Saddle Trial Policy
Premium Saddle Shop
Last Updated: October 2026
At Premium Saddle Shop, our team of Society of Master Saddlers (SMS) Qualified Fitters knows firsthand that you can never truly judge a saddle until it is on your horse’s back and moving in the arena. A saddle can look brilliant on a rack, but the real 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 the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, and Australia. Whether you are backing a young horse, refitting a changing top-line, or sourcing a show-ring model, we want to ensure both you and your horse are completely happy with the fit.
1. How the Global Trial Works
Our trial program is structured to accommodate international riders while keeping testing periods straightforward, fair, and transparent:
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The Trial Window: You have 5 full days to test the saddle, starting the exact day tracking confirms delivery to your street address, yard, or barn aisle.
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Eligible Regions: Full trial privileges apply to orders shipped across the United States (Mainland), United Kingdom, European Union, and Australia.
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Upfront Payment: All trial saddles are paid for in full prior to dispatch to reserve the inventory.
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Need to Send It Back? If the tree shape or panel arch isn’t right for your horse’s top-line, simply contact our team before 5:00 PM (local time) on the 5th day of your trial to receive your Trial Return Authorization (TRA).
2. Practical Rules for Testing Your Saddle
We want you to get a genuine feel for how the saddle rides, but we also have a duty to protect the leather for the next rider if it doesn’t work out. Please follow these yard rules during your trial:
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Pad Up: Always ride with a clean, thin, dry saddle pad underneath during every test fitting.
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Protect the Flaps: Wrap your stirrup leathers in protective leather sleeves or tube socks, or turn your leathers underneath the flap. This prevents deep leather tracking, friction rubs, and stirrup bar indentations on soft calfskin or vintage hide.
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Keep It Dry & Clean: Keep the saddle completely clear of horse sweat, mud, rain, and barn dust. Please do not apply leather oils, balms, glycerine soaps, or conditioners during your trial window.
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Billet & Girth Care: Girth up gently using clean, smooth girth buckles. Over-tightening dirty or rough girth buckles can stretch or crease the billet leather unnecessarily. Always double-check proper pommel and gullet clearance over the wither and spine before mounting up.
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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. Bench Inspection & Refurbishment Evaluation
Every saddle that leaves our shop undergoes a multi-point safety check, measurement log, and photo inspection by our fitting bench. When a trial saddle comes back to our workshop, we evaluate it carefully against these logs:
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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 sweat marks—you will receive a full refund of the saddle price (minus original shipping costs).
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Minor Wear 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.
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Ineligible Returns: Saddles returned with structural damage, heavy 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
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Get in Touch: Drop our support team an email at
support@premiumsaddleshop.com Contact Page -
Pack It Securely: Repack the saddle securely in its original box with all protective bubble wrap, tags, and paperwork included.
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Ship Tracked & Insured: You will cover the return shipping costs. Because saddles are high-value pieces of equipment, you must use a tracked, signature-required, and fully insured courier service. Premium Saddle Shop cannot be held responsible for items lost or damaged on their way back to our facility.
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Bench Inspection & Refund: Once your saddle arrives at our regional workshop, our fitting bench will inspect it within 48 hours. Approved refunds go right back to your original payment method within 5–10 business days.
5. Excluded Items
A few specific items sit outside our standard trial program:
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Custom-made, bespoke, or special-order saddles built to specific factory specs.
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Items marked as “Clearance”, “Final Sale”, or “As-Is”.
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Tack accessories (girths, stirrup leathers, bridles, pads) unless pre-approved by our support team.
Regional Trial FAQs
When does my 5-day trial period officially start?
Day 1 begins the date courier tracking confirms the box was delivered to your home, barn, or yard address in the US, UK, EU, or AU.
Can I order more than one saddle on trial at the same time?
Absolutely. You are welcome to select
What if my SMS fitter can’t make it out before my 5 days are up?
We know how tricky coordinating fitter appointments can be. If you run into scheduling issues with your fitter or vet, email
Are original shipping fees and customs charges refundable?
Outbound delivery charges and return shipping costs are non-refundable. For international returns across border zones, any paid customs duties or import taxes are non-refundable by Premium Saddle Shop, though local customs authorities may allow duty reclaims using your TRA documentation.