'Like a breath of fresh air' for Fell pony and her owner

''I haven’t been lucky enough to have horses all my life, so was thrilled when I got my lovely Fell pony 'Wanda'.  I had to use a saddle with an adjustable gullet as we knew that she would change shape as she hadn’t done a lot previously. A saddle fitter came out and suggested that as she is short-backed and very wide, she needed an XW gullet plate and a cob fit saddle, but the smallest size I could get was a 17” which was a little bit too long, but the only real option at the time. 

As she progressed I got a saddle fitter out again and bought a traditional wide fit working hunter style saddle which seemed OK, but, after a few months when the physio checked her, she noticed that she had some muscle wastage to her lower back that was being caused by the saddle. 

The barefoot trimmer we had begun to use also said that he felt that the uneven wear on her front hooves was due to the saddle not fitting correctly which was affecting her gait pattern. I began to look for a better saddle for her but this proved very difficult as, despite having a lot of advice and 3 different traditional saddle fitters out, none of the saddles seemed to fit properly - they all either slipped forwards or sideways, were too tight or were not comfortable for me.

I had thought about trying a treeless saddle but had heard mixed reports and also as I am just a ‘happy hacker’ I thought they might not be supportive enough for me. I did more research on the internet and came across the Solution Saddles website. I was very impressed with the saddle design and the fact that while the SMART saddles looked more like a traditional saddle, they were completely treeless and adaptable to any width of horse or pony. I contacted them and arranged a trial visit. 

The home consultation visit was like a breath of fresh air after the previous trials I had with traditional saddle fitters. The SMART Approved Advisor brought several different saddles for us to try and when we decided which was the most appropriate, I had the opportunity to keep and try the saddle to do what I normally do in real life (lots of hacking and a bit of schooling); I didn’t have to commit to buying a saddle after only being able to try it for half an hour in the school. 

The customer services team were extremely helpful, supportive and patient during the trial period, gave me lots of good advice and even allowed me to extend the trial period to try a different saddle when I felt that my original choice had not been quite right. It did take me a while to get used to the dressage length girth and tightening it up once mounted but even I have been able to manage that with practice!

I was a bit nervous about how it would feel having only ever ridden in treed saddles, but I was amazed at how secure and comfortable I felt while still being able to actually feel Wanda moving properly for the first time. Wanda now feels like she is walking actively rather than tip toeing as she was before. We have had the saddle about 6 weeks now and even my instructor has commented that she is lifting her back better as she is able to use her muscles properly. 

The cost of the saddle did seem a lot compared to the other saddles I had tried but the fact that it is an excellent quality UK-made saddle, and won’t need constant adjusting/reflocking, meant that it would be cost effective in the long term. I also won’t have the hassle and expense of buying/selling/part-exchanging saddles as I have had to do until now.  The fact that the SMART NATIVE VSD saddle is quite lightweight in comparison to a treed saddle is a bonus as well when having to lift it in and out of the car and carry it to the yard every day.  

Now that we have at last got a saddle that works for both Wanda and me, I am looking forward to improving my riding and Wanda’s schooling, and maybe might even try something a bit more adventurous than hacking in the future! To sum up I would say that SMART saddles are not just sports saddles, but are very versatile and suitable for a wide range of horses and riders.''

- Janet Milroy, Yorkshire

The SMART Saddle saved my horse's life!

''In a nutshell: The SMART saddle saved my horses life!

My horse, Billy, has EPSM as well as hock arthritis. At the early part of the year he was regularly tying up, sore and lacked condition. He was pretty much retired and we had discussed if it was cruel to keep him going any longer.

I then had a SMART Advisor out for my other horse and we discussed using the same SMART saddle on Billy him for the few rides that he did do, so we duly fitted the saddle to him. Within a couple of weeks the changes in him were plain to see; he had started gaining muscle and you could tell he was enjoying work again. Fast forward 5 months and he is a completely different horse; he's in work 5/6 days a week and even out jumping cross country courses again.

My SMART Advisor has been there for help and advice throughout - including remote fitting advice during lockdown. She has been honest and didn't give up on my hard-to-fit mare, even when all the standard options failed.''

~ Kerry Warner, Leeds

The Game Changer of the Saddle World

''I’ve owned Lenny, a 14hh, 10 year old cob, for 7 years. He everything I’ve ever wanted in a horse. 

We never seemed to have any problems up until I clipped his winter coat to discover white hairs where his saddle would have sat. I was obviously devastated and annoyed at myself that I hadn’t noticed beforehand, but he had never shown any signs of pain or discomfort. I got a physio out to treat his back and had booked an appointment with my saddler - then lockdown hit. This resulted in my appointment being cancelled and being unable to see Lenny for over 3 months (apart from the odd short visit every couple of weeks). 

When things started to get back to the "new normal", I rearranged the appointment. The saddler came out and we tried every saddle he carried with him but unfortunately couldn’t find one to fit both myself and Lenny. Lenny has a very short back and the maximum length saddle with a tree that he could have would be 16 inches. This caused problems for me as although I am petite, I am 5’6 and have relatively long legs meaning my knees went over the front of the saddle. The saddler recommended Solution Saddles and I contacted them emailed them straight away. 

Solution Saddles HQ were extremely helpful and responded quickly. We arranged for my local SMART Advisor to come out to see us 6 days later. My SMART Approved Advisor was absolutely amazing with Lenny and explained everything thoroughly. She answered all my questions in great depth and I couldn’t recommend her more. We did a test ride on that day and decided to take the SMART Eventer Saddle on a two week trial. After the first week I purchased it and it has been the best decision for both myself and Lenny. 

Lenny is now going the best he ever has while being in the best shape ever and we are both enjoying our work so much! 

He is so much freer in his movement and doesn’t feel restricted one bit. Lenny whinnies when I get him in from the field to go riding now so it definitely has his seal of approval! 

My SMART Advisor has checked up on us on multiple occasions to see how we are getting on, so if you are also looking for fantastic customer service, I would definitely recommend Solution Saddles. 

SMART saddles are worth every penny and I would recommend them to anyone; even those who don’t have the same issue as we previously had.''

~ Charlotte Flaws, Northumberland

The SMART start for young showjumper

''Having bought a just-backed 4 year-old Connemara as a prospective show jumping pony, we were, in need of a new saddle. With lots of growing to do, it was suggested that we should initially buy a cheap saddle. This seemed crazy to me, as when a young horse has weak back muscles, this is obviously the time that a perfectly fitting saddle is critical. I was at a loss at what to do, as I didn’t want to buy an expensive saddle that might need to be replaced in 6 months time.

Luckily, we were offered an Original Solution Jumping saddle to borrow as a stop-gap. Initially my daughter was a bit skeptical that a treeless saddle would offer anything like the support and performance she needed from a jumping saddle, however, she was quickly converted and so we decided to invest in a new SMART Pro Jump saddle. That was a few weeks ago and already we can see healthy back muscle starting to develop and my daughter reports that not only does her pony move freely beneath her, but the saddle feels extremely secure and is even more comfy to ride/jump in than the borrowed Original saddle.

With no fixed tree, it’s great to know that this saddle will continue to accommodate our pony’s growth and changes in shape and will hopefully give him the best start to a successful show jumping career – watch this space!

I should also mention that the customer care and support from Solution Saddles is exceptional; nothing ever seems to be too much trouble. Well done Solutions Saddles – great product, great service!''

~ Sara Bagshawe, Oxfordshire

"I can't recommend my SMART GP saddle enough!"

"I bought Yogi 18 months ago and have been struggling to find a saddle that fits us both. He has a big shoulder and is quite round and I am long in the leg from hip to knee, so any saddle we have tried previously only fits one of us. I’ve also had a lot of problems with saddles slipping due to his shape, making it uncomfortable for us both.

I’d been deliberating purchasing a SMART saddle for a while, due to the cost. I’ve now had my new SMART GP saddle for 2 weeks and already feel the cost is very justified! - The adjustable knee blocks really help me fit comfortably in the saddle and the flexible base ensures it stays put for the whole ride. Yogi feels so much happier in our new saddle, the flexible nature allows his large shoulder to move freely and for me the comfort is great. The SMART Approved Advisor was very helpful and patient when fitting & any help I have needed since has never been too much trouble.

I can’t recommend the SMART GP saddle enough!"

~ A very happy Katie & Yogi

The SMART solution for a growing, newly backed youngster

I decided to purchase a SMART saddle for my 4 year old ID who is still growing.  Being able to have a 'proper' saddle whilst not having to worry about it not fitting in 6 months time is a real bonus.

My mare had only been broken a month, but my SMART Approved Advisor was very patient and helpful throughout the fitting process. The trial period was invaluable for getting a good feel for the saddle and checking that it suited both me and my mare.

You would never know these are treeless saddles, they ride just like (if not better than) a traditional tree'd saddle. 

The SMART PRO Dressage saddle gives an amazing secure, comfortable and close-contact ride.

Janine Munt, Yorkshire

Socially distanced SMART saddle fitting a success!

" Our SMART Advisor was extremely helpful, from first point of contact, through consultation, to after sales care. She adhered well to social distancing during the appointment and asked many questions beforehand to determine the best saddles to bring on the day. 

The SMART Native VSD saddle is very comfortable for both me and my horse - he is young and green, but our SMART Advisor was very patient with us both! "

 ~ Eve Waterhouse