Ellie, owner of Black Sheep Saddlery

A properly fitted saddle is essential at every stage in your riding career—not just for a rider’s balance and effectiveness, but for the horse’s comfort, freedom of movement, and long-term soundness.

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Hi y’all, I’m Ellie — founder and owner of BlackSheep Saddlery. I’ve been riding since I was eight years old, but have suffered from “the sickness” (as my family calls it) of being horse-obsessed for as long as I can remember. I grew up in Georgia in the times of old school hunters, then pony clubbed, foxhunted, evented, did some jumpers, restarted OTTBs, groomed professionally, rode western for fun and trail rode as much as possible in between all of that. More important than any of the riding though, for me, has always been the horse. I used to get yelled at for being late to lessons because I took so much time to groom and tack up. Growing up, my Breyer horses went in their stalls at night with standing bandages made from tiny strips of toilet paper. This meticulousness translated well when I learned saddlemaking and fitting after “retiring” from professional grooming and the show world. I know horses and tack inside and out - and the priority at BlackSheep is and will always be, horse first. Horses’ comfort and safety is paramount because, without that, you have no partnership. Horses do not owe us their bodies, athleticism, or even a relationship. It is our job to be worthy partners.

I choose to work as, and remain an Independent Saddle Fitter, so that I can carry, recommend, work with and receive training across many brands. I am devoted to constantly continuing my education as a fitter and horseman, for my clients and myself. After a lifetime of riding in, putting on, taking off, cleaning, taking apart, and fixing thousands of saddles across many brands, you can trust that the inside my head is a catalogue of options and my goal is to find the perfect match for you and your horse(s). Clients sometimes joke about me telling them that the best place for that saddle or pad is in the burn barrel, but if it doesn’t fit, it’s not safe, or it doesn’t serve the horse or rider - get rid of it. Regardless of discipline, price point, size or shape, we can work together and get you good tack.

Seeing your horse happy in their body and work so that your partnership can flourish is my ultimate goal. After all, we all know there’s no better view than one from between the ears of a horse. Let’s get you up.

Ellie with a saddle and a horse.
A rider and saddle.
A saddle with a hand checking fit.
A saddle repair workshop and a cat.
Ellie and a Bliss of London saddle tent.
A white horse and a western saddle.
A woman in a pink polo shirt standing next to a brown horse with a white blaze on its face inside a riding arena.
A young girl riding a brown horse with a pink and purple saddle pad near a lake, surrounded by trees and greenery.
Person jumping a black horse down a bank into the water on a cross-country course.
Car trunk filled with multiple saddles in various shades of brown and black.
A person wearing a beige cowboy hat with a black band and a leather badge that says 'Black Sheep Saddlery,' a dark brown fleece jacket with the same logo, and holding a black leather saddle, possibly in a store or saddle shop.
Person riding a palomino horse on a Western trail ride in the fall
Person wearing a cowboy hat stands next to a palomino horse.
Person rubs eventing grease onto a horse's hind leg before they depart for a cross country jumping round
Person wearing a white shirt trots a horse in a dressage ring
Ellie hugs a horse