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SADDLE AND HARNESS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR YOUR EXPORT BUSINESS

 

1. Introduction
2. A guide to buying horse saddles
3. The contribution of the saddlery and harness sector to the Indian economy
4. Why you should buy harnesses and saddlery only from India, specifically Kanpur?
5. Pollution control
6. The saddle and harness business recovered after corona pandemic:
7. Is it better to buy a new saddle or an old one?
8. Saddlery types
9. Different types of the saddle and their parts
10. International equestrian sports, fairs & exhibitions
11. Future of horse riding accessories / equestrian accessories
12. List of horse riding accessories / equestrian accessories
13. In comparison to other leather products, the saddle and harness have potential
14. Export of Indian saddlery and harness in a global context
15. How to clean and condition your saddle?
16. What are the problems faced by the saddlery and harness industry?
17. How to start your saddle and harness business – step by step

Figure 1 Western saddle

INTRODUCTION:

 

SADDLERY - Saddlery is used as the top part of the horse backbone seat which gives comfort and relaxation in horse riding.

                        These are supportive structures for riders and loads that are fastened firmly to an animal's back through the use of belts. The newly designed set comes in a variety of styles, each intended for a specific type of rider.

HARNESS - The harness product range offers products that ensure the horse and rider are protected. There are many leather straps, buckles, and leather lines attached to a harness worn by the horse and attached to what is pulled by it. For example, chariots, transport vehicles, or heavy equipment may be used.

 

A GUIDE TO BUYING A HORSE SADDLE:

 

When buying a saddle, there are a few things you need to keep in mind:

1. Fitting
2. Relaxation
3. Style
4. Cost

 

1. Fitting - It is paramount that you and your horse are both comfortable in the saddle. There should be a balance between its size and its length.
2. Relaxation - The saddle should always support the rider's comfort, so the rider can perform efficiently. Most people agree that western sandals are more comfortable than English sandals.
3. Style - Choose a stylish saddle that is high-quality and suitable for both horses and riders.
4. Cost - In all honesty, the cost of a high-end saddle is most likely to be about the same across the board. It doesn't matter if it's English, Wester, or whatever else it is you want. If it is made with quality materials it will reflect in the price.

 

Figure 2 Horseback measurement for saddle fitting

 

THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE SADDLERY AND HARNESS SECTOR TO THE INDIAN ECONOMY:

 

As a result of offering lucrative employment to people and having a lot of export potential, India's salary and harness sector are extremely significant to the country's economy.    

1. According to the Indian government, leather exports from India in 2020-21 will reach Rs 36815 crore, with which harnesses and saddlery Exports of Rs 1,357.64 crore from all over the country in the financial year 2020-2
2. It’s very significant to note that there is an export of harnesses and saddlery of Rs 1,090.85 crores only from KANPUR in the financial year 2020-21.

 

Why you should buy harnesses and saddlery only from India, specifically Kanpur:

 

KANPUR, the saddle city:

Among all of the places in India, Kanpur is the only place that makes all types of sandals, also known as Saddle City. The raw materials for saddlery come from Kaithal and Jalandhar.

Globally, Kanpur manufactures the most harness and saddlery items. But it is difficult to find a market for saddlery locally. Export is the main business of almost all Kanpur-based companies.

1. Horses that run in race clubs and horse parades throughout India, Europe, and the United States are saddled with Kanpur, whether they are from Gulbarga, Shimla, Mysore, or Kolkata. Those strong horses are adorned with saddles from this city. Another reason why Kanpur's saddle is popular is that it is much cheaper than saddles made in other countries.
2. In fact, it is not wrong if Kanpur is called the saddle city of the world. This is the reason why saddle-making units flourish here based on domestic and foreign orders. It is estimated that there are 180 to 200 such units in this city. There are a lot of saddles made in Kanpur, which is the country's saddle capital.
3. The price of a saddle here is only 10% of that of a European saddle. Its price is much lower than any other city in the world.
4. Europe, America, New Zealand, Canada, and West Asia are the big markets for the saddle industry. In the fiscal year 2020-21, about Rs 1357.64 crore worth of saddlery was exported, which is 29% more than the previous financial year. Before that, in the year 2019-20 saddles worth Rs 1054.42 crore were exported

POLLUTION CONTROL

No pollution problem arises in the manufacture of harnesses and saddlery.

 

THE SADDLE AND HARNESS BUSINESS RECOVERED AFTER CORONA PANDEMIC:

A huge boom has taken place in the saddlery and harness sector since the Coronavirus lockdown ended. The graph below shows how this has happened.

 

Figure 3 Graph after corona pandemic

        

IS IT BETTER TO BUY A NEW SADDLE OR AN OLD ONE?

 

Only when we check the saddlery by keeping it on the back of the horse can we determine whether we should take a new saddle or an old one. It is also possible for an old saddle to cause damage to the horse's back, so we should not use one that is outdated.

 

Your horse and yourself must feel comfortable choosing saddlery, so be sure you invest your money wisely.

 

• Getting a new saddle is a smart idea if the saddle isn't the right width and the tree isn't adjustable.
• When the tree is not shaped correctly, it looks terrible on the horse.
• It is very helpful to test-ride any saddle you are considering buying, whether it is a brand-new one or a used one. You can then determine whether it is suitable for both you and your horse or not.

 

SADDLE TYPES: 

 

There are two types of saddle used by the horse rider:

 

The meaning of terms like endurance, jumping, and dressage is explained below:

 

ENDURANCE EVENT:  

During endurance events, riders and horses are measured on their strength, capability, and driving ability.

JUMPING EVENT:

• It is a sport in which riders attempt to show whether their horses are capable of crossing a fence or not.
• In addition to being a sport played at the Olympics, this sport requires a lot of technical skills. In the arena, fencing ranging in height from one to forty meters is present.
• In such cases, all obstacles have to be crossed in the prescribed 70 to 72 seconds without dropping the baton between them.

 

DRESSAGE EVENT:

• It is performed in a small arena with a slow speed in which the riders demonstrate their coordination with the horse by moving back and forth, left and right in a stipulated time.          
• The purpose of dressage is to teach the horse to be obedient and disciplined toward the rider. Every rider must participate in this event as it is the most basic event in horse riding. It is interesting to know that in a dressage event horses have to do 36 different moves.

 

Ranch saddle      wester show saddle    Trail and pleasure     Barrel racing saddle

 

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SADDLE AND THEIR PARTS:

 

It is generally accepted that there are two types of saddlery, Western Salary and English Saddlery. The topic of Australian saddlery comes up occasionally as well.

 

1. Tree: Bases of saddles are called trees, which can be made of wood or any other materials. Taking measurements of the horse’s back is the first step in making the tree. As a result of the tree's design, the horse's back is not much damaged by riding it because the rider's weight is distributed evenly.

Horse saddle tree

2. Cantal: the rear part of the saddle.
3. Swollen (in the western saddle) / Pommel (in English saddle): the front of the saddle, the slightly raised area.
4. Seat: It is common for the saddle's seat area to be lower than the pommel and cantle in order to protect the rider.
5. Stirrup: This is the part of the saddle in which the rider takes place on his feet so that he can get stability while riding.
6. Leather Straps and Flaps (in English saddle), or Fenders (for Western saddle): The leather straps and leather flaps connecting the stirrups to the saddle tree support the rider's foot and protect the rider from sweat.
7. D-ring: A "D"-shaped ring on the front of a saddle to which some equipment (such as breastplates) can be attached.
8. Hoop or Cinch/Girth (western saddle): A wide strap passes underneath around the horse to secure the saddle onto the horse’s back, just behind the horse's front legs that hold the saddle.
9. Padding, Panels, or Lining: It is a cushion under the saddle. It prevents the horse from feeling the saddle's prick.
10. Sterling: A long strap that wraps around a horse's barrel. To aid in grip, it may be used on its own, placed on a pad or blanket, or attached to a saddle (often in conjunction with a girdle).
11. Monkey Grip Strap: A handle that provides extra security attached to the front of an English saddle or an Australian saddle. If you are an inexperienced rider, you can use the monkey grip to maintain your seat.
12. Horn: Western sandals often have a knot-shaped piece of leather attached to the pommel, which we call a horn. Basically, it is responsible for controlling the horse by pulling the straps.
13. Knee Rolls: There may be additional padding in front of the flap in some English saddles to help stabilize the rider's legs. It is sometimes also necessary to add a thigh roll to the flap's back.

 

INTERNATIONAL EQUESTRIAN SPORTS, FAIRS & EXHIBITIONS:

 

1. Concours Complete International (CCI) has been upgraded to a five-star sport on the international level to encourage more countries to participate in equestrian sports.
2. CCI one-star has been simplified some in this process, while CCI four-stars have been made five-stars.
3. A variety of sports are played in eventing, including dressage, show jumping, cross country, tent pegging, polo, endurance, etc.
4. European countries are renowned for their passion for horse riding.
5. It is evident from the color of medals in equestrian competitions that man and horse are in harmony on the playground.
6. A very relevant fact to know is that women were not considered capable riders in ancient times. However, this has changed over time, and today, 80% of participants in horseback riding are women.

There is a horse riding competition coming up in 2023. The following competitions are among the most important in the world of equestrian sports:

S. N. Event name Date Sport Location 1 Land rover Kentucky 3- day event 27 - 30 April 2023 Cross country / Dressage / show jumping Kentucky, USA 2 Badminton horse trails England 4 - 8 may 2023 Cross country / Dressage / show jumping South Gloucestershire England 3 Royal Windsor horse show UK 11 -14 may 2023 dressage/show jumping/carriage driving/endurance England 4 Devon horse show US 25 may - 4 June 2023 hunter/jumpers/carriage driving/equitation/Saddlebred etc. Pennsylvania 5 World equestrian festival CHIO Aachen Germany 23 June - 2 July 2023 Jumping/dressage/driving/vaulting Aachen, Germany 6 Calgary stampede Canada 7 - 16 July 2023 Barrel racing/bareback riding/roping/steer wrestling/Bronco riding Calgary, Alberta, Canada 7 Royal horse show UK 4 - 13 Nov 2023 Highest level of show jumping Toronto, Ontario, Canada 8 AQHA World championship show US 27 Oct - 19 Nov 2023 Reining/western pleasure/hunter pleasure/jumping Oklahoma city , USA 9 The Paris horse show France Nov/Dec 2023 jumping/western/eventing/etc. Paris 10 London international horse show UK 15 -19 Dec 2023 dressage/showing/driving/mounted games etc. London

 

 

 

FUTURE OF HORSE RIDING ACCESSORIES / EQUESTRIAN ACCESSORIES:

1. A report by Future Market Insights projects the Equestrian Sports industry will reach US$2.6 billion in trade by 2032, indicating a very promising period for the sector. Currently, it is only 1.5 billion US dollars.
2. During the period 2022-2032, FMI estimated a compound annual growth rate of just over 6% in equestrian assessment.
3. Developing countries are increasingly participating in equestrian activities, which is good news for the equestrian industry, according to an expert from FMI.

LIST OF HORSE RIDING ACCESSORIES / EQUESTRIAN ACCESSORIES:

 

The equestrian accessories consist of the following items which are required by the rider:

1. Helmet
2. Riding paint
3. Boot
4. Comfortable shirt etc.

And among the things that are necessary for a horse, comes with

1. Saddle
2. Breastplate
3. Equestrian clothing
4. Bridles
5. Halter
6. Girth
7. Reins etc.

 

IN COMPARISON TO OTHER LEATHER PRODUCTS, THE SADDLE AND HARNESS HAVE POTENTIAL:

 

There can be an understanding of Harness and Saddlery's export performance. Although the size of saddlery and harness exports is smaller than most other categories, it is interesting to note that exports of leather and leather products increased by 31.29%. In contrast, exports of leather and leather products grew by 34.87%.

 

 

 

EXPORT OF INDIAN SADDLERY AND HARNESS IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT:

Indian saddlery and harnesses are ranked third in terms of exports in the world. In the global saddlery and harness export market, India holds more than 15% of the market. As a result, there are many opportunities to expand exports and grow the market share.

The graph below illustrates in which countries India trades its saddleries and harnesses most. Data for 2020 is shown in the graph below:

INDIA EXPORT                IMPORT COUNTRY FROM INDIA

Figure 4 oec.world

 

1. It is clear from the graph that India sends 22.6% of its saddlery and harness trade to the United States, 19.2% to Germany, 11.8% to the United Kingdom, 9.52% to the Netherlands, 7.11% to France, 3.94% to Sweden, and many other countries as well.
2. According to the figures on saddlery and harnesses, we are ranked third after China and Germany. Because of our skilled craftsmen, we can export our products to many countries worldwide, mainly America, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Holland, Canada, and many others.

Details	2019	2020	2021
World Import	USD 1.55 billion	USD 1.31 billion	USD 1.59 billion
India's export	USD 0.152 billion	USD 0.103 billion	USD 0.146 billion
% share of India	9.86%	7.86%	9.18%
(India’s saddlery and harness export data worldwide)

 

NOTE – Below is a graph showing that more than 70% of India's saddlery and harness sector is based in these five countries. For the past five years, a graph is shown below:

 

Year USA GERMANY UK NETHERLANDS FRANCE 2017 - 18 USD 0.028 billion USD 0.022 billion USD 0.016 billion USD 0.014 billion USD 0.013 billion 2020 - 21 USD 0.037 billion USD 0.030 billion USD 0.019 billion USD 0.016 billion USD 0.018 billion

 

How to clean and condition your saddle:

 

To clean and condition the saddle you will need the following:

1. Brush
2. Tower
3. Leather soap
4. Leather conditioner
5. Metal cleaner

• The first step is to remove the fitting from your sandal, followed by removing the accumulated dust, mud, and other debris with a brush.
• Afterward, wet towels should be used to clean the sandals.
• Apply sandal soap to the sandals and thoroughly clean them with water.
• To keep your saddle protected from moisture and other things, apply leather conditioner afterward.
• You should use a metal cleaner to clean the metal part of the sandals.

What are the problems faced by the saddlery and harness industry?

 

1. In the industry, there is a large proportion of unorganized workers it’s nearly 95%.
2. There is a lack of awareness by many players about international quality standards, which impedes growth.
3. Industry professionals are concerned about a lack of presence in the worldwide fashion hub.
4. There is a lack of innovation in the products: most of the units work on a subcontract basis, where the buyer provides all the specifications and designs. Currently, the industry has not reached a point where it is capable of addressing the premium segment comprehensively.
5. Increasing duty drawback rates are putting exporters at a loss, which negatively impacts their profitability.

 

HOW TO START YOUR SADDLE AND HARNESS BUSINESS – STEP BY STEP

 

STEP 1 Plan your SADDLE Business

• Ascertain your start-up and ongoing costs
• Select your target market
• How much can you charge customers?
• Select a name for your company

 

STEP 2 Register your SADDLE Business for Taxes

Registration of your SADDLE business is also needed.

 

STEP 3 Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card

You will surely need a bank account for transactions and other matters.

 

STEP 4 Set up bookkeeping of the saddle Business

Am organised procedure for record keeping is also necessary.

 

STEP 5 Get the essential documents and licenses for the saddle Business

You also need to obtain essential documents and licenses for the saddle Business

 

STEP 6 Get saddle and harness Business Insurance

It is optional to get insurance for your leather business

 

STEP 7 Create your saddle and harness Business Website

As everything is going online nowadays so you need to set up and promote a website regarding your saddle and harness products.

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