FAQs

Yes, we are!  Saddles Direct “The Saddle People” established 2004 are super proud to be affiliated to the Society of Master Saddlers, have Society of Master Saddlers Saddle Fitters both training and qualified. We also have MSFC saddle fitters, we are British Equestrian Trade Association members, and our director is on the retail committee.  We get involved with as many research projects as possible offering our facilities and services for free to grow knowledge within the saddle fitting sector. We are also members supporting the Federation of Small Businesses, so we are heavily involved with the horse industry and very proud of these affiliations.

Saddles Direct was founded in 2004 & was the first company to offer online saddle fitting advice and online saddle trials, we now offer a 2 story showroom for you to visit & a nationwide saddle fitting service with horse welfare always at the forefront of our ethos.

Yes, we do! Saddles Direct is proud to be a people brand hence our strap line “The Saddle People”. Our passion is horses, saddles and people so we have a shop full of beautiful saddles & accessories.  Make an appointment to come and browse, sit in saddle, and get helpful friendly advice about everything to do with saddles.

Yes please! Due to our set up at Myerscough Equine Arena, we are now strictly by Appointment Only for visitors.

We really want to live up to our name “The Saddle People” and to do that we need to offer you the very best experience in finding your perfect saddle or even selling your much-loved saddle. By having a pre-arranged appointment, we can make sure one of our super helpful and knowledgeable team can spend quality time with you. 

We don't hold stock of the new to order saddles, but we have hundreds of new and used saddles in stock for you to browse!

We have second-hand saddles in stock from Albion Saddles, Bates Saddles, Wintec Saddles, Kent and Masters saddles, Fairfax Saddles, Equipe Saddles, Thorowgood Saddles, Devoucoux Saddles, plus lots more Dressage, Jumping and GP Saddles for both horses and ponies.

Remember we are by appointment only for visitors, as at least half of our stock can be out with our network of saddle fitters at any time.

Yes, we have! Saddles Direct or “The Saddle People” as we love to say have a working saddlery we are not just an online business & we truly do not believe a true saddle company with horse welfare as their priority can be just online.  Our showroom is really a saddlery buzzing with saddle fitters, saddle fitting consultants and horsey owners trying to help each other find the perfect fitting saddle.  We are also on a beautiful complex with restaurants, a hotel, international arenas and a horse tread mill so you can really make a day of it.

Saddles Direct is based at a fantastic equestrian complex & our address is; Myerscough Equine Arena, Bilsborrow, PR3 0RY.

You have to pay three things to trial a saddle:

1. Security Deposit & Shipping (£25)
2. £10 Admin Fee (wavered if you purchase a saddle)
3. £25.00 Return Shipping

When you checkout using code SADDLETRIAL, it will automatically take off the cost of the cheapest saddle - so you only pay for the most expensive as a security deposit. Then you simply pay £25.00 for the shipping to get the saddles out to you.

We charge a £10.00 administration fee for the trial, which is deducted from your refund. However, this is wavered if you purchase a saddle.

The cost for the collection/return shipping is £25.00, which will be deducted from your final refund.

At the end of the trial, we will issue any refunds required once the saddle(s) have been returned and inspected.

Our new to order saddles can take up to 12 weeks, depending on the brand to arrive in with us. Once we receive them and check the saddle over, we send it out to you on next day delivery.

Our standard delivery for saddles is next day, and is tracked with DPD.

If we have the saddle in stock, we aim to dispatch on the same day, but orders placed after 12pm may be dispatched the next working day.

Our new saddles are ordered directly from the brands themselves, so are unavailable to trial. When you purchase a new saddle, it comes brand new and hasn't been trialled or sat in but it has been checked by our in-house saddle fitters.

For some of the adjustable brands, such as Bates, Wintec and Arena we can adjust the saddle to customise the fit using the HART systems, so you receive it exactly as you need, ready to ride.

Of course! Especially if you are looking for a performance saddle, we recommend coming and sitting in them on one of our saddle bucks in-store, to get a feel for them before you take them to trial.

Please let us know if you are planning to visit, so we can make sure the team can be on hand and we can have the saddles ready for you. Arrange a visit

Make sure you inspect the saddle when you receive it, and notify us immediately of any unexpected damage.

You are responsible for the saddle, for the duration of the trial. Any damages to the saddle incurred during your trial will result in a deduction from any refunds due.

If the saddle is returned to us in an unsaleable condition, or damaged beyond repair it will not be accepted, and you will be liable for an additional charge of £25 for us to resend the saddle to you.

You can insure the saddle(s) for accidental damage, theft, fire, flood, etc.

We endeavour to get saddle valuations back to you within 1-3 working days.

To get your saddle valuation as quickly as possible, it's important to have good clear pictures of your saddle ready before you start.

Yes, if you have had a valuation for your saddle and live local to us you can drop your saddle off at our shop to save the postage costs.  We are open Monday to Friday 9am - 4pm for saddle drop offs. 

It is impossible to say how long your saddle will take to sell, it all depends on what people are looking for, the fit of the saddle for both horse and rider and the current market conditions.  

Our commission rates are between 20-40% depending on many factors including saddle value, age, brand and condition. 

Yes if you change your mind and decide you want your saddle returning we can return your saddle to you providing it is not out on trial at the time.  If you want your saddle returning you will need to pay £20 for the return postage for your saddle. 

If you choose to sell your saddle with us, we will arrange the collection postage for you.

We charge £30 for the shipping, which is fully insured with DPD.

We can arrange for your saddle to be collected Monday-Friday 09:00-17:00. We will contact you to arrange the most suitable day.

You can arrange this through your account, once you've had your valuation, or you can contact our friendly customer services team on Tel: 01282 471911

Yes they are!  We have a whole range of qualifications within our nationwide saddle fitting team, some of our saddle fitters are independent, others employed, and their levels range from Society of master saddlers, Master Saddle Fitters, MSFC Qualified saddle fitters to those just starting on their journey with us to gain qualifications.  The most important thing is that we are all driven and passionate about horse welfare through finding the perfect fitting saddle for you and your horse.

Our saddle fitting fees vary depending where you live in the UK, how far we may have to travel and how many horses we are seeing on your yard.

The average saddle fitting is £75 for us to come to you, or £50 if you travel to us. We do offer discounted fittings for yard group bookings.

Saddle Fitters are scarce, and they spend an awfully long time training to become a saddle fitter which is very expensive.  They also have insurance, vehicles, running costs, membership fees, stock investment, advertising etc.  So actually a saddle fitting fee is absolutely crucial to ensure we keep attracting saddle fitters to the industry for the welfare of our horses.

The virtual saddle fitting service is perfect for people who don't know where to start and are unable to access a local saddle fitter.

• Photos of the horse stood square from various angles, with and without a saddle on.
• Your horse walking and trotting up in hand so we can see how the horse moves.
• A video of the horse being ridden and worked in your chosen discipline.

You may also be asked to purchase a Back Templating Kit, so we can see your horse's shape accurately.

This is not a replacement for an in-person fitting, and there is no way to guarantee fit without physically seeing the horse. But, it is better than guessing.

Saddles Direct aims for your saddle fitting appointment to be a positive experience. We want everything to run as smoothly as possible. For us to supply a great level of service to you, we have provided terms and conditions that you’ll need to agree when booking your fitting appointment.

These terms and conditions offer a level of protection for you and our business. Please make yourself aware of the terms and conditions.

Read the full Terms & Conditions