Katharine Stancliff
As a lifelong equestrian, I always strove to learn everything about the horses that fascinated me as a child. This led me to pursue a degree in Equine Entrepreneurship when I attended Lake Erie College and was pleased to graduate Summa Cum Laude. After school I had various jobs in different aspects of the equine industry, but I found my true home when I discovered an opportunity in the saddle fitting field with Stübben North America. Since starting with Stübben in 2014, I've loved how much I can help horses and riders find balance and harmony with one another through custom saddle fit.
Always eager to learn more, I graduated a 6 month long Certified Saddle Fitter course in the spring of 2017 with Mike Scott, learning a more general perspective on saddle fit with a firm background in anatomy and kinesiology which I now utilize in all my work.
Stübben was kind enough to give me the educational opportunity to travel to Kempen, Germany in February of 2018 to work alongside our master saddle makers and witness the step by step process of building a new saddle. This has given me a more thorough understanding in not only how Stübben saddles are constructed, but the artistry and care it takes to make a truly custom saddle.
The buckskin in my pictures is Tristan, a '98 Connemara/Trakehner cross gelding and my soulmate of 10+ years. Together we have grown from being afraid of small jumps, to completing a successful run at Preliminary eventing. Stübben saddles have played a large role in our success as a team, I feel very confident promoting the brand because I have felt first-hand how revolutionary the effects of a properly fitted and balanced saddle can have on your riding.
What Makes Stübben Different?
Stübben's unique Spring Tree design allows the saddle to move dynamically with your horse's back which increases comfort for the horse and improves communication with the rider. Pair that with our vast availability of tree sizes and custom features to offer the optimal fit for the horse, plus our wide variety of models and styles to suit any rider's preferrence and we can create the perfect saddle for nearly any horse and rider.
Check out my blog to learn more about Stübben's spring tree.