Mr. Geoff Dean (Master Saddler)

Mr. Dean has been in the saddlery trade all his working life. When he left school at 15 he wanted to work with leather, although he had helped his father in his boot repairing business, he knew he did not want to do that. He applied to be an apprentice at Rices the saddlers in Oxted, Surrey and spent the next 5 years learning the trade.

He was trained to make and repair everything, from bridles to full sets of driving harness. He was trained by the old saddlers at Rices who had been working there all their lives. His vast knowledge of making all types and styles of harness, for all types of work and pleasure, he owes to there teaching.

Finally he started his own business in 1970 after managing a saddlery business for several years. As a Master member of the Society of Master Saddlers, he has also helped train a lot of todays saddlers. Harness making is what Mr.Dean enjoys doing the most, and every set is made with the same pride and satisfaction. A perfectionist is what he most certainly is.
The leather he uses is all traditionally tanned. He goes to the tanners and selects the hides, whenever possible.

All fittings and furniture for the harness are quality items and are all british made. Steel or wooden trees are used in all the pads. A lot of the harness is still being sewn by hand, using a hand made thread, rolled in beeswax, which preserves the thread.
We make harness for the smallest of ponies to the biggest of Shires. Best Show to Plowing harness. Whatever anyone wants, we make.
We make our own traditional straw filled collars in our workshop.