Rebecca of Willow Tree Saddle Fit provides professional saddle fitting services in New England and beyond
Services & Pricing
Fitting Appointments:
At all fitting appointments, I will assess your horse’s conformation and movement, take tracings, measurements, and photos. If you have a saddle, I will assess the fit while you are riding. I keep all records on file to track changes and provide you with a copy of your horse’s tracings. Appointments typically last between 45 mins- 1 hour.
Assess Your Current Saddle - $100
Measurements/ Evaluation with no saddle - $80
Recommend a New Saddle - $60
Spot Flocking (at your farm) - $30
Change of Gullet (I carry Bates and HDR gullets) - $10 plus cost of gullet
Travel Fees:
Beyond 30 miles from Putney, VT I charge a travel fee of 50 cents per mile beyond the 30th mile. This cost will be split between nearby clients.
Repairs at my Shop:
Strip Flocking - $250
Convert Foam panels to Wool - $150-250 depending on brand/difficulty
Billets - $40
About
Rebecca Hiam studied saddle fitting under Lise Kreiger of New England Saddle Fit, participating in her 6 month intensive program, the Saddle Fit Academy in Easthampton MA. Rebecca travels to clients throughout New England and beyond.
Ever since getting her own older Quarter Horse, Willow, as a kid Rebecca has been hooked on horses and trying to improve their lives. Willow enjoyed her retirement being ridden bare back around the dirt roads of southern Vermont. This bond with Willow inspired Rebecca to name her company after the first horse that sparked her interest in the equine world.
These days Rebecca has two horses at her home in Vermont. She is always curious to find new ways to make her horses more comfortable, relaxed, and connected. Saddle fitting was a piece of this puzzle that Rebecca was excited to dive into. She’s eager to share her expertise in saddle fitting, helping both horses and riders achieve greater comfort, relaxation, and optimal performance.
What is Saddle Fitting?
A saddle fitter is a professional who specializes in assessing and adjusting saddles to ensure they fit both the horse and the rider properly. They consider the horse’s conformation, muscle development, and movement patterns, as well as the rider’s position, comfort, and posture. Their role involves evaluating the fit of an existing saddle or recommending new ones that align with the horse’s specific needs and the rider’s preferences.
Saddle fit is crucial because an ill-fitting saddle can cause a variety of issues for both the horse and rider. For the horse, a poor fit can lead to discomfort, pain, or even injury. It may interfere with their movement, causing behavioral problems or long-term musculoskeletal issues. For the rider, an improperly fitted saddle can lead to discomfort, poor posture, and difficulty maintaining a stable seat, affecting both performance and safety.
A saddle fitter plays a key role in ensuring that both the horse and rider can perform at their best. By providing expert advice and custom adjustments, they help optimize the horse’s comfort, improve the rider’s balance, and enhance overall performance. Regular saddle fitting is important, as horses’ bodies change over time, requiring ongoing adjustments to maintain the best fit.
Signs that can indicate an ill-fitting saddle: girthiness, pinning ears during tacking, fidgeting during mounting, lack of forward movement, bucking, rearing, difficulty collecting, refusing jumps, sores or white spots, dry spots in sweat, difficulty developing topline or loss of topline, saddle slipping, tipping, or feeling like your seat is not level, the list goes on!
Contact
Please reach out to schedule an appointment, or with any questions. I’d love to hear from you!