Update to Solution Saddles services: 1st May 2020
Solution Saddles is pleased to
announce that, following rigorous review of Government policy and our own
business operations, we have developed a strict risk assessment and test ride
protocol to be able to safely conduct home consultations where we are unable to
help our clients remotely. As the situation has developed, and as we have
become increasingly informed about the virus, it has been our priority to develop a safe and practicable system
so that we can continue to provide a test ride/home consultation service whilst
reliably meeting and maintaining the highest standards of health and safety -
for as long as it takes for Covid-19 to be combatted.
In order to safeguard our valued clients and SMART Advisors,
Solution Saddles made the decision to cancel/postpone all SMART Test Rides
indefinitely well ahead of the official announcement for the UK-wide
‘lockdown’. Although we fully understand that not everybody will be in a
position to proceed with a test ride for some time yet, we are inviting those
who wish to book a home consultation under our new guidelines, to please get in
touch so that we can begin the process of allocating saddles and putting you in
contact with your local SMART Advisor.
The re-opening of our test ride system at this time will
serve to maximise efficiency and get you back in the saddle as soon as we can
safely arrange a home consultation, according to each individual’s circumstances.
There are many existing SMART saddle owners who require fitting
reviews due to their horses changing shape during this time. By contacting us
now, we can start preparing kit ready for your refit under our new operating
standards as quickly as possible.
We are fortunate that the Solution Saddles SMART Advisor
network and SMART Test Ride model affords us great flexibility in how we can
safely and responsibly approach saddle fitting under the current circumstances:
- We allocate and ship a hand-picked selection of SMART Saddles from Solution Saddles HQ for each client, so that the saddles you try are not shared by other clients on the same day
- SMART Advisors rarely see more than one client in one day
- All equipment is returned to HQ for careful cleaning between each test ride, with additional storage time factored in to prevent cross-contamination
Although the
Government clearly supports continued business practice for most types of
business, wherever it is safe to do so, we are fully committed to continuing to offer free
remote fitting advice in place of home consultations, which is suitable for most
of our clients at this time. For more information on this service, simply
contact us:
Tel: 01909 720 259
Booking a Test Ride
Although we're delighted to be able to resume Home
Consultation visits, it is essential that we take every precaution possible,
for the health and safety of yourselves, our SMART Advisors, friends and
family. When you get in touch to arrange an appointment, we (Solution Saddles
HQ or your SMART Advisor) will:
- Run through a risk-assessment to ensure that your facilities allow a safe venue for the test ride.
- Describe the test ride protocol, so that you know what to expect and how to safely accommodate your SMART Advisor as they work with you and your horse.
- Send you digital copies of all test ride paperwork, for you to read through, complete and return to us ahead of your test ride, eliminating the need for shared paperwork on the day.
- Request payment in advance by BACS or our secure payment page. We will not be accepting cash for the foreseeable future.
- Contact you the day before your appointment to check that neither you, nor anybody you live with, are displaying any Covid-19 symptoms. It is critical that you inform us if you are unwell or are exhibiting symptoms, so that we can postpone the appointment accordingly.
We look forward to supplying SMART saddles for you to try under the expert
guidance of our trained SMART Advisors. However, please note that this service
may not be available across our full network and is subject to each individual
SMART Advisor's situation. We are also operating with reduced staffing
levels, so please allow extra time for saddles and equipment to be allocated
and shipped.
Our risk assessment and test ride protocol, as adapted from
those issued by BETA (British Equestrian Trade Association), are available on request.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch; e-mail is
our preferred contact method: smart@solutionsaddles.com
