Ancient saddlery guild draws young Waikato woman across the world

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By Country Life

Riding a “funny shaped” horse as a teen has led a young Kiwi woman to the other side of the world to learn the ancient craft of saddlery.

Twenty-year-old Sophia Stratford is into her second year on a course steeped in history after raising funds including selling her beloved horse.

The idea to study saddle-making struck her during the hours and hours she spent training and caring for Digger.

“I found it really difficult to get a saddle for him and get it fitted, and one that fitted both of us and I just thought it would be so much easier if I could do it myself.”

But, aged 14 at the time, she felt learning to make saddles was an “unrealistic” dream, given the dearth of courses in New Zealand and the cost of studying abroad.

Later, urged to investigate by her parents, she discovered a diploma in the craft, overseen by London’s City and Guilds Institute and the grandly-named Worshipful Company of Cordwainers which dates back to 1272.

Sophia Stratford (fifth from left) has a few awards under her belt already after her first year of saddlery study Photo: Supplied / RNZ

Sophia’s classrooms are at Capel Manor College in London where she spends hours surrounded by leather, cutting and hand-stitching and learning how to make the bridle bits and other metal fittings needed in the equestrian world.

“It is really expensive. It is really hard. Then [I’m] so far away from all my friends and family and I did have to sell my horse to come here, which was really hard to come to terms with.”

Learning such a traditional craft as part of a centuries-old training scheme is quite special though, she told Country Life.

“It can be pretty surreal at times, because, you know, it’s so old.

“The Saddlers’ Hall, for example, it is all very posh, and it’s not necessarily similar at all to the horse world that we might be used to in New Zealand.”

Horses come in many shapes and sizes, with only two weight-bearing muscles in their back, Sophia explained. Having the right saddle is important.

“You get these pressure points that are only exacerbated by the weight of the rider, and it hurts. Yes, it’s completely an animal welfare issue.”

A saddle, bridle and harness made by Sophia Photo: Supplied / RNZ

With a swag of awards under her belt after her first year, including Best Overall Student from the Worshipful Company of Loriners, Sophia feels “reasonably confident” to call herself a saddler.

“Not a very good one, but, you know, I can make saddles. I’ve made bridles, I’ve made saddles, I’ve made harnesses.”

She plans to return home for the four years’ experience needed to be fully qualified.

And what about being able to make that saddle for her beloved horse now?

“Probably not as pretty as I would have liked it to be, but functional? Yeah, I think so!”