About RS Saddles
The Story of RS Saddles
RS Saddles has flourished over the past 18 years, growing into one of the largest suppliers of new saddles in the Midlands. With two Qualified Society of Master Saddlers' Saddle Fitters on board, RS Saddles has helped hundreds of horse and rider combinations achieve better results and happier horses.
After leaving school, Ruth gained valuable experience in Dressage, rehab, backing, and Eventing yards. She had the privilege of working with Olympic Gold medalist Leslie Law, accompanying him to many international events, including the European Championships at Blenheim and Kentucky, USA.
Shortly after Ruth took a brief break from working with horses and spent two years trucking. However, her passion for horses remained strong, and it soon became clear that she couldn't stay away from a career in the equine world.
“At RS Saddles we are proud to be part of your equine team, helping you achieve your goals.”
Ruth has successfully produced and Evented several horses up to Intermediate and 2*. Among them, her horse of a lifetime, J's Free Spirit aka Libby, who, now retired, has bred the delightful and cheeky 2-year-old Connemara cross Spout. Ruth has high hopes that Spout will follow in his mother's footsteps.
Ruth's awareness of the importance of proper saddle fitting grew as she progressed in her career with horses. She encountered many examples of ill-fitting saddles, which fuelled her desire to improve horse welfare through better saddle fitting.
In 2007, Ruth founded RS Saddles. After five years of hard work and dedication, she qualified with the Society of Master Saddlers as a Qualified Saddler and shortly thereafter as a Qualified Saddle Fitter (2012). Ruth has since achieved the highest current qualification in Saddle Fitting, Master Saddle Fitter, and serves on the board of Assessors for the SMS.
Ruth also works closely with Erreplus Italian Saddlery as their UK technical advisor. She is deeply passionate about this brand due to their superb quality and fit.
At RS Saddles, we believe that happy, healthy horses and excellent performance start with well-fitting tack. It is our duty to ensure both horse and rider are equipped with the best-fitting saddles to enhance their partnership and performance.
At home, Ruth enjoys the loving support of her husband Joel (who also provides tech support for RS Saddles!) and their daughter Ettie. They patiently support Ruth's hectic and rewarding lifestyle in the equine world.
Vicky Stacey
Saddle Fitter
Vicky's love of horses started at the age of 9. On leaving school she worked at various yards from riding schools to competition yards. After taking a step back from horses to start a family Vicky worked an office based job dealing with all things accounts for a local retailer. After purchasing a pony for my daughter, I soon realised how in depth and sometimes tricky saddle fitting could be and this had her wanting to learn more.
After over 3 years of training to become a saddle fitter around her full time office job, Vicky made the huge decision to change careers and join RS Saddles as a saddle fitter, qualified through The Society of Master Saddlers.
Beth Kerslake
Admin Assistant
Keeping a steady hand on RS Saddles' administration is Beth Kerslake. With on-the-ground experience running and managing riding club entries for BRC affiliated competitions, her approach can be summarised in one attitude: community. As a keen amateur competitor, she loves nothing more than exploring different disciplines and seeing her horses flourish.
A genuine passion for equine behaviour and saddlery has seen her train and rehabilitate ex-race horses for the last decade, culminating in her and Vic's performance at the RoR championships in 2022 at Aintree. At home, her ever-expanding skillset keeps the family farm flourishing - from calving and haymaking, to driving tractors and submitting paperwork.
If you've spoken to anyone on the phone, it's probably Beth. Managing bookings, handling invoices, and keeping everyone in the loop, Beth keeps everyone at RS Saddles on the bit.
