Global Saddle Trial Policy (USA, UK, Europe & Australia)

Best Horse Saddle Shop

Last Updated: October 2026

At Best Horse Saddle Shop, our team of Society of Master Saddlers (SMS) Qualified Fitters knows firsthand that you can never truly judge a saddle until it’s on your horse’s back and moving in the arena. A saddle can look brilliant on a wooden rack, but the true test happens under saddle—when your horse steps through from behind, lifts through their back, and rotates through the shoulder without restriction.

To give you complete peace of mind, we offer a dedicated 5-Day Saddle Trial Window across our entire inventory of new saddles and pre-owned saddles for riders based in the United States (Mainland), United Kingdom, European Union, and Australia. Wherever you and your horse are training, we want to ensure both you and your horse get the perfect fit.

1. How the Global Saddle Trial Works

Our trial program is specifically structured to account for international shipping timelines while keeping your testing window straightforward, fair, and transparent:

• The Trial Window: You have 5 full days to test the saddle, starting the exact day tracking confirms delivery to your home, yard, or barn aisle in the US, UK, EU, or Australia.

• Eligible Regions: Full 5-day trial privileges apply to orders shipped across the United States (Mainland), United Kingdom, European Union, and Australia. (For riders outside these primary zones, please contact our fitting desk prior to ordering to discuss custom dispatch options).

• Upfront Deposit: All trial saddles are paid for in full prior to dispatch to reserve the item from our active bench inventory.

• Need to Send It Back? If the tree shape, gullet clearance, or panel arch isn’t right for your horse’s top-line or your seat, simply drop our team an email before 5:00 PM (local time) on the 5th day of your trial to receive your Trial Return Authorization (TRA) number and regional return instructions.

2. Practical Yard Rules for Testing Your Saddle

We want you to get a genuine feel for how the saddle rides in all three gaits, but we also have a duty to protect the leather for the next horse and rider if it doesn’t work out. Please follow these yard rules during your trial window:

• Pad Up: Always ride with a clean, dry, thin saddle pad underneath during every test fitting and ride.

• Protect the Flaps: Wrap your stirrup leathers in protective leather sleeves, tube socks, or run your leathers underneath the flap. This prevents deep leather tracking, friction rubs, and stirrup bar indentations on soft calfskin flaps or vintage hide.

• Keep It Clean & Dry: Keep the saddle completely clear of horse sweat, mud, rain, and stable dust. Please do not apply any leather oils, glycerine soaps, leather balms, or conditioners during your 5-day trial window.

• Billet & Girth Care: Girth up gently using clean, smooth girth straps and buckles. Over-tightening dirty or rough girth buckles can stretch or crease the billet leather unnecessarily. Always double-check proper gullet clearance over the wither apex and spine before mounting up.

• Safe Storage: When you’re not riding, store the saddle indoors on a padded rack with its protective cover on. Never leave trial saddles sitting on barn aisle floors, in damp tack rooms, or locked in hot vehicle trunks.

3. Saddle Condition & Workshop Return Inspection

Every saddle that leaves our workshop undergoes a multi-point safety check, measurement log, and photo inspection by our fitting bench. When a trial saddle arrives back at our facility, our fitting technicians evaluate it carefully against those dispatch logs:

• Full Purchase Refund: If the saddle comes back in the exact condition it left—no added wear, no deep leather creasing, clean hardware, and zero horse sweat marks—you will receive a full refund of the saddle purchase price (minus original shipping costs).

• Minor Wear / Refurbishment Fees: If there are minor cosmetic signs of testing (such as light stirrup leather tracking, faint billet creasing, or a bit of stray horse hair), a 5% to 15% refurbishment fee will be deducted from your refund to cover leather restoration and bench repointing.

• Ineligible Returns: Saddles returned with structural tree damage, heavy leather scuffing, altered wool flocking, or unauthorized tree adjustments cannot be accepted for a refund and will be returned to the buyer at their expense.

4. How to Return Your Trial Saddle (US, UK, EU & AU)

1. Get in Touch: Email our support team directly at support@besthorsesaddleshop.com or reach out via our Contact Page within your 5-day window. Send us your order number, and we will issue your Trial Return Authorization (TRA) along with the address of your closest regional return facility.

2. Pack It Securely: Repack the saddle securely in its original shipping box with all protective air-wrap, tags, and documentation included.

3. Ship Tracked & Insured: Return shipping costs are the responsibility of the customer. Because saddles are high-value pieces of equipment, you must use a tracked, signature-required, and fully insured courier service. Best Horse Saddle Shop cannot be held liable for items lost or damaged during return transit.

4. Bench Inspection & Refund: Once your saddle arrives at our regional hub, our workshop team will inspect it within 48 hours. Approved refunds are credited directly to your original payment method within 5–10 business days.

5. Excluded & Non-Trial Items

A few specific items sit outside our standard trial program:

• Custom-made, bespoke, or special-order saddles manufactured to specific factory specs

• Saddles marked as “Clearance”, “Final Sale”, or “As-Is”

• Tack accessories (girths, stirrup leathers, bridles, pads) unless pre-approved by our customer support team

Global Trial FAQs

When does my 5-day trial period officially start?

Day 1 begins on the exact date courier tracking confirms delivery to your home, yard, or barn address in the USA, United Kingdom, European Union, or Australia.

Can I order more than one saddle on trial at the same time?

 Yes, absolutely. You are welcome to order multiple saddles to compare tree shapes, panel fills, and seat profiles side by side. Full payment is required for each saddle upfront, and our standard trial rules apply to every saddle returned.

What if my SMS fitter or vet can’t make it out before my 5 days are up?

We know how tricky coordinating fitter appointments can be across different regions. If you run into scheduling conflicts with your fitter, email us at support@besthorsesaddleshop.com before your 5th day ends. We will always do our best to work with you on a short extension where possible.

Are outbound shipping fees and import charges refundable if I return a saddle?

Outbound shipping fees and return delivery costs are non-refundable. For international returns across border zones (e.g., EU or AU import processing), paid customs duties or import taxes are non-refundable by Best Horse Saddle Shop, though your local customs authority may allow duty reclaims using your TRA proof of return.