EVERYONE who has ever had anything to do with horses knows what a pain in the neck it is when a piece of tack breaks - usually at the worst time.

Like a stirrup leather going just when you've got a flighty horse steady enough to get on or a rein breaking as you take a pull approaching a stiff fence or a headcollar snapping when you're attempting to load a grumpy beast into a trailer.

Of course it shouldn't happen, but it does.

And the fact that it does, is providing a useful second career for Steve Tyler.

For 28 years, Steve was a skilled printer, who worked for several local companies. At the time, two of his three daughters rode. "But, if I was honest, I'd say I was scared of horses," he said.

That's all changed now, because two-and-a-half years ago he was made redundant and suddenly life took a new direction.

"I had to find something to do. It was as simple as that," he said. "I have always enjoyed working with my hands and over the years I have repaired tack that has broken on my daughters' horses.

"When I had more time on my hands, other people began asking me if I could repair their broken tack too and it all started from there."

Now Steve has use of a workshop at Ian and Sue Frank's livery yard, near Droitwich, and the hands that once dealt with columns of print, now work dexterously on martingales, cheek pieces and nosebands.

"It was about 18 years ago when two of my three daughters began riding," Steve said. "So we used to have to take them to the stables and that was my introduction to horses. I'd never ridden myself. I certainly never thought for one moment I would work with them one day."

Some while later, he carried out repair work on a friend's Land Rover and in return he was offered a couple of riding lessons, which he took.

So at least he knew what sitting on a horse was like.

When the redundancy notice arrived and the decision was made to take his tack repairing hobby seriously, Steve wanted to do things correctly and so enrolled on a bridlework course in Walsall, the home of British saddlemaking.

"I wanted to make sure I knew how to do a proper job," he added. "I would love to do a saddlery course, but it costs around £3,000."

Even so, he has followed up his bridlework course with one covering harnesses, making him well equipped to deal with most things that go wrong with tack.

"I've been surprised how it's all taken off," he said. "It's all been by word of mouth. I was told people were having trouble finding anyone to do tack repairs around here, but how it's come in has amazed me. If you make a good job of repairing a broken piece, it makes more sense than buying a new one.

"I know it's very different from what I used to do, but I love it."

From printing to ponies might be quite a leap, but at least Steve now believes he's on the right tack.