Antonia Wills Saddle Fitter

17/04/2026

❗️𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐨 𝐒𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬 - 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭❗️

🎩 Hats off to Sally and the Zebra Products team for a successful Amerigo seminar earlier this week! A great refresher for me and a chance to visit dressage rider Michael Eilberg’s yard and meet all his horses.

✔️The cornerstone principle of Amerigo is to place the rider where the horse is best able to carry his weight – over the centre of gravity. This allows the horse to fully use its back, resulting in greater freedom of movement and performance. Because horses come in different shapes and sizes it does mean that there are a number of models with different trees which can get confusing! As a specialist Amerigo saddle fitter I can guide you towards the saddle best suited to you and your horse’s conformation. Once you get it right, it can be transformational!💯

✔️Amerigo saddles feature the unique MPS flocking system, made from synthetic fibres to offer the horse a super soft, even panel. They have now introduced the new “synergico” panel, which reduces the bedding-in process.👏

🔶Michael Eilberg is known for his great attention to detail. It was inspiring to hear him discuss each horse in great depth – its breeding, temperament, way of going, and the adjustments he needs to make to his training and equipment to suit each particular horse. He is a perfect ambassador for Amerigo, and it was a real privilege to watch him ride.🤗

If you would like any information about what I do and the saddles I stock, please feel free to contact me on ☎︎ 07941 512933, or 📧[email protected].
Zebra Products

02/04/2026

𝘿𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙈𝙮 𝙎𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙡𝙚 𝙉𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜❓

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓱𝓸𝓻𝓽 𝓪𝓷𝓼𝔀𝓮𝓻 𝓲𝓼 – 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼❗

✔️Three months after buying a brand new saddle, your saddle fitter will need to check it and probably advise a top up – this is because the new wool in the panel (the underneath of the saddle) will have settled (ie the air will have been squashed out), and you may have noticed that the saddle sits too low over the wither.

✔️If your saddle is not new, but sits too low and/or tips forward – well yes, flocking of the front and waist may help to rebalance. If it tips backwards it may also be possible to flock the back of the panel.

❌𝐂𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐀𝐓- Sometimes it’s just not possible to add flock (wool) because the panels are “full” – the saddle has maybe been flocked a number of times in the past and adding more wool would make the panels too firm. Half pads are really useful in this instance.

➡️As a saddle fitter I often see saddles that have been over flocked – with rock hard and lumpy panels. Poor horse😟. Very old saddles can feel like this, (they’ve absorbed the horse’s sweat, the wool is over compacted and the leather is hard) or else newer saddles that have been previously rammed full of wool😖. In this case the only answer is a total reflock, which means taking the saddle back to the workshop to remove the old wool and replace with new.

➡️Flocking cannot make a saddle fit that does not fit in the first place. It might help, or using a half pad might help, but it’s always best to get a saddle professionally fitted – even (or especially!) a second hand one.

If you’d like your saddle checked feel free to contact me☎️07941 512933, or 📧[email protected].

02/04/2026

01/04/2026

A must read! Of course correct saddle fit is ultra important. If the saddle is correctly balanced, the rider's leg will naturally fall into the correct alignment, and provide greater stability.

🦵When your foot is in the stirrup, it becomes a secondary base of support. That means foot position and stirrup placement directly influence how stable your lower leg actually is.

This is often forgotten when the conversation focuses on developing an independent seat - but without a consistent base of support through the stirrup, true lower leg stability becomes much harder to achieve.

A - Braced position
Toes pushed into the stirrup, heel forced down, and the knee extended.
Instead of the weight of the leg dropping down into the stirrup, the rider pushes the stirrup forward and braces against it.

This often results in:
• The stirrup staying fixed and braced
• Or swinging back when weight is reapplied
• The rider having to tip their body forward to regain balance over the stirrup
(Check out the post from the other day about the swing anaglogy)

B - Balanced support
Ball of the foot on the stirrup, foot relaxed, knee aligned over the toes.
The weight of the leg drops naturally down into the stirrup rather than pushing against it.

This allows:
• A consistent base of support
• The stirrup to stay quiet beneath the rider
• Weight from the seat to transfer smoothly into the stirrup without disruption

The foot and lower leg position are more than just heel under hip (won’t work on saddles with a more forward stirrup bar) and is something that is emphasised in the Riding Ready principles used in the Rider Physio sessions and soon to launch online program 🙌.

01/04/2026

This article from Fairfax really hits the nail on the head! The first check of a new saddle should come after 2-3 months of use, thereafter 6 monthly checks may suffice.

25/03/2026

Great to hear Harry's long term philosophy behind the training of his horses.

24/03/2026

❗𝓐𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓔𝓿𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼❗

2 𝙁𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙛𝙖𝙭 𝘾𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙘 𝙎𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙚:

➊ 17” dressage (black) and
➋17” monoflap jump (brown with contrast stitching).

£𝟏𝟓𝟎𝟎 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡, 𝐨𝐫 £𝟐𝟓𝟎𝟎 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡

💖Who doesn’t love a Fairfax? Can be adjusted on site using a gullet bar system if your horse changes shape, and so comfortable! These two saddles have had light use and are in great condition.
Please contact me if you are interested – I can post them to you, or else I am happy to fit them.
07941 512933
📧[email protected]

16/03/2026

𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽𝗲 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝟭𝟲.𝟱" 𝗠𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸
just £𝟮,𝟮𝟬𝟬 (𝙍𝙍𝙋 𝙞𝙨 £3,190)

This double flap saddle, manufactured in 2021, has had light use and been well looked after. It will suit a petite adult or teenager. The Synergy is a very popular member of the Equipe range and, with a composite tree and foam panels, gives a really close, well balanced feel, ideal for competitive Show Jumping or Eventing.

Please contact me for further details - 07941 512 922, or browse my website: www.wills-saddlefitter.co.uk for a list of all used saddles.

01/03/2026

🐣𝓢𝓟𝓡𝓘𝓝𝓖 𝓘𝓢 𝓗𝓔𝓡𝓔! (🏵𝒻𝒻𝒾𝒸𝒾𝒶𝓁𝓁𝓎 𝒶𝓉 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓈𝓉)

Definitely time to get your saddle(s) checked for the start of the season, and if you are thinking of a change, act now to give yourself plenty of time to look at the options available.

🐴Remember, comfort is key, for both horse and rider. There has been so much scientific research over the past few years into how to optimise your horse's wellbeing and performance, and this is reflected in newer, better designs coming onto the market. With competition standards so high, even a small adjustment can make all the difference.

🐴Every horse and rider is unique, and its important to be able to try a number of different saddles in a variety of brands to suit you - whatever your aspirations and discipline.

🐴As an ex-event rider and saddle fitter of some 25 years experience, I feel I can help you navigate the ups and downs of saddle fitting and I'm happy to spend as long as it takes going through the options. Please feel free to contact me.

Antonia Wills -📞 07941 512933, 📧[email protected]

31/12/2025

That quiet space between Christmas and New Year ✨

When the yards feel a little calmer, the competition buzz pauses… and we all get a moment to reflect.

On the rides that went well.
The partnerships that grew.
The lessons learned... sometimes the hard way.

As we look ahead to a fresh year, it’s a lovely time to ask yourself one simple question:
what’s one thing you could upgrade to support you (and your horse) even better in 2026?

Not for the sake of “new”…
but for comfort, performance, confidence and longevity 🤍

Whether that’s:
• a saddle that truly allows freedom of movement
• boots that offer better protection and recovery
• a bit that encourages clearer, happier communication
• or rider kit that supports you to feel safe and secure

Small changes can make a big difference.

So here’s our New Year question to you 👀

What’s the one piece of kit you’re planning to upgrade this year?
Let us know below - we love hearing what’s on your wish list 🦓✨

📸Laura Collett Eventing by uvex equestrian