Kent Saddlery on Totally Wild

The Totally Wild team visited Kent Saddlery on the New England Highway, Stanthorpe, on Friday, 16 October, to film a segment for the Australian children’s TV series. You can watch the episode here.

Totally Wild’s Stacey Thomson, who has been in the show since it started in 1992, interviewed saddle maker, Ben Kent, about how a saddle is custom-fitted for horse and rider, and the processes involved in making a saddle.

Ben demonstrated how a rider is measured for a Kent Saddle, how photos are taken of the horse, along with a template of the horse’s wither (taking a piece of soft fencing wire and running it up the shoulder and over the wither, then tracing the shape onto a sheet of paper). A custom-made Kent Saddle can then be built to suit, ensuring comfort for both horse and rider.

Stacey talked with Ben about the various parts of a saddle, and the stages involved in making it; from the saddle tree (the frame around which a saddle is built, also custom-made by Kent Saddlery), through to cable rigging, knee pads, cutting the leather, shaping the saddle, and stitching it together.

Stacey herself had a go at hand-stitching, which she said was harder than it looks, then Kent Saddlery’s horse, Albert, was saddled up, and Stacey rode him in Kent Saddlery’s resting yards (which are always open to travellers wanting to rest their horses for a spell).

Ben said, “Stacey and her crew, Glen and Peter, were great to work with, and obviously enjoy their jobs. I remember Stacey as “Ranger Stacey” from when I was young, so it was cool to have the opportunity to meet her.”

The episode is available to watch online at: http://tenplay.com.au/channel-eleven/totally-wild/season-23/episode-68

Totally Wild’s Stacey riding in a Kent saddle, on Kent Saddlery’s “Albert”.

The Totally Wild crew Stacey, Glen and Peter being shown the saddle making process by saddle maker, Ben Kent.