Astride Saddle Construction

This intensive 3 week course is for those who want to learn how to make a saddle from start to finish. Course participants will already have some leatherworking (or saddle making) skills, or will be involved in saddle manufacturing but want to acquire additional skills, refresh or hone their technique.

Participants will generally be making saddles commercially. The course does not lead to a qualification as it employs techniques and methods that sit outside those prescribed for the C&G Diploma in Saddlery (Saddle) and which are more commonly employed in commercial saddle design and manufacturing.

Participants will learn how to flock (stuff) panels as part of this course.

Course Content

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Astride Saddle Programme

Duration, Fee and Financial Support

E

3 weeks.

E

The fee is £2,250.

Trees, leather and other materials will be supplied at cost to participants. Once offered a place you will be asked to pay a deposit of £250 to secure your place.

Course Dates 2026

This course will run twice a year in the Summer and Winter. Dates will be listed in December. If you would like to take this course, please register your interest using the link below or email patrick@walsall-leather.org if you wish to discuss the programme and dates first.

Register your interest

Other Information

Students will make a saddle from a GP tree with patterns supplied. Pattern making will not be taught as part of this course because that is a specialist course all in itself. However, the principles of pattern making will form part of the teaching. As in factories, machining is carried out by a machinist. If participants want to learn how to machine for themselves, we can provide this additional training at another time.

Places on this course are limited to 6 and participants must not be complete beginners. The course is taught by experienced Walsall Master Saddlers.

If you want to discuss your interest further or to apply for a place, please email patrick@walsall-leather.org or telephone 07860 957580.