We will start the session by taking a look at your horse. Before your appointment, you should have filled out your client intake form. This will help me to understand you and your horse and what you are hoping to achieve with them. I may ask you some questions at the appointment about specific scars or pain responses if they are present.

I will take measurements and pictures of your horse for my records. I will share these with you so that you can track your horse over time. I will also ask to take a look at your horses gait at both the walk and trot on a hard even surface.

Please have your horse groomed and ready to be tacked up before the appointment.

If we come across any soundness issues during this stage, I will stop the appointment here and refer you to a specialist. We can reschedule from here once the proper steps have been taken, fees will still apply. The horse’s welfare is my utmost priority, which I will put first over the assessment of a saddle. If you have concerns before the appointment, please get written clearance from your vet.

We will take a look at your tack. I will assess it for safety concerns and flocking needs. If your saddle has any safety concerns such as a broken tree, we will have to refer to a different saddle option. We will also talk about your girth and pads to see if they are the right fit for your horse.

We will put your current saddle on your horse. I will go over proper placement and any areas of concern that we may see. I will look at it in relation to your horse’s body and any key structures that it may be affecting. If your current saddle looks proper enough for a ride, we will move onto the next step.

If we have decided that your saddle fits well enough to ride in, we will proceed. First you will mount your horse using a mounting block. I will check the clearance along your horses withers and spine, ensuring that the pressure has not changes the clearance.

Once we have proven clearance is good, I will ask that you ride in all three gates to ensure that you and your horse feels comfortable in the saddle.

There are a few options for us to move forward with at the end of your appointment.

1. Your saddle fits, the flocking is correct, and your horse is comfortable. If this is the case, we will mark down all measurements and photos for your records and mine to create a base level for us to move forward with.

2. Your saddle is almost the right fit, if you have a wool-flocked english saddle, I can make some adjustments onsite. This will be an additional cost but your saddle will be available to you immediately.

3. Your saddle requires a larger adjustment that cannot be done on-site. This may be a full reflock or the girth straps to be replaced. I will take the saddle with me to make these adjustments at my work bench. This will have an additional cost.

4. Your saddle does not fit at all. I may have a saddle in stock that will work for your horse. If I do not, we can work together to find a new or used saddle for you.

Depending on the result of your saddle fit, I will follow up after a set period of time to ensure that you are your horse are happy with your saddle. If your saddle was reflocked, it may take some time for the flocking to bed in. This may change how it fits, a follow-up evaluation is recommended about 4-6 weeks later depending on how often you ride.

If you are still facing issues after a saddle fitting appointment, I will come out to do what we can to make you and your horse happy! I fit saddles for the welfare of horses, my goal is to ensure that both you and your horse are content and will do all that I can to achieve that goal!