The best bridle leather in the world.

J & E Sedgwick are internationally renowned for their high-quality bridle leather. While many attempt to imitate it, none succeed. Each piece of leather takes approximately six weeks to complete its journey through the tannery. Remarkably, this entire process uses only raw hides sourced from the UK. Each hide is fully traceable, allowing it to be tracked back to the specific UK farm where the cattle were raised.

What sets J & E Sedgwick apart is their unique currying process, a crucial step in the tannery process that gives their leather its exceptional quality. During currying, skilled artisans meticulously hand-set the leather, minimising stretch, erasing growth marks, and creating an exquisitely smooth surface. This labour-intensive technique, perfected over years, is rarely employed in the production of bridle leather, making Sedgwick’s craftsmanship truly distinctive.

 After the hand currying process, the leather hides are dried on overhead racks. Once dry, they are moved to the grading area, where the hides are sorted into different grades for dyeing. Dye is then hand-sprayed onto the hides, ensuring even coverage. The colour is matched by eye, a task that requires years of experience.

J & E Sedgwick bridle leather is finished with a clear bridle finish and then hand-greased with a secret blend of tallows, oils, and beeswax, which penetrates the surface and nourishes the fibres within. Unlike other bridle leathers, only a thin layer of finish is applied to the hide, allowing the natural grain and beauty of the leather to remain visible. In contrast, many cheaper, inferior leathers use thick finishes to conceal their poor quality.

The final stage is the quality assurance process, each batch is checked by Sedgwick including the breaking strength then each hide undergoes a meticulous visual inspection. This is when Henry James steps in to personally check every single hide before it leaves the tannery, ensuring it meets our exacting standards.

As riders, we rely on bridlework to keep both us and our horses safe. Next time you're searching, ask about the leather's origin and the tannery it came from.