Atelier Alhéna

I've always been mad about horses and have ridden since I was a little girl. I was really lucky to move in equestrian circles an experience a variety of disciplines. Having worked in the environmental sector for 7 years, I switched careers to fulfil my dream of working with horses and starting my own business.

The opportunity to work with beautiful materials and traditional techniques meant I was naturally attracted to the role of saddler and harness maker. Trained in 2018 by a Maître Artisan d'Art (Master Craftsman of Art), I now specialise in making bespoke pieces with the emphasis on equine and human biomechanics. Always adapting to each individual rider and horse and the special relationship between them, I create saddlery items to meet your specific needs whilst ensuring maximum comfort for the horse (saddles for all disciplines, bridles, saddle equipment, accessories, etc.).

I also offer a saddle repair, fitting and modification service. The quality of the materials is of the utmost importance to me. This is why I work exclusively with premium full grain cowhide leathers from the very best French tanneries, rigorously selected for their technique features as well as their appearance. All my saddlery leathers are vegetable tanned which makes them supple and hardwearing, as well as creating a beautiful patina over time (calfskin leather used for making saddles is mineral tanned, as this is the only way to obtain the necessary properties).

I work entirely by hand, from creating the pattern to cutting and stitching the pieces, according to traditional French saddle-making techniques.

Finally, as I am keen to use an eco-friendly approach in my workshop, I use as many natural materials as possible (natural pigment-dyed hemp thread stitching, genuine felt, edges finished with beeswax or gum arabic, solvent-free adhesives, recycled packaging, etc.).