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In 2003 I was
asked to write an article about model horse tack, for
Model Horse Talk International
my brain went into over- drive!!
Do I do a
piece about how to make something? Admittedly, nothing I make takes
a short period of time to make. There are thousands of things
that experience has taught me over the years… Could I put them all
into words?
Do I have time
to photograph every step? (the ever-present backlog looms!) Where do I Draw the line between
something that is easy to make or something that is difficult? Eeeeg!
So instead of
writing an article about "how" to make an item of tack, I have
decided to share some tips and pointers that may help others out.
The following, to me, are some of THE most important tools of the
"model horse tack trade". It is not an all inclusive list (because
that would take a novel) but it is some of the more important points
in my opinion.
Let's start
from the beginning. My beginning really. How is it that I insanely
decided on making tiny model horse sized tack?
When I was
younger, like everyone in the model horse hobby, the universe
bestowed upon me the love of the horse. I do not know whether it
was my spring rocking horse (simply named "beauty") that gave me the
love; or some mystical picture in a movie or a book along the way.
All I know is that I remember loving horses at around 3 years of
age. I have pictures of myself on them at the petting zoo in
Louisville, Ky, USA
where I was lucky enough to grow up.
Then, like most of
the model horse hobby, I got my
first breyer horse. I will always remember "Starbuck"
(yes, I'm also a sci-fi nut) the
ambiguously colored Breyer #46 pacer. Then came a china knockoff of the
Breyer
running stallion mold. I do not remember the horses that came next but I
eventually was given (or bought?) a Breyer Alabaster Proud Arabian Stallion.
It just so happened around that time that I was also taking sewing
lessons (contrary to my Tomboy upbringing.) So I made him a
stable blanket so that he wouldn't get cold at night. Of
course, he also needed a halter which I learned to make from an
article in "Just about
horses" in the early eighties. Later, I found bits of sticky backed
mirrors and made him a black velvet arabian costume. (Which I Still
have believe it or not).
Also At the
time, I had another friend that was older than me, who was G R E A T
at making tack out of anything she could get her hands on. Her dad
would go to the Tandy Leather store on Saturdays and bring back
bits of vinyl for us to use. Out of the desire to be as good as she
was at making things, I started down the road of making miniature
tack.
Then, again like
most folks in the model horse hobby, I grew older and gave up model horses
when I was a teenager, and
embraced the task of "Growing up". (I'm sure some would dispute that
I ever grew up at all..)
In 1997 I saw an article in the local paper about "Breyerfest" in
Lexington,
Ky. I was floored.. "Breyerfest? What the…? " In reading this
article, I recalled my own model horse collection, now toted around
with me every time I moved, in boxes and bags. I dug out my horses,
jumped on the internet, and discovered, much to my delight, that
model horses had grown into a HUGE Hobby!!
Some of my early
works.
Armed with
renewed interest I started to again make tack. My first stuff was
horrible. I'll tell you that now. I had No idea what "live show
quality" meant, or what kind of quality tack other people in the
hobby were producing. I thought I was doing well to be braiding
things, and tying things together to fit model horses! I had no
idea at the time that
Rio Rondo existed and continued to make my own
hardware. WORST of all, I had no idea how real tack worked. I rode
some when I was 10 and 11 but because I was a child, I was not
allowed to tack up my own horse. (I have no idea why, I have seen
children much younger than 11 tacking up horses!) Therefore I had no
clue what went where on a horse.
Which brings me to my first point (about time eh?) –
Research
what you are making. This statement is the most important
statement I can make. Research. Learn how it works on a horse to
aid the rider, it's historical significance or better yet, how the
REAL tack piece is made. Learn how it looks
on a real horse and get some tack catalogs.
Bridle owned by Susie Gumm
On the day
that I wrote this article, I was faced with making a full cheek
snaffle bridle for the Breyer "Strapless" mold. It dawned on me that while
I was pretty sure what they looked like, I needed a picture of it ON
a horse in order to make the bridle realistic. (just how does
it look when fitted correctly on a real horse? Why are those
long shank parts on the bit?) I went through no
less than 10 english tack catalogs before I finally found ONE
picture of a full cheek snaffle bridle on a horse.
There are a
number of places online that offer free tack catalogs. If you love
tack as much as I do, then you will never get tired of the endless
array of products in tack catalogs! I am personally a tack catalog
junkie!
My Favorites are:
Sergeant's Western World Online Catalog
GORGEOUS western tack
Blue Ribbon Custom Tack
(Thank you Shellie Hedrick)
National Bridle Shop
- Saddleseat Tack
Dover Saddlery - The Source of Quality Horse
Tack & Horse Supplies for the Equestrian Hunt Seat
Tack
If I could not have found
a picture in a catalog, I would have turned to the
internet. In case you have not heard of the "search engine"
http://www.google.com, I would like to take a moment to
recommend it. You can also use google’s other features such
as "Images" to just look for images that contain a word that you are
looking for in their titles.(Try searching for the words, in quotes,
"arabian horse" sometime.!)
It ended up,
by the way, that I did eventually surf the internet for a better
description of when and why a full cheek snaffle was used. I then
sent it to my customer so that she would know when a full cheek
snaffle was appropriate to use.
Also there is an Internet community
called
"Model Horse tack" on yahoo groups. There are about 500
people on it who are interested in making miniature tack. Everything from
English, to western tack, to Sidesaddles and harnesses! Yahoo
Groups are completely free to sign up for, and all you need is an
email address... which, you can also get free from
www.yahoo.com or
www.hotmail.com
A new forum has now
popped up!
Model Horse Blab has a tack forum
where a lot of really great tackmakers will answer questions.
Try to go to as many
real
horse shows as possible.
Yes, I know, THAT sounds like a real hardship (ha!); but the more horse
shows I go to, the more different breeds and disciplines I
understand, and the more realistic my tack becomes. (I admit though,
that I live in Kentucky
so this makes this part easy for me.) Pick your favorite breed
and then try to find that Breed Association's website in your state. If
there is no Breed association in your state then try to make it to your
state fair. They usually have lots of animal exhibits there.
Another thing
that you can do is go to a local tack store. Kentucky is
blessed with a lot of tack stores. This is wonderful when you want
to get an on hands look at tack. If you can "see" how the real
thing is made then you can make it in miniature. Every time I encounter a mental obstacle to making tack, I go
to a tack store and it helps me tremendously to be able to see and
touch what I am trying to make. I always leave with a big "Ohhhhh..
that's how it looks" image in my head. Pictures do not always show you the
whole story.
I also
recommend buying closeout books at flea markets, book stores,
library sales and the Mecca of all things,
Ebay.com. Ebay even has
an endless array of tack that you can look at.
Talk to people
that own horses or show in the disciplines that you’re trying to
depict. I have always
personally been in love with arabian horses. I go to the
Arabian
horse nationals EVERY year that it is in Louisville, KY. I know
that most Arabian Horses in the United States that Show Western
Pleasure at the Nationals in Louisville,
KY(as of 2003)
, use silver and leather romel reins. Because of this, when I first
started making western pleasure bridles, I would make romel reins
for them regardless of the breed.
Imagine my embarrassment when I
found out that most quarter horse people in the United States that
show western pleasure (as of 2003) with split reins!!! I had not
done my homework and it cost me. (*Note - I know that romel reins
are not illegal for Quarter horses to use, it is just the fashion for people
to use split reins. Every breed has a fashion and it should be
researched along with reading the rules for that discipline for the
respective country that you are showing in)
I credit Debbi
Lermond for helping me make my double bridles because she explained
to me how they look and how they are truly put together. Debbi rode
saddleseat for many years as a kid and knows by heart, after
cleaning her bridle over and over, how everything works.
If you
are really into research and tack making, create a folder or two on
your computer for photos for your tack research. I have collected thousands of
pictures of tack over the years. Make sure that you get a websites'
permission before taking their pictures though. If you do get their
permission, never ever publish them as your own! Always give back
credit!! Do not forget to burn them to a cd or back them up from
time to time. I thought that lost my tack research files in a
computer crash a little while ago and I was so heartbroken. Luckily
though, we were able to recover the files. WHEW!
Do not be
afraid of constructive criticism.
Your customers and your friends are your best gauges on how your
tack looks and works. They can also tell you if your tack is
difficult to use, or if it fell apart on them!! It took me a while
to feel comfortable enough with the product that I was producing to
be able to take constructive criticism, but when I did, my tack
making skills actually took a leap forward!! You were not born with
all of the knowledge that you will need in this lifetime, never be
afraid to learn!
Next, I would
like to mention scale. Scale is the
"make or break" item in
a piece of model horse tack. If that jewelry charm or the beads
that you are using are too big, or if the buckles that you are
making are too big, your tack is going to look fake. I can not
stress this enough. So many really nice arabian costumes that I
have seen have tassels that are too big which makes the costume
appear out of scale. Or The beads on halters are too large for the
model horse.
For beads, for
a 1/8th traditional scale Breyer,
Peter Stone or
Resin
model, you will need to
try stay within a 1mm, 2mm or occasionally 3 mm range. Sometimes,
with the larger resins you can use the 3mm beads and stay within
scale.
I get asked quite a bit where I
find beads that are small enough for tackmaking. My
favorite places are:
http://www.riorondo.com THE place to get miniature
hardware, tack and beads for model horse tack. (and I just LOVE gary
deal..hehehe)
http://www.firemountaingems.com - TONS Of beads!
For leather
lacing, I usually use the 3/32nd or the 1/16th
widths of lace. I only use the 1/8th width for
crownpieces that I’m going to split, browbands or draft horse
bridles. You could also use it for Harnesses.
Again, the main part of my leather
"stash" comes from Rio Rondo.
Next, Learn
to "See".
Flat Artists use
this phrase all of the time when creating realistic pieces of work.
It has taken me decades to properly learn to see, and even now I am
still working on it. Learning to "See" will help you in every
aspect of your life, not just model tack making. Learning to "see"
means that you can instantly look at something and find it's flaws
that will make it unrealistic or imperfect. Learning to "see" means
that you can look at an object and find the lines that make it what
it is. This may not work for everyone, and is a learned skill
over time, but
always strive to see things in a realistic way.
Recently, I
picked up a copy of "The new drawing on the right side of the
brain" by Betty Edwards - after taking a drawing class in
Winter 2002.
(http://www.drawright.com) I also picked up the accompanying
workbook. Not only did this help my drawing and painting, it helped
me leap forward with tack. It helped me with scale and with
actually making my tack better.
This was the
difference between me and the friend that I mentioned earlier. She
already knew, at a young age, how to see. I did not. I was still
filled with preconceived notions and ideas. I now wish I had
learned this earlier in life!
GET THE
Tackmakers Bible -
The
best $60us that I have EVER spent in my life is the "The Guide to
Making Model Horse Tack" by Susan Bensema Young.
http://pages.prodigy.net/sbytsii/tsii/
Available from her website. This book single handedly taught me how
to braid bosals and other braided tack, how to use pins etc etc. It
is the best reference to have around for making tack. (and drooling
at the stuff on Susan's website is fun too)
Go to "Live" Model Horse
Shows to see what other
people are making. Again, my first live show after I had been
making tack for a year was a revelation! It also pointed out to me
that I had a LONG way to go! I am not saying copy their work, I am
saying that a trained eye needs a reference point. Beautiful tack
being used at a live show is an excellent reference point to use!
Here are some of my
pictures from "Live" model Horse shows.
http://community.webshots.com/user/desertnightcreationsnan04
North American Model Horse Nationals 2004
http://community.webshots.com/user/desertnightcreationsbob2
Big Orange Bash 2
http://community.webshots.com/user/desertnightcreationsmcl4
Mountain City Live 2004
http://community.webshots.com/user/desertnightcreationsmcl5
Mountain City Live 2005
http://www.theequineminiaturist.net Click Live Show
Gallery
Tools
- Many people use different kinds of tools to work with. I can tell
you MY favorites but you will have to decide what is best for you.
This is just a basic list and is not all inclusive.
Good pair
of Small wire clippers. For
cutting wire and hardware sheets
Dremel
with Sanding and polishing attachments.
Good pair
of pliers. I have
many sets of pliers. One is a regular type of needle nose with a
pattern on the inside, one has no pattern on the inside, and one is
a mini pair. The Mini pair are my favorites. I also have
a pair that I've coated with "Tool Dip" so that I can work with
precious metals without marking up the piece that I'm working on.
Scissors
- I have four sets of scissors! One heavy duty set for cutting
saddle patterns. One regular small pair of cutting scissors. One
TINY pair that is actually used in needlework but is FANTASTIC for
small scale cutting, and one pair that open and close like pliers
because they are easier on my hands.
Glue -
Glue is a
really controversial subject with Tackmakers. Everyone has
their favorites. My favorites are Super Glue Gel and Bond 527.
Some folks swear by Tandy's Leather weld.. Use what you like and
what you are used to.
Needles
- I have at least 10 different needles of various sizes. Everything
from thick needles used for sewing leather to bead needles. I use
them for punching holes for buckles and for actual beading. My needles are as imperative
as my glue! I do have two hole punches but I find that they can not
punch a fine as hole as a needle. Some miniature tackmakers
swear by syringe needles, but I have yet to find any that are small
enough for my use.
Workmanship
is so very important. The more time you take with making something,
the more your workmanship shows. While glue is wet I always take
my fingernail and scrape off any excess; I always black my edges
regardless of the color of leather for a finished look; I always
skyve my leather so that it's not too thick and lays nicely .
Practice makes
perfect.
I am not afraid to say that I have to do things over. I am notorious
for having to do things 9 or 10 times to get it just the way I want
it to be. (It
takes me FOREVER to make a western saddle because of this.)
Although this will slow you down, the end result will make you so
very glad that you took the time to get each piece right.
Think to yourself when making something "If this is the only piece
of my tack in a room, will it show that I have done my best?".
That phrase motivates me every time. I do not want someone to
look at something that I have made and think that it was rushed.
Always
Strive to improve your
work.
Being stagnate and never changing how you make things will keep you
from making the best tack you can make. Everything is a learning
process. I have to admit that a lot of times I will look at
something that I made and think "now that is the best I can get it"
only to change it 6 months later because I have figured out another,
better way to make it. My processes and patterns are changing ALL
of the time! I also always have a magazine open to a picture
of the piece that I am making. I find that while I am making
something, if I have a picture of it, I will suddenly pick up a new
detail to add!
Do not be afraid of new things, Do not limit yourself
as to what you can do and make, and do not forget to do your
research. Good tack and good tackmaking skills take time so
don't rush it!
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