The ancient craft of draught
harness and horse collar making dates back some one thousand years and still
continues today much as it has always done. HCA Friend Terry Davies still
carries on the skills and techniques required for this traditional craft.
The use of horses as a ‘working
tool’ is dependent upon the application of fit-for-purpose harness and here the
skills of the harness and horse collar maker play a vital role.
Collar making, using Rye straw
and leather was, up until the early twentieth century, a separate craft
practiced by a sub-division of harness makers who were trained specifically for
the purpose and who were inextricably linked in the production of draught horse
harness.
The skills of the collar maker
lie in the ability to produce superbly crafted collars of great artistic and
utilitarian merit, to fit the diverse range of size and conformation of horses
on which they are used. Collars that fail to comply with the needs of the horse
have the potential to seriously injure or curb the animal’s ability to perform
its tasks efficiently. The old adage of ‘one horse one collar is an appropriate
one that still governs the making of collars to the present day.
There has been, however, over the
past two decades a strong revival in the use of horses. This is driven by
aficionados who remain attached to the horse and the long history surrounding
it.
Carriage driving and the
eco-friendly interest in the working horse has brought about this revival and
so collar making as a traditional craft continues to be practiced with demand
coming from both the home and European markets. It is hoped that this can be
maintained and the long established traditional skills of the craft can be
preserved.
by Terry Davis
Images of Terry Davis, © Joshua Davis, by kind permission
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