Els Armstrong, Kamloop, British Columbia, Canada

I have successfully operated a business in Canada with my husband for many years, providing professional saddle fitting and SMART saddle sales across the country. Due to Canada's vast geography, I also offer remote saddle fitting consultations for clients outside my immediate service area.

"The SMART saddle I have here saved my little Arab/Welsh cross mare. She was the most shut-down, sore horse I have ever seen, and after a year and a half of rehabilitation and trying countless different saddles, we finally found the one saddle she is completely happy and comfortable in. She is relaxed when being saddled and ridden - as long as we bring out the SMART saddle."

Whinny’s SMART story

The SMART Elite Dressage saddle:

• Made with the finest leather.
• The stirrup leathers were slightly recessed so there would be no pinching on the legs, and the weight bearing area was nice and short.
• The panels were firm yet soft, and as the saddle is completely treeless we knew it would move well with her.
• The seat was comfortable and secure feeling.

Fitting to Whinny:

As soon as we placed the SMART Elite Dressage saddle on her back, we knew the fit was very good for her. It was refreshing that we did not have to spend a lot of time shimming and balancing. The saddle just sat correctly immediately. There were no peak pressure points and it was extremely stable.

The final test: How would Whinny react with the rider?

We walked her around in hand at first, and she was completely stress-free. After a few circles, she was acting like she owned the arena, and you could almost see the tension leaving her body.

Our rider mounted and started riding her around, and we immediately noticed a huge difference in both her attitude and the way she carried herself. She was relaxed and happy at both the walk and trot!

Now for the big test… how would she react in the canter? Normally, this is where she would offer to buck and become quite antsy, as the rider often had to lean slightly forward, creating pressure over the withers.

This time—nothing! She carried on as though she felt no discomfort at all. It seemed we had finally found her saddle.

Since then, we have taken her out on many trail rides, up and down the hills on uneven footing. She has never offered to buck again and is now happy to be saddled. Her stress has left her body and she is no longer “shut down” under saddle. She now truly enjoys her job and she and Adelyn have become a great team together.

I am a firm believer that how the saddle is shaped and designed it has made all the difference for, Whinny. Rehab, vetting and body work helped a lot, but the real fix for our beautiful, sweet Whinny is the SMART saddle! They are lovely and you can’t beat the quality.

I am happy and honoured to be able to offer SMART saddles for test ride, demo and sale in Canada.

Els Armstrong
Infinite Equine
els@infinite-equine.ca
Phone/text: 250-819-4648