TomE Report post Posted June 26, 2023 Triple stitched halter for Romeo, a PRE gelding. Hermann Oak bridle leather, brass hardware, and a rolled throatlatch. Happy birthday to his owner, Haley, my right hand gal at Maefield Farm. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scoutmom103 Report post Posted June 26, 2023 Beautiful Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gezzer Report post Posted June 27, 2023 Classy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GatoGordo Report post Posted June 27, 2023 Beautiful as is all your work, but I have a question. The opening of the swivel snap is facing inward. Doesn't that present an opportunity to harm the horse? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomE Report post Posted June 27, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, Scoutmom103 said: Beautiful Thanks! 51 minutes ago, Gezzer said: Classy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I appreciate it! 44 minutes ago, GatoGordo said: Beautiful as is all your work, but I have a question. The opening of the swivel snap is facing inward. Doesn't that present an opportunity to harm the horse? Thank you kindly! The direction of the halter snap is debatable. In my experience, the outward facing snap will catch on hay nets and on woven wire fencing. We don't normally turn out horses with halters on, but we do use a few grazing muzzles with break away halters (leather crown piece on a nylon halter) for ponies. These inexpensive halters have an outward facing snap. I had a pony leave their broken break away halter clipped to the fence today (she was scratching an itch no doubt), and I just finished making a new crown piece for tomorrow's turn out. So, I think the outward facing halter snaps can be dangerous. A properly sized throatlatch is roomy, allowing 4 fingers to be inserted between the horse's jaw and the throatlatch. The snap should rarely touch the horse. Edited June 27, 2023 by TomE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GatoGordo Report post Posted June 27, 2023 1 hour ago, TomE said: Thank you kindly! The direction of the halter snap is debatable. In my experience, the outward facing snap will catch on hay nets and on woven wire fencing. We don't normally turn out horses with halters on, but we do use a few grazing muzzles with break away halters (leather crown piece on a nylon halter) for ponies. These inexpensive halters have an outward facing snap. I had a pony leave their broken break away halter clipped to the fence today (she was scratching an itch no doubt), and I just finished making a new crown piece for tomorrow's turn out. So, I think the outward facing halter snaps can be dangerous. A properly sized throatlatch is roomy, allowing 4 fingers to be inserted between the horse's jaw and the throatlatch. The snap should rarely touch the horse. Thank you for the explanation. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Goldshot Ron Report post Posted June 27, 2023 Tom, Beautiful work, as always. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kgg Report post Posted June 27, 2023 On 6/26/2023 at 9:25 PM, TomE said: Hermann Oak bridle leather, brass hardware, and a rolled throatlatch. Shock'n pretty. kgg Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted June 27, 2023 NICE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AlZilla Report post Posted June 27, 2023 That is some really nice looking work. It must be quite satisfying. I *think* I recall you saying you hand stitched. I'm curious how long it takes to make one of these and wondering if you cut the straps as needed, have a bunch of lengths precut or maybe just order lengths of strap. Also curious if you're working with pre dyed leather or dyeing it as needed. Lots of questions, I know ... Thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomE Report post Posted June 28, 2023 4 hours ago, Goldshot Ron said: Tom, Beautiful work, as always. Thank you, Ron. Glad to be done with foaling season, and almost through breeding season so I can spend more time with leather. 46 minutes ago, kgg said: Shock'n pretty. kgg Thank you! 43 minutes ago, JLSleather said: NICE I appreciate it. 28 minutes ago, AlZilla said: That is some really nice looking work. It must be quite satisfying. I *think* I recall you saying you hand stitched. I'm curious how long it takes to make one of these and wondering if you cut the straps as needed, have a bunch of lengths precut or maybe just order lengths of strap. Also curious if you're working with pre dyed leather or dyeing it as needed. Lots of questions, I know ... Thanks Thanks, I am a 3-trick pony: halters, bridles, and reins. I hand stitch bridles and reins (just the buckle and billets of reins). I machine stitch most of the halter, although the buckle straps and the hardware on the rolled throatlatch are hand stitched. There's a link to my halter methods in the post below. I buy sides of HO bridle leather and cut long straps from the back/butt of the hide then cut them to length as I go. Halters and especially bridles are made to measure and I've learned to fit them by studying commercial tack, and some trial-and-error refinements. The leather is dyed at the tannery and has a pasted or moss-back. I just dye the edges and any exposed skived parts like the points on a bridle. I've learned a great deal from the folks on this forum and am happy to share what I know. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AlZilla Report post Posted June 28, 2023 That is quite a document. I'm going to spend some quality time with it this week, for sure. Thank you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bladegrinder Report post Posted June 28, 2023 I don't know much about horses, other then they can throw you...but that looks GREAT! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomE Report post Posted June 28, 2023 2 minutes ago, AlZilla said: That is quite a document. I'm going to spend some quality time with it this week, for sure. Thank you. Please let me know how I can improve the document. Thanks for reading. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomE Report post Posted June 28, 2023 3 minutes ago, bladegrinder said: I don't know much about horses, other then they can throw you...but that looks GREAT! Ha! I totally agree and stick to working from the ground with them. It also saves me embarrassment and them from wear and tear on their backs. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mulesaw Report post Posted August 26, 2023 Sorry for being a bit late to the party. Beautiful work as always! I have made 3 halters using your excellent document. Though only one of them was triple stitched (the first one). Gustav wanted me to make one with only a double stitching, and I did that for his new horse and for his girlfriends horse as well. The document is really great, and the sizes are spot on. Something I have experienced problems with when I tried to follow the sizes given in very old books. Brgds Jonas Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomE Report post Posted August 27, 2023 Thank you kindly, @Mulesaw. Glad it was useful. I'm hoping to get more time for leathercraft in the coming months. The heat and humidity have kept us busy, changing our turnout routine and hosing off mares and foals that are hot. Cooler weather this week should make everyone happy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mulesaw Report post Posted August 30, 2023 @TomE I'll try to see if I can get a post up on the halters, I know they can't in any way compete with yours in the look or finish, but at least it'll show that I once in a while do some actual work Gustav has landed at job at Sören von Rönne in Germany riding young horses, so in a month or so he is off. He is looking very much forward to it. Brgds Jonas Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomE Report post Posted August 30, 2023 5 hours ago, Mulesaw said: @TomE I'll try to see if I can get a post up on the halters, I know they can't in any way compete with yours in the look or finish, but at least it'll show that I once in a while do some actual work Gustav has landed at job at Sören von Rönne in Germany riding young horses, so in a month or so he is off. He is looking very much forward to it. Brgds Jonas Looking forward to it. Congratulations to Gustav! What an honor to be chosen by von Rönne. An experience of a lifetime. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites