12 minute read
Equine Careers - from a
FROM GOOGLE SEARCH TO A CAREER IN SADDLERY
How did you first become interested in saddle fitting and saddlery in general as a career? “I honestly had no idea that saddlery, let alone saddle fitting existed as a career before a random Google search. “As a kid I had ponies, we bought a second-hand saddle from a man that came with a wide selection. Apart from that, the only time I saw a saddler was when I had to take my saddle up to Wadswick, our local saddlery, to have the knee rolls stitched back onto the flaps. “After we had to sell my ponies I had very limited contact with the equine world until I worked and could support my own interest in horses. I started back having riding lessons then got a summer job on an international event yard off the back of school work experience. “From this I made the decision to pursue a career in horses and applied to do a degree at Writtle College. I had no idea what I wanted to do but I had a love for riding and helping problem horses. Three years of university didn't help me find a career so I moved to Gloucestershire to work on a hunting and dealing yard. It was hard, and eye opening. It taught me so much but it also made it very clear I couldn't work on yards for the rest of my life. It was here that I first wondered how saddles were made and thought it may be something I could do - I was always creative and felt I had to decide between a creative and equine career. “I left this job and applied to Capel Manor College, never having spent a single minute in a saddlery workshop. Two years at Capel left me feeling that I had finally found an industry I could thrive in. I had met some amazing people and my hard work had been recognised in a placing at the SMS National Saddlery Competition at Saddlers’ Hall. “My good friend Charlie Fuller had been offered an apprenticeship with David Dyer after working and volunteering there on weekends and days off. After my apprenticeship offer at a leather goods manufacturer fell through David proposed taking both myself and Charlie on. “I was insistent I didn't want to do saddle fitting, the idea of advising people in a professional way terrified me. But after a year in the workshop I started to go out with David on fits, and the next thing I knew, I loved it. It is the perfect balance of customer interaction, skill and equine maintenance and rehabilitation.”
Advertisement
IN THIS ISSUE WE TALK TO SMS QUALIFIED SADDLER, BRIDLE MAKER AND SADDLE FITTER, FREYA GEMMILL (NEE WELLER) ABOUT HER BUSY LIFE IN THE INDUSTRY AND THE HIGHS AND LOWS ALONG THE WAY.
Are horses your hobby – if so tell us a bit more? “Not so much anymore. I have a share in a mare called Caz and her owner competes her but I just hack and school a bit. I don’t really have the drive to compete as I feel I would need to have my own horse and commit to riding every day. At the moment I don't want that, so horses are just work and a once/twice a week bit of me time which is great and the right balance at the moment.”
What is it about your job you enjoy the most? “Strangely, the people! I have met some amazing, friendly and fascinating people. I love the horses, and I love seeing how a small adjustment can make a massive difference to their way of going and comfort. But I love the excitement their owners have when they feel the change. The joy they get from feeling their horse open up for the first time, or when a prevalent behavioural issue just disappears like it was never there. I can't help but feel what the owners feel, both the highs and the lows. It's the best and hardest part of the job.”
Are there any down sides? “As above, but when things go wrong. When you try everything, even the weird and wacky but you can't put your finger on why or what is causing a problem. Those are the appointments that haunt you. I want to be able to help everyone, not because I want to be the person that can fix everything, but because I hate seeing the horses uncomfortable and the owners frustrated at not knowing how to help them. Those are the appointments that make me question this job, but they're also the reason I feel I have to keep on trying.”
What does a typical day look like for you? “At the moment, very different to the last five years! Working for David, I spent most of my years commuting an hour over the dreaded Dartford Crossing, doing a full day's fitting, or a mix of fitting, workshop and admin before the long drive home again. We managed to work it so I did as little in Kent as possible (I live in North Essex) to reduce my commute, but it was ultimately the distance I had to travel just to start and finish my week that pushed me to make a change. “I have just come back from a post wedding mini-moon and am getting everything together to start up as a self-employed saddler and saddle fitter. I have the brilliant support of my husband Craig as well as all my saddlery friends from across the country all lending me their experience. “I would like to acknowledge all the brilliant young fitters I have met through Capel Manor College, the SMS fitting exams and other SMS courses. Every one of them has created a place for themselves in this industry, and every one of them is so, so talented. My place in this industry would not be the same without you, so thank you.”
www.mastersaddlers.co.uk
DERRY MOORE
PHOTOGRAPHER
Derry Moore has photographed more historic houses and gardens than any lensman in history. His photo essays include the House of Lords and Royal Lodge Windsor, Chatsworth, Houghton Hall, Waddesdon, palaces and lush gardens in Turkey, Spain, Morocco, Tunis and Italy.
Portraits include the Royal family, great artists, philosophers, musicians, actors, and there are thirty-eight Derry Moore portraits in the National Portrait Gallery alone. In preparation for his latest exhibition ‘Horses’, Derry Moore explored every aspect of equestrian life across the globe. He photographed the Royal Mews, the hunt at Badminton, and glorious 18th-century stables at Chantilly built by the Prince de Conde. The Prince was so obsessed by his horses, writes Derry Moore, that after death he imagined he would be reincarnated as a horse ‘requiring to be housed in a suitably imposing dwelling.’ “In England, I photographed racehorses in Newmarket and Lambourn, military horses in London, Suffolk Punches, those monumental creatures, in Suffolk and huge Shire horses in Wiltshire. Ponies too – both Shetland and New Forest.” Approximately forty of these sensitive equestrian images will be available for sale at the Osborne Studio Gallery exhibition in September.
Arrow's Conquest at Neil Morris Stables, Middleburgh, Virginia
Exhibition Dates: 14th - 30th September 2021 Location: Osborne Studio Gallery
www.osg.uk.com
FRUSTRATION LED TO NEW EQUESTRIAN PLATFORM
This revolutionary new digital platform is creating a shift in the online equestrian community by bringing all aspects of the equestrian lifestyle together.
Tack Room Trading is the go-to place for everything equine, from buying and selling horses and equipment to searching for jobs, properties and businesses. Business partners Jodie Jago and Colin Macgregor bring together a concentrated marketplace for riders, owners and equestrian businesses to access and to trade with each other. Features include an instant messaging service which enables efficient and direct communication. In the equestrian world, owners often end up with a lot of equipment or gear that they no longer use which is a huge waste. At a time when sustainability is more important than ever, we can all do our bit to help the planet by using second hand items. The other vision behind this new site is usability and convenience. The user will be able to search for an item, refine by location and price, and within seconds see all what is available. Buyers can then contact the seller with any queries and start the buying process. Listing items, jobs, horses or property on the Tack Room Trading site is just as easy as buying. Fees are applicable to some items but with the account plans and available associated discounts, these are considered to be a bargain. Jodie Jago, co-founder of Tack Room Trading said: “As a horse owner myself with three children who all compete and ride, I have found that the second-hand market for equestrian items is my go to place whenever we need new items. “I got frustrated that there wasn’t an area where I could search for deals, second hand items and new items in one place, and so Tack Room Trading was created.” Create an account now to browse, buy or list your items. Items under £500 are free to list!
www.tackroomtrading.co.uk
MARCUS HODGE ARTIST
From Andalusia to India, this collection of paintings brings together images from trips over the last two years. Marcus Hodge includes portraits and sketches of majestic Marwari horses in Rajasthan, the international circus horses of Monaco, to the thoroughbreds and Arab horses of the Middle East.
Marcus Hodge originally made his name as a portrait painter. He studied Old Master techniques for five years at the Escuela Libre Del Mediterraneo in Palma. On completing this rigorous training he became only the third person in the school’s history to be invited to remain as a tutor. Exhibition Dates: 5th - 27th October 2021 Location: Osborne Studio Gallery
www.osg.uk.com
RED BEAR EQUESTRIAN TURNS ONE
Despite launching during lockdown, Red Bear Equestrian, that offers equestrian home ware, jewellery and fashion for ladies and children, is taking the equestrian world by storm and introducing new products whilst gaining a loyal following on Instagram.
“Our latest range, The Fell Collection, is named after our rescue fell pony. Our customers asked for understated equestrian fashion, that was durable, affordable and easy to wear every day. That is exactly what my family and I created,” said founder Hayley Anderson-Richardson.
Hayley designs all of the Red Bear Equestrian ranges, with input from her three children. “We have also recently brought production in house. Due to lockdown the models, photography, design and some manufacturing have all been done by us as a family which makes Red Bear Equestrian extra special.”
www.redbearequestrian.com
THE DOOR TO TRAINING IS OPEN NOW...
Twenty-five years ago I started training to become a McTimoney animal manipulator, having seen the benefits of physical therapy and after experiencing the McTimoney treatment myself for whiplash following a car accident.
When I first qualified, it was primarily competition horses, racehorses and those with quite marked behavioural issues which formed the patient group. Now, with an increase in awareness of how musculoskeletal issues can manifest and gradually build into bigger problems, owners are requesting help far sooner. The highest level of qualification is MSc for animal musculoskeletal therapists, including physiotherapists, osteopaths and McTimoney chiropractors. Practitioners who have trained to this level have had to study for many years covering the anatomy, physiology, and pathologies of the animals they work on, as
Nikki Routledge MSc PGCLT FHEA MMAA AHPR Regd, McTimoney Animal Therapist
well as the practical hands-on training. The door to training as a musculoskeletal therapist is open now to a far wider range of people. I am one of the first non-human trained graduates of the McTimoney Animal Manipulation course following six years of study (four years in equine science and two years in chiropractic for animals) and I have been working as a McTimoney Animal Practitioner for twenty years now. The McTimoney College was ground-breaking in removing the barrier to non-human trained applicants more than twenty years ago, and whilst the MSc Animal Manipulation still requires applicants to have a prior degree, preferably in a related science, those with an unrelated degree but plenty of experience evidenced in the animal industry are also considered.
www.mctimoneycollege.ac.uk/postgraduatestudies/msc-animalmanipulation
TOP TIPS FOR HORSE OWNERS RETURNING TO THE OFFICE
The pandemic brought some of us the opportunity to spend more quality time with our animal companions and, for some, it was the perfect time to bring a horse into their lives, possibly for the first time.
With the return to ‘normal’, however, many horse owners may now be wondering how they will fare on their return to work. Not everyone’s job role will be suited to or offered flexible working as a permanent solution. That’s why Bransby Horses and World Horse Welfare have teamed up to provide their top tips for equine owners returning to work. Sam Chubbock, Head of UK Support at World Horse Welfare said: “Juggling looking after horses with work and family commitments can certainly be a challenge, but it is usually achievable with care and planning. For example, if time is proving to be a problem you may be able to make changes to the way your animals are kept without affecting their welfare, although make sure any changes in their management are introduced gradually. If you have concerns about how you are going to fit everything in, or if it proves too difficult as you start to go into work more frequently, then don’t be afraid to ask for help.” Top 5 Tips:
• Time management – Planning in advance as much as possible
can help with your daily routine. Combine your gym workout with your horse jobs
• Buddy system - Arrange a sharing network within your
yard environment or buddy up with someone for turn out, checking or feeding.
• Livery options - If your horse is currently stabled, could it be
put out to grass? If they need to remain stabled, for some going to assisted or full livery might be an option.
• Exercise – Providing your horse with enough exercise is important for their health and
wellbeing - you may be able to lunge or free-school on days when time is short, saving hacks for weekends.
• Shares - Finding someone to
share your horse with so that fitness and quality time aren’t affected is an option some owners may wish to consider. Time management is always a challenge for working horse owners but it can be done successfully. Finding what works for you is key as one solution will not be right for all owners. If you are struggling to adapt and would like free, non-judgemental guidance, contact: Bransby Horses – 01427 788 464 World Horse Welfare - 01953 497 238.
