Saddle Making

Modernising the ancient craft of saddle making in Lambourn with new lightweight materials.

At Lambourn in Berkshire Lionel Hampden finds out how horse riding saddles are put together. But we're not talking any old saddle, they are cutting edge fibreglass versions that are said to be the lightest in the world and are being made for the legendary jockey Lester Piggott. At E.J. Wicks' shop traditional crafts sit alongside modern methods as highly skilled workers hand sew these beautiful leather products that now draw on cutting edge materials.

Lambourn has been a centre for the race horse industry since the nineteenth century when races were run on Lambourn Downs.