Wellington Offers The Perfect Home For Quality Saddle Fitter
Debbie Witty
By Stephanie Radloff
When Debbie Witty first visited Wellington 10 years ago, she immediately felt at home with its charming atmosphere and sense of community. Although she originally planned on only residing in the equestrian hub for the winter seasons, seven years later, she officially moved her family from Ithaca, N.Y., to become year-round Floridians. An avid dressage rider, Witty fell in love with all that Wellington has to offer in addition to the abundance of equestrian networking opportunities at the highest levels of the sport. From the Olympic sports of dressage and show jumping to the thrilling game of polo, Witty had found the ideal location to further establish her company, Trilogy Performance Saddlery. “When I began riding, I noticed that the expectation from riders was to swing their leg over a saddle, sit on their horse and everything go perfectly,” Witty said. “I quickly recognized that many riders were struggling with their performances due to incorrect saddle fit for them-
Debbie Witty of Trilogy Performance Saddlery with Lionheart.
selves and for their horse. Personally, I remember taking a lunge lesson in a saddle that was so uncomfortable and left me sore, and the trainer said, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.’ I decided at that moment the saddle-fitting industry needed to be revamped.” After embarking on her entrepreneurial journey, with stories of rider discomfort and saddle shopping nightmares inspiring and motivating her, Witty dedicated her life to developing a line of saddles that would provide comfort for both the horse and rider. “I saw the opportunity for change, and I enveloped everything I had personally experienced and witnessed with fellow riders into designing my own saddle line,” Witty said. Early in her career, she gained extensive knowledge and expertise on equine biomechanics from her 10-year tenure
at the Cornell Veterinary College. Thus, the Trilogy Performance Saddlery design process became ingrained with scientific studies. Witty also spent a great deal of time in England learning from and becoming certified by the prestigious Society of Master Saddlers. “It was my desire to show people that I was really passionate about the correct fit of the saddle,” Witty said. “I am always hungry for information and a thorough education. During my time with the Society of Master Saddlers in England, I was among the first group of international students to be accepted as a qualified fitter, while more than 50 percent of the participants failed. It showed me how, as an industry in the United States, we needed to step up our game. The qualifications proved that I was knowledgeable, and I wanted to share my exwellington the magazine | april 2018
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