This is a guest blog by Laura Nickel of Amayzing Saddlery Ltd. Laura is a Qualified Saddler and Qualified Saddle Fitter of the Society of Master Saddlers in the UK, explaining some of the differences between a Qualified Saddler and a Qualified Saddle Fitter.
If you prefer watching or listening, please click on the video above. If you prefer reading, please keep scrolling.
For new, views, and exclusive deals, subscribe to our free newsletter.
Hello everyone! I’m Laura Nickel. I’m a Qualified Saddler and Qualified Saddle Fitter of the Society of Master Saddlers in the UK. I’ve been in the saddlery industry for almost 20 years. I began my training in Walsall in 2004, then started my company, Amayzing Saddlery Ltd, in 2006 up here on the west coast of Scotland. A massive passion for welfare drives me to get the best out of our equine partners. I have been humbled hugely by the response to my work. I have won several awards, including the Bliss of London’s World favourite Saddle Fitter in 2019 and being awarded Saddle Fitter of the Year 2021 at the Equestrian Business Awards.
A little about me: I’ve been riding for over 30 years and am privileged to own two beautiful horses. I have Star, my elderly retired Thoroughbred cross, and Betty, my Cob cross, who’s a fantastic all-rounder and is always up for a good gallop up a hill, pop of a fence or a dressage test. I also train in Muay Thai and HEMA, which stands for Historical European Martial Arts.
I’m obsessed with equine biomechanics and how horses develop compensatory movement patterns, which can result in some common saddle-related problems. I regularly work with ACPAT physios (the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy), vets and farriers to get the optimum results for our horses. As a Qualified Saddle Fitter, I feel it is my job to help bring you and your horse together. You should never sit in your saddle and constantly think about your saddle! I thoroughly enjoy helping trainee saddle fitters on their journeys and love to share my knowledge in any way I can. I’m always striving to learn more. Soon, I’ll return to Iceland for some fantastic saddle-fitting experiences, so watch this space!
For new, views, and exclusive deals, subscribe to our free newsletter.
What does a Saddler do?
A Saddler is a person who makes saddles, bridles and equestrian leather goods. If you ever need a saddle checked or repaired, your local saddler should do this. To become an SMS Qualified Saddler, we have undergone five exams, usually working over many years honing our skills. It took me four years to complete, including two years at college, which was sadly shut down before I could complete my third year. There are over 75 processes that go into making a saddle. A Qualified Saddler must perfect these skills and be able to design saddlery patterns, understand straining trees for individual riders, and adjust designs for different tree shapes. They must be able to make saddles from scratch and do a timed exam to show that skills in these areas can be done under a demanding schedule so that it could be applied in a factory setting. Bridle fitting has these same exams, making a bridle to spec as requested and then taking a timed exam to show that a piece can be made within a time frame to a high standard to pass the exam. All exams have a written assessment, a pre-made element, and a timed exam. It is thorough and stressful but is also hugely rewarding.
Master Saddler is awarded to those showing exceptional skills in the craft and who have proven outstanding quality in their work. They will have the same qualifications as a Qualified Saddler. A Qualified Saddler will undertake your repairs and check your saddle to see if it has been dropped or has had any accidents. You’ll also regularly catch me repairing leather chaps, flaps, gun bags, and various leatherworking repairs. We Qualified Saddlers can turn our hoof to quite a lot! It’s a great skill set and a hugely rewarding side to the job.
For new, views, and exclusive deals, subscribe to our free newsletter.
What does an SMS Qualified Saddle Fitter do?
An SMS Qualified Saddle Fitter has waited at least three years after taking the Introduction to Saddle Fitting course. They will ideally have trained under a mentor for those three years as a trainee and then be invited to take the qualifying course and the saddle fitting exam. It’s all very stressful, I assure you! The exam has a written assessment, a practical of two saddle fittings, an evaluation in conformation, templating, gait analysis, saddle faults and unusual saddles. However, this is usually just the beginning. A Qualified Saddle Fitter’s job is not simply to place a saddle on, say it fits, and then go on their jolly way. There are many procedures a saddle fitter should undertake when evaluating your horse for assessment. Here are a few of the main ones. At the end of each fitting, you should get some paperwork showing all elements discussed and what has been done and fitted to help keep it fresh in your mind and theirs for the next time!
Conformation
Your saddle fitter will assess on the ground and discuss with you the problems they may face fitting your horse. This is so you understand your horse better, and it may help explain current issues or concerns you’ve had in the past. For example, a horse that is downhill or has an upright shoulder may well cause a forward saddle slip. The more you know and the more they see, the better the Qualified Saddle Fitter can ascertain the best way forward before a saddle is even on the horse’s back!
Templating
Your Qualified Saddle Fitter will template your horse every time they see it. Usually, four templates will be taken every time. This gives us an idea of what the horse is like when standing still on the day. It will show us irregularity in muscle and shape that may affect how we fit your horse. It can be very helpful if your horse shows potential for rapid changes. For example, we’ve had one go up two width fittings in six weeks during rehab, which was easily demonstrated and documented by templating. I also personally love seeing the development of the horse over the years. I have records of some horses for over 15 years now. The changes they go through in injury and growth and growing older are incredible!
Back assessment
We will assess for any tightness or discomfort your horse may feel in its back. We are not here to be physios or vets, but if we find a concerning amount of discomfort, we may cease to continue the fitting. The back assessment will also alert us to lumps and bumps under the saddle, and any problems we may find can be documented for further referral.
Gait analysis
Gait analysis is so, so important. This is looking at how your horse moves. I always say, “ I’m not here to fit the horse STANDING in front of me” It is very different when you sit on it, and it moves through its back. I do a brief flexibility assessment, as it shows me how mobile your horse is without you on board, and it gives me a better idea of how they will be under saddle to fit their shape. However, walking and trotting up will help me consider many things. Is saddle slip likely? How well do they track up? Is the horse using its back correctly and landing properly? Does it twist or dish? How will these factors affect the saddle I place on its back? How will that, in turn, affect the rider? That will then affect the horse!
Saddle choice
The saddle will be chosen on the appropriate TREE shape for the horse. This is vitally important, and adjustable headplates aren’t always the best choice. If the tree does not fit your horse’s back shape correctly, it does not matter how often you change the bar; it will be unsuitable. Your saddle fitter should be able to select a saddle with a suitable tree shape for the horse you ride based on their assessments up to this point. If your horse is extremely wide, your saddle must accommodate the horse’s back shape, first and foremost. It can be difficult for the rider to adapt to this. I always say that if you sit on your horse bareback and then sit on them with a saddle, and you feel much narrower in your saddle, your saddle may be too narrow too. Vice versa, if the saddle is too wide when your horse has a high wither. Your horse cannot speak. You can tell me you’re uncomfortable, but your horse cannot. We see many things online about riders’ accommodation for comfort. I appreciate that I must make you feel comfortable, too, but it is more important to me that your horse as the silent party gets the best. They cannot say when a saddle pinches, and we see so many horses fitted to narrow saddles that they do not suit to accommodate a rider. So please consider this in your choice of equine. It’s important that you work together as a team. We will also assess you as the rider. The flaps must fit and suit your leg length, and the stirrup bar must be in the correct place for your seat and positioned for whatever discipline you wish to do. Finding the proper balance of these aspects is important for Qualified Saddle Fitters.
Ridden Assessment
I will always see you ride, regardless of the weather or how tired we are. You’ll need to ride for every saddle fitting unless there is a valid reason why not, such as the stage of rehabilitation your horse is in. Riding your horse is vital at every check and in ensuring saddle fit if you buy a secondhand or new saddle. This gives us a good idea of whether the saddles selected are suitable and shows any problems that may arise, such as saddle slip, running forward, or running back. All of these will be explained and discussed during your ridden assessment. If you’re trying saddles to buy or getting your own refitted, you may have to dismount for changes to be made and then mount again to retry. We should be on hand if any problems arise, and with today’s technology, a video or a couple of photos can be hugely helpful to help us assist you with any issues. We should be caring about your horse as much as you do. This is one area where our notes and videos that we take on the day can help, as we can refer back to them to see if the problem is new or was likely to prop up from what we saw on the day. A Qualified Saddle Fitter’s education never ends. We pride ourselves on continuing to evolve with new research that is always coming out, making us strive to do better and be better for the welfare of the horse.
Conclusion
I hope you have found this article interesting and informative. We always have much to discuss in saddlery; it is an ever-evolving line of work. I’m constantly learning. These aspects I’ve discussed are just some food for thought on your next visit from your saddle fitter or when you next need a saddlery repair. Hopefully, this article has been helpful to you and has made more sense of the differences between the jobs Qualified Saddler and Qualified Saddle Fitter, which can get very confusing, as well as the roles of each in everyday requirements. I’m always happy for suggestions on what you’d like covered and help with, and if you have any questions, please drop me a message. As you can probably tell, saddlery and equine welfare are huge passions of mine. Thank you for your time. Laura Nickel, SMS QS, SMS QSF, Amayzing Saddlery Ltd.
For new, views, and exclusive deals, subscribe to our free newsletter.
Sue Palmer MCSP, aka The Horse Physio, is an award-winning author, educator, and Chartered Physiotherapist. Sue specialises in understanding the links between equine pain and behaviour, focusing on prevention, partnership and performance. She promotes the kind and fair treatment of horses through empathetic education, and is registered with the RAMP, the ACPAT, the IHA, the CSP and the HCPC.
You can find The Horse Physio on the web, on Facebook, on Instagram, and on YouTube, book an online consultation, or take a look at Sue’s online courses.
Horse Health Check: The 10-Point Plan for Physical Wellness
Head to Hoof: An Introduction to Horse Massage
Horse Massage for Horse Owners
Stretching Your Horse: A Guide to Keeping Your Equine Friend Happy and Healthy
Harmonious Horsemanship, co-authored with Dr Sue Dyson
Understanding Horse Performance: Brain, Pain or Training?
Horse Massage for Horse Owners
Thank you for your interest in this post; I appreciate your time and am grateful you chose to spend it with me. If you found value in this article, please support me by liking, subscribing, following, and sharing it on your favourite social media platform, and turn on the relevant notifications for future content from The Horse Physio. Please also take a moment to subscribe to my newsletter. Your support means the world to me, and it helps me continue creating content that matters to you.
