Shropshire harness-maker Terry Davis tells of a new trend.

Two years ago I was asked by a brewery in Spain, La Zaragozana, to make a set of pole harness to equip its two Shires and dray purchased from England. To make the turnout complete they wanted good traditional English harness to match.

The turnout was to be used in the promotion of their locally brewed "cerveza" (beer) and they needed it to look the part. We discussed the harness at great length by telephone - with some difficulty over Spanish words for ... collars, hames, cruppers, breeching etc!

By tradition English harness is black patent leather with brass furniture. I confess I do not know the reason for this. I can only assume that black does not alter too much when oils and polishes are applied to keep the leather supple. However the Spanish company wanted their harness in brown leather - not just any old brown, but a rich, sumptuous, chestnutty brown. They were steadfast and wanted to see samples of brown leather.

My initial reaction was doubtful but I soon warmed to the idea when I saw the samples, and the way that the brass furniture sat so well against the brown. I acquired the leather in a beautiful shade of chestnut and set to work. The outcome was surprisingly good. More importantly my customers were delighted, so much so, that I have just completed a second set of pole harness for them.

Interestingly enough, again from overseas, I have been asked to make a set of single cart gears in, guess what - brown. Brown leather appears to be catching on and quite rightly so, as, I have to admit, it does look good.

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