Looking for "Dummy" Horse Heads to Display headstalls, Halters, Etc.

[mbnaegle]

54 minutes ago, MikeG said:

Maybe check this site - she sells patterns, but might be able to help you connect to someone who could make them for you.

https://www.ultimatepapermache.com/patterns

Paper mache might be a good option. At least it could make a "master" bust that I can perhaps make a silicone mold from to make my own hollow plaster or resin busts. I think the labor and initial pattern is where people make money on these. The materials are cheap.

[fredk]

1 hour ago, mbnaegle said:

Paper mache might be a good option. At least it could make a "master" bust that I can perhaps make a silicone mold from to make my own hollow plaster or resin busts. . . .

You could do that and earn your money back by offering the heads to other leather workers eg, on here. 

Do it the 'Airfix' way; make the parts and let the buyer assemble them and paint it (if they want to)

[Mulesaw]

On 1/7/2026 at 9:30 PM, mbnaegle said:

lso considering a very very simplified wooden frame or lamination that again has the important area's but lacking detail.

If you took some 1/2" plywood, and laminated a horse head. The laminations should be placed like the head of the horse was split vertically lengthwise. (Terrible description)

Each layer is simply glued and tacked to the next layer. Finally you make two ears from some leather and screw them on the top. 
Sawing out the laminations would probably require a scrollsaw or a small band saw. 

The first build will probably take a long time since you have to make patterns for all the laminations, but the next ones should be copy-paste and fairly fast to do.

This is the best picture I can find to explain what I mean. 
Your horse head will need to be bigger and more detailed, with an open mouth etc, but the same basic idea. 
It will be clear to people what it is, but it won't be so detailed that it will take the focus from the head gear that you have on display.

I am at sea right now, other wise I would be tempted to make an experiment myself 🙂

Brgds Jonas

[chuck123wapati]

15 hours ago, Mulesaw said:

If you took some 1/2" plywood, and laminated a horse head. The laminations should be placed like the head of the horse was split vertically lengthwise. (Terrible description)

Each layer is simply glued and tacked to the next layer. Finally you make two ears from some leather and screw them on the top. 
Sawing out the laminations would probably require a scrollsaw or a small band saw. 

The first build will probably take a long time since you have to make patterns for all the laminations, but the next ones should be copy-paste and fairly fast to do.

This is the best picture I can find to explain what I mean. 
Your horse head will need to be bigger and more detailed, with an open mouth etc, but the same basic idea. 
It will be clear to people what it is, but it won't be so detailed that it will take the focus from the head gear that you have on display.

I am at sea right now, other wise I would be tempted to make an experiment myself 🙂

Brgds Jonas

Oh, heck yeah, that would be super simple and cool as heck. With a decent band saw, you could stack and cut several at a time.

[Mulesaw]

18 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said:

Oh, heck yeah, that would be super simple and cool as heck. With a decent band saw, you could stack and cut several at a time.

We need someone who is a lot more artistic than me to make a set of outlines of the discs that need to be sawed. 
If the inside of the individual laminations was sawed out, the completed heads wouldn't be terribly heavy.

Brgds Jonas