I always love hearing how my tack is doing in the show rings, and I am especially grateful to people who let me share their pictures. Thanks so much, Karen!
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Sunday, March 21, 2010
Spring has sprung
And with spring comes horse shows!
Today's picture comes from Karen Meekma. She writes: I am sending you a picture of my Tandem riding entry. I have shown it at 2 shows, under 3 different judges and it has placed 1st every time. I am very happy with it and have gotten a lot of nice comments. This picture is from the Crystal Creek Riders Spring Double Judges show held on March 13th.
I always love hearing how my tack is doing in the show rings, and I am especially grateful to people who let me share their pictures. Thanks so much, Karen!
I always love hearing how my tack is doing in the show rings, and I am especially grateful to people who let me share their pictures. Thanks so much, Karen!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Endurance saddles at the Horse Expo
More saddle pictures from the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo. Today the focus is Endurance saddles.
The first four saddles were made by Synergist Saddles (http://www.synergistsaddles.com/). I like the built in cantle purse on the tan saddle.
The black saddle had lots of fun extras.
Other side. If you look carefully, it appears that this saddle (and the first one) both take an English type girth.
The laced cantles were another feature common to all the Synergist Endurance saddles.
Close up of the built on saddle bags.
Teresa's pawprint saddle.
Close up of the tooling. Sorry Teresa, I still think it's kind of cute!
Another Synergist saddle. This one is a pretty normal looking English saddle fitted with Endurance type stirrups.
I'm not certain, but I think the next three saddles were made by Specialized Saddles (http://www.specializedsaddles.com/). This first one is very fluffy! 
English style billets and stirrup leathers with a Westernish seat. I wonder what it's like to ride in?
This one is more to the Western end of the spectrum, but still has the English billets.
Lots of interesting ideas for the adventurous tackmaker--be sure to send pictures if you decide to reproduce one of these saddles in miniature!
The first four saddles were made by Synergist Saddles (http://www.synergistsaddles.com/). I like the built in cantle purse on the tan saddle.
The black saddle had lots of fun extras.
Other side. If you look carefully, it appears that this saddle (and the first one) both take an English type girth.
The laced cantles were another feature common to all the Synergist Endurance saddles.
Close up of the built on saddle bags.
Teresa's pawprint saddle.
Close up of the tooling. Sorry Teresa, I still think it's kind of cute!
Another Synergist saddle. This one is a pretty normal looking English saddle fitted with Endurance type stirrups.
I'm not certain, but I think the next three saddles were made by Specialized Saddles (http://www.specializedsaddles.com/). This first one is very fluffy! 
English style billets and stirrup leathers with a Westernish seat. I wonder what it's like to ride in?
This one is more to the Western end of the spectrum, but still has the English billets.
Friday, March 19, 2010
What I've been up to
I have two confessions to make. First, I haven't made a single piece of tack this week. Second, although I know I should stick to tackmaking, there is a part of me that really, really wants to be a finishwork artist.
For almost a month I have been feeling the itch to paint. At first I tried to ignore it, thinking it would go away.
It didn't.
So, then I decided that I should paint something. Or, more precisely, I should finish painting something.
This RB Romke resin came to me in trade sometime in 2006 or 2007. I gelded him, did a little bit of custom work on his mane and tail and decided to paint him up as a semi portrait of a horse I rode when I was a teenager.
Although these pictures show him in a pretty rough state, I did manage to get him mostly finished. I even took him to a live show, where he finished last in his class. That was a fair placing, but it was discouraging. I put him back on the unpainted shelf and pretty much forgot about him for the next couple years.
Here is how his spots looked when I brought him back upstairs earlier this week. It's not terrible, but it's not great either. The shape is overgeneralized and the edges are pretty fuzzy.
A day later, and things are getting better. The edges of the spots are crisper and show a little bit of mapping.
Wednesday's in progress picture...
and Thursday's.
Today I'm adding another million or so layers of thin white paint, and hopefully tomorrow I'll be ready to move on to the hooves, eyes and tail. I wonder how long that will take me? I've really enjoyed this finishwork interlude, but I'm beginning to miss tackmaking...
For almost a month I have been feeling the itch to paint. At first I tried to ignore it, thinking it would go away.
It didn't.
So, then I decided that I should paint something. Or, more precisely, I should finish painting something.
This RB Romke resin came to me in trade sometime in 2006 or 2007. I gelded him, did a little bit of custom work on his mane and tail and decided to paint him up as a semi portrait of a horse I rode when I was a teenager.
Although these pictures show him in a pretty rough state, I did manage to get him mostly finished. I even took him to a live show, where he finished last in his class. That was a fair placing, but it was discouraging. I put him back on the unpainted shelf and pretty much forgot about him for the next couple years.
Here is how his spots looked when I brought him back upstairs earlier this week. It's not terrible, but it's not great either. The shape is overgeneralized and the edges are pretty fuzzy.
A day later, and things are getting better. The edges of the spots are crisper and show a little bit of mapping.
Wednesday's in progress picture...
and Thursday's.
Today I'm adding another million or so layers of thin white paint, and hopefully tomorrow I'll be ready to move on to the hooves, eyes and tail. I wonder how long that will take me? I've really enjoyed this finishwork interlude, but I'm beginning to miss tackmaking...Thursday, March 18, 2010
Horse Expo weird/wonderful
Here are a few more weird and wonderful offerings found at the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo trade show held last weekend at the National Western Complex in Denver, Colorado.
I love these little bicycles.
Didn't we all spend our childhoods pretending our bikes were horses? I know I did.
Halters suitable for the Tacky Tack of the Day blog.
These hooves were on display at the Front Range Community College booth.
Depending on how squeamish you are, these might be considered either weird or wonderful.
Mostly I think they're pretty neat!
These Breyers at the Brighton Feed & Saddlery booth qualify as wonderful...
but this lonely Shire mare...
Weird, definitely weird!
Tired of Horse Expo pictures yet? I still have a bunch left over, most of which are Endurance saddles and vaulting tack. Any interest?
I love these little bicycles.
Didn't we all spend our childhoods pretending our bikes were horses? I know I did.
Halters suitable for the Tacky Tack of the Day blog.
These hooves were on display at the Front Range Community College booth.
Depending on how squeamish you are, these might be considered either weird or wonderful.
Mostly I think they're pretty neat!
These Breyers at the Brighton Feed & Saddlery booth qualify as wonderful...
but this lonely Shire mare...
Weird, definitely weird!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Tacky tack at the Horse Expo
There were also a lot of bad saddles at the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo. Most of these were pretty unmemorable--just your average low end, poorly made, bottom of the market type junk. None of those saddles won my award for the Worst Saddle of the Day.
No, those honors went to a hand carved Western saddle that was neither inexpensive nor poorly made.
At first glance it didn't look so bad....
but then I noticed the tooling.
Oh, oh, oh!
How could anyone have possibly thought this was a good idea?
No, those honors went to a hand carved Western saddle that was neither inexpensive nor poorly made.
At first glance it didn't look so bad....
but then I noticed the tooling.
Oh, oh, oh!
How could anyone have possibly thought this was a good idea?
Other side--just as bad!
And just think, for $6,000 this saddle could be yours. Does anyone want the seller's contact info?
And just think, for $6,000 this saddle could be yours. Does anyone want the seller's contact info?Monday, March 15, 2010
Peruvian Paso saddle
There were a lot of nice saddles at the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo, but I had no trouble choosing a favorite. This beautiful Peruvian Paso saddle was displayed in the barn area, and its owner was extremely gracious about allowing me to photograph it from every conceivable angle. Here are a few of those pictures.
The seat and front of the cantle were very soft and cushion-y. I'm guessing this is a comfortable saddle to sit in.
Close up of the tooling and braided trim. This horse design also decorated the saddle blanket and tail cover.
The view from above.
Pommel front.
Back of cantle.
Stirrup.
Saddle blanket.
Under the flap.
The same but with buckle guards flipped up.
Bottom view. Can you believe there's tooling in the channel between the panels?
Peruvian saddles use a wide string cinch that is significantly stiffer than your average Western cinch.
The leather at both ends of the cinch is tooled.
Matching spurs and spur straps. These were pretty cool!
A little more information on Peruvian tack.
So, now you've seen my choice for the Best Saddle of the Day award. Tune in tomorrow to see the winner of the Worst Saddle of the Day!
The seat and front of the cantle were very soft and cushion-y. I'm guessing this is a comfortable saddle to sit in.
Close up of the tooling and braided trim. This horse design also decorated the saddle blanket and tail cover.
The view from above.
Pommel front.
Back of cantle.
Stirrup.
Saddle blanket.
Under the flap.
The same but with buckle guards flipped up.
Bottom view. Can you believe there's tooling in the channel between the panels?
Peruvian saddles use a wide string cinch that is significantly stiffer than your average Western cinch.
The leather at both ends of the cinch is tooled.
Matching spurs and spur straps. These were pretty cool!
A little more information on Peruvian tack.
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