Five years of saddle research at HOGENT in Ghent led to one conclusion: the saddle industry needs to become more transparent. That research continues through the Royal Blue Innovation Lab, now taking physical form at De Zadelwerkplaats, located on a former hospital site in Amsterdam West. This atelier is where the findings are put into practice. Its founder combines scientific research into the alignment between horse, saddle and rider with a full-time saddlery and saddle fitting. Saddles are made to measure, priced between €2,000 and €3,500, available for purchase or lease.
What sets the work apart is not only the fit, but also the construction. Every saddle is designed to be fully disassembled and restored: waxed hemp thread replaces plastic cord, jute webbing from Belgian producers replaces seatbelt webbing, and synthetic foam gives way to sheep’s wool felt. The leather comes from Radermecker, a Belgian tannery specialising in harness leather. The atelier is actively building an archive of saddle components and materials, making construction choices visible in a sector that has historically kept itself closed.
De Zadelwerkplaats works by appointment. Fitting sessions and consultations treat the horse, the saddle and the rider as one system, supported by measurement analysis. The founder brings a background in saddlery, design and instruction in the Netherlands. For riders seeking a saddle made from documented materials with repairability as a starting point, this is one of the very few addresses in the Netherlands where that is possible.
