DC Saddlery

Professional saddle fitting across Staffordshire, Shropshire, the West Midlands & South Cheshire.

Saddle checks, sales and E-Stride Harmony pressure mapping to support horse comfort and performance.

01/10/2026

Another one passed! 🎉🐴

I’m so pleased to say that Case Study 6 – Darcie – has officially PASSED! ❤️

This was such an interesting case for me because Darcie originally presented with her saddle slipping. During my assessment I identified an area of muscle atrophy which was affecting the stability of the saddle, and corrective shimming made a noticeable difference.

Really pleased with the feedback from my assessor:

⭐ “Good work on this case study Deanna, you have made a great assessment of the saddle and made suitable recommendations.”

There were also some really useful development points for me to take forward, including looking at ways to minimise the amount of shimming required and exploring alternative tree widths/panel options at Darcie’s next assessment.

That’s exactly why I’m enjoying these case studies so much — it’s not just about passing them, it’s about learning from every horse and continuing to develop my eye and my fitting decisions.

6 passed… 4 to go! 🥳

Thank you again to Darcie and her lovely owners for being part of my journey. ❤️🐴 Kathryn Lycett & Sophie

DC Saddlery
Independent Saddle Fitting • New & Second-Hand Saddles

26/09/2026

Meet Gus and his lovely rider Taran 🐴💙

Taran has only had Gus on loan for a few weeks, but knew straight away that she wasn’t happy in the Wintec saddle he came with. She felt tipped forwards and just couldn’t get comfortable.

On assessment, it was far too wide for him with insufficient wither clearance and the wrong shape for him, so we tried some alternatives. The Albion K2 GP was the favourite for them both, and it was lovely to see Gus moving more freely and Taran feeling comfortable and balanced.

This video shows a little before and after and the difference a saddle can make 😊

Helping both horse and rider feel happier together is exactly why I love doing this 🥰

Looking forward to seeing how this new partnership gets on!

DC Saddlery

14/09/2026

A case study call-out!

I’m getting closer to completing the 10 case studies required as part of my saddle fitting qualification, but I’m still looking for a couple more horse and rider combinations to complete the set.

I’ve been incredibly lucky to have lots of people offer their horses already (thank you! 🥰), but some of the cases have been quite similar. I’d really like to use this opportunity to work with as many different horses, shapes and saddle-fitting challenges as possible.

So I’d particularly love to hear from you if you have something a little different — perhaps:

🐴 An unusual conformation or asymmetry
🐴 A saddle that slips, moves or just doesn’t seem quite right
🐴 A horse that has changed shape significantly
🐴 A youngster developing and changing
🐴 A horse returning to work or going through rehabilitation
🐴 A horse showing changes in movement or behaviour under saddle
🐴 Or simply a horse/saddle combination that presents an interesting fitting challenge!

Case studies involve a thorough assessment of horse, saddle and rider, including static and ridden assessment where appropriate, with pressure mapping technology available where it would add useful information.

If you think your horse could make an interesting case, send me a message with a little information and a couple of photos. 💙

Nearly there… the final push towards 10! 🐴📚

13/09/2026

🐴💙 HALFWAY THERE! 💙🐴

A little milestone for me today… Case Study No. 5 has PASSED! 🎉

This case study was the lovely Ruby, and she certainly gave me plenty to think about and learn from along the way! From assessing her conformation and asymmetries to looking closely at her existing saddle fit and finding a more suitable option for both Ruby and Hattie.

Passing number 5 means I’m officially HALFWAY through my 10 case studies and another big step closer to completing my saddle fitting qualification. 🎓🐴

It’s lovely looking back at how much I’ve learnt from each individual horse already — no two have been the same, which is exactly why I love doing this.

5 down… 5 to go! 🙌🐴

08/09/2026

CASE STUDY 4 — PASSED! ✅🙌🏻

Absolutely delighted to say I’ve passed another saddle fitting case study — this time with the lovely Cassie & her rider Isla 🤎

Cassie was a really interesting case. She had been ridden in a borrowed saddle which, on assessment, was too wide through the front, causing it to drop down and sit out of balance.

After assessing Cassie’s conformation, saddle-bearing area, shoulders and taking templates, we trialled a 16.5” Cavaletti Jump Saddle. Her template indicated the blue gullet bar, and the difference was lovely to see.

The new saddle gave us:
✨ Improved overall balance
✨ Better support through the front
✨ Good wither and spinal clearance
✨ Freedom around her shoulders
✨ Even panel contact
✨ A much more stable fit

But saddle fitting is about both horse and rider, and one of the nicest parts of this case study was hearing the difference Isla could feel too. 🥰

Isla said she feels much more comfortable in the new saddle and now feels like she is sitting in the saddle rather than sitting on it. A lovely example of how the right saddle can improve the balance and comfort of the whole horse-and-rider combination. 🐴❤️

Another case study passed and another step closer to completing my qualification! 🎓🐴

A huge thank you to Cassie, Isla and Claire for allowing me to use them for my training and case study. 🤍

DC Saddlery
🐴 Saddle fitting & assessments
📍 Stafford & surrounding areas
📱 07738 625325

06/09/2026

A lovely afternoon of saddle fitting!

I’ve spent this afternoon working with three lovely horses and their riders, all of whom will be featuring in my upcoming case studies as I continue working towards my saddle fitting qualification.

Three very different horses, with different shapes, saddles and individual considerations — which is exactly what makes this journey so interesting! 🥰

Lots of assessing, measuring, checking saddle fit and watching horse and rider together, with plenty for me to take away and write up now! 📚🐴

A huge thank you to their owners for giving me their time and trusting me with their horses. It really is appreciated. 💙

Now for the paperwork… 😂💻

02/09/2026

🎉 100 FOLLOWERS! 🎉

A little milestone for DC Saddlery, but one that means a lot to me!

I only started this page to share my journey into saddle fitting, the horses I meet along the way and everything I’m learning as I work towards my qualification… and somehow there are now 100 of you following along! 🥰

Thank you to everyone who has followed, shared, recommended me, trusted me with their horses or simply supported me so far.

There’s lots more to come from DC Saddlery… and hopefully many more horses to help along the way! 🐴💙

Here’s to the next 100! 🥂

28/08/2026

Fixed Tree vs Adjustable Tree

One question I often get is: what’s the difference between a fixed-tree saddle and an adjustable one?

🔹 Fixed tree
The width and angle of the tree are manufactured at a set specification. Depending on the saddle, a skilled saddler may be able to make limited adjustments, but it isn’t designed for regular width changes.

The good: ✔️
Can offer excellent stability and consistency when the tree shape and width suit the horse.

The downside: ❌
If your horse changes shape significantly, there’s less flexibility to alter the width and a different saddle may eventually be needed.

🔹 Adjustable tree
Usually uses interchangeable gullet bars or another adjustment system, allowing the front width/angle of the saddle to be altered as the horse changes.

The good: ✔️
Really useful for youngsters, horses changing condition, or those building muscle through training or rehabilitation.

The downside: ❌
Adjustable doesn’t mean it will fit every horse! Changing the gullet width doesn’t change the entire tree shape, panel profile or overall relationship of the saddle to the horse. Sometimes the correct-looking gullet bar still won’t make that particular saddle suitable.

💙 The important bit?
Neither is automatically better. Whether fixed or adjustable, the tree shape, width, balance, panel contact and overall fit still need to suit the individual horse.

A changeable gullet gives us another adjustment option — not a one-saddle-fits-all solution. 🐴

24/08/2026

This is what’s it’s all about 🥰

I have been working with Isla and her new horse Cassie for a couple of weeks now and yesterday she went out to her first competition in the new saddle….words from Isla ‘I feel like I’m sitting in the saddle rather than on it’ and they bagged a very well deserved 3rd place ❤️🙌🏻

Everyone knows I am working my way to my full qualification with these case studies and I am very lucky that you are trusting me with your horses and riders…and reviews like this one make me happy that I am going in the direction I want where I am helping the horses comfort and the riders ability.

It’s amazing the difference the right saddle can make 🌸

19/08/2026

Case study No. 3 submitted 🥰🐴 and this one was a little more personal to me… it was on my own girl, Bonnie 🌸

Bonnie is currently going through her rehab after having steroid injections in her spine, so being able to use her as one of my case studies has given me the opportunity to look closely at her conformation, movement and saddle fit, and really put everything I’m learning into practice on a horse I know so well.

Three submitted, number four underway… slowly but surely getting there! 🙌🏻

Address

Stafford

Website

http://www.dcsaddlery.co.uk/

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