Fitting & Evaluation
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Adjustments & Repairs
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Saddle Acquisition
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FITTING & EVALUATION
Before your appointment: First and foremost, BE PREPARED TO RIDE. You would be amazed at how much a saddle's fit can change just between looking at it statically, versus having it ridden in. Rider may be up and down multiple times while checking fit and after recommendations and adjustments. Riding in your saddle during the evaluation is the best way to know that it truly fits your horse! :) Do your best to have the horse available and groomed before arrival, and have a space prepared; fittings and evaluations are best done on level ground and done ideally in cross ties so his head is in a neutral position and he is able to stand squarely. (Please note: I will not evaluate a horse in a box stall or any other small/cramped space.)
Dynamic Saddle Fit Evaluation - $110/per horse (plus travel fee, see below)
On-site Flocking - up to $60
Dynamic Saddle Fit Evaluation - $110/per horse (plus travel fee, see below)
- A full saddle fit appointment will include: Tracings of the horse's back, palpation of the muscles in the horse's back, a conformation symmetry evaluation, checking the integrity of one saddle, saddle fit statically on the horse from the ground, and a dynamic evaluation of the horse in motion with a rider. It will also include recommendations on how to improve the saddle's fit, if necessary. (This may include the recommendation of adding flocking to a wool saddle, which may incur additional fees.)
- (If you have several options from a tack/consignment store on hand, I will quickly go through each of them and we will evaluate the best one for this same price.)
- These appointments can take anywhere from 1-2 hours depending on if there are pads/shims or any additional flocking adjustments that need to be done.
- Demo rides of either Bliss of London/Loxley by Bliss/Cavaletti or any consignment saddles I bring with me are included in this fee.
On-site Flocking - up to $60
- On-site flocking is available for wool-flocked saddles that just need small adjustments to improve it's fit to the horse.
- Small adjustments (<15mins) are included in Saddle Fit fee above.
- Actual price will depend on time and materials, but total price will not exceed $60 - unless the saddle's panels need to be dropped for access, in which case there will be additional charges for time, and the saddle may end up needing to be taken to my workshop to be adjusted.
- From Horse Cave:
$20 if within 20 minutes;
$30 if within 20-60 minutes;
$40 if within 60-120 minutes. - This fee can be shared by multiple parties at the same location.
- I am also willing to travel out of my usual range, but please contact me for travel fee rates, and again groups at the same location can split the fee.
- Travel fees subject to change or increase at any time based on gas prices and distance traveled. Last updated: July 13th, 2024
- If all equestrians know one thing, it is that lesson horses are the true heroes of the horse world, and they deserve well-fitting saddles just as much as the privately-owned horse. They are loved just as hard as they are worked, but we all know the struggle that lesson barns have - it's almost impossible to have a custom-fit saddle for every program horse. That is why I decided to do an hourly rate for lesson barns that want me to come out and evaluate their program horses - I can be there for as long or short as you'd like, and we can get as in depth with each horse as you want. Please feel free to reach out to discuss your program!
ADJUSTMENTS & REPAIRS
Please Note: All the following alterations are done off-site.
Complete Re-flock of Wool Saddle - $375
Complete Re-flock of Wool Saddle - $375
- For saddles whose old flocking is old, compressed, hard, and/or uneven. Must be evaluated on the horse before re-flock to make sure saddle is a good fit otherwise!
- Includes a recheck appointment to top up/touch up the wool after 15-20 rides.
- Billet replacement must be done in pairs, i.e., on both sides of the saddle. In general, it is recommended to replace all of them at once.
- A saddle evaluation will need to be done to make sure the saddle is a candidate for conversion - some foam saddles do not convert well to foam.
- Must also be evaluated on the horse before conversation to make sure saddle is an overall good fit for the horse.
- Must be evaluated on the horse before conversion to make sure saddle is an overall good fit for the horse.
- Charged by the hour and by the job. Will depend on what the saddle needs for repair.
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SADDLE AQUISITION
Bliss of London ○ Loxley by Bliss ○ Cavaletti Collection
Shopping With You! Hourly Rate - $85 flat fee for up to first hour, $55/hour after that
Consignment Inventory
- Iron Tree Saddle Fitting is an approved dealer and fitter for Bliss of London, Loxley by Bliss, and the Cavaletti Collection lines of saddles, and would be happy to answer any questions or schedule a fitting evaluation to try any of my current demos.
Shopping With You! Hourly Rate - $85 flat fee for up to first hour, $55/hour after that
- Saddle shopping can be overwhelming even after having a saddle fitter come out and see you and your horse. I've recently started offering a service, for those that are interested, where I go to local tack/consignment shop(s) with you and help you select saddles that could be a good fit for you and your horse to trial and/or buy outright. Another appointment where I see you riding in the saddle should follow within the next few days (or be within the trial period, if applicable).
- Must have recently had a dynamic saddle fit appointment (within last 3-4 weeks) to qualify so that current tracings and videos/photos are available.
- Will go with groups as well if everyone is going to the same destination!
Consignment Inventory
- Coming soon! I will eventually have a small inventory of high quality saddles for clients to try on their horses.
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