The More Things Change ...

The shop at the Pullman Family Farm, summer 2012

This year has brought some pretty dramatic changes to my life. This summer, we had to put our dear old Tanka dog down due to the infirmities of old age.  Then, Edie passed away on Sept. 20, and my brother-in-law Chris passed away 15 days later - oddly, from  the very same cancer Edie had.  And on Oct. 26th, I learned that as of November 30, my time with the shop will be over.

The owners have decided to move the physical location of the shop closer to their home - understandable, since their commute is about 60 miles one-way.  However, the new location they've chosen puts the shop 60 miles away from me. That would mean that my 40 mile round-trip commute would morph into a 120 mile round-trip commute ... and that ain't gonna happen.  Not for me, and sadly, not for my co-worker Nancy Okun, either - her commute would actually be 12 miles longer than mine.  So as of 5 pm on Nov. 30, after roughly 14 years with the shop, it's officially good-bye.

Change is unsettling, no question - but after the first terrifying, stomach-dropping shock, it often turns out the be just the kick in the ass that was needed.  Since Edie sold the shop in 2009, things have changed significantly; I've become increasingly restless, and have spent more and more time contemplating the possibility of "going independent" and running my own business ... and if this isn't the universe telling me that now's the time to do just that, I miss my guess.

In the years I worked with Edie, I learned about saddle fitting, repair and design ... and I also learned her particular business philosophies, practices and ideals, those specific ingredients that made a little tack shop up over the indoor arena 3 miles off the main road in a town of less than 4,000 people the go-to place for saddles and fitting.  So I'd say that I have a very successful business model to use.  I've also met some outstanding folks in the saddle business who've helped and taught me: Nikki Newcombe, Ann Forrest, Nancy Temple, Patty Barnett, Rob Cullen, John, Gemma and Cassie Hartley, Frank Baines, Victoria Coleman, Mike Scott,  Brita Rizzi and Louise Palmer, to name just a very few, and since they've heard the news, they've been even more kind and supportive.  And since the change has become public knowledge in the saddle world, Nancy and I have had three people very kindly approach us with offers to rep saddles, and we're going to take them all on.  I'll still be taking saddles to barns and traveling to do adjustments; I'll also be working long-distance with templates and photos, and I'll still be writing this blog, same as ever.  I'll also be setting up my own web site, which will have fitting info and - new feature - videos.  In deference to the fact that I need a regular income, I will have to find a "real" job, at least for a while, but my focus will be on getting back into saddles full-time as soon as possible.  I truly love doing this, and don't see any reason I should quit.

Great Expectations

Given the present state of the economy (can you tell that's been on my mind quite a bit?), a lot of folks are finding their "discretionary income" either severely minimized or almost non-existent.  So understandably, used saddles - always popular - have become even moreso in the last few years.

We check our used and consignment saddles very thoroughly when they come in (along the lines explained in this post) to make sure they're "serviceably sound for intended use" (as my vet used to say when doing a prepurchase on a horse); we note any cosmetic issues the saddles may have, and rate their condition anywhere from "fair" to "excellent/demo".  Lately, though, we've had a few people who didn't quite seem to know what to expect from a used saddle ... so I thought I'd clarify.

1)  IT WILL SHOW SIGNS OF USE.  Unless you're lucky enough to find a second-hand saddle that's only had a few rides (which does happen from time to time), you will see "used saddle" marks.  These can range from slight rub marks from the stirrup leathers and buckle marks on the billets (for the "excellent/demo" designation) to curled jockeys, faded dye, dings, nicks, wrinkles, tooth marks, scratches and scrapes (for the "fair" designation).

2)  IT MAY SHOW SIGNS OF FORMER OWNERSHIP.  These include things like a cantle plate (or holes in the cantle where one used to be) or a name or number engraved on the stirrup bar or stamped/burned into the sweat flap.  These things don't affect the fit, usefulness or condition of the saddle, but be aware that your saddle may be adorned with something like "Wind Hill Andalusians" or "Cindy Lou Smith 123-456-7890" somewhere.

3)  IT MAY SHOW SIGNS OF WORK OR REPAIR.  These signs are sometimes fairly subtle:  a well-used saddle may have spandy-new billets or shiny new falldown staples or saddle nails. Some saddles may have mismatched saddle nails, saddle plates or notations stamped into the sweat flap - both are common signs that the tree has been altered at some point (though just how it's been altered may be unearthed only by taking the saddle apart, since some saddlers will note their work on the tree).  It may have extra dee rings or a crupper bar, or the billet configuration may have been altered.

4)  THE FLOCKING WILL PROBABLY NEED TO BE ADJUSTED.  I don't touch the flocking on consignment saddles unless the consignor requests it, or unless it's so flat/hard/overflocked that it won't realistically fit anything (and then, I check with the consignor before I make adjustments).  I've had people say, "Well, the tree width and everything else looks good, but it's sitting so low ..." When I say that the issue can be corrected with flocking, I'm often told, "But this is a used saddle - that should already have been done!"  I explain to the customer that it probably has been done, but it will need to have the flocking adjusted to their horse ... just as a new saddle would.

5)  REPAIRS WILL NEED TO BE MADE AT SOME POINT.  "Used" saddle.  Think about that.  It's like "used" car ... sooner or later, some part is going to go and will need to be repaired or replaced.  With saddles, thankfully, there aren't as many parts to go blooey, and repair/replacement probably won't be quite as expensive ... but yes, you'll need to have the billets replaced at some point, and - as stated above - the flocking will need to be maintained.  Other minor issues may need attention:  a stirrup leather keeper may need to be repaired or replaced, a dee ring may need to be replaced or a line of stitching may need to be re-sewn.  If that's the case, you can price these repairs with your saddler / saddle fitter, and use that info if you'd like to negotiate on the price.

6)  IT WILL BE BROKEN IN.  IN SOME CASES, VERY BROKEN IN.  One of my best and favorite clients, who's Huntsman for a local hunt, brought in her rode-hard-but-never-put-away-wet saddle for consignment.  It showed that it had been used a lot:  the leather was soft and supple, there were dark marks on the flaps from the leathers, the jockeys had molded to the shape of the stirrup leather buckle, and there were dark marks from the breast plate straps by the front dees.  But was it clean?  Immaculate.  Was the flock in good condition?  Definitely.  Were there any dings?  A very few, but nothing glaring.  Was the saddle "serviceably sound for intended use?  Unquestionably.  The customer who bought it was thrilled to find this saddle, and realized that, in spite of the cosmetics, she'd gotten a saddle that will last for years and years to come.

UPSIDE

If you're ok with a saddle that has Issues 1-6, you'll find that there are major upsides to used saddles as well.  First is price.  While high quality used saddles hole their value very well (remember, new saddle prices almost never go down), you'll usually save hundreds of dollars if you're willing to go with a used saddle. And many sellers/consignors are quite motivated to move their saddle and are willing to consider reasonable offers. (And note that I said "reasonable".  Making an offer that amounts to 40% or 50% of the asking price may shut the seller down entirely.  While getting a deal is always fun, stop and think of what you would reasonably take for the saddle if the tables were turned before you low-ball someone and perhaps lose your shot at a saddle you really want.)

Second good thing is availability.  There are tons of used saddles out there.  If you Google your specific requirements, you'll get a LOT of results - "used Black Country saddles" yielded 523,000 results; "used Albion jump saddles" offered 334,000 results, and "used Lovatt and Ricketts dressage saddles" coughed up 309,000 results.  Of course, you need to exercise due diligence if you're buying from someone other than a reputable tack shop, and hopefully you can either try the saddle before you buy it or at least return it if it proves unsuitable for some reason, but I've found that most people are quite reasonable to work with.  And if they're not, well ... take a look at those numbers again; chances are someone else has the same saddle that Mr./Ms. My-Way-or-the-Highway has ...  Even if you have a horse with some exacting fitting requirements, chances are pretty good you can find the right saddle if you put enough effort into the search.  Of course, if you need a saddle right this moment - and a very specific saddle at that - this option might not work for you; you might not find "the" saddle in a week or maybe even a month.  Or two months.  But if you can invest the time, trust me:  it's out there.

Malaprops, Misnomers and Misinformation

I spend a lot of time in front of the computer.  In addition to blogging, answering e-mails, playing with PhotoShop and monitoring our web presence, I spend a lot of time writing about and researching saddles and saddle fitting.  There's a ton of info about saddles and fitting on the Internet, and in a way, that's a great thing.  All you have to do is type a query into Google and chances are you'll get thousands of results.  I Googled "saddle fitting" and got 157,000 results.  Then I Googled "English saddle fitting" and got 43,800 results. But here's the rub:  the Internet is quite eglitarian and, unless someone's writing something that is defamatory or downright libelous, pretty much anyone can put pretty much anything out there for public consumption ... veracity be damned.

So how is one to separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak?  It can be tough.  Lies, big lies, and damned big lies can go viral as quickly as the truth does (and sometimes, if it's a particularly juicy lie, a lot more quickly), so just because everyone's seen it or is sharing it doesn't mean much when it comes to the quality and accuracy of the information.  Therefore, because I'm a nitpicking control freak (just ask any of my friends and family and they'll be happy to confirm this fact), I'm taking it upon myself to offer up a random sampling of some of the most glaring examples of butchered terminology, grammar and spelling offenses and misinformation that I've found on the Internet.

WRITE AND SPEL GOOD

First, I'll address the spelling and grammar thing.  I'm known (fondly, I choose to think) as the Language Nazi, and that's one fact that I will happily confirm.  A person's use of grammar, spelling and punctuation immediately colors my opinion of the information they're offering.  Yes, I know lots of knowledgeable, highly intelligent people who do not write or spell well, and I do understand that an occasional malaprop or typo will get by even the most anal editor (I edit like a maniac, but as you all know, stuff gets by me - and when it does, my friends and family are unmerciful).  But I really feel that if you're concerned with your professional image - or with your information being taken seriously - you have to exhibit at least basic literacy.  I've seen sites for perfessional independant fitter's who understands the importince of a good-fitting saddle and, knows that comfort  ,for both horse and rider, has got to be taken into consideraton.  They've done alot of saddle fitting and make house calls to your barn and cover the area from east backache to s muckboot, vermont. 

Frankly, if your site is peppered with those sorts of errors, I won't take what you're offering very seriously, nor will I read very far ... mostly because I'll have given myself a headache by grinding my teeth because I can't edit the errors.

CHECKING FOR BACK SORENESS

• One site recommended that the best way to test for back soreness caused by saddle fit is to locate the "under saddle" muscles (I'm assuming this means the longissimus - the long muscle that runs on either side of the spine) and "probe these muscles firmly with the ends of three fingers or your thumb held stiff from your fist ... one must probe as firm as necessary to get a reaction to see if the horse is sore."  Now, in my mind, you check carefully at first for swelling, bumps or thickening, and then probe a bit more firmly.  If a reasonably firm pressure with the heel or palm of your hand doesn't elicit a response (and I just went and pushed on our shop's scale - I'm talking about roughly 15 lbs. of pressure), your horse probably doesn't have any major issues - at least not at the time you're palpating.  If you gouge and rake with great enthusiasm until you get a response, you'll never know if it was because you horse was sore, of if you just gouged and raked too enthusiastically.  And if you gouge and rake really enthusiastically, I don't know many horses that won't react, and if you take a hoof to the kneecap during such shenanegans,  it's your own bloody fault. 

MUCH ADO ABOUT WIDTH

• "To judge if tree width is correct, the tree point should be parallel to the horse's shoulder."  Let's take a look at that:

There's quite a marked difference between the angle of this horse's back and the angle of the shoulder in both photos.  In the top photo, matching the shoulder angle would mean the tree would be too wide for the horse; in the second, the tree would be too narrow. The tree point should be parallel to the surface upon which it rests ... and that would be the back.

• "If the tree width is correct, you'll have no fitting issues with the saddle."  Again, let's take a look. 

Although you'll have to take my word for it because I don't have a photo to prove it, the tree width for this horse is correct.  So whyever is it sitting so pommel high?  Basically, because the horse's back looks like this:

This shark-fin wither requires a deeper rear gusset to make the saddle sit balanced.  And since adding just a rear gusset would probably have brough the gullet into contact with the wither, a K panels and wither gussets were added for support.
• "If the tree feels tight, try adding another pad to cushion it."  If you don't have sufficient width, adding bulk isn't going to improve the issue.  If your jacket is too snug, do you wear a bulky sweater under it?  If your shoes are too tight, do you add an extra pair of socks for cushion?  Of course not.  The same applies here. If the tree's a tad wide, a thicker/additional pad can be a helpful band-aid, but if the tree's too narrow, "there ain't no pad gonna fix that." 
• "If the saddle's fitting correctly, you should be able to slip your hands under the panels beneath tree points when it's girthed and the rider's in it." Uh, no.  See "Scenario One" here.  No further comment.

TREAT THE SYMPTOM, NOT THE CAUSE

• "If your horse acts up every time he's saddled, or when he's being ridden, your saddle's not fitting properly."  While saddle fit may well be the cause of your horse's misbehavior and should definitely be checked, it's not the only thing that can cause bad behavior.  There are a LOT of other issues that can mimic or be mistaken for saddle fit issues.  Physical problems like lameness in the hock or stifle, problems with the SI joint, arthritis, Lyme disease, neurological issues, reproductive issues in mares, ulcers, dental problems and shoeing issues can be mistaken for saddle fit problems.  Your horse's training and your riding can come into play as well.  If the saddle's slipping to one side,  you may think it's a fitting issue when in reality it's an issue of an asymmetrical horse or a rider who sits hard to one side.  If the horse objects to being saddled, it could be that the horse has been ridden in an ill-fitting saddle in the past, and expects it will hurt every time he's saddled.  If the horse grinds her teeth when she's being girthed, are you doing up the girth gradually, or are you hauling away at the billets as though you're trying to raise a sail?  Time for a little detective work. 
• "If your horse won't come through the back and work properly, try the Pessoa training system/draw reins/chambon/Vienna side reins/neck stretcher."  This is taking it to the other extreme and looking at everything except saddle fit - again, time for some detective work.  And gadgets are ... well, in the right hands, gadgets can be useful; in the wrong hands, not so much - the scalpel in the hands of a surgeon vs. the scalpel in the hands of a madman. 

"ALWAYS" AND "NEVER"

My mom used to say, "Just when you think you have horses figured out, one will come along who'll prove you wrong."  I think it's pretty safe to apply that to saddle fitting as well.  While there are some basic guidelines that are pretty immutable - the pommel arch must clear the wither, for example - few things are written in stone ... contrary to some of the information out there.

•  "If the saddle is sitting in the correct balance, the pommel will be 2" lower than the cantle."  While it's a pretty true rule of thumb that the cantle will be higher than the pommel, let's take a look at these photos:

These saddles are all sitting in pretty good balance (the top one may be just a smidge pommel-low), but there's quite a lot of variation in the pommel-to-cantle height.

• "If the tree width is correct for you horse, you will have 3 to 4 fingers of clearance under the pommel."  Again, depends on the horse and depends on the saddle.  I prefer the term "adequate clearance" - which means that the saddle sits in correct balance and at no time comes in contact with the horse's wither/spine.  Sometimes "adequate" is 2 or 3 fingers, and sometimes - especially with hoop trees - it's less:

You also need to make sure that the clearance extends all the way through the channel of the saddle.  It's possible to have a saddle tree with too slow a rise - that is, too flat from seat to pommel - bang a horse's wither around the stirrup bars or a bit in front of them ... which you may not notice if you're just focusing on the area right under the pommel arch.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT:  DO IT WITH STYLE

If you're going to screw up, do it with as much panache as you can muster.

As I mentioned earlier, things can slip by even the most vigilant editor, especially if you choose to believe spell check.  My most memorable one here on the blog was when I was talking about hunter/jumpers and referred to them as "hunter/humpers".  However, since no one is immune to mistakes, I have to share what is probably my most epic fail:

I once wrote a highly indignant letter to my high school alumni association for publishing my e-mail address in their newsletter without first clearing it with me.  I basically ripped them a new one for making me the recipient of a flood of communication from a bunch of people that, for the most part, I didn't much like and quite happily left behind when I graduated.  " ... and furthermore, you showed a blatant disregard for my privacy ..." (I tend to get polysyllabic when I'm pissed off) "... by publishing my e-mail address in the newsletter without first obtaining my persimmon."

(Ironically, at my high school graduation, I received an award for distinction in English.) 

Saddlers Vs. Fitters, Fitters vs. Reps (Semantics?)

I've always been fascinated by words, and by the fact that they can have so many meanings.  When I say, "boot", I usually think of something that goes on my foot, or on my horse's leg.  In the UK, "boot" is the trunk of a car.  When we say, "trainers", we're often talking about our riding instructors; in the UK, "trainers" are sneakers.  And (my favorite) when we talk about Curlies, we're often referring to Bashkir Curlies, a breed of horse (http://www.abcregistry.org/gallery08/pages/calendar-75.asp).  In the UK, "curlies" is slang for pubic hair ... so you can imagine the uproar at Black Country Saddlery when we sent them a template for a woman who wanted to order a saddle for one of her Curlies ...

Anyway, another word (or phrase) with different meanings here and Across the Pond is "saddle fitter".  In the UK, a saddle fitter is someone who helps you find a saddle that fits you and your horse. A saddler (or master saddler) would be the one to adjust the flocking, alter your billet configuration, and do similar work to adjust the fit of your saddle or do repairs. 

Over here, "saddle fitter" is more of a broad term.  In addition to finding the right saddle for horse and rider, we often do repairs, flocking adjustments, retrofit saddles ... just about anything.  This is mostly because of the lack of standardized education here in the US; in the UK, the saddlery business is much older, larger and more structured.  There are Master Saddlers, Allied Trade Members, Qualified Saddle Fitters, and more - you can read about all the different "Categories of Membership" at http://www.mastersaddlers.co.uk/.

I've always had mixed emotions about saddle fitters (whichever definition you're applying) who rep for a saddle company.  As a saddle fitter, I think it's my responsibility to find the right saddle for you and your horse, whichever company happens to make it.  Admittely, I have the luxury of working for a shop that has a relatively huge inventory of new and used saddles; we carry new saddles from about a dozen different companies - and often multiple models from each company -  and our used inventory is massive.  That gives me the opportunity to find the right saddle for each horse and rider without having to worry about making my sales quota or getting (or losing!) a commission.  My situation is relatively rare.

For a fitter who's also a rep, it can be a very different story.  On the one hand, I know some excellent fitters who are also reps, but will work on the fit of mostly any saddle, and be perfectly honest in their assessments of saddles and fit (and I have to say that these fitters are in the majority).  But human nature being what it is (and economic reality and commissions being what they are), some fitters will try to sell you one of their saddles ... whether you need one or not.  The main problem in that situation (ethics aside) is that there's no single saddle company, no matter how many models they make, that produce the perfect saddle for each and every horse and rider.  Even the best saddle companies - the ones that offer multiple models with a bazillion fitting options for horse and rider - can't satisfy everyone.  Having a choice (both for you and for the fitter) gives you a wider range of options, and increases the likelihood that you'll find the right saddle.

Caveat Emptor - TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!!

When someone sends me a saddle to sell on consignment, I often hear the following comments:

"The rep said it fit my horse, but within a week, he was so back sore that he was biting when I came near with the saddle."

"It looked fine on my horse in the crossties, so I bought it."

"I could only ride in it for 5 minutes, and couldn't girth it up."

"I bought it on-line."

"A wide tree Albion SLK fits my mare beautifully, and this is a wide tree, too - but it doesn't fit!"

What it comes down to is that many people will buy a saddle without trying it first - which can be a huge mistake. Let's look at each scenario, and find the fatal flaws.

1) "The rep said it fit my horse, but within a week, he was so back sore that he was biting when I came near with the saddle."

I touched on this in an earlier post ("For The First Time Horse Owner", posted on 1/30). Many reps are "certified" by the company they sell for, but that doesn't mean that they are truly well-versed in fitting all saddles; usually the company teaches them to sell and fit their saddles (sometimes, sadly, with more emphasis on "sell" than "fit"). Reps may receive as little as an afternoon of instruction to gain their "certification". This is not true of every rep, of course - there are some damn fine fitters out there repping for various companies, but reputation rather than certification is usually the surest measure of a fitter.

2) "It looked fine on my horse in the crossties, so I bought it."

Static fit can be very different from active fit. You must remember that a horse's back can and often does change quite dramatically when s/he moves, so what looks fine in the ties can be a whole different story when the rider's up and the horse starts moving. Also, a saddle that feels fine sitting on the buck in the shop may not feel the same on a moving horse, even if it fits your horse well.

3) "I could only ride in it for 5 minutes, and couldn't girth it up."

I don't know about you, dear readers, but if I were riding in a saddle that I couldn't girth up, I probably would not attempt anything other than a nice collected walk. My balance is fairly decent, but I don't think it's anywhere near good enough to ride an ungirthed saddle at the trot or canter, and - this could be my middle-aged comprehension of my mortality - for damn sure I wouldn't be trying any hills or jumps. (Not that I do jump ... but if I did. Just sayin'.) Anyway, it's impossible to tell how a saddle will really ride based on a sedate five minute toddle on the flat.

4) "I bought it on line."

Now, if you've ridden your horse in a wide tree XYZ saddle that was manufactured in 2005, and it's worked well for both of you, AND you're lucky enough to find another 2005 wide-tree XYZ on line, then it has a reasonable chance of working for you and your horse. But keep in mind that each saddle is unique, and the 2005 wide-tree XYZ that Frank made will ride a tad differently than the one Rob made. Also, each flocked saddle will be flocked uniquely; and if the saddle's used, it will have likely taken on the shape of the last horse it was ridden on, and may need flocking adjustments to fit your horse properly.

5) "A wide tree Albion SLK fits my mare beautifully, and this is a wide tree, too - but it doesn't fit!"

Comparing tree widths, whether you're talking about saddles marked narrow, medium and wide or saddles measured in centimeters, is pretty useless. There's no standardization, so saying your horse needs a wide tree is open to a lot of interpretation. For example, a wide Frank Baines is wider than a wide (32 cm) Stubben; Passier's wide tree measures 28.5 cm., and Prestige's wide tree measures 35 cm.

Tree type and shape need to be considered, as well. A wide hoop tree will fit much differently than a wide standard tree; a 34 cm. Duett Largo, which has a pretty flat tree, fits very differently than a 34 cm. Duett Fidelio, which has much more scoop to the tree. Remember that panel configuration plays a large part as well.

So I'm going to ask you all to make me a promise: Never, ever - even if the rep (or your trainer, or your animal communicator, or your vet, or your mom) says the saddle's a good fit, even if it looks good in the cross ties, even if if felt good during the Five Minute No-Girth ride, even if you got such a deal on-line that it was nearly criminal, and even if it's the same tree width as another saddle that fit well - never, ever buy a saddle without trying it first.

Dispensing this advice may cut down on the number of consignment saddles I get in the shop, but it will also make me feel better knowing that it may have saved someone (and their horse) some pain and inconvenience.