Mid Atlantic Saddlery and Tack Repair

09/14/2026

I mean, if Poppy Webber - Qualified Saddle Fitter says it is so, you know it is so!

Well. There we have it. Science has spoken.

After years of speculation, researchers at the highly respected Institute of Magnificent Saddle Research have finally confirmed what we’ve suspected all along.

People who get their saddles checked regularly are, in fact, cooler, sexier and happier than people who don’t.

Dr Neighomi Trotter described the findings as “conclusive”, before adding, “Phwoar. Look at them.”

Obviously I’m not one to argue with science.

So if your saddle hasn’t been checked for a while, this is no longer simply a matter of saddle fit.

Your entire cool-o-meter might also be at risk.

Please seek professional help immediately.

Look for the Society of Master Saddlers badge and use a qualified saddle fitter.

*Results may vary. Institute of Magnificent Saddle Research does not actually exist. Sadly

09/14/2026

We carry the FEI measuring tool on us at all appointments, if you want to know if your bridle set up passes the required test, just ask!

🔬NEW RESEARCH PUBLISHED🔬

A new publication titled “Quantifying Equine Head Morphology: Implications for Lateral Noseband Measurement Tools” authored by Russell MacKechnie-Guire, David Marlin, Jane Williams, Mark Fisher, Diana Fisher, Victoria Walker, and Rachel Murray has been published in the International Journal of Equine Science

Open Access: https://rasayely-journals.com/index.php/ijes/article/view/224/164

This study was funded by the FEI and, together with our previous publication (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11851643/), provides support for the change in noseband measurement location from the side of the head (prior to May 2025) to the nasal bone.


Headlines:
📝Lateral locations were subject to considerable anatomical variability and false positives and are therefore not recommended for determining the laxity of the noseband.

📝The aim was not to provide quantitative evidence for the routine use of these lateral locations, but to identify alternatives for cases in which the dorsal nasal approach may be unsuitable.

Thank you to the FEI for funding this body of work. The FEI were not involved in study design, data collection or data processing.

Abstract
In equestrian competitions, a measuring device passing beneath the noseband on the dorsal nasal bone is used to deter-mine noseband laxity. A supplementary location may be useful should the horse become distressed, or if it is apparent that the outcome of the noseband check is influenced by underlying dorsal nasal anatomy. The study aimed to (1) design and evaluate the application of a lateral noseband measuring tool; and (2) quantify equine head morphology beneath the noseband. A lateral measuring tool was designed (equivalent to 1.5 finger equivalent (Fe)) and tested on thirty-one horses. The lateral tool was inserted beneath the noseband at two locations: the lateral nasal bone and lateral maxilla (rostral to the facial crest). With three repeats per location, the outcome (pass/fail) was recorded. In a subset of twelve randomly selected horses, a 20-mm marker was placed rostral to the noseband. Maxilla morphology beneath the noseband was determined using 3D light scanning. Differences between the left and right sides of the maxilla were determined in 1-cm intervals caudal to the dorsal nasal bone. Compared with 2.0 Fe, the number of unsuccessful lateral tool passes increased significantly in the lateral nasal region at 1.0/0.5/0.0 Fe (all P < 0.001). For the lateral maxilla, a significant increase occurred only at 0.0 Fe (P < 0.001). Significant inter-horse lateral anatomical variations existed, but minimal left-right anatomical differences for the lateral nasal bone were found (P = 0.478). Lateral locations were subject to considerable anatomical variability and false positives and are therefore not recommended for determining the laxity of the noseband.

09/04/2026

The research from ISES actually shows that it takes a horse a minimum of 90 days to start to relax and trust in their new environment. If they have moved a lot and it has been stressful in their previous homes, with big changes in routine, it can take even longer.
When I pulled Tiz from the track I set her out to be a horse from 90 days before we tried any riding, lunging, etc. in the 90 days we hung out. Learned the routine. Hiked around the farm, played in the arena. And she learned when meals were served, that hay goes in that corner, that we would refill her 2 water buckets as often as she drained them, and about cross ties, grooming stalls, and blanket changes. She learned about me, and who her caretakers were.
And she was still sad, melancholy at times because she didn’t understand why she here, where had her grooms and trainer gone? Why wasn’t she at the track that had been home for 3 years. Had she done something wrong? She wasnt done winning, she told me. But we pampered her, and let her be right about things, and gave her time, and she started to shine, and play, and express herself, and blossomed into an amazing mare.

It takes time.

I read somewhere recently that the average horse will have seven different homes in its lifetime.

SEVEN.

And that’s the average...

In my job, I meet horses who are four or five years old and have already had an extraordinary number of homes. And more often than not, somewhere in their history, you’ll find the word ‘naughty’.

Naughty to catch. Naughty to hack. Naughty to mount. Naughty to ride. A ‘naughty’ horse.

But are they naughty?

Or have they simply never had long enough to feel safe?

Horses thrive on familiarity and predictability. Familiar horses, people, surroundings and routines.

And when we sell a horse, we know why.

The horse doesn’t.

One minute he’s in his field with Dave, who he’s spent every waking moment attached to for the last two years. Who’s perfected the art of stealing his fly mask.

The next, some woman he’s never met has put him in a box, driven him three counties away and introduced him to Kevin.

Dave has vanished.

Dinner tastes different.

Kevin is a k**b.

And on Tuesday someone gets on him and seems disappointed that he isn’t immediately living up to the glowing description in his advert.

So perhaps he struggles.

Maybe he’s harder to catch. Anxious when left alone. Tense to ride. Doesn’t want to leave the yard.

‘Naughty.’

So he moves again.

New field. New human. New food. New Kevin.

Of course sometimes horses genuinely aren’t right for their homes, and selling can absolutely be the kindest decision. Obvs.

But sometimes perhaps what a horse needs isn’t another home, rider, bit, saddle or training method.

Perhaps he just needs time.

Time to learn that breakfast happens every morning.

That these horses aren’t disappearing.

That this human keeps coming back.

That the rules aren’t going to change tomorrow.

That he’s allowed to unpack his metaphorical little suitcase.

And maybe, before we ask:

‘What’s wrong with this horse?’

we should occasionally ask:

‘How many times has this horse had to start again?’

Thoughts?

09/01/2026

08/30/2026

I am not a crier, in general.

But sometimes my job is so profound and awesome that I get a little damp in the eyes.

This is especially true when a teenaged girl is struggling with her horse, who she LOVES....but who is displaying pain and displeasure, and drama and that girl feels helpless, and no one seems to be able to solve it.

Just today, I got to meet a new teenaged, first time horse owner who can't figure out why her horse (whom she has had since May) is melting down on each ride. The mare was crawling out of her skin being tacked up, and not a single relaxing happy ride had happened since the horse arrived. Today, we tried 4 saddles, and the mare only allowed one, standing perfectly still to be tacked when it was presented. Rejecting all other offerings with CLEAR communication. When a teenager says, "Take all the extra money from my bank account too, whatever we have to do to get this saddle for her. please" to her mother. I have to look real busy doing something else so I don't make everyone cry with me.

Last week, I had a pair of awesome twins who have a pair of amazing horses who they both love, and who both liked their ba****ck rides in the woods better then doing any ring work towards their big dream goals. One of them got a saddle off the truck, and gushed about how amazing her horse felt and how they were so excited to get out eventing, and the other daughter's saddle showed up this weekend and I can't wait to deliver it asap.

A little over 2 months ago, I had a teenager who has taken her horse to a series of trainers and instructors and body work and it wasn't until a new trainer actually got on the horse and felt the saddle that she realized all the angst was about a total and complete lack of communication because of the saddle. He is now going to shows and learning to have positive experiences and gain strength and confidence. Both of them are smiling every time I see them in their lessons.

A year ago, I met a girl who has been offered other horses by her parent, trainer, friends, etc. but continues to pick her difficult, hard to ride, and impossible to jump young gelding. She didn't want a different easier horse, she wanted this horse to be happy and capable. We got him jumping happily that first fitting and he hasn't stopped since his new saddle arrived.

Each of these girls needed a new well fitted and configured saddle. Each of these girls LOVES her horse, and does everything they can to ensure they are happy. Each of their parents are doing their best, but aren't made of money, and worried about the expense of a new saddle. Every single one of them said they had the best ride of their entire relationship with the horse during our fittings and saddle trials.
Each of these horses needed a different saddle configuration to be able to relax and think and move and behave correctly. And there were a couple of tears, and tons of thank yous.

And 5 hugs. After a saddle fitting. Do you know what it takes to get a modern teenaged girl to hug an adult they don't know voluntarily? I don't mean awkward side hugs that I was prepared for. I mean, big throw your arms at me, and hug me before you burst into tears (and sometimes do that anyway) hugs. I have been floored and honored, and a little teary myself each time.

As a former teenaged horse girl myself, I see these girls, I know them, I WAS them. We all want the same thing - to love our horses and for our horses to know it. Our whole identities get wrapped up in them. And their angst becomes our own, but their joy becomes our too. We love them, and we want them to love us back.

And maybe the only thing I love more then my own horses is this job. Helping horse girls of all ages (and the occasional horse boys) to make their horses happy and comfortable is a gift. A trust that I don't take lightly. Even if somedays I need to carry around a tissue.

*Photo of my own personal emotional teenager Smash and Grab. a 2010 Stakes Winning OTTB with of a dramatic personality*

08/22/2026

We got a new toy!

In the grand scheme of things, this machine takes up 16 square feet of space in our workshop. But it will have a much larger impact on our plans to bring our saddle production to the US.

Our “new to us” hydraulic clicker press was made sometime in the 1980s and has been completely refurbished. Frankly it still looks brand new. It can provide 26 tons of pressure and allows us to cut leather and other materials using steel dies with a level of speed and consistency that just isn’t possible by hand.

It’s not the flashiest piece of equipment we’ll add to the shop, but it’s an important one.

Bringing our saddle production to the US isn’t as simple as deciding to start making saddles here. We have to build the manufacturing capacity to actually do it. For us, that means doing it piece by piece rather than outsourcing the parts that are difficult or expensive.

This press is one of those pieces.

Over the next several months, we’ll be adding more equipment, expanding what we can make in-house, and continuing to work toward the point where a saddle can go from raw materials to finished product right here in our own workshop.

We are still a long way from being able to supply saddles to the entire US (and frankly that’s not our goal) but for our little production, we’re pretty excited about 16 square feet and 26 tons.

07/31/2026

If you are free and have ever had your saddle slip, this is a presentation that will be of great interest to you. Horses are not even and can be made much less even by a lot of factors. The skill of your team matter!

**Sunday Afternoon**

Equine Laterality and its Effect on Equine Health and Performance: from a Biomechanical Perspective

with Dr Russell MacKechnie-Guire

Sunday 2nd August 2026 @ 14:00 HRS BST

Do horses turn one way easier than the other? When grazing, do horses have a preference to systematically protract one forelimb limb in advance of the other? What effect does this have on the locomotor system? What effect does this have on riding performance? Over the past decade, quantifying and understanding laterality has become the focus on many research groups. This 2-hour session will discuss laterality and its effect on equine health and performance.

🎟️ To Book https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/equine-laterality-and-its-effect-on-equine-health-performance-tickets-1986986547251?aff=oddtdtcreator&_gl=1*1849pxj*_up*MQ..*_ga*NjE0OTYyNjg3LjE3NzU2NTYyMDg.*_ga_TQVES5V6SH*czE3NzU2NTYyMDgkbzEkZzAkdDE3NzU2NTYyMDgkajYwJGwwJGgw

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Q and A

07/24/2026

"Can you tell me what saddle to look for on the used market?"

Not really. And not for the reason you likely think. The used saddle market is a wild untamed unregulated desert and can be disasterous.

Some common problems:

1) The saddle is broken - I see this FAR too often. Popped rivets, shredded nylon, broken trees, twisted seats, uneven tree points. There is no transferrable warranty, brands will not send a new tree, etc. You MAY be permitted to pay them to replace the tree for you, if they still have access to the tree in your saddle, but it will be expensive and not a quick process. These issues can cripple your horse and cause a huge amount in vet bills.

2) What is on the stamp isn't the full picture - Just because the stamp says "Saddle brand X, Model 123, Size ___," does not give us the type of tree, whether that tree was every changed, was it pressed correctly or incorrectly. Etc. -
- If it has warranty repair work done, great, there should be a record of that with the manufacturer linked to the serial number. But, if a saddle fitter worked on it, if they sent it to the local leather repair shop, etc the chances are good that it is not the same as it was when it was freshly made and from the workshop. (people attempt to combat this with nonsense like "Dot to Dot" measurements, which literally mean nothing.)
- Manufacturers make changes over time for a number of reasons without making the public aware. For example, when a saddle tree maker closes, or a new one with improved features comes to the market a brand might switch suppliers or trees. So what your horse liked in a new saddle from a demo at a fitting, may not be what is available in the market used.

2b) Saddle Configurations : Panel shapes, gusset depths, flocking materials, linings, Billets placements, etc. These features are the balance, softness, clearance, and comfort portion of the saddle. The way the panels are constructed, or have been maintained, or changed, is not found in the serial number or on the ad. The billet placements and connections are customized to the way the saddle was orderd for the first horse, and will not always work for your horse. So, how the saddle actually sits on the horse is going to be dependent on how it was ordered for the original horse. I see saddles regularly, with panels wildly uneven or different left and right, or with HUGE front or rear gussets. Today I had one that had a custom point billet put on and no other front webbing for alternate configuration.

3) How a saddle has been maintained matters. Flocking, panels, balance, fit, etc. are all factors in how that saddle will last and work. Almost every used saddle I see needs a full strip reflock, because they haven't been adequately maintained. Or they were flocked by someone unskilled and are uneven, overflocked, or lumpy. There is a cost to maintaining a saddle. Even foam panels need replacement every 4-6 years to maintain their integrity. If the used saddle hasn't been maintained those costs will fall to the new owner. And often those variables are the difference between the horse liking it and the horse hating it.
- Additionally I have seen saddles that are so over- oiled, or under maintained that the leather is ruined and will never be safe to use again. Dryrot, mold, mildew, rancid fat, bug infestations, smoke damage, or any number of weird and gross smells can be present.

4) The saddle is past its reasonable use.
- Saddles are a piece of sports equipment. They are not meant to last forever, nor should they. Most saddles have a 5 or 10 year warranty on the tree, and far less then that on the leather, because it is subject to the care put into it. You wouldn't go running in a pair of Nikes from the 80's. Nor would you play football in a helmet from the 90's. Technology and knowledge progress as a result of research and advancements in animal welfare.

5) There are NO warranties on used saddles. The warranty extended from the factory to the saddle does not transfer to the new owner of the saddle. So if anything goes wrong with the saddle, you own an expensive paperweight. Or the makings of an expensive handbag.... and you need another saddle. I have seen strirrup bars break, I have seen saddle trees break, I have seen trees twist, I have seen staples break, rivets pop, panels distort or warp. Stitching come undone. If you have purchased that saddle from a rep/manufacturer with a warranty, the saddle maker will handle the cost of the repairs. OR WILL REPLACE THE SADDLE!!!!! I have seen some brands refuse to even offer paid repairs on saddles that are out of warranty.

Look, I get it, horses are expensive. And every little cost savings feels like a win. The margins on saddles are slim, no one is getting rich selling saddles, new or used. But to be able to trust that your saddle is perfect and fits your horse, and that you have a manufacturer that is standing behind their product can prove to have very real monetary value.

We have new saddles with warranties as inexpensive as $2300. The majority of our inventory is under $4500, and we offer a couple of high end options above that. But the cost of most used saddles isn't worth the risk. And we have a bank that offers financing on saddles. And we only require a 50% deposite when you order your saddle and the balance due when the saddle is ready.

Do your due diligence, have a skilled saddler check over a saddle if you are considering buying used. Yes, we will charge you for the inspection, but it might save you a lot more money in the long run.

07/21/2026

"But my saddle fits."

This has been a topic on regular rotation in my business for the last 3 years.
Yes. your saddle can fit, it can hit all the markers of correct fit, ,be perfect by horse welfare standards. AND YET! It can still fail to be the saddle that the horse goes best in, or that best improves the horses way of going.

This is the reason we carry so many brands when we also designed and make 2 of our own. Not every horse likes every saddle that fits. Not every rider finds every saddle comfortable even if it fits the horse. We have invested a lot of money in having trade accounts with a variety of saddle makers and manufacturers, as many different options as we can pack into the Sprinter, and as much internal knowledge as we can gather about each saddle so we can make successive approximations towards the BEST saddle for you and your horse.

So, a recent case, we have a client who has a very quick to react, slow to forgive gelding, who has had some trauma (medical and self induced) and he is a wide sized flat tree dude. When he is even slightly uncomfortable, he will hold his breath, and then explode by running away and acting panicked. (I hate that this is what he feels he has to do to be heard but I digress. We have put him in no less then 9 properly fitted saddles over the time we have worked with him. He has rejected all but one. But oh, that one! In that one saddle, he breathes, he softens, he is rideable, he is responsive, he is calm. I cant' always tell you why a horse picks the saddle they pick, but they do make it easy for us sometimes if we are asking the right questions and listening to the answers. 9 saddles that fit. only 1 that is the best fit. Do they fit, yes. Did they work? No.

But again, this is why we have so many brands and different trees, and different sources of saddles to offer you. None of our Warmblood shaped trees are the same, and horses have a preference. What is standard on one brand, might not have all the components that a horse and rider need. But another brand might have just the right combination of tree, panel, flap and seat design to make everyone thrilled to work in the saddle.

If you feel that your horse is not in the best saddle for them, or you want to explore if something might make them more happy, please give us a call and we will come and assess the situation, with all our saddles in tow, and we will help you find the best fit possible.

07/17/2026

Air quality is terrible today and will remain bad for the next several days.

We will not be asking our clients to ride during fitting while the air quality is poor. Exercise in this air quality is detrimental to both horses and humans.

These screenshots are for all the zip codes we will be schedule to see for the next 3 days. If you are in an area with poor air quality please please please, do not exercise your horse and take care of yourself and them as best you can.

You can find your own air quality rating at airnow.gov