Re: RC: Comfort saddle search

["Tamara Habberley" <tamarahabberley@hotmail.com>]

Hi

Sharon , no idea what the debate/ argument with celeste is about other than 
it appears to revolve around the time/cost to you of fitting a saddle.

Over here (UK) if an individual wishes to have a saddle fitted it is usual 
for the saddler to come out and fit the saddle to the horse ( Duh that helps 
doesnt it!). However, it is also usual for the saddler to quote a mileage 
fee to cover fuel and time expended, and to charge rental if a prospective 
purchaser wants to trial the saddle.

I tried a Balance GP and was charged £50 for the fitting ( called rather 
pretentiously a ('consultation'), plus £10 for petrol etc . the rep lived 
fairly close to me , petrol over heres a phonomenal price around £1.80 per 
litre. I hired the saddle and subsequently returned it as my horse went 
excellantly in a school in it but it shipped about on rides.

I now have a wintec GP fitted by a saddler . this , touch wood as Iv only 
had it a few weeks, is working really well. Again I paid for the fitting 
which was termed free of charge but the saddle was marked up £30 more then 
the usual retail price!

What Im trying to say long windedly is that if some one expects to try a 
saddle and utalise a proffessionals expertise they should be prepared to pay 
for the time and service provided , irrespective of if they but the saddle 
or not. Likewise, fitting a saddle to a horse to my mind should not imply 
that the horses rider is obliged to purchase that saddle.


tamara
>From: "Sharon Saare" <sharonsaare@dellnet.com>
>To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
>Subject: RC:  Comfort saddle search
>Date: Sat, 6 Nov 1999 18:37:50 -0600
>
>At the time Celeste called me about a saddle, I told her of our policy.  I 
>can't send a rep out to fit someone's horse unless
>they are prepared to do business withthe shop.  This has come about as a 
>result of many people running my reps wheels off...
>just to get a fitting, so they could buy someone else's saddle.  One 
>woman...a contributor to Ridecamp had my rep drive 400
>miles to --she told me--fit two horses for saddles.  He made the trip and 
>when he went to take her order she said she
>wanted to contact me directly.  She didn;'t...and when I called her...she 
>said she was still thinking about it...thus the change in
>policy.  If people want to bring a horse to us we can do a fitting for a 
>fee as it takes time and expertise.  But, we can't drive
>especially in California traffic...unless a party has checkbook in hand.
>Celeste knew this before she ever talked to Calif. rep.,...thus her post is 
>quite inaccurate of what occured.  She is not one of
>our clients....I don't know what she feels we owe her.
>I just a few minutes ago, returned from a 400 mile fitting trip myself.  
>But..the party was serious and appreciated what we have
>to offer...and will soon be riding a saddle that fits her horse.  All we 
>ask is if we make the effort to do something right, we
>expect the client to do the same.
>Sharon Saare

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