Saddles
A good saddle is the most important piece of equipment you will invest in for your riding career, therefore it is crucial not only to choose the right saddle/s for the kind of riding you do, but also the best quality your budget can stretch to.
Whether you need a general purpose, hunt-seat, western, dressage or show saddle, the fit is vital, and you ideally need an experienced equestrian professional to advise and assist. We at Totally Tack therefore have a workshop which undertakes repairs to saddles and tack, to ensure your equipment stays in tip-top condition for the benefit of yourself and your horse.
Key to the fit is the unique saddle tree or frame on which the saddle is built. This is usually made of wood or fiberglass and covered with leather. An ill-fitting saddle can result in damage to the horse's back muscles, bruising and sores, resulting in the horse exhibiting problematic behaviour and suffering pain.
The saddle not only needs to fit the horse, but the rider as well. An English saddle should allow for a gap of around 10 cms (four inches) in front of the rider's body, and the same behind. When buying a saddle for a child we don't recommend buying a larger size with "room to grow" or the child will not be comfortable or safely seated.
If you can't access a saddle-fitting service, we offer the Perfect Fit Saddle Fitting Kit, and strongly advise using this to prevent problems.