Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Saddlefitting Success

Two weeks ago I had our saddle fitter come up from Florida to take a look at Klein and Mochi's saddles, as well as point me in the right direction for a jumping saddle for Moch.

Earlier in the week she was down in Wellington fitting the British Olympic Team horses.  She treats every horse the same.  Our horses got just the same attention to detail as the olympic horses.  I am very fortunate a friend recommended her to me.

Remember I had a minor anxiety attack when I realized Klein's saddles seemed like they were getting a bit wide for her?  The saddle fitter told me my only problem was that they needed more flock added.  I asked her if either one of them needed to go down a tree size and she said absolutely not.  Reflock and we're good.  She has a machine that she can adjust the trees with if they needed to go down or up too.  She told me Duetts can be adjusted up or down one tree size.  They both were lacking in the flock department up front, so I was sinking forward.  She looked at my jumping saddle and said "Um, yeah...you kind of have a pancake here."  I was pretty relieved to hear that.  I do like my saddles, but I have no desire to go saddle shopping if I don't have to.  A new saddle sounds like all fun and games until the shopping actually begins, then it gets painful! 

Adding flock to Klein's dressage saddle.

She also recommended a Mattes correction half pad for Klein.  She doesn't sell or rep for Mattes.  She actually recommended a specific Thinline half pad for my friend when she looked at her horse that day.  She recommends what your horse needs.  It just happened that Klein needed the $300 Mattes correction pad.  Fine.  She said the Mattes will last for a LONG time and it is totally worth the money for the durability.  What the ponies need, the ponies get.  Better than $4K on new saddles, right?

 
 Thanks SmartPak!

 
 Klein's dressage saddle with the Mattes.

Klein baby was noticeably more stretchy in her trot after the saddle adjustment.

 She took a look at Mochs' Isabell and at first was a little concerned that it might be a bit long for her back but then she asked if she was going well in it.  I said she has been doing extremely well in it and does stretch down over her back.  She said if she is going that well than she is fine but if anything ever changes to give her a call.  She didn't need to adjust anything on the Isabell and said the red gullet is exactly what Moch should be in. 

 I'd say Moch approves.

Then I asked what brand/type of tree, etc... she would recommend for Mochi for a jumping saddle.  She said "Where'd you put Klein's jumping saddle?  Go get it."  So I did, and we set it on her back.

Um....yyyyyeah...pretty funny when your Percheron's jumping saddle fits your POA.

It fits.  It's ridiculous.  The saddle fitter looked at the fit and said "Why do you need to buy another saddle?  This works!  I like it!"  I just started laughing.  *Sigh* oh Moch.  She is such a little tank.  




So, I ordered Mochs a breastcollar and a Total Saddle Fit Shoulder Relief Girth.  We'll start back over fences next week.

Saddlefitting success overall.  Properly fitting tack is priceless.

5 comments:

  1. What a great resource! Glad you have someone like her.

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  2. This is great for you - saddles are SO expensive & I agree that shopping for them can be exhausting.
    Just wondering, if you don't mind saying, what was the cost of the fitter's visit & advice (not necessarily the repair/adjustments that she made)? She certainly sounds worth whatever it was - I always appreciate an honest opinion that is not motivated by profit.

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  3. It's absolutely hilarious that your jumping saddle fits the both of them! Beasty little ponys rock!

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  4. You are insanely lucky to have someone around who will do that. There are no independent saddle fitters here. There's one County rep who would rather sell you a new saddle than work with your old one, and that's it. Glad they both fit!

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  5. Aimee, meeeee too! Super thankful!

    Mrs. Shoes, it really varies from horse to horse depending on what they need. Mine were really easy, they had saddles that fit and just needed to have flock added. For the whole visit I paid $300. It would have been more if she would have had to go more in depth like if the saddles just plain didn't fit and I needed to try her demos and ride around in them, or if she had to take one of mine with her and adjust it on her machine.

    Jessica, I still am laughing!

    Jen, and that is why I ended up not having CWD come out. They wanted to sell me a CWD, period. I liked having this lady out way more being that she doesn't rep one brand, she will tell you what fits, no matter what the brand is.

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