Sue Carson Saddles

Sue Carson Saddles are delighted to be working with Dressage Coaching UK.

The team at Sue Carson Saddles have more than 20 years of skills and expertise when it comes to hand crafting superior quality, made to measure saddles, bridles and accessories including girths, stirrups and stirrup leathers.

Whatever your discipline, from dressage to showjumping, cross-country to showing or general purpose, each bespoke saddle is lovingly designed and fitted by highly trained experts who really understand you and your horses needs. All the saddles balance comfort with style and performance.

The Sue Carson Saddles range ensures you have the ability to influence your horse’s performance.

With a Sue Carson Saddle, all the design features are interchangeable across the entire saddle range to provide the highest degree of comfort and freedom of movement for both horse and rider.

Each saddle created is totally bespoke to the individual horse and rider for a perfect fit every time, enabling you to maximise your partnership performance and ensuring neither of you has to compromise.

For further information contact Sue Carson Saddles on 01629 540343 or visit www.suecarsonsaddles.co.uk

When Fit and Quality Really Matters!

IN the last few years more and more horse owners around the world have started to realise the true importance of a correctly fitting saddle for both horse and rider.
Yes we all want value for money and a saddle that stands the test of time, but have you ever wondered why some saddles cost £1,000 while some can be twice as much.

Here we look at - 10 Reasons Why Your Saddle is a Sound Investment.

Top dressage rider and trainer Sue Carson offers advice on what to look for in your saddle when making a new purchase and the best process to go through to ensure an exacting fit for horse and rider.

1 – It is vital that you have a thorough consultation with your saddle fitter. This may take up to three hours but is time well spent to get the best end result. If required have your trainer and physiotherapist on hand at the same time.

2 – When your saddle is ready and finished, don’t simply allow it to be sent in the post, in the hope it will fit, make sure a return visit is part of the buying and fitting process.

3 – We all know that old saying ‘You get what you pay for’ and in any walk of life you have to pay for expertise. In an ideal world as well as being an experienced saddle fitter, the person providing the advice should also ride and compete, bringing another dimension to the whole experience.

4 – Making sure the saddle is created from the highest quality English leather and the craftsmanship behind the saddle is at the top of the skill level helps to result in a superior quality product.

5 – When having your saddle made, go for a supplier who can make a saddle where all design features are interchangeable across the entire saddle to provide the highest degree of comfort and freedom for the horse and support and security for the rider.

6 – Whatever your discipline, from dressage to showjumping, cross-country to showing, a bespoke saddle should be designed and fitted by highly trained experts who really understand your horses needs.

7 – Your saddle should balance comfort, with style and performance, helping to maximise your partnership and ensuring neither horse or rider have to compromise.

8 – Remember there is ‘leather’ and there is leather! Cheaper quality leather can have a tendency to be slippery, not great when in the saddle, and not the best policy to scrimp on quality in this instance.

9 – In all cases the tree and panels should be made to fit the horse and the seat, blocks and flaps to suit the rider. If your saddle comes with moveable blocks this ensures the saddle can be changed as a riders position improves and allows the saddle to be used in different disciplines.

10 – By following the nine points above and with experts on hand to check your saddle on a regular basis, the saddle should fit your horse whether a four-year-old or six years later as a 10-year-old, making it more than a sound investment. The team at Sue Carson Saddles can change the width of the saddle head two or three times in a saddle’s lifetime and can alter the Flair system as many times as required.