about lacey halstead
I am a certified saddle fitter* with first-hand experience in a variety of English and western disciplines, and with many different breeds. Additionally, I am a horse professional with over 20 years' experience in riding instruction, training, and stable management. This background contributes to my "whole horse" approach to saddle fitting. I understand and fit English and western saddles.
While my job is to concentrate on creating a good saddle fit for your horse, I look at more than just the junction of back and saddle. I understand horse and rider biomechanics, and how horses and riders change as they progress in their training. I can assess and work with the physical constraints imposed by conformation and past injuries. Also, I am able to work within your trainer's program as part of the team that helps your horse realize his highest potential.
I started riding hunt seat as a child in the Virginia horse country and gravitated toward dressage in high school. While obtaining a B.S. in Animal Science at the University of Massachusetts, I was exposed to eventing. I taught and rode western pleasure when I returned to Texas in the 1990s. Dressage has remained my equestrian focus as an adult. My diverse riding background, combined with many years of horse husbandry experience, has given me a holistic understanding of the way that a horse's conformation, training program, athletic history, and overall health contribute to the whole saddle fit picture--both what he needs today and what he may need going forward.
*A saddle fitter is different than a saddle sales rep. To obtain my fitter certification, I performed over 250 hours of classroom and hands-on training in equine anatomy, conformation and function, and saddle fit, flocking and maintenance. My main business is service, not sales!
Halstead family photos courtesy of Kristie Nichols of Moonfyre Photography http://moonfyrephotography.com/