My husband and I are Aylmore Classical Dressage, based in the South West of England. We promote a kinder way to ride and train through a practical application of classical dressage, which focuses on correct horse and rider biomechanics. As trainers we sadly all too often encounter horses labelled as naughty, lazy or worse, who are in fact just crying out for help. It was my frustration at being presented with horses who were underperforming through no fault of their own that first prompted my search for further learning and the shift of focus in my career towards saddle fitting. I soon discovered that many horse and rider difficulties either stem from saddling issues, or at the very least can be significantly improved with correct saddling.
I initially trained as a remedial (treed) saddle fitter and was a fitting consultant for Devon and Cornwall for several years before making the transition to SMART Saddles. During this time, I also attended further training courses to further my knowledge.
I have always been drawn to a more holistic saddling approach as this ties in closely with our horse-centric approach to horse training. However, it wasn’t until I started seeing my husband’s clients successfully competing BD and BE at higher levels in SMART Saddles, that I began to question if there might be a better way. I truly believe that they offer the perfect opportunity for every pony, horse and rider to perform to the best of their ability in comfort and without compromise.
My extensive professional experience in rehabilitating horses returning to work following Kissing Spines, means I have a particular interest in helping horses with significant atrophy to recover a healthy back profile and I am passionate about finding a solution for horses and ponies who are conventionally considered difficult to fit. My own herd includes an exceptionally high withered KWPN and a baroque little Friesian who is short backed, wide AND high withered which means I am very comfortable working with the trickier saddling cases!
As someone with a keen eye for correct horse and rider mechanics, I have learned to hone in on the subtle changes in a horse’s posture and way of going that indicate whether he or she is comfortable and moving freely. I am able to quickly identify horse/rider asymmetry and understand the importance of fine-tuning and how the smallest changes can make the biggest difference to a horse and rider combination. Taking a "whole horse" holistic approach means I recognise that sometimes a change in saddle isn't the only thing needed. My role is to help you and your horse be the best you can be, not just to sell you a saddle.
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