Ken's Column
How refreshing
The vast majority of horse owners – taking my own clients as examples – are honest. The few who aren’t will often go to extreme lengths in order to commit a scam. Indeed, were they prepared to put similar time and effort into preparing legitimate business plans, I have little doubt they would be eminently successful in their chosen sphere.
One way to overcome – or at least reduce the effectiveness - of some scams involves the maintenance of accurate and detailed records of all transactions involving the sale of new and second-hand saddles. In fact – and scams aside – in order to provide the client with a fully comprehensive service, it is essential to keep records and it is certainly a practice that is highly recommended by the Society of Master Saddlers.
As far as serving the client is concerned, comprehensive records enable the saddle fitter to form a picture of the horse’s changing shape between fitting checks. They make it easier to calculate those that relate to management changes - to the season, for example, as in the case of the horse that puts on weight as a result of being turned out to grass. The saddle fitter can track the development of a young horse – or the ageing processes of animal in light work or semi-retired - or a brood mare coming back into work. Or when a horse is returning to work after being off as a result of illness or an accident.
In a sense, records tell a ‘story’ because they can reveal how the horse has changed and adapted in a variety of situations. In this way they protect the interests of the client and the saddle fitter because they confirm the status quo at the time of the fitting. I record, for example, the profiles of the withers and I take a weight tape measurement. In addition, I include comments about the condition of the horse’s back at the time of the fitting (any sensitive areas, the presence of white hairs, et cetera). Of course, the records necessarily list a full description of the horse including the breed or type, colour, markings, age, et cetera.
I also note any irregularity in the horse’s gait or other idiosyncrasies. In addition, I add short description of ‘rider problems’ that may impact on the efficacy of the saddle fit – for example, sitting to one side, ‘thumping’ behind the movement. In the case of the rider being a child or young adolescent, I note the age because their physique can alter rapidly – and considerably. I also add a prediction of when a subsequent saddle fitting check is likely to be needed.
This sort of detail not only enables me to identify potential problems, it also often assists me in providing the client with advice! For example – I will explain to the rider who has a tendency to sit to one side, the likely potential consequences: the saddle with shift to the side commensurate to the rider’s weight. This will produce knock-on effects on the horse’s way of going. The resulting syndrome: a crooked rider makes a crooked saddle makes a crooked horse!
The records are essential in the case of a subsequent complaint because they can prove the horse’s condition and ‘shape’ at the time of the fitting – and this enables a fair evaluation to take place. (Let me say, I very, very rarely receive a complaint – and when I do, it is treated very seriously! Customer satisfaction is a very important part of my business.)
Returning to my opening remarks about ‘honesty’! Dishonest situations have happened to me – but very, very rarely and certainly no more times than I can count on the figures of one hand. And that is over the period of thirty years I have been saddle-fitting! However – happen they did – a couple of them before I recognised the importance of maintaining accurate, up-to-date records!
One of the early scams went something like this. Client on the telephone – ‘that saddle you fitted is causing big problems’. Me; ‘Why, what is wrong?’ Client: ‘It doesn’t fit’. Me: ‘In what way?’ ‘It doesn’t fit’. I recall that every question I asked received the same response. Thus me: ‘I will come out immediately to see what the problem is’.
The saddle certainly didn’t fit! In fact, it was quite shockingly bad. It was this fact that alerted my senses to a possible scam! Had the saddle been slightly ‘wrong’, the client just might have got away with it! I work on the maxim that I am a very, very – very – good saddle fitter but no one – is infallible - but a fitting that was ‘wrong’ to this degree? Never!
My suspicions alerted, I asked some seemingly innocent questions. When we got to the ‘Have you been competing the horse very long’ and the answer was ‘No, I have only had him three months’ the client’s fate was sealed. ‘Only three months?’. ‘Strange’, I said, producing a copy of the receipt for the transaction, ‘because you bought the saddle six months’ ago’!
Blustering and red in the face, the client virtually tore out of the yard. I am not certain what she expected in the way of retribution! As far as I was concerned, just seeing her in retreat was sufficient! Before I left the yard, the groom told me the horse for which I had fitted the saddle was sold just a couple of months later.
As I have already commented, scams are an absolute rarity. Somehow, even in these days of computer viruses, phone hacking, commercial espionage and other sophisticated fraudulent happenings, the equestrian industry, its suppliers – and horse owners – all continue to be remarkably honest! How refreshing.
KEN LYNDON DYKES is an ex-international level three day event rider.
A qualified Society of Master Saddlers’ saddle fitter, his specialities include competition horses and ‘difficult’ fittings. KEN can be obtained at head office (01622 844440) or on his mobile: 07973 501873
