Harness: done!

I have been bedridden for a few days, sick, so that's given me some quiet time to work on the Ruffian-mold harness. It's finally done!

 I updated the bridle, because it needed more shiny pieces, and also made some tendon boots and quarter bell boots, because every harness horse needs some leg protection!

 I had intended to keep and show this harness, but, between Par's vet bills, my own medical bills, and my... well... bills, I decided that I'm going to put this up for sale on MH$P sometime later today. The catch is that it is a harness only for the Ruffian mold. The super-soft, beautiful red leather I used doesn't adjust very easily, so it is better left for one horse only, after an initial fitting to the horse and cart. Also, all the cut-outs designed to cope with the mold's mane designate this as a Ruffian-only harness.

 The cool part about this harness is that it goes on really fast. I can put the entire harness (and the boots) on in just five minutes! There's only 2 buckles that need to be done (or undone) when taking the harness on (or off.) I wanted it to be super fast on-off so that I could show in lots of performance classes with the same horse. I have a soft spot in my heart for all-around horses. ;)

 The bridle slides on as one piece, and the crown secures with sticky wax (the bridle is tight enough that it won't slide off without the wax, but it drapes more nicely against the poll with the help of wax.) The breast collar also secures with wax at the withers.

 
The false martingale slides over the girth so as to avoid having to buckle it during a show.

 The tendon boots close with magnets (super fast!), and the quarter bell boots go on in literally seconds.

 (I'm completely in love with these boots!)

 It's a working-type marathon harness, so it's not quite as dainty as, say, a pleasure harness.

 But, there's still plenty of bling on the bridle!

 The breeching strap positions can be modified depending on the buyer's taste.

 The tug straps and related strappy things are very versatile. The harness should fit with many different carts and shaft styles.

I'll be sad to not have this harness around to show, but I suppose that gives me an excuse to made another one!

Zeus and Shadow

Today's photos are of my friends' dogs: Shadow (the lab mix) and Zeus (the malamute/wolf mix). I took these a little more than two weeks ago, but it has taken me a while to edit them all. Love these pups!

Silly in Pink

I've been a little scatterbrained about projects lately. I've got a custom and a resin that I'm de-pinhole-ing, that breeching for my harness just sitting there looking at me, and a trick-riding doll hanging upside-down from my lamp.

I've also been working on this saddle,

This stablemate (I removed his mane for painting),

And these nifty little doll boots (chaps obviously unfinished). But, all these projects got a little heavy after a while. I decided that I needed to do something really silly and fun for a break.

Gaming tack is always just a hoot to make, and so these ridiculously colorful reins were born! (Of course, a full gaming bridle will follow!)

The browband is ready, in all of its sparkly glory (although I still need to rub out and re-do a few wonky stitchmarks),

And there will be some ultra-sparkly sports medicine boots to go with it! I think this will be a sales piece when it's all done. Yay for fun projects! :)

Copperfox

Remember when Copperfox Model Horses began work on releasing their own British Breed models via Kickstarter? Well, it has recently been brought to my attention (thank you Marina for your blog post!) that Breyer has threatened Copperfox's parent company, Utterly Horses, with an ultimatum: either shut down the model horse project, or stop being supplied with Breyer merchandise (Utterly Horses supplies Britain with models from many different manufacturers). You can read more about the debacle HERE. 

Fortunately, Utterly Horses is standing up to Breyer, and will release the models anyways, despite being stripped of their Breyer-selling rights.

However, I don't tolerate bullies, and that's exactly what Breyer is doing right now: using their size and name to bully a start-up model horse manufacturer. I think it would be lovely for Breyer to hear from us in the model horse hobby, the people who are the most serious about our plastic ponies.

Please email Breyer at breyerwebstore@reevesintl.com, or call them at (800) 413-3348, and explain (politely but firmly) that this kind of behavior is wrong and intolerable. I'll write a sample email here that you may use in its entirety or modify as you see fit. Individually-written letters are best, but sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day!


Subject: Please reinstate supply and relationship with Utterly Horses

Dear Breyer,

I am a longtime model horse collector and artist, and I am deeply disturbed by your dealings with Utterly Horses regarding their Copperfox Model Horses line. From the Utterly Horses webpage: "At the beginning of this year, we were refused product and given an ultimatum by Breyer, our main supplier of models for over 18 years. We were told to stop our Copperfox project to enable Utterly Horses to continue to stock Breyer products or the alternative being that no further Breyer products (nor information) would be supplied to Utterly Horses. Breyer's reason for stopping supply to Utterly Horses was that we are now seen as a competitor as we are manufacturing our Copperfox range - a range that currently consists of 3 moulds."

This bullying behavior is despicable and intolerable. We in the model horse hobby recognize that competition is a good thing for business, a good thing for the hobby, and a good thing for Breyer. The introduction of a new model horse line is exciting for all of us in the model horse hobby, and will expand and breathe new life into this hobby. The introduction of this new line will not hurt Breyer's stance as the largest and best-known manufacturer of model horses.

In fact, friendly competition will likely increase Breyer's sales as interest for the hobby grows with the introduction of these new models. (And if you and Utterly Horses supplied and sold each others' horses, your sales would likely increase even more.)

Using bullying tactics to try and shut down a competitor is dirty and wrong, and sends a very unfriendly signal to us model horse hobbyists and artists who keep Breyer, and the whole model horse hobby, alive.

We, the model horse hobby, ask that you apologize for your bullying actions and reinstate supply and relationship with Utterly Horses.

Sincerely,




Also, please share (or link) this around the hobby! I believe that Breyer might be willing to listen if a good chunk of the hobby contacts them about this matter.

Bonus picture of Par. He says "Hey Breyer, don't be a bully!"

Stablemate Silliness

I've been jumping around between projects the past few days, so now I feel like I am waiting for about 8 different things to dry! This little stablemate (and his high-rise hairdo) was my in-between-coats-of-paint project today.

 He looks simply ridiculous right now!

Haha.... hopefully he'll look better as he gets dressed!

Braymere Custom Saddlery Photo Contest Submission

Braymere Custom Saddlery photo contest submission! Per usual, I am skidding in the deadline door with minutes to spare!

I haven't been posting for the past week because I've been frantically making things for this photo contest (and I didn't want to spoil any of them!) I didn't quiiiite finish the harness, but I did successfully finish a western saddle set, a special halter, and several animal (and doll) photo shoots! This has been a blast! Thank you Jennifer for hosting!

1: Vintage

The dolls decided to have a bit of Friday night fun with the old mares and a nice vintage. (See what I did there? :D)

Bare feet and wine in the mare's pen? This is going to end badly for Megan's poor toes.

2: Nekkid

Oh boy.... Friday night did not end well for Megan. Or her horse.

3: Scale Issues (series)

Bad Romance just can't handle this snowfall. (We have about 11 inches of snow, so even the real horses are starting to notice. Poor Romance doesn't even stand a chance!)

My, isn't the snow beautiful?

Hmmm. I feel shorter!

Oh.... oh dear!

....help?

4: I See Spots

The elusive Spotted Tackmakerhands!

My hands are almost permanently strained this way!

5: Unbridled Passion (series)

I wanted to have my harness finished for this submission, but, as time did not magically become infinite, I instead chose the most passionate dogs in my life for this entry. These pups are passionate about everything; their friends, their people, and especially snowballs!

 

6: Rare Breed
 
:D

The rare and magnificent Bunnicorn!

7: Portrait 

This is the portrait I made of my mother's dog for Christmas!

 8: Conga

Conga-ception!

The dolls conga-ing around my wannabe Orthello conga on top of a conga! (Well, it's a bayan tabla, but that's kind of close...)

9: The Great Outdoors

As much as I love the snow...

...I really am starting to miss the colors of the warmer seasons!

10: Best in Show

Okay, I wasn't Best in Show, or Best in Class, even, but I worked incredibly hard to get to my Bachelor's degree in Physics! That counts, right? 

Thanks again Jennifer, this was really fun to participate in! It was also super fun to see everyone's entries and discover new hobby blogs! Yay for hobby peeps!