California Riding Magazine • February, 2012

LimeLite Custom Saddlery
Mobile saddle fitters harness their broad experiences for horse and rider's benefit.

There's no substitute for experience when it comes to successful saddle fitting and related services and Sue and Graham Newell of LimeLite Custom Saddlery have oodles of that. Sue is a lifelong rider who currently trains and competes at FEI Level dressage and Graham was introduced to saddlery many years ago while serving in the British Army.

Certified as Professional Saddle Fitters by the Society of Master Saddlers United Kingdom, Sue and Graham started LimeLite Custom Saddlery three and a half years ago. In addition to fitting, they offer repairs and sell new and used dressage and jumping saddles. Sue and Graham work with all brands of english saddles but are authorized independent fitters and sales reps for Custom Saddlery and Black Country Saddles. They plan to add the Hennig line in March.

The mobile service is based in San Diego, but covers a huge territory including California, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and El Paso, TX. In other words, Sue and Graham are busy!

And happy. "There is nothing greater than when you put a saddle on a horse and the rider is crying with happiness because she's never felt the horse move the way they are moving," says Sue. "Nothing compares to that moment."

"We just have a love of the horse and keeping the horses and riders happy and comfortable is our number one goal," Sue continues. As a rider herself, she knows that the sport is meant to be a fun experience. "You should love to go out and ride in your saddle."
Much of LimeLite's effectiveness is due to the volume and variety of their clientele. "Because we cover such a large territory, we are exposed to a wide range of horses and riders," Sue explains. They've worked with Icelandic ponies and international dressage and jumping horses and riders, plus everything imaginable in between. Because each horse and rider is unique in their conformation, preferences and purposes, Sue and Graham wind up with a vast body of collective knowledge about what works in various situations.

They supplement their experiential education with formal seminars from saddle makers, programs from the Society of Master Saddlers in the UK, and by attending riding clinics, all with the attitude that there is always more to learn. Participating in and/or auditing riding clinics are their way of staying up with the latest thinking on rider and horse biomechanics, areas of critical relevance to saddle construction and proper fit.

The art of saddle fitting adjusts to an ever-evolving body of knowledge, Sue points out. "Design is constantly improving to accommodate the horse's movement, maintain the proper rider position and help the rider sit and maintain connectivity and feel," she summarizes. "All the while without interfering with the horse and allowing it to move to its maximum potential." Understanding tree construction and knowing where pressure points are and how to alleviate them in various saddle constructions are related topics in a saddle fitter's never-ending education.

Wide-Ranging Services

As more horse owners understand the significance of saddle fit, LimeLite Custom Saddlery is enjoying strong demand for its wide-ranging services. The saddle evaluation is the starting point for many customers. This frank discussion centers on the saddle's fit for the horse's comfort and performance. If there are problems, Sue and/or Graham will explain what can be done and what the costs will be. For those in the market for a new saddle, Limelite offers saddle fitting that starts with test rides in various brands and styles and recommendations on which would best suit the pair in question. In both cases, Sue and Graham are happy to involve trainers and veterinarians in the dialog as needed.

Repair services are extensive and many can be done on-site in LimeLite's mobile shop. Tree adjustment, over flocking and re-flocking, billet renewals, opening or removing a panel for inspection and re-stitching knee rolls are a few of Limelite's offerings.

Choosing to represent Custom Saddlery was a no-brainer for Sue. She's ridden in the brand for 10 years herself and, like several of the international riders LimeLite serves, has first-hand knowledge of Custom's high level of quality, craftsmanship and design. Seeking to represent saddles in several price points, Sue and Graham added Black Country saddles. During a year-long process of choosing which brand to add, the couple visited several saddle makers in England and were most impressed with Black Country. Available in dressage, hunter/jumper and endurance models, this line comes with endless options regarding trees, leather type, knee rolls, thigh blocks, panels and thigh positioning.

In March, LimeLite will expand its line of represented saddles to include Hennigs, custom dressage saddles crafted in Germany by Jochen Henning.

"We are sticking with brands that we can customize," Sue explains. "We want to have a few different brands because so much of this is personal preference regarding which saddle is good for a specific horse and rider."

For more information or to schedule a session with Limelite Custom Saddlery, visit www.limelitecustomsaddlery.com.