As you may know, I work with a number of lovely companies who make entirely brilliant products…and the one that I’m going to talk about today is Kate Negus Saddlery. See, Kate Negus Saddlery isn’t a normal saddlery. First of all, it’s entirely British, which is something that’s not common nowadays. Julia (KN’s MD), designs the products in Wiltshire, the leather is tanned in Yorkshire and the beautiful new bridles, breastplates and leather accessories are made in Walsall. At Kate Negus Saddlery you can buy ANY piece on its own. You want a keeper? That’s fine. How about a new clip for your breastplate? Yep…that’s fine too. You name it. The company is known for being very accommodating to all its customers, and the new range of nosebands really pushes this point. See, Julia is excellent at listening to what her customers want and acting on this. But as anyone who’s in business will know, just because one person wants something doesn’t mean that the rest of the population will too. Sadly. What do you do with these people? Well, you do your best to help them is what. One of Kate Negus’s unique selling points is that it can make products to order…so if you’re looking for something a bit random, or you need an ‘odd’ size, Kate Negus is the place to come.

One of the new made-to-order nosebands, the Elastic Grackle.

We got chatting about made to order products, you know, the type people would have to wait for…would it work? When people need a new item, do they want it as soon as possible and time is the only factor? The answer is actually no. We decided to ask Kate Negus Saddlery’s Facebook fans what they thought – the question was, would they wait three weeks for a made to order item. The answer was an overwhelming yes. And do you know why? It’s the quality. Kate Negus’s leatherwork is beautiful. It’s bespoke because you choose the size and style of all the parts when you order. With correct care, it’ll last years and years and years…and then some. Super cob Marilyn has a beautiful Leather Lined Padded International Flash with Diamante Browband and X-Suregrip Reins and it’s really out of this world. Quality and service are two aspects of the brand that are always emphasised because they’re second to none. But what’s really, really great is that Kate Negus’s loyal fans really get that too. And by ‘get’, I mean understand. They’re happy to wait because they know that what’s coming is worth waiting for. They know that it’s going to fit their horse perfectly. They know that it will get to them in a timely fashion. They know that they can adjust bits and have their new bit of kit exactly how they want it.

In a world where everything is required now if not sooner, it’s lovely and reassuring to know that the horsey lot at least still appreciate quality.

Find out more about Kate Negus Saddlery here.