About us

Liz Steadman.

I have loved horses from a young age and decided at 16 to become a saddler. At 18 I left rural Bedfordshire to study at Cordwainers Technical College in Hackney. Cordwainers specialised in all types of leather work and I took a two year course in light leathergoods and handbags, followed by  a year of saddlery. It was a very enjoyable time of my life, with visits to many fascinating places.

When I left college I moved to Somerset and opened my own business in Evercreech. In 1993 I felt I needed more experience and took a job with Nathaniel Underwood at Wychanger Barton Saddlery in Porlock. I completed a four year apprenticeship and in 1995 Linda joined the staff there, also to do her apprenticeship.

In 1999 the Porlock branch of Wychanger Barton Saddlery closed and Linda and I decided to open a saddlery business together in Williton. 

In 2007 we moved the business to Minehead and then in March 2014 we moved to the workshop where we are now in Withycombe.

Linda Stares

I learnt to ride as a child at the local riding school and got my first pony when I was 12.

I left school in 1981 when I got a job working in Alberta, Canada on a stud farm breeding Cleveland Bays and Thoroughbreds.

After 8 months I returned to England and began working with carriage horses near Reading. The carriage horses were used for weddings, funerals and film work such as Black Adder!

In 1983 I was introduced to the world of polo, working as a groom in Windsor where the Guards Polo Club is based. This gave me the chance to travel to New Zealand in the winter months and back to England in the summer and I groomed at high goal level for several years.

In 1995 I decided on a career change and moved to Somerset to take up a saddlery  apprenticeship at Wychanger Barton Saddlery in Porlock. This is where I met Liz and in 1999 when the Porlock branch of Wychanger Barton Saddlery closed we decided to open a business together in Williton.