Posted: 8th April 2019 | Back to news feed
A HOST of training courses, refresher days and skill building modules are set to get underway with the Society of Master Saddlers.
A one day module – Challenging Fits and Practical Solutions – is being held on April 17 at East Durham College, and is suitable for saddle fitters and saddlers of all experience.
The course will look at difficult to fit horses while discussing and assessing suitable solutions.
The day will include a range of interactive and practical saddle fitting sessions looking at challenging fits and what to do when things go wrong.
A Flocking to Fit Course will take place on April 18 at Brinsbury College in Sussex.
Delegates will work in pairs, assessing saddles on horses and carrying out suitable adjustments to the saddles under the guidance of Master Saddler tutors. The day is open to all Qualified or Master Saddlers and those who hold the Society’s flocking qualification
The Tool Sharpening and Maintenance Course for members will be held in Thursday, May 2 at Cirencester Saddlers.
The day will cover, different types of knives and how to sharpen and restore, new stitching awls, skirt shaves, backing awls and plough gauge knives. The lecturers are Mark Romain and Laurence Pearman.
A Harness Fitting Day will take place at Littlewood Farm, Chawston, Bedfordshire, on Tuesday, June 11.
The day will include fitting single harness, fitting pairs harness and an opportunity to see harness on the move in two and four wheel carriages
Advanced Bridle Techniques for Bridle & Harness is the focus of another one day craft module for members and takes place on Saturday, July 6 at Capel Manor College, Enfield.
Checking the bridle
The day will include tips on improving finishing, improving stitching and getting stitching straight, edge finishing, how competition judging is done and what the judges are looking for, mbellishment techniques – how to make your piece stand out and get noticed, selecting leathers and fittings
On Monday, August 12 there will be a Qualified Saddle Fitters’ Refresher Day at Moulton College and this will also include a Manufacturers’ Showcase.
A further ‘Challenging Fits & Practical Solutions’ module will take place on August 13, also at Moulton College, Northampton.
Sewing Machine Maintenance and Skiving Machine is the focus at Vale Brothers Ltd, Walsall on Friday, August 30.
Kenton Barrett of Midlands Industrial Sewing Machines Ltd will give various tips on maintaining and using your sewing machine including:
• Cleaning, Setting tension and Timing issues
• Different types of needles and threads and where they can be used
• Skiving machine and use of seaming attachments
• Accessories including different types of feet and attachments
Members can learn more about Whip Repairs and Attaching Lashes under the watchful eye of Chris Taylor, on the course which takes place on Friday, October 4, at The Saddlery Training Centre in Salisbury.
The day will focus on restoration technique for replacing ends of riding and driving whips and how to plait lashes.
On Thursday, November 14 at Cirencester Saddlers, Chris will take a Leather Carving course with aspects covering preparation of leather prior to tooling, identification of tools and their uses, tracing and transfer of designs to leather, and carving and stamping techniques
For more information visit www.mastersaddlers.co.uk or contact The Society of Master Saddlers on 01449 711642 to book a place on the courses.
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