Chine Equine Saddle & Bridle Fitting Services

Becoming an Albion Saddle Fitter Partner 🤝✨

I’ve just returned from two fantastic days at Albion Saddlemakers, where I explored their newest saddle innovations, learned about their advanced tree technology, precision saddle fitting and toured their incredible Walsall factory. Watching the Kontinuum and Unity saddles being ridden—and sitting in several myself—was a real highlight. The comfort, balance, and craftsmanship are simply outstanding. ✨

The level of attention to detail, engineering excellence and bespoke adjustability in every Albion saddle genuinely impressed me. Their saddles offer a refined, supportive ride that meets the expectations of discerning riders seeking premium performance. 🐎💫

I’m thrilled to begin selecting my demo stock and officially start my journey as an Albion Partner. This partnership means access to their outstanding saddle collection, precision fitting capabilities, and ongoing professional development through their fitter training days.

For riders who demand exceptional quality—whether in dressage, showjumping, or eventing—I’m here to help you find a saddle that delivers both elegance and performance. ✨

🌞✨ Holiday Update! ✨🌞

Just a little advance notice… I’ll be off enjoying a summer holiday during the first two weeks of August! 🏖️🍹

If you’d like to book a bridle or saddle fitting for when I’m back, I’ll be taking appointments again from 17th August onwards. 🐴💛

Pop me a message anytime — I can’t wait to see you (and your lovely horses) when I return! 🌟😊

Is your Wintec, Arena or Bates saddle fitted correctly?

If your saddle is lifting at the back, shifting, or leaving your horse’s hair ruffled, there’s a good chance the gullet may be too wide 🐎✨

I recently spent a whole morning with Jude Capon from the Bates Team, reviewing the fit of several Arena and Bates saddles for my sponsored rider, Lucy Hewlett. One major takeaway was just how important correct gullet width is — and how differently Wintec, Arena and Bates saddles should be fitted compared to traditional flocked saddles.

These saddles are designed to fit much narrower, giving riders that lovely close contact feel 🤩. Their stability comes from the front, so once the width is right, the internal shim system can be used to fine tune the balance across the horse’s back.

It was such a pleasure refining my fitting skills with these unique saddles. And they’re already making a difference — just this weekend I fitted a couple of Wintec saddles, including one for a young Thoroughbred gelding who had been reluctant to go forward. With the correct gullet width and a rear shim for extra clearance, he became noticeably more forward going, and his rider was super pleased 🎉💛

If you’d like your saddle checked or refitted, get in touch and book in. 🐴💙

📣 Final July saddle‑fitting slots now open

I’ve just released my last two July appointments:
23 July — after 4pm
25 July — morning

If your horse’s comfort has been on your mind, now’s the moment to get booked in.
I offer:
• Saddle + bridle fit checks
• On‑site adjustments
• New + second‑hand saddle fittings
• Custom‑fit bridles

🔧 Adjustments available:
• On‑site flocking
• Full reflocks
• Gullet changes
• Balance + saddle‑slip corrections

📍 Covering Bristol, Bath & South Gloucestershire, with yard‑clinic travel available.

If you’ve noticed changes in your horse’s way of going, behaviour, or saddle balance, send me a message and I’ll get you into one of the final July slots ✨

A slightly different fitting for me this week… ✨

Meet Eidee - a new member of my own family🐴💛 She’s a young Thoroughbred who has recently finished her racing career and will now be enjoying a slower pace in life with me doing a bit of everything.

Having arrived without any tack, I had the pleasure of custom fitting a Finer Horse Evo Equine Bridle and an Arena GP Saddle. Although she stands tall at 16.1hh, she still has some filling out to do, being currently racing lean. To support her shape at this stage, I paired the Arena GP Saddle with a Wintec Riser Comfort Pad for extra clearance, comfort and stability. 🐚🪶

Eidee also has quite petite facial features and a narrow channel between her ear bulbs and wing of atlas. Part of custom bridle fitting is ensuring each of the five individual bridle pieces is the correct size. Interestingly, her bridle is mostly Cob sized, with the exception of the Full size headpiece. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the headpiece must sit neatly in that channel, distribute pressure evenly over the poll, and hang at the correct angle. 🎯

I’m still trialling different Evo Equine headpieces to find the perfect fit. In the photo below, you’ll see the Evo Equine MRK1 Headpiece. While generally a good match, it pushed slightly into her ear bulbs when ridden. Next, I’ll be trying the Super Soft Universal Headpiece, which is a little narrower and may suit her delicate features better. 🧵🌟

All of this highlights just how important a thorough dynamic assessment of tack is — both saddle and bridle! 🔍💼

Meet the Wintec Riser Comfort Pad — honestly, this little pad is magic! ✨

Its clever, structured shape basically creates a new topline for your horse, helping to smooth out all sorts of saddle-fit challenges.

I’ve been using it more and more lately for horses dealing with:
• Muscle atrophy
• A framed builds
• Shape changes from bracing, bloating, or tension
• Saddles creeping forward
• Saddles slipping sideways
• Needing a bit of extra lift for clearance or rider comfort

It’s worth every penny and genuinely makes a difference in both saddle fit and overall comfort for your horse. You can get it in all purpose/dressage or jump shapes too 🐎💙

https://wintec-saddles.co.uk/collections/fitting-products/products/wintec-riser-comfort-pad

If you’d like your saddle checked — or want to try this brilliant little pad — just give me a shout!

Wintec Riser Comfort Pad The Wintec Riser Comfort Pad features a discreet, low-profile design that provides lift and clearance along the entire length of the saddle. Its anatomically shaped structure includes a sculpted chamber that keeps the horse's spine clear, ensuring comfort and unrestricted movement without adding unn...

Send a message to learn more

✨ Special Summer Offer ✨

🔥 Free Saddle Fitting with every new saddle purchase over £1,000 — only for a limited time!

🌟 Elevate your riding experience with one of these gorgeous Arena or GFS saddles. Comfort, craftsmanship, and performance all in one stunning package.

🐎 Treat yourself (and your horse) to a saddle that truly fits — and enjoy expert fitting at no extra cost.

💛 Don’t miss out on this summer-exclusive deal. Book a saddle fitting now!

✨ The Magic of the Bates Advanta Jump Saddle & CAIR ✨

When I first met Loui — a 12 year old Belgian Warmblood gelding — about five months ago, his owner was understandably concerned. His saddle wasn’t fitting quite right, and he’d developed rub marks and protein bumps along his topline. Despite being ridden by a very capable rider, he was struggling to build muscle and didn’t feel entirely comfortable in his work. 🐴💭

After fitting him with a Bates Advanta Jump Saddle, things started to change. And seeing him again this week… he looked like a different horse (see before and after photos below). His topline is filling out, the protein bumps are almost gone, and he just seemed happier ridden. 💛💪

🏇 Why the Bates Advanta Jump Saddle Stands Out
The Bates Advanta is a monoflap jump saddle that gives a really close, connected feel. The adjustable knee blocks and ergonomic stirrup bar make it easy to find a natural, balanced position — something both horse and rider benefit from.

It also uses the CAIR Cushion System instead of traditional wool flocking. The CAIR panels move with the horse, spreading pressure evenly and allowing the back muscles to lift and work without restriction. Paired with the flexible Elastiflex Tree, it creates a setup that supports muscle development rather than blocking it. 🌿✨

For Loui, that combination seems to have made all the difference. I’m genuinely so happy for him and his owner who are able to
enjoy what they love doing together. 🥰🐎

If you’d like to try the Bates Advanta Jump Saddle or explore other saddles in the Bates or Arena range featuring the amazing CAIR system, feel free to book a fitting.

⚠️ Poll Pressure Alert
Be mindful of excessive pressure on the sensitive poll area caused by bridles where a thin noseband strap sits beneath the headpiece. This setup can create intensified, localised pressure, which may feel similar to the horse—when the reins are engaged—to having a drawstring bag digging into your shoulders 🎒😣

🐴 Why This Matters
I see this issue frequently, and it can influence a horse’s way of going. Pressure on the poll can lead to tension through the neck, which can then travel via muscle and fascial chains into the back and hindquarters, affecting overall movement and comfort.

🧩 Choosing the Right Headpiece
A one piece headpiece, where the noseband and cheekpieces attach directly, can help distribute pressure more evenly across a wider surface of the poll. However, horse heads vary enormously in shape, width, and contour, so not every headpiece will suit every horse.
This is why it’s essential to have a professional bridle fitter assess the space between the ear bulbs and the wing of the atlas. Not all bridles accommodate this anatomical area correctly, and a poor fit can undo even the best intentions.

✨ Why I Use Evo Equine Components
I love working with Evo Equine because their modular bridle system offers a wide range of headpiece shapes and sizes. Selecting the correct design is key to achieving optimal comfort, stability, and performance. As shown in the images below, their variety makes it possible to tailor the fit to each horse’s unique anatomy 🧠💡

🛠️ Bridle Checks Included
I include a bridle check in every saddle fitting appointment. If you’re concerned about your current bridle setup, book a bridle fitting to have it assessed and optimised. Sometimes, a single new component is all it takes to make a world of difference 🌟