RP EDUCATION: Individual Saddle Fittings

When you schedule a saddle fitting appointment with a ReactorPanel Certified Saddle Fitting Agent, you can expect a thorough assessment and examination of your horse and your current saddle's fit. You will be guided through a tour of the ReactorPanel Saddle System and then have one or more saddles fit to your horse for you to test. If you like the saddle, you will be able to keep it for a thorough two-week evaluation. There is NO COST AT ALL for this extended trial period. (Read more about our Free Test Ride Program.)

Here’s how to set up an individual saddle fitting:


• First, call the RP Certified Saddle Fitter nearest you to be sure that you are within range and can find a mutually acceptable saddle fitting time. There is a $125 charge for a fitting locally. An additional call fee is added for travel outside of the local area. All of our Certified Saddle Fitters have access to facilities where you can haul for a saddle fitting if you don’t want to pay travel fees, so be sure to ask about this. Some of them may even fit for a reduced fee if you travel to their home barn.



• Once you have a saddle fitting appointment, you will need to choose and order a saddle. Before the saddle of your choice can be sent to you, you will need to provide measurements and photographs of your horse. Then send these items to the RP Headquarters in Oakland, California. Be prepared to discuss your riding level, goals, body type, and what you need from a saddle so that our consultants can help you choose the saddle model that is most appropriate for you to test.
  
  INSIDE THE GREATER BAY AREA (CALIFORNIA)
  Your saddle fitting agent will bring your saddle to you when she arrives for your saddle fitting appointment.
  
  ELSEWHERE IN THE U.S.
  Order your saddle by completing our Evaluation Agreement. The saddle will then be shipped to you, or to your Certified Saddle Fitter. Be sure to provide the date of your saddle fitting appointment so that we can ensure that your saddle arrives in plenty of time.



• On the day of your saddle fitting appointment, you will want to have your horse caught and groomed but not exercised.



• When the Saddle Fitter arrives, they will take a history of your horse and then assess his conformation and body type. Most likely, the saddle fitter will palpate some of his major muscle groups to see if there is existing pain.
  
  Next, the saddle fitter will evaluate your saddle. At this point, if you would like a Port Lewis Impression Pad Test, you can opt to have your saddle pressure tested. This will take approximately 30 minutes.
  
  The Saddle Fitting Agent will then fit the RP saddle to your horse, starting with bare tree fit to analyze the contours and angles of your horse’s back relative to the saddle tree. Next, the RP saddle will be assembled and adjusted for your horse, and you will be invited to mount up for a test ride.
  
  Based on your initial experience in the saddle, there will almost certainly be one or more periods of adjustment while the saddle is fine-tuned to maximize comfort for you and your horse. You may wind up getting off and on for test rides several times, and the entire saddle fitting process usually takes from 1.5 to 3 hours.
  
  You will be encouraged to ask questions and, if you like, to adjust the saddle yourself. Onlookers are welcome, even encouraged as they can be useful to you if they are knowledgeable and are accustomed to watching you ride your horse. Be sure to invite people whose opinions you respect, and we always welcome the participation of your trainer or coach.



• At the end of the saddle fitting, if you are happy with the saddle, you will be able to keep it for two weeks to thoroughly test the RP system. There is no charge for this extended test ride, and your only obligation will be to clean the items you used, and to pay the return shipping charges.
  
  If you find you need more than two weeks to test the saddle, weekly leases can be arranged – just give us call for details.