Boots galore! (Horse boots reference pictures)

I've made many an attempt at making boots, and I have one pair that actually worked, and that was Schleich scale. After I've made Totilas's tack, I might use some of the buckles left over to make some boots for him. I've got some reference pictures so while I'm thinking up the tutorial you can see what kind of boots you could make!

Over reach boots. They are great if a model horse is trotting or walking and they look like they are about to kick themselves in the back of the heel. Best fastened with a Velcro tab, as in real life they can  flip up and then offer no protection whatsoever.

Show jumping boots. Open fronted so the horse can still feel if they've hit a jump. Protection all around for maximum protection.

Reining skid boots. When a Western horse performs a sliding stop, they are likely to kick themselves in the back of the heel. They are pretty much the Western equivalent of the over reach boot, just these offer more protection.

Bandages. The old fashioned thing when all in one boots weren't around. Often a pad of Gamgee with a thick bandage, designed for exercise. They are still great, just take a lot more time as they require care and perseverance, and modern boots are just Velcro.

Brushing boots. They are designed to protect the inside of the horse's lower leg, as some horses can often kick their legs together and cause serious tendon injuries. 

I hope these reference pictures will help you. Please comment below, if I get positive comments I'll do lots more!

Waterproof rug tutorial

Hi! Today I thought. I should make a waterproof rug tutorial. You can use this tutorial to make other rugs, of course, but waterproof ones look really cool and then you can turn out your models in the rain (but I don't recommend that with Breyers).

You will need:
Waterproof material (there is so much on Amazon)
Buckles
Ribbon
Hook and eyes
Pen
Glue gun or some reliable glue
A model horse of any scale (I'm using Schleich)

Let's get started!

1. Take your waterproof material and cut out the pattern in the picture below. Use Word to enlarge it or if you're good at drawing, copy it down on to your material.

2. Cut two lengths of ribbon (depending on your model's scale) and glue the hook part of the hook and eye on the ends of the lengths, making sure the hook faces downwards.

3. Glue the straps on the front of the rug like this: 

4. Take the other part of the hook and eye, measure across the chest with your straps and mark with your pen where you think the eye should be. Ideally it should be snug but not too tight. 

5. Repeat steps two, three and four, but this time with the surcingle straps. Make them on an angle so they cross over like they would on a real rug. 

6. Now for the neck straps! Glue two reasonably long length of ribbon on to the off side of the rug. Then glue the buckles on as in the head collar tutorial - see first post. 

 

7. And you're finished! Please comment below if you don't understand anything or you require more pictures. 

Mummifying Totilas

I'm going away for a bit, so I won't be able to blog for a couple of days. I'm taking Totilas, his rider and his tack so I can continue making it. He looks really ridiculous but it's all so he doesn't get scratched. If he did, that would be absolutely terrible! Anyway, here's the pic. Oh, I also took a couple of photos of Venus in the outdoor world! See you in a couple of days!

Mummified Totilas! :P

Bye!

Fly mask tutorial

Hi! I thought that publishing a tutorial with the Totilas post would be a bit too much to read all at once, so I'm going to make this fly mask tutorial separately. It's quite simple!

Things you'll need:
White material (not felt)
Good quality felt or sticky backed felt (ideal)
Scissors
Velcro
Pen
A glue gun or some reliable glue
A model horse of any scale
Let's get started!

1. Take your white material and cut a small square from it.

2. Draw criss cross patterns on it, just like a real fly mask.

3. Flip over your material and draw the pattern below on to it.

4. Cut out the pattern, and cut as carefully as you can.

5. Place the mask on your horse to check it covers their eyes and will fasten under their chin.

6. Cut a long felt strip, as long as you think you'll need for your scale.

7. Measure around the outside of the fly mask.

8. Glue it so the finished result looks like this.

9. Measure around the bottom of the fly mask, where it will wrap around the nose.

10. Glue it so the finished result looks like this.

11. Measure around the poll.

12. Glue it so it looks like this, and that it fits snugly around the poll.

13. Cut a small tab of the fuzzy side of the Velcro and glue it on like this (ignore the other piece of Velcro):

14. Cut a slightly bigger tab of the prickly side of the Velcro and glue it on, but so it faces downwards.

15. And there you go! Your finished fly mask! Put it on your horse and he'll be ready for the flies any time!

Thanks for looking at my blog! I'll be posting more tutorials!

Model horse saddle pattern and Breyer Totilas photoshoot

I love all my Schleich and Bullyland, but when Totilas arrived one evening I knew he was just such an amazing horse. I'd never had a Breyer before, so seeing a model horse so shiny and clean (not to mention unscratched) I felt a bit overwhelmed. I decided to take him to a model horse show at the end of the summer and I was told to make dressage tack for him! I thought that it couldn't be done. At that time my Schleich tack was a bit rubbish and even though I knew 1:9 would be easier than 1:20, it was daunting. For a month or two, Totilas lay with his rug and headcollar, in the Schleich field.I noticed him last week and thought it was time to start my tack. I got out my trusty Saddlery and Equipment book, printed out a few reference photos and got started on my pattern. I finished it and moved on to the bridle pattern, which was a bit more complicated as I was worried I didn't have enough leather lace and it would take a long time to order more, as it had come all the way from America. I'm still concerned about that, but hopefully I'll have enough! I'll keep this blog updated on his tack so you can see the progression. In fact I've just done a photoshoot of Totilas, his coming saddle and the pattern! Here are the atmospheric photos:

Totilas showing off his extended trot position

The saddle pattern - Copy it onto Word, increase it, decrease it, do whatever!

The seat of the saddle - a Coke can wrapped in leather!

Totilas wears his saddle seat

See you in a bit where I'll be making a fly mask tutorial!

Creativity

Hi! I kind of got creative today, and made a (model horse) new feed room. The old one was sort of dying out, and I wasn't using it much as I made some feedbags and filled them and they lived in my yard for most of the time. I also took some pictures of my yard and some things in my yard - so you can have a look at them!

This is my foal stable I made recently - it's even got clip on doors!

Tack room I made with my grandfather

One half of the saddle pegs

Other half of the saddle pegs

The martingale, harness and bridle pegs

The headcollar pegs and the saddlecloth box

The feed room in its rightful place at the yard

Sorry, I don't know how to rotate the photos

The jam jar contains a coarse mix, and the containers with the spoons have spices and things

Some of my feed bags - I'll do a tutorial on them definitely

An overview of Cool Mix and Energy Mix (and Happy Hoof)

Bullyland Trakehner mare custom

Schleich Gypsy Cob Mare custom

See you soon (I think another tutorial is in order)