Snowed in

Well, that's an exaggeration--we're a long way from being "snowed in." However, it has been snowing steadily all morning, and there's more than enough accumulation to play in, particularly if you're a certain funny looking brindle dog. Try as she might, she was unable to convince her older, crabbier sister to join in the merriment.

I'm with Abbie on that one. I'd rather be warm and cozy in the house than outside shivering in the snow. Luckily for me, the mailman has been very generous this week. I have a nice stash of new magazines to keep me occupied. Here's the real horse pile...

and the model horse titles.

I don't really collect OF models anymore, so my interest in Just About Horses is somewhat limited. Still, I did enjoy the customizing article by Jennifer Danza and the artist profile of D'Arry Jone Frank (that lovely custom Salinero!!!). The photo collage from NAN was rather disappointing with only two pictures from the performance division. I have no such complaints about the NAN pictures in Model Horse Performance! There are three pages of full color performance pictures. Can you spot the BCS tack in this one?Shannon is doing such a good job with this magazine. I liked the second issue even better than the first, particularly the how to articles on tapaderos and Sheridan style leather carving. If you aren't a subscriber yet, you can still buy copies of the first two issues at: http://modelhorseperformance.com/. This is definitely a magazine worth supporting, and I would recommend that anyone with an interest in tackmaking or performance showing should invest in a subscription.

Well, that's all for now. I really need to get back to my magazine stack before the kids get home from school!

La Portuguesa

IPABRA Tack Library

Here's an idea whose time has come: The International Pedigree Assignment and Bloodline Research Association (IPABRA) has opened the hobby's first tack library. Club members can borrow tack and props from the library for just the cost of postage. What a wonderful way to try out performance showing on the cheap!A quick scan of the Tack Library's website (http://ipabratacklibrary.weebly.com/index.html) reveals all sorts of goodies in every scale from stablemate to traditional. There are halters...

and bridles.
Pads...and saddles.There are also costumes...

and props,

including this nice four wheeled cart!

To be completely honest, most of the offerings are not open live show quality. That's to be expected. Top quality tack is expensive and most people aren't going to donate their "good stuff" no matter how worthy the cause. Still, this is a wonderful way for a beginner to try performance showing without a big initial investment. I would love to see the Tack Library become a big success. When (if?) I get caught up on all my tack orders, I intend to make a few items for the Library myself!

More information about IPABRA can be found at their home page: http://www.ipabra.org/index.php.

More trail class obstacles

Yesterday's trail obstacle was best suited for either a standing model or a model walking and turning. Today I am featuring two obstacles that work best for a model walking in a straight line. Once again, all pictures are from the September Aurora Horsemen's Association show held at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds in Aurora, Colorado.

The first obstacle--a bridge--is probably familiar to most performance showers. Bridges can be short or long, plain or with rails. This particular one is short and rail-less. Smoothly up and across. Some courses may require competitors to halt and stand quietly once they are atop the bridge. This one did not.

The dun horse came in a touch crooked...

and got just a little bit stuck across the top.

He recovered nicely but wasn't as smooth and polished as the grey horse. All things being equal, I'd prefer to see this obstacle paired with a model who is walking in a straight line. If you really want to use your turning model, be sure to position him a bit further away from the bridge. That way he would conceivably have time to get into the proper (straight) position before stepping onto the obstacle. Also remember that horses walk over bridges--please use a different obstacle for your jogging Zippos and Stone Western Pleasure Horses!

The tarp is similar to the bridge in that it asks the horse to walk across an unfamiliar surface. Please note that some breed associations specifically prohibit the use of tarps in trail classes. Be sure to specify that your model is showing in an open show when using this particular obstacle.

Most of the horses did this willingly...

although a few needed to stop and look first.

The corners of the tarp were held down with tent stakes. It may be more practical to use small weights of some sort in model scale.Safely across and on to the next obstacle!

Again, this obstacle works best with a straight moving model. It's also a particularly good choice for a horse with a lower headset who looks like he's paying attention to that strange sheet of plastic under his footsies!

Two barrels and a pole

Here's a trail class idea for everyone showing standing or walking models. I saw this obstacle at a recent Aurora Horsemen's Association show, and I knew immediately that it would be a perfect fit for the model show ring. It's more interesting than ground poles but is no harder to set up. All you need is a model, a Western tack set, a doll, two barrels (painted soup cans work fine!) and a pole.

Horse and rider begin the obstacle by riding up to the first barrel and halting.
The rider reaches down and picks up the end of the pole.

He then asks his horse to move forward into a walk.

The opposite end of the pole remains on the other barrel...as horse and rider make a circle around the entire obstacle.

Circling.

Still circling.

Almost there!

When horse and rider reach the starting point, the horse halts and the rider returns the pole to its original position.

Not everyone completed this obstacle as easily as the pretty palomino. A lot of the horses got a bit spooky and had moments that looked like this:

Several riders made the mistake of holding the pole too close to the middle. Invariably they got stuck part way around the obstacle.

Probably not the moment you want to set up in the live show ring!

As always, feel free to use my pictures for live show documentation--just be sure to send me a picture of your set up!

Bridle and breastplate

Yay! I finally finished something! This hunter type bridle and breastplate belong to the very patient Kellye Bussey. I'm not sure if you can tell from the pictures, but the breastplate features raised sections on both shoulder pieces.

I generally refer to this type of breastplate as a "hunter breastplate," but in truth, you don't see a lot of breastplates at a hunter show. In fact, a quick scan of my hunter show pictures revealed lots and lots of standing martingales but not one single breastplate.

Despite that, I don't mind seeing a model hunter dressed up in a breastplate. They're not illegal, just somewhat out of fashion. You do see them occasionally at hunter shows--sometimes because of a saddle fitting problem but other times because the owner "just likes the way they look." I totally understand that sentiment. I like the way they look, too!

Prepping party

I like prepping. I'm patient, detail oriented and extremely myopic. Careful, close up work suits me, and I find cleaning seems and filling divots to be quite relaxing. It's also an activity that mixes well with conversation. Today, my friend Regan and I had a little "prepping party" at her house. I brought all my usual prepping supplies--sandpaper, needle files, a carbide scaper, an X-acto knife and two naked resins.
While I worked on the Sencillo, Regan's young son helped with Cooper.

Regan concentrated her efforts on a Sarah Rose Lone Star resin.

This Lone Star is a raffle piece for the Crazy Ladies 7-Yellow Card Extravaganza show which will be held on Halloween day at the Parker Senior Center in Parker, Colorado. The lucky raffle winner will receive not just the resin body, but also a free, solid colored paint job by the very talented Sheila Anderson Bishop (http://www.paloose-arts.com/).

Raffle tickets are $5 a piece or six for $25. The winner does not have to be present to win. Contact showholders Teresa (flicksmom@yahoo.com) or Regan (ladyregan@juno.com) for further information and be sure to tell them I sent you!