Maintain Your Saddle With Regular Wool Reflocking
No Local Saddler for Reflocking? Ship It to the Specialist!
3 different types of wool have been added over the years, all disintegrated and hard lumps.
|
This saddle was overstuffed, all that flocking came out in little balls. This is not the way to get a saddle to fit better!
|
Most saddles that come to me are long overdue!
|
|
|
Highest Quality Jacobs and Traditional Lambs Wool |
Full Strip & Bench Reflock: $300.
(Winter Special: Free Custom Balancing - Remote Fitting included). Turnaround: ~1 week.
ALL English Saddles - Customizations or Basic Total Reflock (Pickup / Ship-In / Full Remote Options)
Don't settle for constant "top-ups", or worse... no maintenance, just because no one is nearby qualified to reflock.
Complete Strip & Reflock: $300
All old flocking is removed and replaced with high-quality, 100% natural wool, including imported Jacob's wool.
What’s included: Upon receiving your saddle, I perform a comprehensive inspection to assess current condition, including:
What I need from you: To tailor the reflocking to your horse, please include:
Complete Strip & Reflock: $300
All old flocking is removed and replaced with high-quality, 100% natural wool, including imported Jacob's wool.
What’s included: Upon receiving your saddle, I perform a comprehensive inspection to assess current condition, including:
- Tree symmetry and any signs of damage (cracks, instability)
- Loose staples, stitching, or tacks
- General internal condition of the tree
- Cleaning of accumulated hair, dirt, and sweat that gets under panels.
What I need from you: To tailor the reflocking to your horse, please include:
- Saddle make/model and serial numbers
- A brief description of your horse’s current condition / back shape and any fit concerns
- Any known asymmetries (horse or saddle), slipping to one side, bridging, rocking, etc.
- Recent tracings / photos of the saddle on the horse
- Clear conformation photos as shown below-
After a quick review, I’ll confirm whether your saddle is a realistic candidate and we’ll schedule your ship-in.
Send photos/tracings to: [email protected]
Turnaround and communication: I will communicate any findings and advise of any delays. Turnaround is typically within one week unless I notify you otherwise due to capacity. Photos can be taken during the process if you’d like to see them.
When your saddle is complete, you will be notified.
Send photos/tracings to: [email protected]
Turnaround and communication: I will communicate any findings and advise of any delays. Turnaround is typically within one week unless I notify you otherwise due to capacity. Photos can be taken during the process if you’d like to see them.
When your saddle is complete, you will be notified.
The Specialist You Can Ship To
Shipping and Return: You are responsible for shipping both ways. When you create the shipping label to send your saddle, please also create a prepaid return label and include it in the box. This allows me to return-ship your saddle immediately when the work is complete.
Payment: Check (preferred): made out to Laura Anderson and sent with saddle. Zelle is also great, these options keep costs down. (please request the email for this option) PayPal is available
We know that 'ghosting' and long delays are the norm in this industry. We are changing that. Our workshop operates on a strict 7-Day Turnaround policy. Your saddle is on the bench within 24 hours of arrival and back in the box within a week. No chasing, no wondering, just professional service.
Thank you for trusting my services. Every saddle I work on is handled with great care.
Click the Button Below for Some Shipping Guidance
Shipping and Return: You are responsible for shipping both ways. When you create the shipping label to send your saddle, please also create a prepaid return label and include it in the box. This allows me to return-ship your saddle immediately when the work is complete.
Payment: Check (preferred): made out to Laura Anderson and sent with saddle. Zelle is also great, these options keep costs down. (please request the email for this option) PayPal is available
We know that 'ghosting' and long delays are the norm in this industry. We are changing that. Our workshop operates on a strict 7-Day Turnaround policy. Your saddle is on the bench within 24 hours of arrival and back in the box within a week. No chasing, no wondering, just professional service.
Thank you for trusting my services. Every saddle I work on is handled with great care.
Click the Button Below for Some Shipping Guidance
Note: Many riders are told by brand reps that "if anyone else opens this saddle, your warranty is gone." This is designed to lock the consumer into the brand's ecosystem. However, this claim often relies on the consumer's ignorance of warranty laws and the distinction between maintenance and modification.
Some Guidance for Determining your Saddle's Flock Condition:
If you bought your saddle used, the flocking history is usually a mystery. If your saddle used to feel great and now feels “off,” ask yourself: have the panels ever been fully stripped and reflocked—or has wool just been adjusted? Hard or uneven panels are a sign maintenance may be due.
“Maintained or Adjusted” vs. “Reflocked” (this matters)
Something I hear constantly: riders are told a saddle has been “maintained” or “recently reflocked.” When I ask if it was done onsite while they waited, the answer is usually "yes". That means it was a top-up, or adjustment, not a full strip flock (true reflock).
A top-up is a legitimate service—small amounts of wool are added or removed through the flocking openings to fine-tune balance. But it does not remove what’s already inside the panel.
Over time, wool packs down, felts, and shifts under riding forces (compression, heat, moisture, and shear). When top-ups are repeated over old, felted wool, you can end up with balled-up areas, mixed wool types that don’t blend well (especially if multiple people have worked on it), and new wool sitting on top of a hard base. That’s not ideal for panel symmetry, balance, or comfort.
Video: Below is a short, real example of what I often find inside panels during a reflock.
If it’s been over 3 years since a full strip and reflock, it’s probably time.
Some Guidance for Determining your Saddle's Flock Condition:
If you bought your saddle used, the flocking history is usually a mystery. If your saddle used to feel great and now feels “off,” ask yourself: have the panels ever been fully stripped and reflocked—or has wool just been adjusted? Hard or uneven panels are a sign maintenance may be due.
“Maintained or Adjusted” vs. “Reflocked” (this matters)
Something I hear constantly: riders are told a saddle has been “maintained” or “recently reflocked.” When I ask if it was done onsite while they waited, the answer is usually "yes". That means it was a top-up, or adjustment, not a full strip flock (true reflock).
A top-up is a legitimate service—small amounts of wool are added or removed through the flocking openings to fine-tune balance. But it does not remove what’s already inside the panel.
Over time, wool packs down, felts, and shifts under riding forces (compression, heat, moisture, and shear). When top-ups are repeated over old, felted wool, you can end up with balled-up areas, mixed wool types that don’t blend well (especially if multiple people have worked on it), and new wool sitting on top of a hard base. That’s not ideal for panel symmetry, balance, or comfort.
Video: Below is a short, real example of what I often find inside panels during a reflock.
If it’s been over 3 years since a full strip and reflock, it’s probably time.
Important Notes About Fit Changes After Reflocking:
Reflocking changes a saddle’s internal support. The degree of change depends on the condition of the existing flocking and how the saddle has been maintained.
1) Expect a bigger change if your flocking is very compressed
If your current wool is hard, flattened, or heavily compacted, a complete strip-and-reflock can change the feel and fit more noticeably than it would on a saddle that has been maintained regularly. In some cases, a saddle that has been “fitted” while the flocking was very compressed may feel different once the panels are restored to normal loft and support.
2) “Stretched-out” panels have limits
If a saddle has been repeatedly overstuffed in an attempt to make a saddle “narrower” (panels packed excessively full), the panel structure and internal shape can become stretched or distorted. Reflocking cannot always reverse this. I will do my best to rebuild the panels for symmetry and stability, but some saddles may require more frequent follow-up adjustments.
3) New flocking settles—plan for a short break-in period
New wool settles and molds to the horse with riding. After approximately 10–20 rides, you can expect the saddle to ride a bit differently than it did on day one. This is normal.
The front of the panels often settles the most, which can noticeably affect wither clearance. Because of this:
4) Flocking also disperses with use—some areas may need a top-up
During normal settling, wool can also disperse with use as it redistributes under the rider’s leg and the horse’s movement. The most common area for this to show up is around the stirrup bar area, but exact patterns vary by horse, rider, and work.
5) Consultation, balancing, and candid “candidate” guidance
I will take time to consult with you about what you’re feeling under saddle and how your horse uses its back in movement so that the reflock is balanced as well as possible from the start. The more clearly you can describe what you’re experiencing (slipping, tipping, bridging, asymmetry, reduced clearance, etc.), the better I can tailor the result.
If, based on your information and photos/tracings, it appears that your saddle is not a realistic candidate to be reflocked to the horse you are hoping to fit, I will tell you upfront. My goal is to set appropriate expectations and avoid disappointment, just as I pre-screen onsite fitting candidates before scheduling a barn trip, as sometimes it becomes clear that I cannot give you the outcome you need.
6) Optional modifications and additional services
In some cases, additional work may be recommended for clearance or stability (for example, targeted flocking redistribution, quilting stitches, or other panel modifications). These services are not included in a standard reflock and may involve an additional charge. please see the Saddle Customization page where I show some options.
If while your saddle is already here, you’d like other work completed at the same time (billet replacement, etc.),let me know!
Reflocking changes a saddle’s internal support. The degree of change depends on the condition of the existing flocking and how the saddle has been maintained.
1) Expect a bigger change if your flocking is very compressed
If your current wool is hard, flattened, or heavily compacted, a complete strip-and-reflock can change the feel and fit more noticeably than it would on a saddle that has been maintained regularly. In some cases, a saddle that has been “fitted” while the flocking was very compressed may feel different once the panels are restored to normal loft and support.
2) “Stretched-out” panels have limits
If a saddle has been repeatedly overstuffed in an attempt to make a saddle “narrower” (panels packed excessively full), the panel structure and internal shape can become stretched or distorted. Reflocking cannot always reverse this. I will do my best to rebuild the panels for symmetry and stability, but some saddles may require more frequent follow-up adjustments.
3) New flocking settles—plan for a short break-in period
New wool settles and molds to the horse with riding. After approximately 10–20 rides, you can expect the saddle to ride a bit differently than it did on day one. This is normal.
The front of the panels often settles the most, which can noticeably affect wither clearance. Because of this:
- Allow time for the flocking to settle before making big conclusions.
- Monitor wither clearance and overall balance as the panels bed in.
- Communicate any concerns promptly so we can decide whether a minor adjustment is appropriate.
4) Flocking also disperses with use—some areas may need a top-up
During normal settling, wool can also disperse with use as it redistributes under the rider’s leg and the horse’s movement. The most common area for this to show up is around the stirrup bar area, but exact patterns vary by horse, rider, and work.
5) Consultation, balancing, and candid “candidate” guidance
I will take time to consult with you about what you’re feeling under saddle and how your horse uses its back in movement so that the reflock is balanced as well as possible from the start. The more clearly you can describe what you’re experiencing (slipping, tipping, bridging, asymmetry, reduced clearance, etc.), the better I can tailor the result.
If, based on your information and photos/tracings, it appears that your saddle is not a realistic candidate to be reflocked to the horse you are hoping to fit, I will tell you upfront. My goal is to set appropriate expectations and avoid disappointment, just as I pre-screen onsite fitting candidates before scheduling a barn trip, as sometimes it becomes clear that I cannot give you the outcome you need.
6) Optional modifications and additional services
In some cases, additional work may be recommended for clearance or stability (for example, targeted flocking redistribution, quilting stitches, or other panel modifications). These services are not included in a standard reflock and may involve an additional charge. please see the Saddle Customization page where I show some options.
If while your saddle is already here, you’d like other work completed at the same time (billet replacement, etc.),let me know!