Patterns for Horse Gear

[JLD]

Hi,

I want to start making some gear for my horses and was wondering if someone could tell me where I can get some patterns for things like headstalls, breastcollars, halters etc.

I am hoping I don;t need to go out and buy 1 of each to copy. Does some one have some measurements patterns etc which could help me.

Johanne

[steve mason]

I mentioned this in another post, a large part of becoming a saddle/gear maker is making your own patterns. Now how you get all these patterns is up to you. Just use some old headstalls that you have or that some friends or family have then take a pattern. It's not really stealing their pattern because it's not your fault that someone else thought of it first.

Steve

[bcurrier]

Be careful! While most gear is generic and can be patterned, there is patented gear out there too. If you make something based on a protected design, you can be sued.

Bill

[steve mason]

I my need to elaborate a little more, for example, if it is a headstall you are wanting to make, by taking a pattern I mean get the measurements you will need and that is it. Do not try to 100% duplicate the item,,, make your own.

[SmokinP]

www.tandyleatherfactory.com/products.asp?number=6025-00

This should get you started pretty well I think.

[JLD]

Hi,

I probably didn't explain myself very well. I am more after the dimensions of things and for example in a breastplate how I shape the curve, how long is each bit and how wide. I just want to avoid haveing to buy lots of gear in order to measure.

Johanne

[Hidemechanic]

Do you know people with horses?

If so, take a day and a pad and pencil, cloth tape measure , tack up a horse with the style of gear you want to make and a start making notes. take the breast collar and lay it out on some paper or card stock and trace it for your contures. Make drawings and take notes that you will understand when you get back to your shop.

Remember that commercial tack is usually genaric (on size fits all so to speek) and will have a lot of buillit left over on smaller horses. You may want to adjust your paterns to allow for these differences so you work is a bit more custom. Youwill have to make allowences for lined and unlined pieces.

As for protected designs. I don't know too many bridles and such that is protected.

I have a saddle maker friend across town who builds enduance saddles and his design is definetely protected , but I build an endurance saddle that you could copy all day long. It's been my experience that there is little in the horse gear world that is specifically protected. Some hardware, a couple rigging styles, a few tree styles.

Genaric and common tack is pretty much fair game.

If you have any doubt, look it up or choose not to build it. I've never had the tack police show up at my door in 20 years.

Happy trails GH

[HorsehairBraider]

*GASP* Don't you have a horse to measure?! :D

That's what I do - measure the horse. For example, most browbands measure 12" from the edge of the headstall over the forehead to the other edge of the headstall... but that is not necessarily the "best" measurement. People with Arabs or Morgans might not enjoy that browband very much. Measure the horse, that's the best way.

[MarkB]

HI if your looking for patterns I sell some and you can see them at www.cowcampsaddlery.webs.com

Mark

Edited December 23, 2010 by MarkB

[GrampaJoel]

I just use my horse for fitting.

Just measure and make a card stock pattern.fit some more than put it to leather.

It's really pretty simple once you commit your mind to it. Just take one step at a time and everything goes by smoothly.

That way it is your own and don't have to worry about hearing that you copied someone else.

[roo4u]

there are a couple of books that have lots of measurements...western tack tips and more western tack tips by tom hall...they have stuff about braiding but lots of measurements for various types of headstalls.

[Zoej]

David May at The Cumbrian School of Saddlery produces a pattern book http://www.saddleryc...other/tools.htm;. I use Bridlework by Robert Steinke which is a really useful book as it has measurments for sizes from shetland to extra large, and patterns for headcollars, bridles, breastplates, martingales ect; Both of the above are english style, but you could work out western style from the sizing. These 2 books will give you a good basic idea and then you can adapt for each horse, you do find some breeds are different, I make mainly for arabians and they need a large brow band, short cheek pieces, large throatlash, and small nose, as you can see in the photo Edited December 23, 2010 by Zoej

[dirtclod]

I have used a flexable stick looking piece ( i can't remember what it's called but i think it came from a dress material place or hobby shop ) anyway you can form it on the horse and it will hold the shape to make curves on a breast strap and transfur that to your pattern. Then you can straighten it back out.

The measurments i use to make a regular brow band head stall are 30 inches for the crown " top piece", 23 inches start for the brow band, 15 inches start for the cheeks, and 43 inches for the throat latch. That will fit most horses and you could make one with lots of holes for a custom fit. Don't belive most people when they say they have a horse that needs a extra large headstall unless it's a draft horse because in my experinse they don't what their talking about.

[dangerdan46819]

The only reason you would get sued for copying a protected pattern is if you were making them to sell. Nothing they can do if you make one for yourself.

Thanks for the input here I just got asked to male a halter for my nieces horse. Never made one before.

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

Through the years I've made patterns of items that clients have brought in for repair, especially if it was something that they really liked the fit or design of. And sometimes they'd bring in an old item that was no longer useable, wanting it duplicated. If you're starting from scratch on a prototype, about the only thing you can do is go out and measure up your horse. I've done lots and lots of that. For years I had horses and ponies of about every size around the place, for making patterns as much as anything! I made a "measuring jig" of sorts back when I started in business, for sizing a horse for a driving bridle. Dimensions for those can be pretty critical. I have boxes, totes and folders full of patterns, from over 30 years of making horse equipment, but no amount of money would buy them:)

[mulefool]

I can just see my mule roll her eyes when she sees me coming with the tape measure again. ;-) Chris