Rider Testimonials

Hello Julia,

Just wanted to thank you for coming to Millbrook.  It is hard to believe a saddle can make such a difference to both horse and rider, for good or bad!  Both horses are going in a more relaxed state, raising their backs easily and getting their legs under them.  Both are picking up canters on either rein.  I rode the small one for 2.5 hours through the Ganny on Sunday, up and down hills and the saddle remained in position and he was a happy boy.  I had no hip or ankle pain at all.  After getting home I walked the dog and then rode the Canadien.  In the summer I would not have been able to even think of doing that as my hip would have been so sore.  I feel 40 years younger and would not hesitate to event again if I had the horse and a proper Schleese saddle.  I might even be looking forward to doing Dressage with Duc, or at least reining with Laddie!

Thanks again and hope you and Charlie had a good trip home!

I had a wall full of ribbons from countless horse shows and I still wasn’t happy. I wasn’t happy because my horses obviously were not. I spent thousands of hours riding with very talented trainers, but no matter how well I could ride, there was still a void. I wanted to be better. I wanted to be more than a rider. I wanted to be a horseman, that is, horsewoman.

So, in my never-ending quest for self improvement, I embarked on a journey that would change not only my life, but the lives of the horses for whom I have such a deep passion.

I began to study everything I could get my hands on about horse behavior. This led me down another path to a degree in equine nutrition. But wait, there’s more! I soaked up information about hoof care and the latest breakthroughs in equine pharmacology, anatomy, physiology, and holistic healing like a sponge. I moved away from any training techniques involving pain, fear, and intimidation. I solicited the advice of trainers well-versed in the Classical Method of Dressage- no easy task in the Cutting Horse Capital of the World! I aligned myself with only those persons with a similar philosophy.

Along the way, I met an amazing number of horses who, for various reasons, were placed in a recliner and destined for a life spent staring at a fish tank in someone’s nursing home of a back pasture, or worse, the kill pen. These horses had failed at their current careers due to physical and /or behavioral issues.

Over and over I was encountering riders whose trainers and vets had given up on the horses. Somehow, it didn’t seem right. If these horses were okay for some life in a pasture or to be passed off to some other unsuspecting rider, why couldn’t they be made whole again? Plenty of humans retire from one career to begin another, so why couldn’t a low level eventer become someone’s next First Level dressage partner? I figured they simply needed someone with the knowledge to help them succeed and that person was going to be me.

But, I am human and flawed, so even I could fail a horse. Enter GG, an exceptionally challenging mare. Try as I might, I just couldn’t figure out how to make her happy. She was terrific to be around- as long as I stayed off her back. So, without further adieux, I delved into the world of saddle fit. I was pretty sure I had it all figured out and was making some pretty good progress with the mare, but I wasn’t quite there. My saddle wasn’t horrible, but it still wasn’t quite right- and it certainly wasn’t doing me any favors.

So, in a last ditch effort to find a way to ride this mare successfully, I began my search for yet another saddle- one that would suit both of us. A chance outing one evening landed me in Saddle Heaven. I had stumbled upon what would become a savior for even more of the horses entrusted to my care: Schleese Saddles.

Not only are these saddles made for women (Hooray!) but they are also fully adjustable for the horse. A certified fitter from the company -in Schleese terms, an Ergonomist- comes to my farm at least every six months to fit the horses both statically and dynamically. The Saddle Fit for Life philosophy aligned perfectly with my own.  So, thanks to a chance meeting with Jochen Schleese and his wife, Sabine, the final piece of my puzzle fell into place and now I can be even more successful giving horses the futures they deserve- far from the kill pens and forgotten back pastures.

Utilizing nutrition, holistic healing, environment, proper saddle fit, and the Classical Method of Dressage, I have been able to successfully heal horses with not only physical trauma, but psychological trauma, as well.

My name is Jennifer Fulton and my focus is the Whole Horse.

Thank you Schleese for an AMAZING saddle fitting today by Matt Hirons.  He did a fantastic job doing a much needed adjustment for my young, ever changing mare!  Made all the difference in the world on fit for her and position for me!

Thank you so much for having Matt on your team!  His dedication to his trade is PRICELESS!!!

Regards!

Thank you so much for all you have done for women and for horses.

I grew up on a cattle ranch, riding bareback, and western from a young age. When I became interested in dressage some years ago, I tried a saddle that someone I knew had for sale. After riding in it, my crotch was extremely sore and numb… I mentioned this to my friend, (an equine vet) whom I respected. She told me that if I wanted to ride dressage I would have to get used to it, and basically that if you are not raw and unable to walk after riding, you are not riding ‘hard enough.’ Wow.

Thank goodness I did not buy the saddle. I was unable to find anything acceptable to me for my price, so for many years I rode in a ‘Sensation’ Treeless Dressage saddle. It felt like bareback, and at least I was not injuring my horses and myself. But it was difficult to find and maintain a correct position.

About a year ago I first rode in a Schleese when my friend allowed me to ride her horse, and her new saddle she had just purchased. I instantly felt relaxed and supported everywhere. My legs were able to hang so nicely from the hip joints. Comfort, and absolute security! I was shocked that it felt MORE comfortable than my treeless saddle which is extremely close contact and nice to sit in.
Also, I must mention that this horse, who I had ridden in the past and found him to be unpleasant, was NOT THE SAME HORSE! He was happy and able to go in a light contact in an engaged way. He no longer rushed, braced, inverted, and chewed the bit. These things were gone.

So I of course bought my own Schleese not long afterward. I am very impressed with the saddle’s excellent quality and perfect fit to my body. I am lucky it works for me, since I bought it used. I am very delighted with it. I recently had it reflocked by one of your staff and the customer service was perfect. I learned a lot and I am very happy with the results. Can’t say enough good things about your company!
Thank you for helping so many horses and women who ride in your saddles!

Hi Natalie:

I wanted to let you know I’ve been riding in my new Obrigado for a week & it has truly been magical!! Thank you for an informative & fantastic fitting session. I really appreciate your time spent answering all my questions. The horses have a new ‘turbo boost’ behind the saddle & you can see the engagement of the hind legs in these pics. Thanks again!!

For the longest, time I always had trouble with my dressage, especially on my 14 year old Lusitano, Voyeur. Being an eventer, I thought he might just prefer the jumping, but then I began to come to the conclusion that he was in pain. My riding continued to improve, but I still had trouble with all my downward transitions and it got to the point where I could not sit the trot without him hollowing his back. I did some research and found Schleese and then attended one of Jochens saddle fitting sessions for the first time in Santa Rosa. When I rode in one of his saddles that truly fit me and Voyeur for the first time, I almost melted! Suddenly I could do things like sit the trot without discomfort or difficulty. My transitions improved dramatically. I also noticed a change in his demeanor whenever we did dressage. An even more exciting change was when we received our lowest dressage score yet in competition: a 29.0 which is equivalent to a 71% in dressage. He has not placed out of the top 5 in any competitions since we started working with Schleese. I also have a 6 year old Hanovarian and 11 year old Selle Francias. My 6 year old, Charlie, had two wins out of the past three shows we have done and my 11 year old, Q, was able to move up a level this past season. I have had more success than ever this year thanks to Schleese Saddlery!

Thanks!

Hello Jochen,

Just wanted to let you know that Damon has improved a lot since using the Obrigado saddle and it hasn’t even been two weeks. The bumps along his spine on the left side are almost gone and he is cantering much more comfortably. But the biggest change that I notice is in the muscles just behind the saddle, they are actually loose and moving with each step, which has not been the case in other saddles. I am very encouraged by these changes in such a short time and wanted to say thank you.

At the January Wellington Show, we won both of his classes with his high score being 80.8% – we received our highest marks ever at the canter, 8.5.

We are looking forward to the rest of the show season and hope to see you further down the trail!

Thanks again, we will keep you posted.

Day 2 in my new Infinity II and I love it twice as much as I did yesterday. My horse just seems more powerful, lifting her back and using her shoulders more. She is reaching for the bit more and is steadier in the contact, more willing to move laterally. I love the sitting phase of rising trot; I come into this soft, balanced place and feel I can adjust my position more readily. The bridle is an added perk. It fits her better and gives her more relief at her ears and brow.

Thank you so much for taking half a day to give me and my horse this wonderful gift!

Hi Sabine,

OK, I submitted the following review on Amazon for Jochens book. It is being processedby Amazon, so will appear soon, I suspect. I gave it a 5 star rating:
I have been an endurance rider since the mid 1980’s. Asking a horse to go 50, 75 or 100 miles in a day is asking a lot–of both horse and rider. It takes hundreds and hundreds of miles of preparation to get you both in shape to successfully compete in this sport. A primary factor in this equation is a proper saddle fit for both you and your horse. I have struggled with how to accomplish this for 30 years, and it has never been explained so clearly as in this book. Jochen Schleese has put all the pieces of the puzzle together in this well written and well-illustrated book. You will learn that ALL saddles out there (with the exception of a side-seat saddle and a Schleese saddle) are made to fit a man’s pelvis. There is no way a woman can ever be comfortable or truly in balance in a saddle built for a man’s pelvis. The shape of a woman’s pelvis and her center of gravity is very different from a man’s. You will also learn all the features of a saddle that can hurt a horse if the saddle is not built or adjusted correctly, and that many behavioral issues a horse exhibits are often a result of poor saddle fit. There are also many chronic soft-tissue injuries that horses and riders can completely avoid by a saddle that fits both horse and rider properly. In this book, Jochen Schleese explains in an easy to understand manner, all the steps necessary for determining whether or not a saddle fits you and your horse properly–both when the horse is standing still and when the horse is in motion and if it continues to fit over time as the horse changes shape from conditioning (or lack thereof). I highly recommend this book. It will arm you with information that can save both you and your horse from unnecessary pain and make riding a much more enjoyable experience for both of you. Read this book, and you will gain the knowledge that Jochen Schleese has so generously shared. If you apply this knowledge, it will definitely help you and your horse ride pain free for a lifetime.

I wanted also to let you and Jochen know that my saddle arrived yesterday. It is absolutely beautiful. I think the stirrup leather solution is brilliant. Hopefully it will all work for both Tahoe and me. It’s still pouring rain outside, and Tahoe is soaking wet and muddy from rolling in the mud. We are forecast for some dry weather tomorrow so I might be able to get him cleaned up enough to try out the saddle and go for a little hack on the unpaved road that I live on (safe footing even with all this rain). Ill keep you posted.
Best regards,

I wanted to provide a testimonial. One year ago I took my 17 y/o Hano to a Schleese fitting. He had been off and on again for half a year and for the first time in his life missed out on championships due to lameness. I was crushed and struggling with contemplating retiring my lifetime show partner and best friend. I bought him a new HK, really as a hail Mary. I’m a nurse, not a millionaire, and really struggled badly with buyer’s remorse once home. I was determined to return the saddle, feeling this was a snake oil indulgence. But it wasn’t. Every time I rode, I could feel he was better and better. He actually went sounder. Now at 18, going on 19, he still goes in front pads and still gets previcox every day, same as he did at 17, but he has been absolutely sound for an entire year. Never missed one day. He went to championships this year and scored well. He is happy and productive. Thank you Schleese for keeping my dear friend going. I would happily buy again!!

Thank you so much for the saddle fitting today. You are so generous and you work miracles for my horses. I can hardly believe the improvement of my horses’ dressage. Also, thank you for fitting my new horse, Quiproquo, unexpectedly and for the saddle pads and cover!! I am so grateful. I will also be sure to spread the word. I have already got an entire barn on the east coast hooked on your saddles! A trainer there was complaining about a horse that was hard to fit and I told her about you and your saddle fit process and ideals. She got a saddle fitted and her horse is better than ever.

You do amazing things for the horse community. I hope one day everyone can be truly educated about saddle fit. I know you will change everyone’s way of thinking.

Hey Jochen,

In any language I can think of, thank you for my new saddle. I rode Chablis in it today on the trail for about 2 hours and it was not only incredibly comfortable but my feet didn’t fall asleep – something that has been a problem in pretty much every saddle I’ve ever been in (even sadly my hunt saddles sometimes) Just amazing – what I’ve been looking for, for well over 10 years! Do you remember my first Schleese I had for the big chestnut? It kept making my entire right leg fall asleep after only 5 minutes. You guys were amazing – I sent it back to your workshop a number of times- you shaved the internal bits, added a gel pad, did other crazy things to it – and finally it worked and was comfortable This was even better than all that crazy amazing custom work – day 1. Just awesome! And just as important, Chablis seems awfully happy in it too – big swinging walk (ok HUGE walk LOL)

I’m so glad you got to come to my little neck of the sagebrush – it’s always fun to see you and you make my life and my ponies lives just that much better with what you do and how you do it.
Come back soon 🙂