A saddle built around your horse
IDEAL’s Designed to Order service gives you the best of both worlds: an English saddle from a major, top-quality, innovative British manufacturer, plus an individual specification for you and your horse. It is the part of the IDEAL range we specialise in, because it is where careful remote fitting makes the biggest difference.
Rather than choosing the nearest fit from a shelf, we work with you to arrive at a specification — and the saddle is then built to it. For many horses, and especially hard-to-fit ones, that is what makes a genuinely good fit possible.
Why IDEAL
IDEAL is a market leader in the design and manufacture of fine English saddles and a member of the Society of Master Saddlers. It is based in Walsall, the traditional home of English saddlery. IDEAL is the one major UK manufacturer to specialise in made-to-order, which is precisely why it sits at the heart of what we do.
The range covers all disciplines, at all levels, for all riders — and the Designed to Order service extends that choice considerably. Saddles are traditionally built on a birchwood laminated frame with metal strapping and fixings, a foundation IDEAL considers the most versatile and robust, while their designs are continually refined in response to changes in breeding, training and competition.
What can be specified
The Designed to Order service offers a wide range of options for both fit and style. Depending on what your horse and you need, this may include:
For the horse
- A different tree to suit your horse’s shape
- Special girthing arrangements
- Custom panels
- Custom front and rear gussets
For the rider
- A narrower twist
- Flaps cut longer, shorter, straighter or more forward
- A deeper or shallower seat
- Different knee and thigh blocks, including on Velcro
- A comfort seat
- A square or round cantle
For appearance
Where you would like something a little special, options can include special leathers in full or part, contrast or patent piping and rolls, two-tone or coloured leather, contrast or decorative stitching and embossing. If you have seen a look you like, send us a photo and we can discuss creating it.
When Designed to Order is the right choice
Made-to-order is specialist rather than the cheapest route, so it suits situations where fit and specification genuinely matter:
- Horses that are simply hard to fit from standard stock
- Riders solving a persistent saddle-fit problem such as slipping or bridging
- Horses needing a particular tree, panel, balance or girthing solution
- Riders who want the seat, twist and flap to suit their own build and discipline
If your situation does not call for that level of specification, we will say so honestly. You can read more about value and pricing on our what it costs page.
Let’s talk about your horse
The best way to find out whether Designed to Order is right for you is a short, no-obligation conversation. Start your saddle enquiry and we will share our thoughts and ideas, or read more about the wider IDEAL range and how fitting works.