Jo the Saddler

Jo the Saddler Master Saddler and Harness Maker offering leather repairs and bespoke items in Wilts/Glos.

🎄 Signing Off for the Year 🎄Today my girls break up from school, which means it’s time for me to officially sign off for...
19/12/2025

🎄 Signing Off for the Year 🎄

Today my girls break up from school, which means it’s time for me to officially sign off for 2025 and settle into Christmas mode. ❤️

A huge thank you to all my wonderful customers for your support this year — and for bearing with me as I juggled work, childcare, late nights, early mornings and everything in between. It truly means the world.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.
I hope your festive season is full of warmth, rest and good company. ✨

I’ll be back in 2026 with some exciting new products and lots of making to share.

Thank you again for being part of my little saddlery journey.
See you next year! 🎁🐴

🎄 Festive Catch-Up with Fellow Saddlers 🎄This afternoon I headed out to Bishopstrow Hotel for a Christmas afternoon crea...
14/12/2025

🎄 Festive Catch-Up with Fellow Saddlers 🎄

This afternoon I headed out to Bishopstrow Hotel for a Christmas afternoon cream tea with fellow saddlers — Catrien, Catherine, Frances, Jo, Dee and Emily.

What a fab few hours spent eating cake, chatting, laughing and putting the world to rights! 🍰✨
So lovely to step away from the workbench for a bit and enjoy good company.

Feeling very grateful for such a supportive and fun saddlery circle. ❤️

🎄 A Little Christmas Present to Myself 🎄I finally took a bit of time out to make something just for me — a yearling head...
04/12/2025

🎄 A Little Christmas Present to Myself 🎄

I finally took a bit of time out to make something just for me — a yearling headcollar with bold statement green stitching. 💚
Sometimes it’s lovely to pause the repair list and enjoy creating something from scratch!

One of the best things about having something handmade is the freedom to choose the details that make it truly yours — from the leather and hardware to the stitching and finish. Every piece becomes unique.

My order book for 2026 is now open, so if you’d like to start designing your own bespoke item, drop me a message. I’d love to create something special for you. ✨

29/11/2025

✨ Saddler Road Trip! ✨

Yesterday I headed up to Walsall — the home of British saddlery — with my lovely friend and fellow saddler Emily for the Society’s Christmas social and craft workshop.

What a brilliant day! 🎄
It was so nice to catch up with old friends, meet new faces, swap tips and ideas, and of course… eat plenty of cake! 🍰

We spent the day making Christmas decorations using traditional saddlery techniques — such a fun way to mix craft and festive cheer.

Huge thank you to everyone who organised it and to all the talented makers who came along. Feeling inspired and grateful to be part of such a supportive craft community. ❤️

Fresh off the bench ✨A hand-stitched dog collar made from English bridle leather with solid brass fittings and woven det...
24/11/2025

Fresh off the bench ✨
A hand-stitched dog collar made from English bridle leather with solid brass fittings and woven detail — every edge burnished, every stitch by hand.

Traditional saddlery craftsmanship, built to last a lifetime.

Now available on my Etsy shop 🐾 (link in bio)

20/11/2025

It’s that time of year again… repair season!

This week alone I’ve had everything through the workshop doors —
🐴 broken headcollars
🐕‍🦺 biothane harness repairs
👖 belts needing new leather
🐎 saddles in for fresh girth straps

I never know what’s coming in next, and that’s exactly what I love about this job.
Every repair has a story, and every piece gets a new lease of life.

Thanks for trusting me with your well-loved tack and leatherwork 💛

Remember that stitching clip from the other day? 👀Here’s the finished result — this beautiful old leather suitcase now b...
14/11/2025

Remember that stitching clip from the other day? 👀
Here’s the finished result — this beautiful old leather suitcase now back to full strength.
The seam was completely stitched by hand, using traditional saddlery techniques — all those hidden stitches now doing their job so the lid can be opened and shut.

I love breathing new life into well-made pieces like this. They tell a story worth saving. ✨

11/11/2025

Stitching blind 👀
Hand-stitching a seam on the back of a leather suitcase — my left hand hidden inside, working purely by feel and muscle memory.
No machines, just two needles, waxed thread and rhythm.
Traditional saddlery skills that take years to learn, still done one stitch at a time. ✨

✨ Draft/Heavy Sized Handmade Browband! ✨Diamanté handmade browband, crafted right here in my workshop in Wiltshire.This ...
05/11/2025

✨ Draft/Heavy Sized Handmade Browband! ✨

Diamanté handmade browband, crafted right here in my workshop in Wiltshire.
This beauty measures 21 inches long and 7/8 inch wide, set with 55 hand-sewn 8mm diamanté stones that truly sparkle.

Each piece is made from the finest leather — hand-cut from the hide, stained and rubbed up by hand, with the window cut using a traditional round knife. Every diamanté is individually stitched, then glued and double-stitched for lasting strength and style.

🌈 Available in any size, colour, and design, made to order by me.
If you love craftsmanship, detail, and something made with care — this is for you.

📩 Message me to design your own

Repairing my farrier’s chaps 🔨👢Giving these a bit of TLC to keep my farrier happy and safe!Removed the old worn-out patc...
04/11/2025

Repairing my farrier’s chaps 🔨👢
Giving these a bit of TLC to keep my farrier happy and safe!
Removed the old worn-out patches (and the pile of hoof trimmings that had found their way down the hole 😅), then glued and stitched on new 5 mm chrome leather patches for extra durability and protection.
They might not stay this clean for long — but they’re ready for plenty more hard work! 💪🐴

🌱 Two weeks on… and I spy something green! 👀Could these be our first rye seedlings starting to peek through? Exciting ti...
30/10/2025

🌱 Two weeks on… and I spy something green! 👀
Could these be our first rye seedlings starting to peek through? Exciting times ahead! 🌾💚

💜 All loved up with the hearts on this bridle! 💜This beauty is handmade from black bridle leather with a rich purple inl...
29/10/2025

💜 All loved up with the hearts on this bridle! 💜

This beauty is handmade from black bridle leather with a rich purple inlay, finished off with brass swage buckles and a heart browband — because who doesn’t love a touch of gold and purple flair?

Big thanks to Charlotte for letting me borrow the lovely Gilly to model this piece — she wears it so well! 🐴✨

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Trowbridge

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