Schleese Saddlery Service

Schleese Saddlefit 4 Life^®

Custom English Dressage Saddles

Celebrating 20 Years of Successful Solutions for Horse and Rider

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Apprenticeship as a Saddler

In July 1990, after many months of hard work, Schleese Saddlery Service Ltd. together with the former Ontario Ministry of Skills Development (now the Labor Training and Adjustment Board) produced a 3 year Schedule of Training for the Trade of Saddlery. From here on this trade would be recognized and certifiable within Ontario. This 6000 hour program, spread out over a total of three years, consists of 9 modules covering all aspects of the saddlery trade, including the use of sewing machines, clickers, splitters, skivers, etc., as well as different types of stitching, leather tanning and its various applications in manufacture of saddles, leather accessories, and associated products. In addition, courses in marketing, business math, and employee relations are taught, giving the journeyman saddler a well-rounded general education and basis for a successful entry into the industry.

The course brings with it two examination processes – a mid-term consisting of a written and oral portion, as well as a practical piece, and a final which adds another impromptu piece to the mix as well as the above. It is important to keep weekly reports on all work steps – this workbook will serve as a reference manual for future work after the apprenticeship and is part of the total mark. The LTAB will offer a Certificate of Apprenticeship after successful completion of the program, which gives additional credibility to the industry as a whole.

Certified saddlers have many options open to them with Schleese after graduation – either working as finishing saddlers in the production shop, as pieceworkers from home, or together with our Client Service Managers as Certified Saddlefit Technicians all over the US and Canada at trade shows and service visits.