Natalie Hills Saddlery

17/06/2026

Arrgh! It’s that time of year again. I’m 8 barrows in. Anyone else battling the resurgence of this dreaded poisonous w**d?. Thank goodness we had some rain!

12/06/2026

Banjo was very grateful to me for checking his saddle today. These are the parts of my job that I love. I have a feeling he may have been checking I wasn’t hiding any treatsies!

10/06/2026

This is why we say it is so important to see the main rider ride as our wants and needs vary hugely. I can’t predict what saddle you will prefer and find the most comfortable, which is why when we do a saddle fit, we want to see you ride in as many as possible to establish what combination works best for both the horse and the rider, together.

🤔Too short? Too long? Or just right?

Finding your ideal stirrup length should be based on your body and your physical ability, not tradition, trends or what someone else’s stirrups look like.

👀 Look at all the lines on the Core top and Align Jods - don’t just look at the stirrup length!

One of the biggest myths in the equestrian world is that longer stirrups automatically create a better position.

In reality, longer stirrups increase the physical demands placed on the rider. As stirrups get longer, less weight is supported through the feet and more is supported through the seat. The leg becomes a longer lever, the stirrup provides less support, and the rider needs greater balance, stability and pelvic control to maintain their position.

That’s why some riders actually improve when their stirrups are shortened by a hole or two.

This is one of the reasons I love my custom-made dressage saddle from (not just the pink parts, honest 😉). It allows me to adjust stirrup length and knee block position to suit the rider’s body, rather than forcing the rider to fit the saddle. Offering different shaped/size blocks, like they do, is the way forward for dressage saddles 💪.

Too often riders choose knee blocks based on appearance or trends. Knee blocks should suit your mobility, flexibility, leg length and physical ability - not the latest fashion.

The saddle should support the rider.

The rider shouldn’t have to contort themselves to fit the saddle.

Which length suits this rider best - 1, 2 or 3? 👇

05/06/2026

Great day at the Prestige UK seminar. Lots of lovely saddles and some very useful information to process and digest.

22/05/2026

Come
For a different kind of ride with me today….

19/05/2026

Out of office is on. I’m looking forward to a well deserved break to recharge my batteries and enjoy a bit of sunshine. None of which would be possible without the wonderful people back home looking after my horse, house, bunnies and fish! Every thankful to you wonderful humans.