paintponylvr
Well-Known Member
I'm starting this thread with the quote from Susanne...
Ugh - just reread this - and it's not quite in order, but you will get the idea.
I thought it was a cheap way to do what I wanted to FINALLY get to do - when I had no $$ to get proper equipment. I had time on my hands - due to not having a lot of equine at the time (the smileys aren't working in this post, darn-it - wanted the ROFLMAO one...) and not having a truck for several years. I've always enjoyed making the equipment for our ponies & horses - starting almost 30 years ago when I had our first pony and horses when I was in 4H. I got started in Paracord braiding - but started with only the books. Then while waiting for the first order of cord to arrive, I practiced with the hay string. I mean - I had tons of the stuff! Well, when the first cord order arrived - I also braided with it - and didn't like it. So, went back to the haystring. Whenever one of my two horsey friends' would haul me and my riding horses or driving ponies out, I'd be n the passenger seat - braiding. It went with me to Dr & Dentist offices. Gave me something to do with my hands so I wouldn't bite my nails or tear my cuticles so much... Didn't want to do the typical needlework or quilting, LOL.
I'd seen a book on Macrame'd tack - some 30 years ago in the Western Horseman magazine. I went searching for it again - and found that the Western Horseman still has a regular ad in the ADs - for a company called "U Braid It". They have upgraded with technology too - go check out www. ubraidit dot com.
It was a surprise to see one of the Minis in the Draft Horse Halter class at Nationals with a braided headstall and lead shank. WOW, I can do that. I've already contacted the woman who had that mini and asked who did it for her and have been out to that website. I can make one like that, too! I'm kinda excited.
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I've made balancing side reins (flat to round back to flat), driving lines (a round braid - to get 20' finished line each string starts out at 45'), collars, bucket ties, fencing line, trailer ties, cross ties, lead ropes (both round and flat strands). Then head stalls w/ throat latches & brow bands. I've made permanently attached curb straps (used as lounging straps) as well as buckled curb straps. I started with flat straps that could have a conway buckle put on, to doing buckles on the ends to doing some braiding then braiding a buckle in - actually getting the orientation correct so that the strap folded w/o twisting to buckle correctly! Harness - simple breast collars with a ring on each end like breeching, breaching, hip straps w/ a "y", back straps with a ring and then the crupper attachment done separate to the ring.
Here's a decent pic that shows my first crupper and you can sort of see the different braiding style. It goes from flat to round back to flat. The back strap is too long for this little mare, but several 1/2 hitches at least keep the ends from flopping:
and here was one of the last bridles I'd made. Since then, I've made mostly leadropes and simple 4 or 6 strand braided items (out of small square bale string). Yes, this is haystring and it was used - pulled out of the muck, rinsed - soaped w/ Dawn - rinsed and hung on the fence to dry.
When I started braiding, I used hardware I'd saved from other bridles, halters and leadropes. Especially with haystring - if the already used hardware wears out the rest of the way (and it does), then you just remove it from the haystring product and start over. The haystring goes into the recycle bag, the hardware into the trash... Now, I purchase specific pieces of stainless steel - to use in my harness (and right now I have quite a number of pieces as after stocking up, I suddenly had a lot more ponies and no time!!).
I've made 2 complete harness(s) - pleasure type. More like show type I guess. I haven't even tried to do a gig saddle - figured would still use the surcingle or purchase a bio/beta one that was affordable. I've done part of a 3rd harness, but haven't finished it yet. It's made very differently - in that most of it is double layered to include the traces.
But I like the tied, no hardware halters the best. I braid the rope out of 4 or 6 strands and then "tie it up"... I need to make more - but it takes me a while to do the knots.
Also, vicki and I made looms. I haven't had the chance to use mine yet - she's used hers to utilize the jute type haystring she had. She's made a very NICE mat. Outdoor type. I want to do several of my own - then use a whip stitch to join them into a larger mat - to use at a show to stand on in a grooming stall or ???
To see the rest of the pics of the braiding projects that I've done - braiding Album
AGAIN - THANK YOU! Wow - I never expected this response on my braiding. I've posted pics a couple of times int he past - but never got that, LOL.
Ugh - just reread this - and it's not quite in order, but you will get the idea.
I thought it was a cheap way to do what I wanted to FINALLY get to do - when I had no $$ to get proper equipment. I had time on my hands - due to not having a lot of equine at the time (the smileys aren't working in this post, darn-it - wanted the ROFLMAO one...) and not having a truck for several years. I've always enjoyed making the equipment for our ponies & horses - starting almost 30 years ago when I had our first pony and horses when I was in 4H. I got started in Paracord braiding - but started with only the books. Then while waiting for the first order of cord to arrive, I practiced with the hay string. I mean - I had tons of the stuff! Well, when the first cord order arrived - I also braided with it - and didn't like it. So, went back to the haystring. Whenever one of my two horsey friends' would haul me and my riding horses or driving ponies out, I'd be n the passenger seat - braiding. It went with me to Dr & Dentist offices. Gave me something to do with my hands so I wouldn't bite my nails or tear my cuticles so much... Didn't want to do the typical needlework or quilting, LOL.
I'd seen a book on Macrame'd tack - some 30 years ago in the Western Horseman magazine. I went searching for it again - and found that the Western Horseman still has a regular ad in the ADs - for a company called "U Braid It". They have upgraded with technology too - go check out www. ubraidit dot com.
It was a surprise to see one of the Minis in the Draft Horse Halter class at Nationals with a braided headstall and lead shank. WOW, I can do that. I've already contacted the woman who had that mini and asked who did it for her and have been out to that website. I can make one like that, too! I'm kinda excited.
**********
I've made balancing side reins (flat to round back to flat), driving lines (a round braid - to get 20' finished line each string starts out at 45'), collars, bucket ties, fencing line, trailer ties, cross ties, lead ropes (both round and flat strands). Then head stalls w/ throat latches & brow bands. I've made permanently attached curb straps (used as lounging straps) as well as buckled curb straps. I started with flat straps that could have a conway buckle put on, to doing buckles on the ends to doing some braiding then braiding a buckle in - actually getting the orientation correct so that the strap folded w/o twisting to buckle correctly! Harness - simple breast collars with a ring on each end like breeching, breaching, hip straps w/ a "y", back straps with a ring and then the crupper attachment done separate to the ring.
Here's a decent pic that shows my first crupper and you can sort of see the different braiding style. It goes from flat to round back to flat. The back strap is too long for this little mare, but several 1/2 hitches at least keep the ends from flopping:
and here was one of the last bridles I'd made. Since then, I've made mostly leadropes and simple 4 or 6 strand braided items (out of small square bale string). Yes, this is haystring and it was used - pulled out of the muck, rinsed - soaped w/ Dawn - rinsed and hung on the fence to dry.
When I started braiding, I used hardware I'd saved from other bridles, halters and leadropes. Especially with haystring - if the already used hardware wears out the rest of the way (and it does), then you just remove it from the haystring product and start over. The haystring goes into the recycle bag, the hardware into the trash... Now, I purchase specific pieces of stainless steel - to use in my harness (and right now I have quite a number of pieces as after stocking up, I suddenly had a lot more ponies and no time!!).
I've made 2 complete harness(s) - pleasure type. More like show type I guess. I haven't even tried to do a gig saddle - figured would still use the surcingle or purchase a bio/beta one that was affordable. I've done part of a 3rd harness, but haven't finished it yet. It's made very differently - in that most of it is double layered to include the traces.
But I like the tied, no hardware halters the best. I braid the rope out of 4 or 6 strands and then "tie it up"... I need to make more - but it takes me a while to do the knots.
Also, vicki and I made looms. I haven't had the chance to use mine yet - she's used hers to utilize the jute type haystring she had. She's made a very NICE mat. Outdoor type. I want to do several of my own - then use a whip stitch to join them into a larger mat - to use at a show to stand on in a grooming stall or ???
To see the rest of the pics of the braiding projects that I've done - braiding Album
