Association of Saddle Fitters

23/09/2022

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.saddle-academy.com%2Fevent-details%2Flevel-1-pathway-to-saddle-fitting%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0og1zZZ5S0CXTZUVJLoV93uC9-GDIDHOMMQTa5AeHRbpa1n2NxJ6G5Gig&h=AT2GOfMbjlZQF0nvOIXQFu5Xo-kVm3xPqfM364JWnIr3Fsvjc7Zo46tfbFCm9xfTMqEt70-AH_xr4ra2cC3Y__hXsFxqxgjHrD7OGOAZEu17q9iOmI4A4lAhGUrY&s=1

Early Bird Price - £175 ​ Pre-Requisites - None. Minimum age 14 Learn how to confidently and accurately assess saddle fit with our 1 day pathway to saddle fitting course. ​ Ideal for horse owners, equine body workers, trainers and veterinarians The course will involve both theoretical and pract...

12/09/2022

🎉🎉🎉CONGRATULATIONS🎉🎉🎉

We are delighted to announce that Roni Alison is now a fully qualified Level 3 & Advanced Level 4 “MERIT PASS” saddle fitter trained by IASF.

Roni discovered her passion for horses around the age of 7 years old and attended college to complete her level 2 in horse care.
Once qualified Roni then went on to fulfil her passion and completed a NVQ level 2 with the RDA.
Moving on from this She opened her own successful tack shop Roni's Ponies Saddlery.
After 3 years of training to become a saddle fitter (with a different training provider) she felt that she needed more confidence and support in certain areas and wanted to gain a broader knowledge in the saddle fitting industry.
Roni has told us here at the Academy, that due to her Dyslexia she struggled with subjects such as anatomy.

Quoted from the lady herself

“Once I completed the course I felt so much more confident. Everybody was so patient and gave me the support I needed, I am so thankful.”

Roni went on to tell us that even now after the training she finds the saddle fitting group very useful.
It is a place where herself along with those she met during her residential course, can interact, offer and ask for advice.
The Academy also support and interact with all students using this platform.

Roni Alison freelance saddle fitting services

You have been a pleasure, we here at the Academy are very proud of you and what you have achieved.
We wish you all the very best for the future and we are looking forward to working with you again soon.

09/09/2022

IS YOUR SADDLE FITTER QUALIFIED?

Here's a good post written by IASF Director Lisa Fay on the subject of saddle fitter qualifications

To find a qualified saddle fitter near you please visit https://www.saddlefitters.org/

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Is your Saddle Fitter Qualified?
Author- Lisa Fay- Director IASF

This seems to be something of a hot topic at the moment so I wanted to give my two cents worth as there appears to be some misinformation doing the rounds.

I keep reading that there is only one worthwhile qualification for saddle fitters and that said qualification is the ‘one and only, the best, most thorough and hardest to achieve’.

(In all fairness this message isn’t being touted by the education provider themselves but by their ambassadors however, it seems to be getting a lot of traction and I think it should be addressed).

Firstly let’s establish what ‘qualified’ means.

The oxford dictionary defines qualified as: “having passed the exams or completed the training that are necessary in order to do a particular job; having the experience to do a particular job”

That means in a non-regulated industry such as saddle fitting your professional simply needs to be competent, trained and/or experienced.

Now let’s look at what qualifications are prominent in the UK?

The Society of Master Saddlers (SMS)- NVQ in Saddle Fitting – Level 3

Master Saddle Fitting Consultants (MSFC) Diploma – HND Equivalent

Horse1st – approx HND equivalent

International Academy of Saddle Fitters IASF)– Level 3 (A Level) and Level 4 (HND equivalent)

Equine Ergonomist (EE/EEC) Certificate – approx Level 3 / 4

There may well be more qualifications to add to this list but these are the main players as far as I am aware.

So just in reviewing the level of education and equivalent qualification we can see that the playing field is in fact fairly even across the board. Each qualification has its own system of delivery but they are all employ a form of blended learning mixing theory with practical and supervised work either through a mentorship scheme or case studies (although this may have changed since covid).

My personal opinion having studied/qualified with all but Horse1st (and yes I do include the IASF even though I wrote the course) is that no ‘one’ is better than the other. Every provider has strengths and weaknesses and something can be learnt from each.

So next time you see a post or an article about saddle fitting qualifications ask yourself what the objective is? Is it a genuine attempt to communicate unbiased advice or is it just a way of promoting one badge and downplaying others?

IASF aim to provide a truly well rounded understanding of saddle fit by combining all methods combined with forward thinking and scientific research. If you are interested in becoming a saddle fitter visit our 'course' page to find out how IASF can help https://www.saddle-academy.com/courses

ASF the place to look for qualified saddle fitters near you.

07/09/2022

Always wondered how you become a saddle fitter? Our saddle fitter training courses are your pathway to becoming a professional saddle fitter

07/09/2022

WHO ARE WE?

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The Association of Saddle Fitters (ASF) is a collective body of International Saddle Fitter working to improve the welfare of ridden horses by ensuring they do not suffer unnecessary discomfort as a result of saddle fit.

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Mission

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It is our mission to ensure all horse owners have access to highly trained, unbiased professionals who understand the complex nature of the horse, saddle, rider interaction.

We aim to support the development of new and existing saddle fitters and provide access to high quality education for those wanting to enter the saddle fitting industry.

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Vision

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We envisage a world where

All horse owners have access to knowledge and can gain an understanding of saddle fit and how their saddle is affecting their horse.

Every equine professional has a working knowledge of the horse, saddle, rider interaction.

Education is accessible and affordable for those wanting to pursue a career in the industry.

Professional saddle fitters have access to support and advice to avoid mistakes, enhance their knowledge and improve standards across the board.

The welfare of every ridden horse is improved regardless of breed, location or discipline

Values

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We firmly believe that no horse should suffer unnecessary pain or discomfort at the hands of their owner specifically as a result of improper saddle fit. Our work will be guided by our understanding of the complete horse, saddle, rider interaction with an emphasis on challenging beliefs and expanding our depth of knowledge through observation and research.

We believe the industry should be inclusive and transparent and have a commitment to knowledge sharing and improvement.

Education should be accessible and accurate, providing access to anyone who wishes to further their learning for the good of the horse.

Participation and contribution from all professionals should be invited and embraced to create a holistic approach to our horses welfare

02/10/2021

Entry extended until midnight October 3rd.
This has been a hard fight to bring you a show in 2021,but it will happen.
We know some of you have been worried about getting fuel for your lorries, and now that it looks like that problem will ease,we are giving some extra time to fill your tanks and get your entry in.
Entry now extended until Sunday evening.
Please support us it will be worth the drive.

05/09/2021

https://poll.app.do/location-of-our-next-course

Would you like a saddle fitting training course organised in your area? Answer our quick poll to indicate your location

We have had many requests to hosts our One-Day Pathway to Saddle Fitting course in different regions. Where would you like our next course to be held?