Performance Saddlefits SSA

12/06/2025

Appointment available Victor Harbour area or anywhere on the way too/from this coming Thursday the 19th.

05/06/2025

20/05/2025

If you want to learn more about saddle fitting, Paula's next course will be starting soon!

If we know better, we can do better.

19/05/2025

We know you don't want to wait to ride your horse - so here's some great saddles available immediately! 🐴

17" Black, Black Country GPD - Classic Tree, XXW *Brand New* -$3500
17.5" Black, Black Country Eloquence - Classic Tree, Wide *Brand New* - $3800
17.5" Black, Black Country Eloquence - Classic Tree, Wide (smooth leather) - $3000
17" Black Tech 1 Dressage - Adjustable Tree, Wide - $2500
17" Brown Erreplus Connect - Adjustable Tree, Medium Wide - $6250
17" Brown Erreplus Elena - Adjustable Tree, Wide - $3000
18" Black Erreplus Vittoria - Adjustable Tree, Extra Wide - $3300
16.5" Brown Loxley Dressage - Warmblood Tree, Wide - $2800
18" Brown Harry Dabbs Jump - IB Tree (hoop), Extra Wide *Brand New* - $3500
17" Black Synthetic Cavaletti Dressage - Adjustable Tree - $900

19/05/2025

I'm a bit obsessed with pressure if I'm honest - maybe it's my veterinary training.
It's a bit terrifying when you start doing the math's on how much down force is being applied to your horses back with every step. It is no wonder that backs become atrophied from ill-fitting saddles.
The best thing we can do for our horses is ensure we maximize pressure distribution and reduce down forces.

16/05/2025

SO MUCH of what we see when we are out saddlefitting is preventable if only we caught it earlier - before it became a bigger problem.

There are so many 'if onlys' when we are out saddlefitting. And usually it is coming out of the mouths of our sad clients when we point out issues that we are seeing "if only I knew more about.....xyz"
OR
'' If only I had spotted that earlier"

Sometimes it's " I just didn't know that - and wish I did! "

This is NOT about knowledge shaming and it is SO hard to know what to say in a post, so that is actually going to INSPIRE people to search out knowledge, rather than making them feel guilty and shutting them down.

We 💯 want to help you to help your horses. We want your horses to be happy and comfortable. And we want you guys to be riding off into the sunset, thrilled and in love with a willing, healthy ponio.

So without overwhelming you or making you feel s**t, here is a short list that if you knew just a little bit more about, you could stop SO MANY of the big problems we come up against, by catching them when they are little....

1. How to 'feel' or palpate your horse's back/neck/hindquarters for soreness, tightness, or reactivity issues.

2. How to feel your saddle panels to pick up lumpy-bumpy, hard, inconsistent or hollow bits that need fixing. (our wish list is knowing how to do a complete Saddle Health Check - but we will start with being happy with your panels!)

3. Knowing how your saddle SHOULD FIT when it is in balance - you DON'T need to head out and become a Qualified fitter! But there are 11 simple Checks that you can run through in 10 mins to help you pick up when things are starting to go pear shaped!

4. Knowing what your horse's back profile and conformation is and what that means for the features he needs in a saddle (ESPECIALLY if you are going to head out and get a 2nd hand one.)

5. And if we could add one last one - it's knowing what your horse moves like in walk & trot in hand, when he is sound and healthy, so you can see if it changes.
Little changes, such as starting to plait in the hindlegs, going a little pidgeon-toed, swinging hindquarters out a bit, or not lifting his back as well are definite red flags for us to check out WHY.

Being well-educated about your horse, his needs, and his body strengths and weaknesses can help you manage his health and happiness, while he performs the tasks WE have required of him.

We hope this has inspired you, or made you a little curious, to go out, fill in some knowledge gaps and learn a few more skills -

- that ultimately can help you, help your horse♥️

14/05/2025

Current update on bookings:

With the current feed situation, alot of horses are not in work. As a result, I have increased availability from previous years.

Local clients can currently expect a booking within 1-2 weeks and slightly further out can be accommodated within the month (generally, pending numbers).

Currently fitting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and I'm happy to fit in around work hours where possible. Ofcourse it's dark early so that adds another layer of challenge, but we will make it happen.

Photo of sponsored rider Kirsty Van Loon Para Equestrian and her beautiful Red strutting it in their Erreplus WR 😍

14/05/2025

Naracoorte and Mount Gambier really put on the weather for me last weekend!
It was a fantastic trip meeting some new clients and catching up with some old.

There is another request to come down so I'm gathering names again for my next trip.

Either fitting your existing saddle or helping you find your new dream saddle, I'm here to help!

Horse welfare is my absolute top priority. I am experienced with the young, the spooky, the green and the fearful, so please don't feel your horse is "not ready" to be fitted. These are the horses that need me the most! And I am pretty good at making them love me 😉

22/04/2025

Limited Spaces Available ~ Enquire now if you'd like an appointment.

21/04/2025

A beautifully worded post on the struggles of working in the equine industry. These are things I've struggled with many times.

Our only goal is to help horses... yet there are so many challenges associated with that.

And somehow you always find yourself working when you've allocated "time off"...

These jobs are like no other.

The Harsh Realities of Being an Equine Practitioner
(And why we do it anyway)

There are days where this work can feel heavy no matter whether you are a vet, a Farrier, Dentist, Saddlefitter, Physio, or an equine health practitioner — not because of the horses, but because of everything that surrounds them.

🔸 You’ll be blamed for things outside your control.
🔸 You’ll pour hours into a horse’s well-being, only to be ghosted when it’s time to pay.
🔸 Your advice will be ignored, then quietly replaced by someone or something offering a ‘quick fix.’
🔸 You’ll miss meals, be on your feet for 10+ hours, give more than you charge for — and still get criticised for running 5 minutes late.
🔸 Your inbox will overflow with messages expecting free support
🔸 People will seek cheaper options, or flashier ones — without asking a single question about training, efficacy, research, methods, or insurance.
🔸 And those positive reviews you cherish? Sometimes they vanish without a word.

This job is demanding. Emotionally, physically, financially. But Equine Professionals show up — every single day — because we love the horses.

The rewards:
🔸 You will witness incredible changes in the horses you serve
🔸 You will build trust with the most sensitive souls
🔸 You will form amazing connections with incredible owners
🔸 You will grow stronger, smarter and more grounded through every challenge
🔸 You will make a difference - one horse, one human, one session at a time.

We believe in this work. And we know that the right clients, the ones who truly value their horses' long-term health, will see us for what we are:

Qualified
Dedicated
And utterly committed to better outcomes.

To those clients: thank you.
YOU are what keeps many of these practitioners and professionals going.

11/04/2025

What an amazing achievement by Lottie Fry!

Lottie rides in the Erreplus Connect Mono which provides the perfect balance between close contact for the rider and freedom of movement for the horse.

Once you know what to look for, you can see these saddles everywhere now 😁

Congratulations to Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale – FEI Dressage World Cup Champions!

We are proud to support your journey and celebrate this incredible achievement together.

09/04/2025

Did you know I'm also a rider?
I ride a beautiful, talented and slightly neurotic OTT mare. We've been known to do some dressage, jumping, low level eventing and trail riding.

This means, I know what you're going through! I've been through the saddle frustrations, I know how much you care and how much you want to keep riding.

It's what makes me a great fitter! I've had the big bellied horses that send everything forward, the shark fin TB, the sensitive horse that bucks when it's unhappy. I get the chance to test girths, half pads, stirrups, feel saddles first hand etc.

On that note, it also means I'm known to spend time with them. So I wanted to say thankyou for everyone being patient while I'm at a clinic this week. Competition season is also starting so please be mindful that I might be out on the weekends.

Bookings for May are abundant so don't be afraid to reach out for a fitting! I'll get back to you as soon as I can!