About Tack Ltd
Tracey Ward of About Tack Ltd is presented her award by Sandra Cairncross - Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Creative Industries, Edinburgh Napier University.
Edinburgh innovator Trace ward has been crowned one of Scotland’s best for her revolutionary horse saddle, which she developed while working as a horse trainer on Hollywood blockbuster The Last Samurai.
Trace Ward came up with her innovative idea while riding horses and brandishing swords on the set of the Tom Cruise epic. She says:
“Humans have ridden horses for around 6,000 years, and modern-day saddles are based on a design that has changed very little over the past 2,000 years. We had difficulties with saddle fittings on set because the people who do the horses ‘costumes’ had to produce 50 saddles, each fitted specifically for each horse – and of course the horses form changes during the year. With current saddles, there’s little room for change. My new saddle is much easier to adapt.”
She said of her win: “This award means a lot to our business. It feels fantastic to be recognised for the hard work that has gone into this saddle to date, and what greater honour than to receive an award which celebrates one of Scotland’s greatest inventors – John Logie Baird.”
It is expected that the dynamically rigged saddle, if taken through to commercialisation, could revolutionise the equestrian industry.
