The leather for the artillery train, was to be natural veg tan leather, a colour which is today termed as London Tan. The purchase accounts I have for the harness from 1809, 1811 and 1813 all state that the harness was to be natural tan leather.

The bridle, head collar, and head piece of the nearside or ridden horses was to be black, the off side were to be natural leather. The black leather could either be dyed or stained. I have the reciepes for this.

Over time, the natural tan leather will darken with dirt and with the cleaning products used. I have leather cleaning reciepes from 1810, and have tried them out. Over time, the tan leather does darken. I have a london tan bridle, head collar, girth etc for my london tan saddle, and they have darkened considerably over tiime the more they are cleaned. This may be where the period prints showing dark coloured leather comes from.