Turning a Hobby into a Profession

Oktober 21, 2024

Turning a Hobby into a Profession

At 26 years old, I emigrated from Germany to Spain. It wasn’t long before I found my way back to my favorite animals, horses. The first saddle I bought in Spain in 1991 for my first horse was used for many years. I acquired it in a store that confidently sold it as a suitable saddle “for a horse,” believing I was making a well-informed choice.

Initially, I used this saddle on a four-year-old young horse, which developed inexplicable “back problems” at the age of twelve. The origin of these problems could never be clearly determined. Later, I used it on a muscular French riding horse that kept stumbling and bucking without us finding a cause. Eventually, the saddle was used on a slim and elegant English Thoroughbred with a high withers—a horse I ultimately had to give away because the costs for the physiotherapist exceeded the horse’s value.

Throughout all this time, my horses never directly indicated any problems with the saddle, and I was always convinced that my old, loyal saddle fit well. I attributed my last horse’s head bobbing during gallop to flies or a bad habit.

All of this changed when I moved to South Africa for a few years and encountered a so-called “saddle fitter”—a term that was completely foreign to me until then. The saddle fitter emphatically told me, “You are not riding this horse with this saddle for another day!”

Surprised, I asked, “Why?” Up to that point, riding had merely been a hobby for me while I spent 30 years of my professional life in the motorcycle industry, another great passion of mine. Upon returning to Spain, my desire to buy a new horse and a custom saddle was not fulfilled. To my surprise, I found that there were no saddle fitters, custom saddles, or comprehensive information on the subject in Spain.

This discovery led me to completely change my life at 57. I turned my hobby of horses into my profession and dedicated myself to the topic of custom saddles—without neglecting my passion for motorcycling.

Today, several years after that pivotal question “Why?” and after intensive studies on the art of saddle fitting, I deeply regret my previous ignorance. If I had been better informed earlier, I might have saved 2 or 3 of my horses from unnecessary pain. But how could I have known when no one had told me?

That’s why I decided to find a solution for the discomfort of horses and their riders and to spread this knowledge. After training as a Premium EQUIscan partner and attending numerous seminars with renowned saddle manufacturers in Germany, Italy, and Spain, such as Kieffer, Sommer, Erreplus, and the Spanish manufacturer ZALDI, I have specialized almost exclusively in the consultation, sale, and service of ZALDI saddles in Germany, Austria, and Spain. We are currently also expanding into other EU and non-EU countries. Our website for ZALDI saddles and accessories is www.zaldionline.com.

My wish and goal is to share my knowledge with as many people as possible who care about the well-being of their horses—and also their own. For this reason, I founded the company BIENESTARCABALLO (in English: “The Well-being of the Horse”). Through this platform, I offer seminars that highlight the importance of a properly fitting saddle for both horse and rider. I demonstrate how to correctly measure the horse’s back to ensure proper fit and assist people in finding the right solution for their individual saddle problems.

Whether it’s about adjusting an existing saddle or ordering a custom saddle, my service doesn’t stop there. I also offer regular checks of the saddles to adapt them to the changing condition of the horse.

Fortunately, countries like Germany are well-equipped with saddle makers and saddle fitters. Still, there are always people who have difficulty finding a perfectly fitting saddle. I work all over Spain.