As Spring rolls in; the horses start to shed, the birds are chirping and I am suddenly re-motivated like it is my first time ever prepping for a show season; my mind is spinning with ideas and thoughts and goals for the year. I know I am not the only one.
I wanted to take this moment before we are all busy to express a few of the most important points that have come to me lately.
I am DEEPLY and forever grateful for the time I have been able to spend all over the world with the WORLD'S BEST in the industry... literally, all coming together to learn, to share wisdom and real-world experience, and solve hard-to-fit challenges; ALL in an effort to create Perfect Fit Solutions for our Clients - Horse and Human alike.
In the last couple years alone to name a few;
Wellington, Florida to meet the Prestige Saddles crew in the headquarters that make things run so smoothly, meet with the companies owner and the CEO of the US market, the head fitter, and meet all of the US, Mexico and Canadian fitters as well as fit some of the countries best horse/rider combos.
Walsall, United Kingdom to visit the Custom Saddlery and Aviar Saddles factory and saddle makers as well as Cary Wallace to learn and watch real time fitting
Lexington, Kentucky to see the Italian owners of Amerigo and Equipe Saddles again and meet with World Equestrian Brands, Robin Moore and fit team to go over EVERY single saddle model, tree shape and fit logistics with real time fitting at an eventing farm.
Ocala, Florida to meet Peter Menet, master saddler and designer for fitting training.
Del Mar, California to watch the top of the sport at the show grounds and spend time with my friends, fellow fitters, and TPFS sponsored riders.
Aiken, SC to watch the master Conrad Schumacher and my lifelong friend Sarah Dodge teach, these clinics bring me back to what is important every single time. The fundamentals of the sport that are so lacking.
Foundations of Fit with Holly Barnett- an online course and live training on Equine Posture, compensation patterns, and saddle fit.
I have been to on so many factory tours - meeting every person involved in bringing you the best saddles in the world from founders / business leaders / product designers / factory teams /fitters and saddle makers. As an independent fitter I am extremely lucky to gain knowledge directly from brands in order to best understand the products and help my clients. I pride myself on carrying many brands for all different horses and riders. There is truly something for everyone within every budget, shape and size and customization options. For me to be able to evaluate a horse and pick what’s truly BEST for that horse is a blessing and I will never change my business model which allows me to do this.
My Saddle-Fitting Philosophy and Core Business Practice:
1. I am, and always will be, an "Independent Saddle Fitter"
This independence is critical to me being able to optimize my saddle fits - for your beloved horse, and their beloved rider.
My ability to choose from amongst multiple world-class saddle brands means I can create the most Perfect Fit possible - for you and your horse.
If I allowed myself to be pressured by one saddle brand/manufacturer into force fitting their product onto my client's horse's back - the potential pain and suffering and damage could never be justified by the increased short-term profit that is the goal of all high-pressure sales tactics.
Our Approach:
The Perfect Fit = literal Win-Win-WIN outcomes...
for our clients and their horses… and me :)
I did not start this business to get rich, obviously. ;)
I love horses. I always have. And I LOVE Dressage. And have since my first rides and training - when I was 8 years old. Over 22 years ago I fell in love with these unmatched animals and the gorgeous art and science we call "Dressage" . . .
When we work together - You and I - and we strive to select the BEST POSSIBLE FIT - insuring comfort and confidence for YOU - while optimizing the performance AND long-term health of your horse - we get to sleep well at night knowing we did our honest best to provide a great saddle solution - without prioritizing profit or brand loyalty or some other less-than-perfect-integrity motivation.
Carrying different brands insures a truly perfect fit for the horses; no brand behind me pushing sales, no sales training to make certain that specific products are purchased, just purely what’s best for the horses. Thank you to everyone who trusts me with the care of their horses back and finding The Perfect Fit ❤️