Re: RC: Comfort saddle search

[Laney Humphrey <laneyh@mbay.net>]

Hi Tamara,
    Thanks for explaining how saddle fitting is done in the UK.
    I'm 99% certain, I'm the one Sharon Saare is referring to in her post but my
memory of my conversations with her fitter is somewhat different than how she
describes it.
    Whether or not it is me she is referring to, I did call to ask that the
fitter come to fit 2 horses.  We discussed the fact that he charges for a
fitting if a saddle is not purchased at the time of the fitting.  We negotiated
a date and time so that he could do several other fittings on the same trip
which was also to be a business trip for his "day" job.  In fact, my friend and
I agreed to a day and time that were less than convenient for either of us just
to accomodate him since he was coming some distance.  My friend did buy a saddle
(his 3rd Sharon Saare saddle) but I still had some reservations so I paid the
saddle fitting charge but did not order a saddle and considered that we had
upheld our end of the bargain.
    Saddles are in many ways works of art and, like painting or sculptures or
songs, once they leave their creator's workshop they take on a life of their
own.  It is really sad but true that the creator only gets paid once, the first
time a creation is sold but many, many people can continue to enjoy the art,
music or saddle.  Furthermore,  the price paid each time such a creation changes
hands can go up and up and up without any benefit to the creator except the
royalties that authors and composers receive.
    In my opinion, saddle makers who try to keep their saddle fit a mysterious
secret do themselves a disservice. People buy and sell used saddles for a
variety of reasons, money being the usual!  However, someone who has been
pleased with a used saddle may someday buy a new one directly from the maker
and, in the meantime, they will talk up their saddle to anyone interested which
can result in new saddle sales.  The endurance saddle market today is very
competitive with lots of choices of old established styles as well as new and
innovative saddles so saddlemakers have to become aggressive marketers which
means doing everything possible to attract and please clients.  And it also
means accepting the fact that a well made saddle, which Sharon Saare's certainly
are, is probably going to get bought and sold several times with no profit to
them. Also, in my opinion, Sharon and her fitters are doing, and charging for, 2
separate jobs: selling saddles and performing saddle fittings.  Everyone would
be happier if she would acknowledge the fact that people are going to buy used
saddles and if she would make it part of her marketing strategy to help them
identify the best fitting tree. Since her fitters already charge for their
fitting service, everyone would be happy and everything would be above board.
Cheers, Laney
Tamara Habberley wrote:

> 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


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