Hannah is a qualified Horse1st Remedial Saddle Fitter, she thoroughly assesses both your horse and saddle independently looking for any factors which may affect the fit of the saddle. She takes into consideration many factors when examining your horse including; conformation, history, any injuries, asymmetry and behaviour.
Holistic Saddle Fitting
What to expect during the consultation:
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Your horse will be examined statically and in movement, where possible on hard ground and a soft surface
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Your saddle will be evaluated
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Your saddle will be fitted to your horse and the findings will be discussed
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You will then be asked to ride in your saddle whilst I make notes to conclude the evaluation
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The evaluation will be discussed
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If your saddle is causing your horse discomfort, options will be discussed. A trial and error process will take place, where possible with my materials to ease any discomfort
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Throughout the whole process, I will be watching your horse for any signals they are giving to indicate the level of comfort, range of movement, attitude and happiness under saddle. My goal is to ensure your saddle fits correctly, giving room for the muscles to breathe, allowing for full range of movement without restriction and ensuring the saddle compliments the movement of your horse.
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The session will be interactive as you will be asked to look at and feel your horse's body to help you understand, enabling you to look for this in your horse yourself. You will then be able to detect when your horse is in need of bodywork, and if necessary the saddle adjusting.
You can expect a detailed evaluation of your horse's body and how your saddle is affecting performance. She will explain any suspected correlation between areas of your saddle and parts of the body it is affecting.
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I cannot stress the importance of good saddle fit and a tension free body enough! If you suspect your current saddle isn't quite right then you are most likely correct. Your horse will be communicating this to you, which is why your gut feeling is telling you something isn't right.
Made to Measure Saddles
I'm absolutely delighted to be bringing this beautiful saddle range to you! I'm always looking for the best saddles for the horse and happily found XO Saddles to work with. I've always had trouble fitting Phoenix, my 14.2 Arab x Welsh mare until trying the Andromeda Dressage model. She instantly went better in it and it did not move, whereas every other saddle has slid forwards on her no matter what I tried.
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I really like these models because of the horse-first design, which include:
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Wide gullet the full length of the saddle giving the spine plenty of clearance
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Room for the horse’s shoulders to move freely without restriction
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Flat panels giving a wider surface area, reducing the risk of gusset & panel pressure points
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Serge panel option (my preference)
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Wooden tree designed with both horse & rider in mind
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Seat & leg position for the rider
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Monoflap design giving a close contact feel
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Very comfortable seat & knee rolls
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Beautiful soft leather
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The ride it gives, you can feel every movement in your horse
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A more content & happier horse moving more comfortably and freely
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Made with love here in the UK
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There is a saddle to suit every English discipline and every horse shape. There is a great variety of tree options to suit your horse specifically. You'll be guided every step of the way. Saddle production time is currently 6 weeks.
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The saddle maker XO Saddles pride themselves on horse first design and comfort, as well as stunning quality which is very much in line with my own ethos. They too take a holistic approach to saddle fitting. I'm really excited about this partnership!
View the range of made to measure saddles on offer...
Including the exciting new Paulo Santos Saddle, perfect for Classical Dressage, Working Equitation & Hacking
Paulo Santos Dressage Saddle
Working Equitation Saddle
Paulo Santos Dressage Saddle