Horse saddle artist reveals how Saudi culture inspires him

00:38

Calligraphy on horseback

A local artist has told The Independent of his creative process when creating lavish horse saddles at the 2024 Saudi Cup.

Mohammed Khader, who goes by the artist name ‘Big Mo’, spoke of the history and geography that helps him paint impressive saddle designs.

He said, “I mix all these things and come up with a new, modern calligraphy, with some cultural touches.

The Saudi Cup is organised by The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia in partnership with the Ministry of Culture.

Up next

Saudi Cup: ‘A true display of horsemanship’, says Prince Bandar

01:36

Sponsored

Saudi Cup: ‘A true display of horsemanship’, says Prince Bandar

Princess Nourah praises young fashion designers on show at Saudi Cup

00:42

Sponsored

Princess Nourah praises young fashion designers on show at Saudi Cup

Andrew Strauss says Saudi is an eye opener

01:26

Sponsored

Andrew Strauss says Saudi is an eye opener

Saudi Arabia is ‘pushing limits’ of fashion creativity

00:32

Sponsored

Saudi Arabia is ‘pushing limits’ of fashion creativity

Editor’s Picks

The A-Word | An Independent TV Documentary

44:07

The A-Word | An Independent TV Documentary

The best European cruise holiday destinations

06:29

The best European cruise holiday destinations

The importance of education in tackling domestic abuse

01:47

The importance of education in tackling domestic abuse

How Audrey Hepburn and Givenchy created a fashion staple

01:43

How Audrey Hepburn and Givenchy created a fashion staple

More Editor’s Picks

Travel Smart

The most magical Christmas markets to visit

05:23

The most magical Christmas markets to visit

The best European cruise holiday destinations

06:29

The best European cruise holiday destinations

Enjoy the splendour of luxury holidays with TravelSmart

05:04

Enjoy the splendour of luxury holidays with TravelSmart

Discovering the secrets of Jordan with our TravelSmart guide

06:10

Discovering the secrets of Jordan with our TravelSmart guide

More Travel Smart

That Dress

How Audrey Hepburn and Givenchy created a fashion staple

01:43

How Audrey Hepburn and Givenchy created a fashion staple

The powerful message behind Lady Gaga’s iconic meat dress

01:45

The powerful message behind Lady Gaga’s iconic meat dress

How Gillian Anderson’s thong defined a noughties fashion trend

01:54

How Gillian Anderson’s thong defined a noughties fashion trend

How Jennifer Lopez inspired Google Images

01:32

How Jennifer Lopez inspired Google Images

More That Dress

Binge Watch

Himesh Patel rolls with the laughs on HBO’s The Franchise

16:55

Himesh Patel rolls with the laughs on HBO’s The Franchise

The Apprentice star and director on Trump’s criticism to film

06:12

The Apprentice star and director on Trump’s criticism to film

Jared Harris talks new film Reawakening and homage to Richard Harris

13:22

Jared Harris talks new film Reawakening and homage to Richard Harris

Justin Theroux on the legacy of The Leftovers

04:26

Justin Theroux on the legacy of The Leftovers

More Binge Watch

Music Box

Lemoncello perform ‘Old Friend’ in Music Box session

05:49

Lemoncello perform ‘Old Friend’ in Music Box session

Lemoncello perform ‘Sunflower’ in Music Box session

05:45

Lemoncello perform ‘Sunflower’ in Music Box session

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Wishes’ for Music Box session

04:13

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Wishes’ for Music Box session

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Mudroom’ in Music Box session

03:58

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Mudroom’ in Music Box session

On The Ground

Searching for the ‘Whitby Woman’

03:51

Searching for the ‘Whitby Woman’

On the campaign trail with Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg

04:18

On the campaign trail with Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg

Life at 50C: Delhi’s streets struggling to cope with heatwave

06:26

Life at 50C: Delhi’s streets struggling to cope with heatwave

Indian farmers use election to make voices heard against Narendra Modi

04:30

Indian farmers use election to make voices heard against Narendra Modi

More On The Ground

Behind The Headlines

What would a President Trump 2.0 look like?

10:42

What would a President Trump 2.0 look like?

When will the Cost of Living Crisis end?

06:27

When will the Cost of Living Crisis end?

How airlines greenwash the skies

07:23

How airlines greenwash the skies

Is it time to panic over AI? | Behind The Headlines

06:35

Is it time to panic over AI? | Behind The Headlines

More Behind The Headlines

Decomplicated

What is tactical voting - and why could it be a powerful tool?

07:25

What is tactical voting - and why could it be a powerful tool?

Are ultra-processed foods bad for you?

04:31

Are ultra-processed foods bad for you?

Why are UK councils going bankrupt?

07:30

Why are UK councils going bankrupt?

What causes the winter flu and how does it differ from other types?

03:34

What causes the winter flu and how does it differ from other types?

More Decomplicated

News

Nikita Hand supporters march after Conor McGregor case verdict

01:04

Nikita Hand supporters march after Conor McGregor case verdict

Tractor creates devastating wave by driving through flooded UK town

00:49

Tractor creates devastating wave by driving through flooded UK town

Employment minister squirms at Starmer’s comments on benefits fraud

01:43

Employment minister squirms at Starmer’s comments on benefits fraud

Watch: Egypt tourist yacht survivors gather after boat sinks

00:24

Watch: Egypt tourist yacht survivors gather after boat sinks

Sport

‘This is my place’: Ruben Amorim’s first interview at Man Utd

00:52

‘This is my place’: Ruben Amorim’s first interview at Man Utd

Premier League club release powerful women’s safety video

03:20

Premier League club release powerful women’s safety video

Watch: 100-year-old Colorado Buffaloes superfan serenaded on pitch

00:44

Watch: 100-year-old Colorado Buffaloes superfan serenaded on pitch

Watch: Tommy Fury and Darren Till press conference descends into brawl

00:47

Watch: Tommy Fury and Darren Till press conference descends into brawl

Climate

Surfers ride powerful 13ft waves amid weather warning

00:49

Surfers ride powerful 13ft waves amid weather warning

Floodwaters rage across Yelville as residents evacuated from homes

00:33

Floodwaters rage across Yelville as residents evacuated from homes

Greece shuts down Acropolis as temperatures hit almost 40 degrees

01:00

Greece shuts down Acropolis as temperatures hit almost 40 degrees

Eerie tornado sirens ring through downtown Chicago

00:31

Eerie tornado sirens ring through downtown Chicago

Culture

Jamie Borthwick’s elimination leaves Strictly studio in tears

00:34

Jamie Borthwick’s elimination leaves Strictly studio in tears

Pink reveals she needs surgery as singer forced to cancel tour dates

02:09

Pink reveals she needs surgery as singer forced to cancel tour dates

Strictly’s Pete Wicks sends message to critics after result backlash

01:05

Strictly’s Pete Wicks sends message to critics after result backlash

Bob Geldof tells Band Aid 40 critics to ‘shut up’

00:43

Bob Geldof tells Band Aid 40 critics to ‘shut up’

Lifestyle

David Walliams says he’s ‘probably non-binary’

00:46

David Walliams says he’s ‘probably non-binary’

How Audrey Hepburn and Givenchy created a fashion staple

01:43

How Audrey Hepburn and Givenchy created a fashion staple

RFK Jr. shares rare glimpse of family life in new video with grandkids

00:52

RFK Jr. shares rare glimpse of family life in new video with grandkids

I’m A Celebrity’s Tulisa reveals she’s been celibate for three years

01:06

I’m A Celebrity’s Tulisa reveals she’s been celibate for three years

Will Bayley's Electric Road Trip

Paralympian Will Bayley puts his “Range Anxiety” to the test

03:29

Paralympian Will Bayley puts his “Range Anxiety” to the test

The feel-good perks of living the Electric Vehicle lifestyle

03:07

The feel-good perks of living the Electric Vehicle lifestyle

Paralympian Will Bayley checks the performance of electric vehicles

03:07

Paralympian Will Bayley checks the performance of electric vehicles

To EV or not to EV? Paralympian Will Bayley considers electric cars

03:24

To EV or not to EV? Paralympian Will Bayley considers electric cars

Galaxy The Ripple Effect

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on the imposter syndrome epidemic

04:23

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on the imposter syndrome epidemic

Finance coach Ellie Austin-Williams on the psychology of money

04:26

Finance coach Ellie Austin-Williams on the psychology of money

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on how to tackle imposter syndrome

01:01

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on how to tackle imposter syndrome

Simple ways to boost your money situation with Ellie Austin-Williams

01:07

Simple ways to boost your money situation with Ellie Austin-Williams

Big In America

Can Willsow’s children’s books pique the interest of the US market?

15:55

Can Willsow’s children’s books pique the interest of the US market?

Will the founders of Spice Kitchen be able to find US retailers?

16:33

Will the founders of Spice Kitchen be able to find US retailers?

Co-founders of See.Sense bring their cycle safe tech to New York City

16:06

Co-founders of See.Sense bring their cycle safe tech to New York City

Collctiv fintech founder Amy Whitell tries to crack the US tech market

15:01

Collctiv fintech founder Amy Whitell tries to crack the US tech market

More Big In America

Saudi Green Initiative

Saudi government doesn’t ‘pay lip service’ on climate action

01:16

Saudi government doesn’t ‘pay lip service’ on climate action

SGI ‘seems like a nest of harmony’, journalist says

00:36

SGI ‘seems like a nest of harmony’, journalist says

SGI ambitions are ‘extremely high’, says Saudi climate envoy

00:48

SGI ambitions are ‘extremely high’, says Saudi climate envoy

Saudi Green Initiative aims to ‘not just preserve, but create’

01:08

Saudi Green Initiative aims to ‘not just preserve, but create’

More Saudi Green Initiative

AlUla

Gérard Mestrallet on the challenges of bringing infrastructure to the region of AlUla

01:51

Gérard Mestrallet on the challenges of bringing infrastructure to the region of AlUla

Sir George Iacobescu, chairman of the Canary Wharf Group on the investment into the historic region of AlUla

02:07

Sir George Iacobescu, chairman of the Canary Wharf Group on the investment into the historic region of AlUla

Oliver Ripley of sustainable hotel group Habitas talks about how AlUla challenged his preconceptions of Saudi Arabia

02:00

Oliver Ripley of sustainable hotel group Habitas talks about how AlUla challenged his preconceptions of Saudi Arabia

Thomas Kaplan of wild cat conservation charity Panthera on the mission to save the Arabian Leopard

02:09

Thomas Kaplan of wild cat conservation charity Panthera on the mission to save the Arabian Leopard