Privacy Policy

Last updated: 21 July 2026

1. Who we are

The Western Saddler Ltd provides western and treeless saddle fitting, saddle and equestrian-equipment sales, aftercare and related services.

The Western Saddler Ltd is responsible for the personal information described in this policy.

Company: The Western Saddler Ltd
Company number: 08680574
Registered office: Little Garth, Tirley Lane, Utkinton, Tarporley, Cheshire, England, CW6 0JZ
Email: info@western-saddler.co.uk
Telephone: 07725 137737

2. What this policy covers

This policy explains how we collect and use personal information when you:

• visit our website;

• contact us;

• enquire about or book a consultation;

• purchase a product;

• receive saddle-fitting or aftercare services;

• provide feedback or a testimonial;

• subscribe to marketing; or

• participate in consultation photography or recording.

3. Personal information we may collect

We may collect:

• your name, postal address, email address and telephone number;

• products ordered, delivery information, invoices, refunds and payment status;

• information about your horse, equipment and saddle-fitting requirements;

• consultation history, findings, recommendations, measurements, templates and follow-up information;

• consultation photographs, videos and audio recordings, where relevant and with the required information and consent;

• emails, messages, telephone notes, enquiries and complaints;

• feedback, testimonials and reviews;

• newsletter subscriptions and marketing preferences;

• information about your device, browser, IP address and use of our website;

• cookie identifiers and website interaction information; and

• information you voluntarily provide about accessibility, health or personal circumstances where relevant to safely arranging or providing our services.

Full payment-card information is normally processed directly by the payment provider and is not retained by us.

4. How we collect information

We may collect information:

• directly from you through website forms, orders, consultation paperwork, emails, messages, telephone calls and face-to-face conversations;

• during saddle-fitting consultations, follow-up assessments and related photography or recording;

• automatically through our website, Shopify and cookies or similar technologies;

• from payment providers, delivery companies and other providers involved in fulfilling your order or service; and

• from another person acting with your authority, such as a family member, rider or yard representative.

5. Why we use personal information

We may use personal information to:

• respond to enquiries;

• arrange and provide consultations;

• assess saddle fit and make recommendations;

• process orders, payments, deliveries, returns and refunds;

• provide aftercare and customer service;

• maintain accurate consultation, product and communication records;

• communicate with saddle or tree makers;

• record and communicate tree alterations;

• prevent fraud and maintain security;

• manage complaints or legal claims;

• comply with accounting, tax and legal obligations;

• send optional newsletters and marketing;

• improve our services; and

• publish approved testimonials, photographs or case material.

6. Our lawful bases

Depending on the circumstances, we rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process information where it is necessary to take steps requested by you or to provide a consultation, product, order, delivery, fitting or aftercare service.

Legal obligation

We retain and use information where necessary to meet accounting, tax, company, regulatory or other legal requirements.

Legitimate interests

We may process information where reasonably necessary to:

• operate and improve the business;

• maintain appropriate professional records;

• provide continuity and aftercare;

• protect horses, clients and the business;

• prevent fraud;

• manage complaints; or

• establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

We consider the necessity and possible impact of the processing before relying on legitimate interests.

Consent

We rely on consent for:

• limited consultation video or audio recording;

• optional marketing where consent is required;

• public use of identifiable testimonials, photographs, recordings or case studies; and

• any other use for which we specifically ask permission.

You may withdraw consent for future processing at any time.

7. Saddle-fitting consultation records

Consultation records may include:

• information supplied by you;

• our observations and interpretations;

• photographs and recordings;

• measurements and templates;

• information about the saddle, tree, pad, cinch or other equipment;

• recommendations;

• orders and alterations; and

• follow-up communications.

These records are used to provide and review the service, support continuity and aftercare, communicate accurately with makers and maintain an appropriate professional record.

Information about a horse is not, by itself, personal information under UK data-protection law. However, it may become personal information where it identifies or is linked to an identifiable owner, rider, client, address or private yard.

8. Consultation recordings

Maria may use recording glasses during limited parts of a saddle-fitting consultation:

• the horse’s back assessment; and

• recording any tree alterations required for the saddle to fit correctly.

The purpose is to create an accurate contemporaneous record of the horse’s observable responses and any tree alterations required for the saddle to fit correctly.

Relevant recordings may be shared with the saddle maker so they have clearer and more detailed information, enabling tree work to be carried out as accurately as possible.

Recording provides a more accurate record than relying on memory or reducing the horse’s response to a subjective numerical pain score. It does not establish a veterinary diagnosis.

Recording is optional and will not begin without confirmation. Declining recording will not prevent you from having a consultation.

Please see our separate Consultation Recording and Privacy Notice for full information.

9. Who we may share information with

We share personal information only where reasonably necessary.

Recipients may include:

• Shopify and website service providers;

• payment processors and fraud-prevention services;

• delivery, postal and courier companies;

• Apple, Meta and Dropbox where they are used to store or process consultation material;

• the relevant saddle, tree or product maker;

• professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, solicitors, IT providers and data-protection advisers;

• regulators, courts and law-enforcement authorities; and

• other organisations where disclosure is required by law or necessary to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim.

We do not sell personal information.

10. Storage and technology providers

Consultation records, photographs and recordings may be stored:

• within the Meta application associated with the recording glasses;

• in The Western Saddler Ltd’s Apple iCloud account; and

• in dedicated client folders within Dropbox.

Dropbox is used for consultation records and communication with the relevant saddle maker.

Apple, Meta, Dropbox, Shopify and other technology providers may process information under their respective privacy and security terms. Their processing or storage arrangements may involve locations outside the UK.

Access is restricted to Maria and authorised members of The Western Saddler Ltd, except where relevant information must be shared with a service provider, professional adviser or the appropriate saddle or tree maker.

Only the information reasonably necessary for that purpose will be shared.

11. Sharing information with saddle and tree makers

Where necessary to select, manufacture, assess or alter a saddle tree, we may share relevant information with the appropriate saddle or tree maker.

This may include:

• measurements;

• templates;

• photographs;

• video recordings;

• details of the horse’s shape;

• observations relevant to fit; and

• the alterations required.

Some saddle and tree makers are located in Germany.

Only the material reasonably necessary to assess fit or carry out the required work will be shared.

12. International transfers

Some technology providers and product, saddle or tree makers are located outside the UK or use international systems.

Where personal information is transferred outside the UK, we take reasonable steps to ensure that an appropriate legal transfer mechanism is available, such as UK adequacy regulations or contractual safeguards.

Germany is within the European Economic Area and is covered by UK adequacy arrangements.

Technology providers may operate in other countries. Their privacy terms and available safeguards apply in addition to our own controls.

13. How long we retain information

We retain information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.

Consultation records

Consultation records, including relevant photographs and recordings, are normally retained for up to seven years following the final consultation or completion of the saddle fitting.

Recordings may be deleted sooner when they are no longer required for the fitting, follow-up, professional record or the establishment, exercise or defence of a legal claim.

Irrelevant, accidental and duplicated recordings will be deleted when identified.

Orders and accounting records

Orders, invoices, payment records and other accounting information are normally retained for six years after the end of the relevant financial year, or longer where legally required.

Enquiries

Enquiries that do not result in a booking or order are normally retained for up to two years after the last meaningful contact.

Complaints and disputes

Information relating to a complaint, dispute or legal claim may be retained for as long as reasonably necessary to resolve the matter and meet applicable legal limitation periods.

Marketing

Marketing information is retained until consent is withdrawn or it is no longer required.

We may retain a minimal suppression record so that we continue to respect an unsubscribe request.

Testimonials and public material

Approved testimonials, photographs, case studies and other published material may be retained until permission is withdrawn, the material is replaced or it is no longer required.

14. Marketing

Where you subscribe to our newsletter or agree to receive marketing, we may send information about products, consultations, fitting trips, courses or related services.

You can unsubscribe at any time by:

• using the unsubscribe link in the message; or

• contacting info@western-saddler.co.uk.

Service communications concerning an enquiry, consultation, order, delivery or aftercare are not marketing and may still be sent where necessary.

15. Cookies and website technology

Our Shopify website uses cookies and similar technologies to:

• operate the website;

• maintain security;

• remember choices;

• provide shopping-cart and checkout functions;

• process orders; and

• understand how the website is used.

Non-essential analytics or advertising cookies should be used only in accordance with the choices available through the website’s cookie banner or settings.

Further information may be provided through our cookie settings or Cookie Notice.

16. Photographs, testimonials and public use

Photographs and recordings taken for consultation records or necessary communication with a saddle or tree maker are covered by the relevant consultation information and consent.

Consultation consent does not include permission for public, promotional or general teaching use.

We will seek separate permission before using identifiable information for:

• our website;

• social media;

• advertising;

• testimonials;

• public case studies;

• public teaching; or

• student materials outside the client’s own case.

Wherever practical, we will show you the specific photograph, recording or material and explain its proposed use before publication.

17. Children and other people present

Our services are generally arranged with adults.

We take reasonable steps to avoid recording children and unrelated bystanders.

Where another adult may be identifiable in a recording, they should be informed. Recording may be paused where their inclusion is unnecessary.

Permission from a parent or guardian is required before intentionally recording an identifiable child.

18. Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures intended to protect personal information.

These may include:

• controlled access to accounts and client folders;

• password and device protection;

• secure cloud services;

• limiting access to those who need the information; and

• sharing only the information reasonably necessary for a particular purpose.

No internet or cloud-storage system can be guaranteed completely secure.

19. Your data-protection rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

• be informed about how your information is used;

• request access to your personal information;

• ask for inaccurate or incomplete information to be corrected;

• request deletion where the right to erasure applies;

• request restriction of processing;

• object to processing based on legitimate interests;

• object to direct marketing;

• request data portability where applicable; and

• withdraw consent at any time for future consent-based processing.

These rights are not absolute and may depend on the circumstances and lawful basis.

To make a request, contact:

info@western-saddler.co.uk

We may need to verify your identity before responding.

20. Complaints

Please contact us first so that we have an opportunity to resolve your concern.

You may also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office:

Website: www.ico.org.uk
Telephone: 0303 123 1113

21. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when our services, technology providers, systems or legal obligations change.

The current version and its last-updated date will be published on our website.