adjustments made to your saddle. A correctly fitted saddle will improve your comfort whilst riding as well as your horses. A correctly fitted saddle will also enhance the performance of both the horse and rider.

Book your saddle fitting appointment

The Saddle Bank stock over 1100 used and new saddles with a wide range of brands available.

The Saddle Bank offer saddle fitting appointments within a 30 mile radius of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.

You can book an appointment here.

Banner to learn more about recognising saddle fit issues

Thank you!

Thank you for reading this article! We hope you found it useful!

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The Saddle Bank Team x

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