24/10/2026
Every day is a school day, and the day I stop learning is the day I give up! 🐴📚
A month or so ago, I went out to fit a saddle for an unbacked Welsh x Highland who was with his backer. The owner was also present, which made it the perfect opportunity to discuss everything with both the owner and the person backing him. 🤝
We found a saddle that fitted the pony and suited the owner, who had some accessories from a previous horse. We fitted the saddle with a pad and a girth with a little extra grip to help with stability.
However, when it came to getting on, the pony showed some reluctance. His backer decided to try her own GP saddle, and he was much happier.
My plan was to return and carry out a dynamic fit once he was in work, so that’s exactly what I did!
I couldn’t see any obvious issues with the saddle, so we worked through everything methodically, changing one thing at a time.
First, we tried a different saddle with the girth and pad he had been happy with. Then we tried the same saddle again but swapped to the slightly grippy pad we’d originally fitted with his new saddle.
BINGO! 💡
It was like switching on a light!
His back came up, and he became reluctant to move forwards.
We then tried the new saddle with a regular pad and girth, and he was absolutely fine again.
So, what did this teach me?
It reinforced the importance of looking at the whole picture and never assuming that because a saddle fits, everything else in the setup must be right.
Sometimes, it’s not the saddle itself. Sometimes, it’s the combination of saddle, pad, girth and horse.
And sometimes, you have to go back, reassess and be prepared to learn something new.
This is why I love what I do. Every horse is an individual, and every fitting is an opportunity to learn something.
Never stop asking questions, never stop observing, and never stop learning. ❤️
