Team Members

Clair Rivers Boyden

Executive Director

Sue Norton

Executive Director

Sue and her husband Mike bought a run down saddlery business in the centre of the City of Oxford in 1973. Over many years they built up a good business and learnt to adjust to trends taking advantage of quality leather goods sales while emphasising the connection of the equine industry including the clothing required.  In the early 90’s there was interest that horse owners required a skilled person to fit their horses with a saddle and maintain it on an ongoing basis and because of this Sue completed and passed the newly formed saddle fitting qualification in 1995 alongside becoming a member of the team of Lecturers and Assessors.

A keen rider from the age of 4 and a BHSAI, Sue became a local BHS committee member and was the first together with the local policeman to initiate the BHS Riding and Road Safety training and test.  With two daughters and the inevitable ponies she was on the Pony Club local branch committee which continued for 18 years, 4 of which Sue was the District Commissioner.

When Sue’s husband Mike was unable to continue on the Society’s Committee, Sue put herself forward and the SMS has and is a big part of her life for a number of years, including being president in 2017/8.  Saddle fitting has been her passion and 50 years on Sue feels very fortunate to not only be working for her own business full time but still very much dedicated to the Society, she has seen many changes and difficult times but the dedication of all the committee,  has not only kept it viable but with a purpose and a vision to continue and be the gold standard in the craft skills and fitting of saddles and bridles for horse welfare. Her hope for the future of the industry is that the Society continues to be viable and grows to become an even bigger contributor to the future of the ridden horse and it’s welfare.

Jen Roy

Jen came to the saddlery industry as a mature student at 35 having worked for 10 years in the health service. Saddlery started as a hobby attending courses with David May in Penrith but quickly became her career of choice. This necessitated a few years in London at Capel Manor College gaining a HND in Saddlery Technology followed by a job with Bill Amberg working on architectural leatherwork. On returning to her native Scotland she set up in business and has been providing leather and saddlery repairs plus bespoke bridlework, and harness to the communities of Fife and Angus but extending into the rest of Scotland and abroad. Jen is a Master Saddler, Master Harness Maker and Master Bridle Maker, SMS Registered Qualified Bridle Fitter and LANTRA Horse Bit Fit Accredited Consultant and as such is now building up the bit and bridle fitting consultation part of her business.

Jen is a new edition to the team of Lecturers and Assessors having just recently started as a lecturer/assessor on the Qualified Bridle Fitting Course. She is enjoying being involved in the planning aspects of the course and is looking forward to meeting the course attendees and sharing knowledge with them.

Her main passion has always been bridle fitting with her dissertation at college being on that very subject. She finds the research that is ongoing into bridles fascinating in what it is finding out about pressure points and their relation to horse biomechanics. In studying for the bridle fitting and bit fitting exams Jen started to question a lot of her long held beliefs regarding horse behaviour and training and her interest in horse welfare and social license to use horses has grown immensely as a result.  She does believe it is possible to find a happy balance between riding or driving horses and ensuring their welfare but recognises that the entire industry needs to do some difficult thinking in order to achieve this.

One of Jen’s greatest achievements is the first saddle that she ever made, she has ridden in it and it was used on a relative’s pony for many years. After that, she began to believe more in what she could achieve.

Andrea Patterson

Executive Director

Andrea Patterson

Executive Director

Frances Roche

Executive Director

Andy Milner

Executive Director

Andy has been in the saddlery industry for 35 years, running his 152 years old family saddlery business.  The business concentrates on saddle fitting, made to measure bridlework and general leatherwork.  Andy is a Master Saddle Fitter and has been qualified for 25 years.

Andy started assessing for the Society over 10 years ago and has been lecturing for just over 8 years.  He is currently Chair the Saddle Fitting Sub Committee which involves developing and delivering both the Introductory Saddle Fitting Course and the City & Guilds Qualified Saddle Fitting Course.  His main interest within the committee is to continue to improve and update the content, style and delivery of the courses, helping to make them the very best course/content available to trainee fitters.

Andy has also been fitting saddles for Sophie Wells Grade V Para Rider since 2010, they are currently on their 4th Olympic cycle, he feels that it’s a real privilege to work with such a dedicated athlete over such a long period.

David Faultless

Executive Director

Frances Roche

Executive Director

Frances started her saddlery journey in 1979 as a student at ‘Cordwainers College’ in Hackney, where she gained a diploma in Saddlery.  After leaving College she served a 7 year apprenticeship with Harness Makers and Royal Warrant holders ‘Turner Bridgar’ in Goring on Thames. Followed by 7 years at ‘Norton and Newby’ Saddlers in Beconsfield  where she began Saddle fitting and making bespoke bridles.

In 1992 Frances started her own business, mainly making bridles alongside working as a lecturer at Corwainers College, where she taught Harness and Bridle making skills to second year students.   She was offered a full-time job as Master Saddler/Harness Maker at the Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace in 1996 where she remained until July 2022.   It was in 1998 that Frances gained her saddle fitting qualification to make sure she was keeping her Majesty’s horses comfortable, alongside fitting Saddles on behalf of ‘Equestrian World’ in Henley.

The Society of Master Saddlers began running Bridle fitting courses in 2009 and Frances has been a lecturer and course leader on these courses ever since.  It wasn’t until 2019 when the bridle fitting team finally managed to complete development and begin delivery of the City and Guilds Qualification in Bridle Fitting and measuring.

Advanced bridle making skills are taught regularly by Frances to QEST scholars in her own workshop, and to qualified saddlers at the Saddlery Training centre.

Frances has been an assessor for C&G Saddlery Skills Tests for over 20 years and for C&G Bridle Fitting since its induction in 2019, she has also assessed for level 1 & 2 Bespoke Saddler and Leather Craftsperson qualifications alongside being a judge at the National Saddlery Competitions for over 25 yrs.

About her work Frances has said “Bridle making and fitting is a vast and complicated subject, but at the same time fascinating. It is wonderfully satisfying to be able to make a difference to a horse’s performance, but even more so to improve their comfort and well-being.  I am ever hopeful that by training equestrians about correct fit and design of the many and varied items of Saddlery, we can continue to improve the comfort and welfare of horses for the future and retain our social license in the process.  My happy place remains in my workshop where I still love to make and design new bridles. I am very proud of my successes over the years at the National Saddlery competition, Including Best in show 4 times.  However, I feel my greatest achievements will always be passing on skills to the next generation and seeing them gain success in the competitions and to pass their fitting qualifications.”

Diana Fisher