
THE SADDLER'S TECHNIQUE
SADDLE FITTING COURSES FOR PROFESSIONALS & HORSE OWNERS, BROUGHT TO YOU BY MARIA SCORE OF THE WESTERN SADDLER

For more information on any of the following courses, or to book
+44 (0)7725 137737

THE WESTERN SADDLER COURSE
This is the course to consider if you wish to train to work as a consultant saddle fitter with The Western Saddler Ltd.
This ‘Western & Treeless Saddle Fitting Course’, is an in-depth and highly detailed course, designed to teach inquisitive, questioning, horse lovers everything they will need to know about western and treeless saddle fitting to help horses be as comfortable as possible.
Horses are not designed to be ridden, and this course will comprehensively teach exactly how to fit saddles, trees, templates, saddle pads, cinches, and any other related equipment to help horses be as comfortable as possible.
At the end of this course you should be able to confidently fit western and treeless saddles and, if passed, be a part of a team of likeminded horse lovers working as a supportive team alongside The Western Saddler.
The modules will cover the following (subject to change):
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Introduction, ethos and background
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Basic anatomy, physiology and biomechanics with conformation & movement evaluation
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Horse psychology incl pain and behaviour, handling clients horses & safety (taught with Ben Hart from Hart’s Horsemanship)
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Western saddle history; western saddle parts & styles; why choose a western saddle;
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Western saddle trees, different materials & styles
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Templates - different ones and how to use them
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Western saddles and measuring
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Western saddle pads
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Western cinches/girths
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The rider and assessing their needs
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Pre-Consultation information gathering
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Paperwork & Filling in the Forms
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The Consultation
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The Consultation - Evaluating the Horse
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The Consultation - Existing Saddle
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Evaluating the Saddle - No Rider
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Evaluating the Saddle - With Rider
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After the Consultation
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Problems
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People Skills
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Other Tack
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Other Items
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What Next
This course will be run over 6-8 weekends, spaced out over 7-9 months, with case studies and reading to be carried out in-between. The course will be run in the beautiful New Forest, Hampshire. UK., alongside The Western Saddler's own mixed herd of horses, which are: a Quarter Horse, an American Paint, a young American Paint, an Icelandic (gaited), a Lusitano, and two mules. These equines offer a wonderfully diverse range of shapes, sizes and temperaments to practice all manner of fittings with. It will also be arranged to go offsite onto yards to work with other horses. (There may be the possibility to bring your own horse too.)

THE EQUINE PROFESSIONAL'S COURSE
THE EQUINE PROFESSIONAL'S COURSE
Western & Treeless Saddle Fitting Course for Equine Bodywork Professionals aims to teach Equine Bodywork Professionals, English saddle fitters, and trainers, a comprehensive overview of how to recognise poor saddle fit, what to do, and also about cinches and padding. This course is designed to give the professional knowledge to educate their clients, and to help ascertain whether back issues are being caused by saddle, pad, or something else.
At the end of this course you should be able to identify a well-fitting and poorly fitting western saddle and know which pads and cinches help the horse stay more comfortable, and those that don’t and why. The modules are:
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Introduction
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Horse psychology incl pain and behaviour
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Western saddles and fit
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Western saddle pads
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Western cinches/girths
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Evaluating the Saddle - No Rider
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Evaluating the Saddle - With Rider
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This course will be run over 1 weekend. The course will be run in the beautiful New Forest, Hampshire. UK

SADDLE FITTING FOR HORSE OWNERS
WESTERN
The Western Saddle Fitting Course for horse owners aims to teach horse owners a comprehensive overview of how to recognise poor saddle fit, what to do, and also about cinches and padding. This course is designed to empower the horse owner with knowledge, saving them money in the long term, and most importantly, helping horses be more comfortable.
At the end of this course you should be able to identify a well-fitting and poorly fitting western saddle and know which pads and cinches help the horse stay more comfortable, and those that don’t and why. The modules cover the following:
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Introduction
-
Basic anatomy, physiology and biomechanics
-
Horse psychology incl pain and behaviour
-
Western saddles and fit
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Western saddle pads
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Western cinches/girths
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Evaluating the Saddle - No Rider
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Evaluating the Saddle - With Rider
This course will be run over one weekend. The course will be run in the beautiful New Forest, Hampshire. UK.

TREELESS
The Treeless Saddle Fitting Course for horse owners aims to teach horse owners a comprehensive overview of how to recognise poor treeless saddle fit, what to do, and also about girthing and padding. This course is designed to empower the horse owner with knowledge, saving them money in the long term, and most importantly, helping horses be more comfortable.
At the end of this course you should be able to identify a well-fitting and poorly fitting treeless saddle and know which pads and girths help the horse stay more comfortable, and those that don’t and why. The modules cover the following:
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Introduction
-
Basic anatomy, physiology and biomechanics
-
Horse psychology incl pain and behaviour
-
Treeless saddles and fit
-
Treeless saddle pads
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Treeless cinches/girths
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Evaluating the Saddle - No Rider
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Evaluating the Saddle - With Rider
This course will be run over one weekend. The course will be run in the beautiful New Forest, Hampshire. UK.