| The Tackroom |
| Here's my showroom of hand-made tack. A lot of my models have real Julip saddles and bridles, but a while ago I enjoyed making them more realistic and varied tack too. I had a go at everything I could think of! You're on the speciality tack page, click below to visit the other pages. |
| All types of saddles and bridles |
| Speciality Tack |
| Leather and coloured halters, lungeing equipment, in-hand bridles, stallion tack, etc... |
| Harness, plus medieval, classical and foreign historical saddles and bridles... |
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| please note : I don't make tack to sell and I don't do orders for anyone else |
| Some of my prettier bits of tack, here are three of my arabs, Rosetta, Tamburlaine and Seraphim, modelling beaded Bedouin style arab halters, and matching chestpieces known as the shoopand. This is the old fashioned native style, not the ultra-fine gold-embellished show sets often seen. I think this kind are much more charming and less fussy. Click here to see a real version. The sets are made of plaited embroidery thread, with real silver or gold elastic nose chain and tassels on the cheeks, and beaded tassels and ties on the chest part.
My arabs wear these sets to live shows and often take the top prizes in the arab classes, Rosie has even been reserve craft champion. |
| My most complicated creation to date is my mini western saddle. I'm very proud of this one, it took a lot of studying photos plus a bit of trial and error, but it turned out very well. Made in real leather and as accurate as possible, it took two whole days to make, over christmas 2003. |
| To match my western saddle, I made a very simple thin leather bridle. It's got the authentic old western 'split ear' headpiece, a simple curb bit, and Texan style split reins (not joined at the rider's end). This is a roping saddle, with second girth, long horn and slick seat (no padding). It's an everyday working saddle, without extra decoration. |
| Here's Mulligan, modelling my racing tack set. The saddle is synthetic leather, hand stitched in a fancy pattern on the flaps. It's complete with extra-small stirrup irons, elastic girth and felt pad. |
| This is Harlequin, modelling his hackamore bridle. As the new models don't have open mouths I think this bitless style suits him. Rather than the modern European idea of a hackamore bridle, with the long metal cheeks that work on leverage, this is the true old-fashioned style hackamore, based around the heavy, weighted noseband called the bosal. This bridle has the traditional split headpiece, and real horsehair plaited reins. Neck reining is used to steer. |
| The matching race bridle is made in brown ribbon, with white continental grip reins. Here you can see the rubber mouth snaffle with extra large rings, often used in racing to stop the bit being pulled through the mouth and help with steering. The small strap connecting the reins under the neck is an Irish martingale, it stops the reins coming over the horse's head and being dangerous if the jockey is unseated. The orange rubber Australian Cheeker stops the horse getting his tongue over the bit. |
| (Below) Peter's learning to play polo! Here he is wearing his new authentic polo tack set.
The saddle is actually my show saddle, a straight cut, half-panel suede saddle, much used in polo, with a breastgirth added. The red leg wraps aren't home-made, they came with Bob the Cob. |
| Often used in polo, the bit is a large ring gag with a thin double mouthpiece, sometimes known as a Barry gag. The cord cheekpieces really do slide though the holes in the paperclip-wire bit rings! |
| With this bit I've added two nosebands, common on the polo field - a sharp rope drop noseband and a plain flat cavesson with a standing martingale attached. In addition the rider uses a second set of reins, which pass from the girth, through the bit rings & back to the hand, known as side reins. |
| The one item of saddlery I'd been putting off for longest, my side saddle is also one of my favourites. I'd been avoiding making one as it seemed too complicated, but finally I decided to give it a go. The saddle turned out very well in the end, and I'm very proud of it. It's made in black leather with a beige panel lining (visible at the back), and a wire tree. The pommels which support the rider's legs are also made with wire inside |
| This saddle took a lot of research, from old books, photos, and even walking and trotting about on the ever patient real Rosie with both legs on one side of her normal GP saddle, so I could work out how the rider's legs should lay - she probably wondered what on earth I was up to! |
| ...click here to go back to the tackroom index |
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