By Emily Penn

Aaron Martin Harness Ltd. started as a small retail business in Wallenstein, Ontario, and has since grown to be one of the world’s major harness distributors. Whatever kind of harness you’re looking for, whether for draft or miniature horse, driving competition or chuckwagon race, Aaron Martin Harness is sure to have it.

Aaron Martin Harness was founded by Aaron Martin who had years of experience working and driving horses prior to starting the business. Now the company is run by a team of knowledgeable staff who understand the industry. This understanding allows Aaron Martin Harness to provide quality manufactured harnesses for almost any need.

Aaron Martin Harness is much more than a retail store, offering a large range of leather working services. Custom harnesses are created right in the building, allowing for the production of any style and size of harness. Above all, friendly service and a genuine desire to help their customers are the qualities that set Aaron Martin Harness apart.

We recently had the opportunity to talk to the staff at Aaron Martin Harness.

Horse Journals: Tell me about Aaron Martin Harness and the services you offer.
Aaron Martin: We supply harness, harness making supplies, and everything that the horseman would need for his horse, from work horses to show horses. We also carry Pioneer Farm Equipment.

When and where did Aaron Martin get started?
We started back in 1979 out of the same location that we’re in today.

What about the industry interested you and led you to begin the business?
Aaron had the chance to buy out a harness maker who was going out of business. Living in Canada’s largest horse and buggy area, there are always harnesses to be repaired and people looking for new equipment.

How has Aaron Martin changed over the years?
What started out as a small shop kept growing with a few additions over the years until we reached 12,000 square feet, with 12 employees and a few people sewing for us from home. On February 22, 2008, our facility was destroyed by fire with only four computers being rescued. We were able to salvage only seven useable machines from the rubble. Seven weeks after the fire we moved into our new building.

Can you describe the products and services you offer?
Our number one product would be harnesses and everything that comes with harness repairing and oiling. We do some pet supplies as well. We also do a lot of custom work-cutting, sewing, riveting, etc. for people in all kinds of trades. We just stated dealing in Pioneer Horse Equipment, so if there is something you are looking for and cannot find, give us a call and we can see if we can source it.

What do you like most about your job?
I suppose it would be seeing a happy customer going out the door!

Where do the majority of your customers come from?
Most of our sales are within Canada, but we are also doing a lot of shipping to European countries, as well as Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

Has the industry changed since you started your business, and how?
Yes! When we started out everything was leather. Then nylon started coming in, and now we have Bioplastics with their Beta®, Granite®, and BioThane® lines, which are the number one choice right now.

What else you would like readers to know about Aaron Martin Harness?
We appreciate feedback from our customers so we can improve our products and services, and we are always striving to expand with new products.

For more information about Aaron Martin Harness, please visit www.aaronmartin.com.

Main Article Photo: A beautiful custom driving harness made by Aaron Martin for Maryanne Kersey.