THE HOME MARKET

At the height of the expansion in the lorinery trade, over one hundred years ago, the British market for such goods was booming. With the Industrial Revolution had come a consequent improvement in the road systems, both in towns and along the high road. This had led to a huge increase in horse-drawn traffic of all varieties, ranging from stage coaches to heavy lumbering waggons drawn by teams of cart horses and lighter commercial carts pulled by van horses. Private driving turnouts became common among the wealthier classes while riding horses were used both for business and pleasure. Hunting came into its own as the most popular of country sports. A large number of horses were also used in the army as cavalry chargers, officers’ mounts and for the transport of equipment and guns. Saddlery, harness and its fittings were developed to meet all these different requirements.

Some bits were invented specifically to prevent horses from indulging in bad habits such as pulling, rearing or getting their tongue over the bit. Some were designed for horses with soft mouths and others to control hard-mouthed animals that played up or ran away with their riders or carts. Other bits, while looking vicious, were purely ornamental and were designed for use on the carriage horses of the gentry.

English spurs have always tended to be small with only a slight rowel (disc at the end of the spur arm). However, they were usually of the best quality hand forged steel and were essential for any officer or gentleman who wanted to cut a dash!

Stirrups were designed both for appearance and for safety.

THE OVERSEAS MARKET

The overseas market was almost as important as the home market for the expansion and prosperity of the saddlery and harness making trade in Walsall during the nineteenth century. Large consignments were regularly sent all over the globe and some manufacturers, like Matthew Harvey, produced catalogues specifically for overseas customers. Britain’s colonies were among Walsall’s best customers, especially India, Canada, the South African Cape and Australia. The South American countries too relied largely on Walsall for their saddlery and harness.

The Walsall loriners were as equal to the task of providing ornate harness furniture for the South Americans as the saddlers were to the task of producing beautifully worked saddles and bridles. The bits are on the whole very severe and would have had drastic effects on a horse’s mouth if misused. It must be remembered, though, that bits and spurs had to be fierce so that the rider could get a swift reaction from his mount if faced with a charging bull!

Walsall also prided itself in having made sets of harness and trappings for many foreign princes. This work would often include the use of precious metals or semi-precious stones. It also led to firms specialising in harness decoration and heraldic chasing, since it was important that a prince could be distinguished by his state harness. Such specialists were Messrs. Oakley and Son of Bridge Street and Mr. Harry Gill of Vicarage Street, who made all the heraldic work for the harness used at the 1902 Coronation Durbar in Delhi.

From the 1880s, however, trade both with Europe and with the colonial markets began to dwindle. The interruption of trade during the South African War led the colonies to start producing their own saddlery and harness. South America began to do the same in the 1890s and to protect their industry with tariffs. This was a significant factor in the decline of the saddlers' ironmongery industry in Walsall and elsewhere. This is not to say that the foreign market has disappeared altogether. For example Stanley Bros have worked on a special order for the Saudi Arabian Royal Guard in recent years.

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