Grumble mutter grumble (sorry, long)

[Bluesy]

Thanks E/R.

It would have been nice however, for them to call me and let me know. Oh, well, such is life.

[dghunter]

You just have the worst luck with shipments arriving on time! :( Hopefully everything gets settled soon :)

[mvp]

This is all one tack store?

Honey, take them your multi-chapter tail of woe and get some satisfaction.

Say:

"Look, this has been one snafu after another from beginning to end.

"I have lost (fill in grand opportunities, horse's topline, $$., whatever) while this has been going on.

"All that time I have done what you guys asked, while hearing nothing, inaccurate estimates about shipping dates, about the need for a confirmed saddle appointment (after the fact!) and now, yet one more missed delivery date.

I'd like to be able to tell my friends that this story has a happy ending rather than a poor one. So could you please do whatever you need to do to get my saddle back in my hands within the week?"

By the way, many saddlers can add flocking right there with your horse available for additional fitting. While you wait. Almost like a drive though expect at your barn.

[Bluesy]

.

[winfieldfarm]

i really feel your pain. Saddle fitting has to be about the most aggravating activity related to horseback riding that I can imagine. I can never understand when these saddle fitters out there think it is okay for riders to go for months without their most necessary piece of equipment.

I say rant, I say rave, I say be the squeaky wheel and let all involved know that you have been more than patient and what kind of retribution will any of them like to give you for your inconvinience. Then stare them down until they answer you...

[Bluesy]

.

[jen-s]

Yuck! What a crappy bit of luck you've had lately. I hope things get sorted out soon and you bounce back quickly. :)

[winfieldfarm]

want some good ways to put it all in perspective and help you get over the guilt?

1. Look at your saddle bill. How much did you spend and how long did it take to earn that money

2. take out a calendar and count exactly how many days you have missed riding your horse without a proper saddle.

3. do you board? add up your board bill into a final tally showing the money spent to be housed at a proper riding facility where you have not been able to ride.

4. Tally up the gas money you have spent driving to the barn to not ride your horse!

5. Have a stiff drink before confronting the "enemy". If that doesn't give you courage, then do a little shadow boxing with the music of your choice cranked at high volume. Get yourself either good and pumped up or mellowed out and unafraid. Whatever it takes but go out there and get yours.

6. Stuff your guilt in a sack. Folks that own the tack shop aren't loosing sleep over you! Neither is the saddle fitter who wasn't completely mortified and apologetic for missing a scheduled appointment.

Set your shoulders back, take a deep breath, practice your speech and get these people to man up to the services they said they would give you!!!!

GO ON HONEY AND GO GET YOUR SADDLE!!!!!

[DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"]

Bluesy - if you want - we can write you a dialogue (you know, like when people come on and need a lease format). You print it out, take it to the store, follow the dialogue.

My input: remember to mention several times about this thread on COTH. You, of course, wanted to support your local tack store. But so many have weighed in with "X company would have given you the friggen saddle for free by now" that frankly, not only are you taking your business elsewhere (unless theyt do right by you) but you are pursuing this with the Better Business Bureau.

I know someone else will have better dialogue and even legalese. Memorize if you have to, or we can text it to you in real time.

[stryder]

What a pain!

I would make an appointment to talk to the owner. Tell the owner you'd like to talk about a custom saddle. If the shop tries to foist you off onto someone else. just decline. You need to speak to the owner.

Then get a calendar. Note the important dates on it, as best you can remember. Put the shows you missed on it, too.

The calendar will be a compelling visual aid for the amount of time you have been waiting. You'll talk, and flip the pages. It also should help keep you on track without getting angry.

After you've flipped past a few months, you'll be able to say that the wait has been unreasonable and the customer service sorely lacking. If the owner was in your shoes, what would be a satisfactory resolution?

You've already paid for the saddle, but you deserve to be compensated for the inconvenience and your inability to use what you've paid for.

What is reasonable? A new bridle? A gift card for other items? Any actual product will cost them less than giving you money.

Some people think you need to get angry to get a successful resolution. I've found this is not so. You want to engage them and get them to want to help you. Ranting and raving does not do this. But being a doormat doesn't help, either.

Good luck.

[Bluesy]

Thanks guys. I intend not to rant and rave - I'm just not like that, but once I feel better and can actually talk decently, I'll go in and discuss the situation with them.

Thanks again for all your support. :)

[PaulaM]

definately go and talk to them, let them know how unhappy you are with the service you have received to date.

I guess I am lucky, I had looked at purchasing from that tack store, but decided not to as they were really "unknown" to me.

Good Luck!!! hopefully they rectify the situation for you.

[event_ryder]

If you call and call- you find out she was out with the flu, then coping with her kids who had the flu. THen the store managers stepson was killed in Afghanistan this past week so thats really mucked them up. They're pretty much done though. It's frustrating, I know... But then when I found out the whole story it was a touch more understandable. She said she'll do everything possible to have yours done by the end of the week.

[Rebe]

I had a similar story, but it was about 15 years ago. I had a made-to-order but basically off-the-shelf close contact saddle ordered from a saddle fitter's shop. The saddle was ordered from England, and my old Devon Gladstone was put up for sale on consignment. Meanwhile, I rode in my trainer's saddle, which was still a poor fit on His Lordship's sensitive back.

Weeks go by. I call the store, and I'm told they know nothing, and GASP! they must "Call England" to find out about my saddle. Meanwhile, I'm working for a European company and "Call England" pretty much daily. But it's such a big deal for them...

More weeks go by. I now have had to purchased an all-purpose saddle that fits His Lordship nicely, but can't go anywhere near a show ring. The saddle fitter keeps telling me about the problems with, GASP! "Calling England" every time I contact them and beg for an update.

I stop by the shop to find out more in person. My consignment saddle has been sold, and the money applied to the purchase of my new saddle that I've never seen, and that I'm never told about.

Months go by. I move to ANOTHER STATE. I keep calling, and keep getting the same runaround. Now, the problem is blamed on Mad Cow Disease - they butchered all the cows and there's no leather. At least they actually spoke to someone in England...

Finally, finally, my saddle is shipped from England to the state of original purchase. I request a final invoice to be sent with the saddle when it is shipped to me in my new state of residence, as all the transaction details have become hazy with the extra shipping they are now going to charge me.

Saddle shows up, no final invoice. So, no final payment ever paid. Ever. [shrug]