Advantages of Becoming a Self-Employed Saddle Fitter

When you choose to make saddle fitting your career, you likely do it because of your love for horses and all things equine care. Once you have obtained the relevant qualifications from a saddle fitting course, you are then faced with the prospect of choosing to work either for an employer such as a saddle brand or take the more popular option, self-employment.

There are several reasons people choose self-employment over a fixed role with an employer, but do you know what they are? Throughout this blog, we will identify the main saddle fitter advantages when you choose to be self-employed.

You’re The Boss

Of course, the biggest advantage of becoming a self-employed saddle fitter is the fact that you are your own boss. You get to decide when and where you work, meaning your saddle fitting business could take you across the world, should you want it to. It also means you can choose who you work with, which many consider to be one of the best parts of being self-employed. You can work with people who align with your morals and outlook on equine life.

Higher Earning Potential

While working for a brand or saddle retailer can provide stability and guarantees when it comes to income, the self-employed route has always been the more lucrative option. You are in control of how many hours you work, what you charge and the types of clientele you work with. It is, of course, your responsibility to source the work and build up your network, but the earning potential is what makes it worth it.

Find out how much saddle fitters can earn by heading to our dedicated earnings page.

Career Growth Opportunities

Despite initially starting your business as a saddle fitter, there is nothing stopping you from adding to your service offering. You may find that after servicing your clients that there is demand for a different service alongside saddle fitting. As you are self-employed, you can upskill without seeking approval and add it to your service offering.

On top of this, you can venture into the more creative side of saddle fitting. You may find that you enjoy designing and manufacturing saddles as well as fitting them. This is a great way to diversify your income streams.

Build a Personal Brand

When working for yourself, you have the opportunity to build and curate your own personal brand. By making a name for yourself, you garner a reputation that means others in the equine industry respect you and your work. This is good for securing new work and clients as they will have heard good things about you and your work.

Of course, there is a lot more to building your personal brand than just being good at saddle fitting. You need to be willing to work on your marketing and interacting with the community. Creating informative videos, sharing tips and tricks is a great way to ensure people get to know you and your business.

Start your Saddle Fitting Career Today

Interested in becoming a saddle fitter? The best way to get started is by enrolling in an IASF saddle fitting course. They are designed to give you all the tools to be able to confidently kickstart your saddle fitting business. For more information, head to our courses page or get in touch with us. Discover more informative guides and articles on our blog.