What remote saddle fitting is
Remote saddle fitting is a structured, advisory process for choosing and fitting a saddle when an experienced fitter cannot stand next to your horse. Instead of an in-person appointment, we gather careful evidence about your horse and you — through a back template, photographs, video, measurements and conversation — and use it to advise on a suitable IDEAL saddle and its specification.
It is not guesswork, and it is not simply selling a saddle by post. It combines modern communication with decades of genuine, hands-on experience of living with, riding and fitting horses. The quoted price for your saddle includes the saddle and the fitting, so you are paying for judgement and process, not just leather.
For the full step-by-step journey, see how it works.
Who it is for
Remote fitting tends to suit riders who:
- Have no reliable local saddle fitter, or none who stocks British-made saddles
- Live somewhere rural, remote or overseas
- Own a hard-to-fit horse — a wide cob, a high-withered horse, a short-backed type, a young horse changing shape or an older horse losing topline
- Have tried local saddles or fitters and remain unhappy
- Are dealing with a saddle-fit problem such as slipping, bridging or a sore back
- Already want an IDEAL saddle but need help with the model, width, seat, panels and tree
- Want a Designed to Order saddle and need guidance before committing
Who it is not for
We would rather be honest than win every enquiry. Remote fitting may not be the right route if:
- Your horse has a current or suspected pain, injury or welfare concern — that needs veterinary attention first, and our advice is not a substitute for veterinary advice
- A hands-on, in-person assessment is clearly required for your particular case
- You are unable to take a usable template, photographs or video, or to follow instructions carefully
- You need a saddle within a few days; made-to-order saddles take time to build
If remote fitting is not suitable for you, we will say so.
What you send us
The quality of the advice depends on the quality of the information. Early on, whatever you have easily to hand is fine — a few photos and a short video help us start the conversation. As we move towards a recommendation, we will ask for:
- A back template or tracing of your horse, taken to our instructions
- Specific photographs from set angles, showing the back, withers, shoulder and overall conformation
- A short video of your horse standing and, where helpful, moving
- Details of your horse — type, breed, age, condition and shape
- Details of you and your riding — discipline, level, your height, approximate weight and proportions, and any position or balance issues
- Any current saddle and any problems you are experiencing
We provide clear guidance on taking each of these so you are never left guessing.
How recommendations are made
We build a picture from everything you send and everything we discuss. From there we advise on the model, width, seat size, flap, panels, balance and tree that may suit both horse and rider. Because we specialise in IDEAL and its made-to-order service, the specification can be tailored closely to your horse rather than forced from a fixed shelf of stock. Nothing is ordered until you understand the recommendation and are comfortable to proceed.
Follow-up and aftercare
Fitting does not end at delivery. We follow up once your saddle arrives, we are reachable by phone, email or message, and adjustments can be made if your horse changes shape over time. Your purchase is backed by a full money-back guarantee and after-sales service — see our guarantee and aftercare page for details.
International suitability and honest limitations
We have advised, fitted and supplied saddles for riders across the UK and around the world, and the remote process is well proven. It works best when the evidence is good and the instructions are followed carefully. It is not a magic wand: some horses and some situations genuinely call for local, hands-on support, and where that is the case we will tell you plainly. The value of the remote process lies in careful evidence-gathering, honest advice and specialist IDEAL knowledge.
Ready to talk?
If this sounds like the help you need, the best first step is a short, no-obligation conversation. Start your saddle enquiry and we will reply with the next steps, or read more about how the process works.