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Starting Level 3 in Bridle Making…
A couple of weeks ago I attended my fourth week of training at The Saddlery Training Centre. Following my successful completion of Level 2 Bridle Making, I was now to go straight onto Level 3 (in Bridle Making). So for my first practical piece I was tasked with making a stallion in-hand bridle with a fixed nose band, fancy stitching and a clencher brow band. I chose a rich brown coloured leather called ‘Conker’ from the store and decided to use brass clenchers and buckles as well as stitch it in a yellow contrasting thread. I like working with a contrasting thread because if you go wrong it stands out…
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It’s All In The Preparation…
Today has been a really good day. Firstly, I have to mention the breakfast at the B&B is to die for. Fruit juices, grapefruits, prunes, peaches, cereals, full English breakfast if you want it. A vegetarian option, if preferred, or there are beans on toast, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, or kippers…lovely! My new buddy very kindly offered to drive us both to the Training Centre today, so off we set just before 9am. When we got there we settled in and resumed where we finished off yesterday evening. Yesterday, I had cut all the pieces to size except for the throat piece, so once I had stitched the jowls…
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Just a Week Away
With just a week to go before I head south to Salisbury to start the first week of saddler training, the excitement is killing me...
