Shipping & Returns

Trial Saddle

Total Contact Equine Solutions offer the chance to trial a saddle for 2 weeks. Your trial saddle will be brand new and the style and colour of your choice, made just for you. You’ll pay a refundable deposit of £170 plus a non-refundable postage charge of £15.

If in the unlikely event that you decide the TCS trial saddle is not for you, simply return it fully tracked in perfect condition and in the original packaging at your own expense. We can arrange a collection for you if required, and will simply deduct the postage cost of £15 from your refundable balance.

UK Orders and Delivery

Your Total Contact Saddle will be sent by tracked 24 hour delivery service as soon as we have made it for you. We often have the saddle of your choice in stock but in busy periods we will need to make it for you, this can take between 2-4 weeks according to how busy we are - you will be advised of extended lead times during busy periods. When you go to basket and add the delivery address the correct postage will be added. All shipping charges are non-refundable.

Please take care when providing your delivery address details. We do not accept any responsibility for orders which are lost or cannot be delivered due to incorrect details. Please ensure you follow the tracking details we supply. If you expect to be out when your order is delivered, please leave a note for the driver to arrange for the parcel to be left in a secure place.

Overseas orders

Your Total Contact Saddle will be sent by a tracked delivery service.

We often have the saddle of your choice ready made and in stock but in busy periods we will need to make it for you, this can take between 2-4 weeks according to how busy we are- you will be advised of extended lead times during busy periods.

If you can’t see a shipping charge for your country please do contact us for a quote at lisa@total-contact.co.uk

Sometimes parcels can get “sticky” in customs, this is against our control but it is usually only a few days, so nothing to worry about. In most cases Total Contact Equine Solutions will pay the Taxes for any parcel going to Europe so you should not have to budget to spend any more money and this should help the parcel pass through customs more smoothly. All shipping charges are non-refundable.

Please take care when providing your delivery address details. We do not accept any responsibility for orders which are lost or cannot be delivered due to incorrect details. Please ensure you follow the tracking details we supply. If you expect to be out when your order is delivered, please leave a note for the driver to arrange for the parcel to be left in a secure place.

EU Customs Duty & Overseas Purchasers

From the 1st July ALL parcels to EU countries will be charged local rates of VAT to that country. Total Contact Equine Solutions are happy to say in most cases we will pay these charges for you. This means you do not have to budget for more expense and this should help your parcel move through customs much more smoothly.

Whilst we take every care we can to comply with Customs regulations, as given to us by various parcel carrier companies, the situation with Customs in various countries is becoming ever more complex. Once your order has been collected by the carrier company we cannot control its eventual delivery due to any Customs hold ups or queries. We will send you a parcel tracking reference when it’s been sent and we will try our best to facilitate the speedy delivery of your order.

Cancelling an order

We work as efficiently as we can and often dispatch next working day, so cancelling an order is not always possible, but please get in touch and we will cancel if it has not already been dispatched.

Returns

To make a return, please email lisa@total-contact.co.uk. Please return your item in its original packaging in perfect, saleable condition. Unless it is a trial saddle and then we accept it would have been lightly used.

Damaged orders

If your order arrives damaged, please let us know straight away by emailing lisa@total-contact.co.uk. You’ll be asked to return the item free of charge, and a replacement will be sent.

Kindly note that bespoke orders are not returnable, unless damaged upon arrival.

Saddle Warranty

All new and ex-trial stock carry a seven month warranty. Ex-trial stock may be discounted due to minor cosmetic defects, which are reflected in the price. Warranty only covers product defects and not fair wear and tear or damage caused by the purchaser. The warranty is non-transferable and only applies to the person named on the sales invoice. It is the responsibility of the buyer to satisfy themselves of the condition, price and warranty terms of their purchase.

Customer experience

It’s really important to us that you have a great experience when you buy from us – from placing your order to receiving it, and the many miles you’ll cover in your saddle with your equine friend. If you experience any trouble at any point, please let us know right away by emailing lisa@total-contact.co.uk

For all horses...

The Total Contact Saddle (TCS) is a treeless saddle that wraps around the horse. As such it has no distinct shape (it's delivered to you flat) and it adopts the shape of the horse - all year, in all conditions, all breeds and conformations.

  • The Total Contact Saddle was designed to give the closest possible contact with the horse whilst keeping the security of stirrups. The minimalist design strips away unnecessary padding, tree, cantle and pommel to deliver direct communication between horse and rider. The rider can now really feel the horse – often for the first time – and, as importantly, the horse can feel the rider.

  • It places the rider in a position where increased rapport with the horse is possible and so the horse can feel the rider easier, making aids softer, and the rider can feel the horse more, meaning that they can understand what's happening under them better. It has no flocking to worry about and doesn't need saddle fitter call outs to check it or to alter it in any way.
Sizing & Fitting

For all riders…

The TCS places the rider just behind the centre of gravity of the horse and so makes it easier for the horse to carry the weight of the rider, and move more freely in all gaits. With the Total Contact Saddle, the rider is effectively sitting on the horse, and not perched above it as in a conventional saddle, so can learn to feel the direct movement of the horse as it flexes its muscles through the back.

  • The rider can learn to notice if their horse becomes anxious, and calm the horse down before it naps or seeks to avoid a situation, and confidence can then be given to the horse by the rider as both learn to ride together. The sensation of feeling the horse is a new one to many riders as they transition to the Total Contact Saddle and one that allows them to effect better control and use less leg and rein aids to change gait or direction.

  • The saddle has been used successfully by riders as young as three, with clients using their TCS for a wide range of disciplines – from hacking and schooling to endurance rides, cross country and show jumping.

    Got questions about using a Total Contact Saddle? No problem - read our FAQ.
FAQ