Schleese Saddlery Service

Schleese Saddlery Service

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Best of the Best English Manufacturer 2008

"HELPING HORSES WORLDWIDE" (Tack'nTogs May 2008)

Jochen Schleese’s company strives to educate people first and foremost about correct saddle fit to relieve horse pain.
by Kelly Drobac, Associate Editor

Schleese Saddlery is known for providing high-quality saddles and top-of-the-line fit for both horse and rider. President, Certified Master Saddler and Master Saddle Fitter Jochen Schleese takes exceptional pride in his trade of providing a saddle made for comfort. Schleese Saddlery is headquartered in Ontario, Canada and sells saddles worldwide. Jochen also travels to different equestrian events and educates others about how a correct fit can benefit the horse and rider.
“Imade this my calling and that is why I teach (saddle fitting) worldwide,” said Jochen. He wanted to be a physician when he was younger and was a rider himself. “Being a rider myself before I went to the University, I decided to do a trade first. My dad suggested I do an apprenticeship with Passier & Sons in Germany, ”he said. In this apprenticeship, Jochen learned how to make saddles, but he really learned so much more about proper fit. He explained that saddle shops and sales representatives never really told the consumer how many options they had when choosing a saddle for their horse.
“When I got more into the industry I noticed, wow, there is really more you can do for the horse, ”said Jochen, realizing he had found his passion. “You see the horse immediately relax when the saddle fits. ” Jochen continued with saddle making and enjoyed watching how the horse instantly relaxed when he made an adjustment to the saddle. Seeing the horse relieved of pressure, he knew that his was his calling.
Jochen began fitting saddles in 1978. He originally started off owning a tack shop with his parents. As far as he was concerned, he was set — he had his clients, they had a nice repair shop and he wanted to stay with that. Then he was invited to be the Official Saddler for the World Dressage Championship held near Toronto, Canada in 1986.
“I went over there for a couple of months and I noticed there was nobody who was really able to do what I did, ”said Jochen. “Saddles were treated like commodities rather than investments. ”After a few years of saddle fitting, Jochen, together with the Canadian government, helped make saddlery a recognized and registered trade. Today, Schleese is an authorized training facility offering a three-year apprenticeship program.
Schleese Saddlery is also known for developing innovative products to help riders fit their saddles to the horse. In 1996, Schleese introduced its first patent —the AdapTree ®. The AdapTree is a polyurethane saddle tree that adjusts to accommodate the horse as it grows or changes.
“With that tree, we were able to introduce a saddle that led us to the ‘Saddlefit 4 Life’ philosophy — ‘Life ’ referring to the vitality, not longevity, of the horse, ”said Jochen. Saddlefit 4 Life is a three-part system that utilizes expertise from top trainers,
physiotherapists, chiropractors and veterinarians all over the world to help protect the horse and rider from long-term damage.
“When we first started, we noticed a huge change. The breeders changed horses in terms of how they bred them. Not any more plow or wagon horses, but sport horses,” said Jochen. The riders were not just male anymore, either. More and more women were riding. Jochen realized they needed to have a male and a female saddle, but he also knew that they didn’t understand how the female’s body fit in the saddle.
“We started taking “butt” casts of riders in rubber pants, and in Toronto, we have a large room with all these different casts, ”said Jochen. The difference between the male and female pelvis is very noticeable with these casts. They introduced male and female versions of the Western saddle as well as the English saddle. The Saddlefit 4 Life philosophy helped teach these ideas about correct saddle making and fit to rainers worldwide.
“We started off in Australia first, then from there went to Asia, then to Germany, Holland and the rest of Europe. Next year, we’re starting in South Africa,” said Jochen. This year, Schleese is looking to introduce its philosophy to North American retailers. The company hopes to find some retailers who are interested in either carrying Schleese saddles, or their own private label made by Schleese, but who are also willing to subscribe to the fit philosophy
behind Saddlefit 4 Life.
“Saddlefit 4 Life is a system that is sold worldwide through our whole saling company, Equine Rose International, ”said Jochen. Equine
Rose International sells the tools and teaching courses one needs for this trade. It is this philosophy of saddle fit that Jochen taught at the United States Dressage Federation FEI Trainer Conferences last October. This coming February, Jochen is going to be teaching at the German National Riding Centre in Warendorf, Germany and is being considered for the American Hunter Jumper association as well.
“They teach this philosophy to the trainers, breeders, veterinarians and retailers who can then help their clients, ”said Jochen. Saddlefit 4 Life is in the running to be selected as Official Saddler of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The most popular saddle for Schleese is the dressage saddle.
“If I had to rank them, it’s definitely the dressage saddle, then the trail saddle, then the hunter/pleasure, eventer, Western and last the jumping saddle,” said Jochen. The dressage saddle is most popular because of the close contact with the horse. It’s easier for the rider to feel when an adjustment to the saddle is made and the horse relaxes.
Schleese sources the materials for its saddles from all over the world. Materials like polyurethane, carbon fiber, exotic leathers and hardware (titanium to stainless steel) are used. Gel, foam air (known as 'The Flair' system) and wool fiber are used for padding in the saddle.
“You don’t need super gooey soft material, ”said Jochen. “You need something that protects the horse’s muscle and gives both the rider and horse’s spine a long lifetime.”

Margot Lovett is the Client Services Manager for Schleese Saddlery in the Southern and Central California Jochen explains the different
area. She travels with Jochen and helps him measure horses and riders
and evaluates saddle fit.
“Jochen is the single most knowledgeable person I have ever met.
Not just with saddle fitting, but about equine biomechanics and how that affects the saddle,” said Lovett. She first met Jochen about eight years ago when she attended a clinic he was doing. She was having problems with her saddle and asked Jochen for some advice. After knowing nothing about the history of Lovett’s horse or saddle, he recognized the problem right away.
“He saved my horse — I saw the difference it made on my own horse
and that is when I wanted to learn more about what Jochen was teaching, ”she said. Lovett explained that every time she works with Jochen she learns something new.
“His passion for what he does is amazing. This is not just a business to him, it’s a passion and it comes across when you see him work with horses,” said Lovett.
It’s not all about selling Schleese saddles for Jochen, it’s about helping the horse and the comfort of the horse and rider. Schleese Saddlery takes pride in how its people measure the horse and rider to find the perfect fit. They also evaluate the horse under the saddle and educate the rider about correct fit. Jochen brings along a variety of measuring tools and books on horse anatomy to show the rider where the saddle is sitting on the horse. When a Schleese saddle is put on the animal, chalk from the backside of the saddle then shows up on the horse which allows Jochen and the rider to see where the saddle sits and moves when ridden. Usually saddle pads are not used when he does a fitting. Jochen doesn’t just make an adjustment to the saddle and that’s it, either. He spends time with the rider and teaches them all about the horse and how he will adjust the saddle.
“It’s not just guesswork — it’s the whole measuring and evaluation
process,” said Lovett.

Jochen’s wife, Sabine Schleese, and their partner Earl Rothery run the administrative end of the company. Jochen explained that he is just a person with the passion.
“My wife is pretty much the brains behind the company,” said Jochen. Sabine has lectured about entrepreneurship to Universities and local high schools. She has won numerous business awards and accolades and worked hard to make the patent and trademarks happen.
“She is the person who puts us in the media and without her, I wouldn’t be here,” said Jochen.
“And without Rothery running the company, I couldn’t travel as much as I do and do what love.”
Schleese Saddlery employs 45 people in Canada, has 10 independent representatives in the United States and three in Europe. Its headquarters are in Ontario and there is a facility in Las Vegas. In Europe, there is a distribution network for the entire continent. In Australia, the distribution is in Melbourne and operates under the name Horobin Saddlefit Life.
Jochen said that Schleese Saddlery’s goal is to continue to protect as many horses and riders from long-term damage as it can. “My future plans are that I will strictly do this as an education. I want to devote my time to saddle fitting courses,” said Jochen.