Dog and Pony prep, part two

Whenever I start prepping for a performance show, there's always one class that is immediately the most important. In the case of Karin Hullatti's Dog and Pony Show, that's clearly Donkey Hotee.

I don't know what a Hotee is, but I well versed in Donkey. 

In fact, I have a whole, quirky herd of them.

And yet, somehow, this is the only one I've ever shown in performance.

Bitesize was one of my first customized models and my main Other Performance "horse" during the early stages of live show career. His last outing was 2010.

I have a lot of ideas for the Donkey Hotee class, but the first and most obvious of which involves Pecans.

She is the little Lefton donkey I bought at Donna's estate sale. She came with a sawbuck packing set made by Donna's mother, Marie, and the idea of getting this into a show ring - some fifty years after its creation - is irresistible. 

There's only one problem. The original halter is no longer viable.

Well, I do know how to make a halter.

I just haven't made a single piece of tack since Darcy died.

Sigh. I guess now's as good a time as any. It took me a long time to round up my tools and supplies, and then a surprisingly short time to actually put the halter together.

One of the hundreds, but also, one of one.

Pecans is ready to make her performance debut.

But will there be pecans in those panniers or perhaps something else?

Only time will tell!

P.S. You don't have to tell me what a Hotee is. I googled it!

Tack reference Tuesday, part three

Last weekend, my friend and fellow model horse hobbyist, Anne Veeneman–van der Weel, attended the 2026 Akhal Teke World Championship in the Netherlands.

Like any good tackmaker/performance shower, she spent a lot of time documenting the tack, both on the horses...

and in the village.

Her sharp eyes captured three very distinctive types of saddles: the older, traditional style saddles,

the newer, Western-influenced saddles...

and then there's this one.

To my eyes at least, this one looks distinctly Iberian.

All of the horses in these photos were taking part in a Decorated Horses competition. Per Anne, the winner was wearing an older style saddle. However, it's clear the rules for this division are pretty lax. If it fits, it sits. Just be sure there's a breastplate, multiple neck collars and a rug!

Thank you again, Anne, for taking these pictures and allowing me to share them here. I hope to see more tacked up Akhal Tekes in the model horse show ring!

Tack reference Tuesday, part two

Today's first post focussed on the old style saddles at the Akhal Teke World Championship, which was held this past weekend in the Netherlands. In this post, we're looking at the newer, Western-influenced Turkmen saddles. All photos in both posts were taken by my friend and fellow model horse hobbyists, Anne Veeneman–van der Weel.

Anne sent me a link to her pictures before she wrote the post. This was one of the first I clicked on. It opened, and I thought, "Wow! That's a Western saddle."

As Anne describes in her post, a closer look reveals several differences. The horn,

the swells,

the fenders...

and all the various accoutrements are different, 

But underneath all that?

It's basically a double rigged Western saddle.

I had no idea this was a thing.

Now I'm obsessed.

Someone needs to make a Western style Akhal Teke tack set stat!

Here's another saddle that Anne photographed in the village.

Decoration and horn aside, this one is all Western.

I have one more "Akhal Teke" saddle to share in the next post.

Tack reference Tuesday, part one

Last weekend, my friend, Anne Veeneman–van der Weel, attended the inaugural Akhal Teke World Championship, which was held at was held at the Peelbergen Equestrian Center in the Netherlands. 

Yesterday, I shared a guest post she wrote about her experience.

Today, we're doing a deep dive into the the tack.

When I think of Akhal Teke saddles, this is what comes to mind.

It's a mysteriously shaped saddle, completely covered in rugs...

with a bird's head horn.

It's hard to find good pictures of the saddle on its own, but happily, Anne was able to do exactly that.

And since she is a tackmaker herself, she made sure this particular saddle was meticulously documented.

She took photos from all angles,

front,

the back,

both sides...

and lots of close-ups.

She also included images of the matching bridle, breastplate and collars.

No details were spared.

On the behalf of model tackmakers everywhere, thank you, Anne, for these pictures! The next post will feature some of the less traditional Akhal Teke saddles.