Saddle Fitting ~
Pre and Post Purchase
Demo saddles can be trialled here on-site in Woodend Victoria. There is a redeemable demo/fit fee of $60 per hour or part thereof after, with the first hour free: Tuesday to Friday, time to be arranged. If a new saddle purchase is made on the day then this fee is waived. It is also redeemable at a later date when a saddle order is received.
Alternatively, you can hire one of our demo saddles for a minimum of 10 days and really put it through its paces! Please see the Demo Saddles page for details. This is the best option as it really does let you know if the saddle will work long term for you and your horse/s.
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If you would rather take the plunge and take full advantage of our 10 day - no questions asked - return policy, that applies to all new saddles purchased from HEST (unless otherwise stated at time of order), then I am here to assist you with the fitting of your new saddle via email, phone, video etc. This applies to Ghost, Edix, Cavallin, Mattes, and Startrekk Treeless saddles only. You will need the assistance of an INDEPENDENT SADDLE FITTER for DP saddles.
My ability to assist you accurately, is highly dependent on the photos you provide. Please ensure that no strong shadows are being cast on your horse whilst making sure you are in good light. An overcast day is ideal. Please see example photos below. Please note these are not supposed to be examples of good or bad saddle fit, they are purely meant to be used as a "photo taking guide", so you can send in good usable photos for your saddle fit assessment. Please also see our wither tracing instructions further down this page.
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Please note that saddle fitters are not usually experienced with the fitting of treeless saddles so please consult with HEST with regards to saddle fit in this instance.
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Photo Instructions for Saddle Fit Assessment
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1) Make sure your horse is standing square and on even ground
2) Make sure your horses head is in a neutral position: not grazing
3) Make sure there are no shadows being cast on your horse or sun glare distorting the clarity of the images
4) Make sure your horses mane is not in the way
How to determine Pommel size for the Edix Saddles
Pommel template for English Saddles:
Pommel template for Western and all other Saddles:
EDIX Saddle Fitting: these instructions refer to Edix Western and all other models:
EDIX Saddle Fitting: these instructions refer to Edix English Models:
You can also hire the Edix pommel fit kit if preferred.
How to Measure your Horse's Saddle Support Area
This measurement is particularly important for short backed horses where the rider is wanting to purchase a western saddle. Western saddles usually start at around 23" front to back. Good Western saddles (like the ones sold by HEST) have a decent 'rock' (flair) to the tree front and rear, so weight bearing is considerably shorter than the actual length of the saddle. However it is always best to check the length of your horse's saddle support area. Please follow the instructions below.
