Thursday, February 23, 2012

Finally!

Pending final approval from the new owner, one of the harnesses is finally done.
I have a love/hate relationship with harnesses. They're not my favorite thing to make, but I always kind of fall in love with them once they're finished. One of these days I'll make myself one to keep.
Giselle/Stage Mom/Valentine makes a lovely harness horse, but that forelock poses real fitting challenges in regards to the blinker stays and browband. Customizers take note; this is a good area to "fix" if you're working on this particular mold.
Since this harness is destined to be used with a sleigh rather than a cart, it comes with sleigh bells! These can be positioned either in front of or just behind the surcingle.  
So that's one down, one to go. With any luck, I'll be back to saddles by the weekend!
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40 comments:

  1. NichelleFebruary 23, 2012 at 2:51 PM

    It looks wonderful. :) Do the bells connect to the harness anywhere or are they just buckled around the horse?

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  2. Bluebird StudioFebruary 23, 2012 at 3:20 PM

    *squee* at the tiny bells!

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  3. AnonymousFebruary 23, 2012 at 3:23 PM

    zikzik-

    so how much does a full harness set cost? maybe I will try and buy one from you one day! =)

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  4. BraymereFebruary 23, 2012 at 3:49 PM

    As best as I can tell, the bells don't attach directly to the harness. For reference I used pictures I took at the 2011 Christmas Carriage Parade in Parker, Colorado. These included bells both in front and behind the surcingle, as well as around the neck. I'm not saying there aren't other possible arrangements, but I feel comfortable with what I made.

    zikzik--In addition to these two, I have another harness order scheduled for next month. Usually, I'm only good for one or two harnesses a year so I'm already over my limit. Unless someone offers me something truly spectacular in trade, I don't expect to make another harness for a long time!

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  5. RussinkaFebruary 23, 2012 at 3:59 PM

    Beautiful, so realistic! Valentine looks wonderful in harness.

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  6. AnonymousFebruary 23, 2012 at 4:10 PM

    Have you ever made a draft collar harness?

    -Hazel

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  7. UrbangoatgirlFebruary 23, 2012 at 4:19 PM

    Valentine is so wonderful for performance and she looks great in that harness!

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  8. LindsayFebruary 23, 2012 at 4:58 PM

    Very nice, Jennifer!! I love your stuff. That's a really nice harness too. My next one is going to be for the Cleveland Bay. I'll be studying your pictures closely!

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  9. AnonymousFebruary 23, 2012 at 5:29 PM

    Oh my god it's beautiful!

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  10. VickyFebruary 23, 2012 at 5:47 PM

    Beautiful! Love the bells!

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  11. TerriFebruary 23, 2012 at 6:19 PM

    I love this model in Harness - she looks very much intended for it!

    Wonderful ideas on the bells - Ding ding! Dashing through the snow!

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  12. Atomic StablesFebruary 23, 2012 at 6:24 PM

    Beautiful harness and I love the sleigh bells! For future reference though, the bells should go over the shafts - that way they don't rub the horse and won't get damaged by the shafts. Looks fantastic, I love the browband. :)

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  13. BraymereFebruary 23, 2012 at 6:28 PM

    Thanks for the compliments everyone. They are very much appreciated!

    Hazel--I have made a four collared harnesses, all of the light horse variety and all belonging to Sandy Lyles. The March harness will be a collared draft harness to fit a Scarlet resin. I'm both excited and terrified by this order. It will definitely force me to break some new ground!

    Giselle/Stage Mom/Valentine really is a nice all around performance model. I've shown my OF successfully and look forward to owning a customized version (with flat forelock!) someday. I think this would be a perfect body for a Snickers portrait. Definitely one for the Purdy list!

    :)

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  14. BraymereFebruary 23, 2012 at 6:41 PM

    Atomic Stables--I just rechecked my reference photos (both mine from the parade plus those which my customer provided). In every case but one, the bells are clearly *under* the shafts. The outlier was a mini whose bells really didn't fit, leading to a sort of interesting arrangement... Definitely a case of don't use this as reference material type of photo! Anyway, your reasoning for putting the bells over the shafts is sound, and I have no doubt that a lot of people prefer them that way. I'm guessing this is totally an issue of personal preference and whatever fits best. I'll present both options to my customer and leave the final decision up to her!

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  15. GracieFebruary 23, 2012 at 6:59 PM

    Wow! What a gorgeous set! I would love to one day own as set of jingle bells :) Such happy little things!

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  16. Christie ParteeFebruary 23, 2012 at 7:12 PM

    Valentine is an excellent performance horse, and the harness looks so nice on her! Too many OF models lately seem to have forelock problems; I wish Breyer/Stone would keep us performance junkies in mind when they are making a new model!

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  17. CourtneyFebruary 23, 2012 at 7:50 PM

    What a cute set!

    Just curious--did you make the cart, as well?

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  18. Four Corners TackFebruary 23, 2012 at 8:44 PM

    Forelocks: bane of a tack-makers life! And manes can be too if they're in the way.

    I haven't made a harness for a while, but I've earmarked my Briony resin as I have a lovely Nordwain cart that will fit her. And, I had her haired by Faye Cohen so no forelock issues!

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  19. Atomic StablesFebruary 23, 2012 at 10:04 PM

    Re: bells: I'm sure people do it both ways, but my references all have them on the outside! I suppose it's all in where you look. :)

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  20. Kismet LodgeFebruary 24, 2012 at 1:44 AM

    absolutely AMAZING!!!! Love the tiny bells too!!! It will look great in front of a sleigh :)

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  21. AnonymousFebruary 24, 2012 at 8:09 AM

    I've wanted to show harness forever, but I'm kind of intimidated by it; I've listened to a lot of judges critiquing harness and it seems like there are almost an infinite number of things to get wrong. Also: death to forelocks.

    ~Mara

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  22. AnonymousFebruary 24, 2012 at 8:27 AM

    Absolutely gorgeous! How about a harness tutorial?????

    -Heather Larkins

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  23. KristianFebruary 24, 2012 at 10:27 AM

    Lovely harness! It just finished one myself. They drive you crazy when putting them together but the product is well worth it!

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  24. TiMeFebruary 24, 2012 at 11:58 AM

    Beautiful work. And Stage Mom looks great in harness!

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  25. Ashley WittFebruary 24, 2012 at 2:51 PM

    Ooooo I want one!!

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  26. Karen BeesonFebruary 24, 2012 at 3:10 PM

    What beautiful work, as always, Jennifer! Seeing this harness really makes me pine for one, just for the beauty of it. I'm looking forward to seeing the draft harness that you will be making, as you mentioned here in the comments.

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  27. Jo K.February 24, 2012 at 4:25 PM

    I love your harnesses!!! I haven't made one yet, but I am in the process of trying. the crazy thing is that I have chosen to make my first harnesses for my G1 Drafters (SM)that I have recently fallen in love with. I have a log sled being made for them, and they need harnesses!!! I did buy a complete work horse harness for SM's, so I can have one to look at while I build. I'm like you though, The Guide is always open on my work desk and it will be invaluable for these tiny harnesses!!! JO K

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  28. GWRFebruary 24, 2012 at 6:28 PM

    I hear you on forelocks, I'm currently whittling away at one.

    Most of the body bells I've seen simply go around the barrel, passing over the shafts, then buckle on the back. These usually have gradated size bells with the largest (and heaviest) going underneath. I have seen a few with straps that hooked to the terrets or passed around the saddle for added stability, though.

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  29. GWRFebruary 24, 2012 at 6:29 PM

    Lovely harness and bells set, btw! :D The studs on the browband are particularly nice.

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  30. Danielle FeldmanFebruary 24, 2012 at 9:03 PM

    I am so excited about the draft harness - hope it doesn't cause too much stress!

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  31. TeresaFebruary 24, 2012 at 11:03 PM

    Harness is a some day thing for me...definitely before cow events ;-)

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  32. SerenaFebruary 25, 2012 at 8:43 AM

    That is lovely! Giselle makes a great looking driving horse. Congrats on the patience with all those tiny straps!

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  33. RiderWriterFebruary 25, 2012 at 10:11 AM

    Fabulous work, as always (LOVE the browband) and of course you know I'd take that model home in half a second! :-) What a gorgeous grey.

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  34. Lynn IsenbargerFebruary 27, 2012 at 9:38 AM

    Have a real set of sleigh bells hanging in my home, but no horse o go with them. Loved seeing them miniaturized. And that harness is lovely!

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  35. MadieFebruary 28, 2012 at 6:21 PM

    WOW! That looks beautiful! Even though you might hate making them, they look really, really pretty in the end!

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  36. Marianna S.February 29, 2012 at 2:44 AM

    Gorgeous work, Jennifer! Despite the fact that you don't looove making harnesses, you are darn good at it!

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  37. AnonymousDecember 10, 2014 at 9:29 AM

    HOW DO YOU DO THIS!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

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  38. UnknownSeptember 2, 2018 at 6:10 PM

    How did you make the wheel axel?

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