Julie Knaggs has been applying holistic techniques to her saddle fitting for over fifteen years. She specialises in rehabilitation with a dual focus on horse and rider. Julie is able to achieve success by using her deep understanding of asymmetry and its affect on movement.
With continued development over the years Julie has been enabling her clients to leverage the superior fit and flexibility provided by Smart saddles to achieve their potential in competition, or for optimum comfort to leisure horses and riders.
Julie uses real world experience and examples to know the best solution for you and your horse. She follows and promotes innovation in all areas of her work with a passion that she takes to every fitting session.
Julie started her career working to BHS exams, then became a dressage groom at top level for several years where she learnt from some talented Classical Dressage riders of the time.
Later she lectured at an agricultural college in Surrey, whilst in her spare time competed in various disciplines and indulging her passion for highland ponies.
Over 15 years ago Julie was lucky enough to meet Lavinia Mitchell (of LM Saddles) and given the opportunity to become her student as a saddle fitter. After training and fitting many different brands including Albion, Harry Dabbs, FionaCork and Stridefree, she is a Qualified Saddle Fitter registered with the Equine Fitters Council.
This is when Julie’s passion for saddle fitting began. But, Julie being ‘Julie, was hungry to learn more and has been continually studying the biomechanics of horse and rider ever since. Having incurred several injuries herself, over the years she was well known to the limitations of the human body. The challenge since has been to find the perfect “Jam in the Sandwich” (the Saddle) and to devise a way in which riders and horses can move as one to gain maximum comfort and performance.
Though happy to refit, reflock, alter any brand of saddle, she only now supplies and offers Test Rides for Smart Saddles
To this end Julie became the co-founder of Matrix riding off the horse; a ground breaking unmounted biomechanics course aimed at all levels and abilities of riders, including would be riders. Her mission is to assist riders in establishing correct symmetry and movement patterns, off the horse, to enable them to be more self-aware, balanced, confident and straight once riding. Find out more about the Matrix here.
Julie works closely with local vets, physios, a barefoot rehabilitation centre and bodyworkers, including her supportive (incredibly tall and very useful to have around for tall horses) husband who is an Equine Massage practitioner in his own right.
