Leading the Way in Quality British Products For More 25 Years

Leading the Way in Quality British Products For More 25 Years

Founded in 1982, Abbey Saddlery is proud to support a multitude of manufacturing, commercial and leisure businesses in both the UK and abroad.

Supplying high quality British made materials and tools, Abbey is the market leader amongst equestrian wholesale workshop suppliers.

With its? forward thinking outlook and ability to source a wide variety of specialist tools, accessories and raw materials, Abbey is one company that is truly unique and different.

Not content with just supplying saddlers, harness and rug makers, Abbey also source specialist metal work for the fashion, motor and refrigeration markets.

Working closely with industry manufacturers, Abbey is able to meet the demand for traditional tools including: knives for cutting leather, races to cut grooves, smashers to smooth stuffed areas of saddles that wrinkle, awls for marking and stabbing out holes in the leather, needles, hole punchers, hammers, trimming tools and much, much more.

This is quite a feat in the 21st Century when technology in so many industries has overtaken traditional craftsmanship skills.

High quality English leathers, leather tools, hardware, webbing and outdoor textiles form the core of Abbey's extensive product range. This truly comprehensive range enables Abbey to offer clients the best possible service at competitive prices.
 
Said Peter Phillips: ?From our long experience in the saddlery and leather trades Abbey can offer expertise, and in many cases, informed advice to everyone in the saddlery sector. 

?Even today traditional saddlers still form the backbone of our customer base and they are a very important part of the business at Abbey.

?We work very closely with saddle makers to ensure the tools they require to hand craft saddles and bridles are still available in the UK.

?You only have to see a saddle being made to realise how much skill and judgement is required to transform a hide of leather into a finely tuned saddle for the dressage, jumping or leisure market.

?Thankfully we have developed a business that is a one-stop-shop for saddlers and where they can get everything they need from one company.

?We have dedicated ourselves to the needs of saddlers both large and small and we have developed an understanding and ability to support all levels of business nationally and internationally.?
 
2008 has been an exciting year for Abbey as the business has expanded and diversified.

The recent purchase of Liston Locks and Coach & Fridge from FH Tompkins (Buckle) Co Ltd resulted in a very experienced and specialised six-strong team moving to the Walsall factory.

This year has also seen a huge rise in the demand for goods supplied to the fashion industry.

Abbey is able to service customers in more than 50 countries delivering urgent orders within a few working days.

As well as workshop tools Abbey Bits is well known for having an unrivalled reputation for the supply of quality made riding bits in the UK and overseas.

Made in the UK and with no minimum order, they are the favoured brand name with leading professional riders looking for quality and innovation from a supplier specialising in some of the more unusual as well as traditional bits.

Explains Peter: ?In providing only the best quality, British made products the team at Abbey has gained a reputation for being reliable and able to supply many products that most firms has simply forgotten about.

?We like to think that if people want something that is hard to find we will be able to help ? and at all time will certainly do our best to find their requirements.

?Abbey bits are made of quality metal and quality checked individually ? something which is a rare occurrence across the globe today. Offering retailers more than 350 horse bit designs has placed Abbey at the forefront of the bit sector.

?Much of Abbey?s metal work experience crosses over into the world of fashion, with our quality locks appearing on some of fashions most bespoke briefcases.?

Abbey also distribute an excellent range of products including the Hilary Vernon bit collection, Pro-Equine boots, Fiebing range of show ring products, Grangers waterproofing products, Blue Kool and Stubbs.

Driving Bits...Explained with Abbey

Driving Bits Explained...with Abbey

Leading distributor Abbey Bits has a wide range of top quality bits designed for Carriage Driving horses and ponies. Made exclusively in England using top quality stainless steel, Abbey also offer bespoke bits so you can mix and match mouth and cheek pieces to individually suit your horse.

Keen supporter of the discipline Richard Brown of Abbey said: ?We can supply all driving bits including Liverpools, Buxtons, Swales, Wilson snaffles, Metropolitans, Military and Post bits which are all available in different variations and sizes.? Extremely proud of its heritage, the family-based company situated in Cheshire can safely say their bits are the only British made Stainless Steel brand on the market.

Here Abbey dispel the confusion that often surrounds the use of various bits in the driving world...

Driving bits are essential for bridging control and communication between the driver and horse(s). The number of driving bits permissible in the sport is relatively low as the action of such bits can be severe when used by inexperienced or unsympathetic hands.

There are two basic bit groups used in driving ? leverage bits (e.g. curbs) and non-leverage bits (e.g. snaffles). A bit with shanks and a strap or chain under the horse?s chin is a leverage bit, while non-leverage bits do not have shanks.

Today carriage horses are commonly seen in curb bits but with the reins attached to the mouthpiece in a snaffle setting. This allows for the elaborate aesthetics of a curb bit but with very little or no leverage action. Also the rein position can be altered for the different phases and sections of competition when some leverage action may be required. The lower the reins are fixed on the shanks, the more severe the action.

The double ring snaffle (Wilson) is the correct turnout bit for a breast collar harness in show ring driving. Traditionally a curb bit is used with a neck collar harness. Coaching and show horses are driven in matching bits, whereas under FEI rules horses can be bitted individually without marks for appearance being lost.

The action of a bit should be fully understood before it is used. Below are descriptions of some of the driving bits still in use today:

Liverpool

The most commonly used driving bit, the Liverpool is similar in nature to the Pelham and is a curb/leverage bit.  It is available in a variety of mouthpieces and with fixed or swivel cheeks. Fixed cheeks are ideal for using on a pair of horses to avoid pinching that may occur with the coupling reins. The reins can be attached in any of the three slots along the shanks. The further down the shanks the reins are attached the more leverage will be applied.

Buxton

The Buxton driving bit is one of the less common bits used for driving horses. Similar in nature to the Liverpool driving bit, the Buxton differs in the cheek, being far longer and with various rein options. A strong driving bit with long shanks joined at the end for stability. Fixed or swivel cheeks are available as well as a variety of mouthpieces. Due to their elaborate appearance, Buxton?s are usually seen for formal outings such as a Park Drag or a coachman driven carriage.

Wilson

The Wilson snaffle has four loose rings ? two attached to each end of the mouthpiece, with two additional "inside" floating rings. The cheek pieces of the bridle are fitted to the inside rings, while the reins are fitted to the outside two.

Although traditionally a driving bit for horses, the Wilson snaffle is occasionally used on riding horses too. The bit can be bought with jointed, straight or twisted mouthpieces and works with a squeezing action on the cheeks ? therefore this bit is only suitable for experienced and sympathetic riders due to the potential severity of its action.

Post/Butterfly Bit

Popular with continental drivers and often used for driving multiples, the Post/Butterfly bit has a mild hanging cheek snaffle effect when the reins are attached on the top ring. The severity of the bit action can be increased as it has additional rings (2 or three loop versions available) on each side, and like all bits with curb chains a leverage effect. As with all leverage bits, the lower down the reins are positioned, the stronger the action. Traditionally, this bit is more often used with a breastplate harness rather than with a collar harness.

Other bits used for driving include Metropolitans, Military and Swales bits.

For more information contact Abbey on 01565 650343 or visit www.abbeysaddlery.co.uk or www.ridingbitz.com