Covid quarantine breast plate

[Mulesaw]

You are much too kind :-)

I am improving on the saddle stitching though, so I guess there is some merit to the "practice makes perfect"
one thing that bothers me a bit is the hardware, I wanted some smaller snaps to where the upper part of the saddle is connected to the breastplate, and also the buckles weren't exactly as I wanted them, but I also wanted to support a local shop, so that trumped my vanity in what hardware I should use. There aren't many leather supply shops in Denmark, so I figured it is best to support those that still remains.

Anyway, in the heat of the battle, few will notice as long as the equipage is doing a good job.

 

 

 

[Mulesaw]

Gustav and Cajou (the horse), winning a major round of chocolate, at his first ever B level event (young riders), He was the only one with four perfect rounds, I think he came in this particular round.

Winning a C level competition, and posing with the sponsor gift.

Washing and drinking at home.

[jcuk]

I am all for supporting local suppliers as long as the hardware is up to the job in hand also try to buy tools that have been made as close to home as i can.

[Mulesaw]

I have managed to make a steady progress on the breast plate. 

Two days ago I started the most difficult part (for me at least), to make the loop that will eventually be used for attaching the martingale. I had to thin down the leather a bit to make it possible for me to make a round sewing without it becoming too bulky. Still I think it came out all right. 

Yesterday I sewed together the two central pieces of the breastplate and also made a hole for the strap that will connect to the girth.

I started making the round piece from the middle, and then worked to both ends of it, because it was so hard to roll near the ends.

Stitching is done.

 

It is beginning to look more like a breastplate and less like a bunch of leather straps.

Now there is even a hole for the strap.

 

 

[toxo]

Looking good. That's the kind of work that is not only harder to do on a machine but wouldn't look anywhere near as good. Well done.

[Mulesaw]

Thanks,  I need to wait for the edge burnishing until I am out of the hotel quarantine. I haven't brought any sandpaper with me, and besides I am afraid that the maid would get angry with the amount of fine dust produced.

So for now it is just edge beveled on the front and back with my homemade screwdriver beveller. But when I get onto the ship I'll probably turn an edge burnishing tool that I can mount in the drill press or the lathe, That should hopefully help in obtaining a nice edge.

 

 

[Mulesaw]

Here's a bit of update on the Covid quarantine breastplate:

After getting the breastplate home, Gustav tested it on the horse, only to discover that my measurements had been a bit off..

So a few of the individual pieces were too long, so the breastplate sat sluggishly on the horse. Also Gustav said that he had expected me to make a martingale that would match the colour of the leather. Apparently you can't use a black martingale if the breastplate is brown..

This time at home I pulled myself together and shortened up the needed pieces, which included the small padded piece that goes over the neck of the horse. I also made a martingale that was accepted using the same leather as the breastplate. I forgot to take some pictures of the process of making the martingale, but I discovered that it was much more difficult than what I had expected to make one. I simply copied the same basic design as the regular black martingale that was used with the old breastplate.

Caj (horse) and Gustav (son)

I suck at taking pictures, so Caj look smaller than he is. He measures 172 cm (17 hands)

 

 

[Klara]

Very nice martingale! And as you don't need to count your work time, considering you made it to fill your time while in quarantine, it should have turned out quite a bit less expensive than the over euro 200 for the inspiration. 

Do you want a tip for the photos? The horse looks small because of the wide-angle lens in your camera phone. The easy solution is to take the picture from the side, standing facing the horse's shoulder. 

[Mulesaw]

@Klara Thanks for the nice comment :-)

I also think that the time in quarantine was very well spent making the outfit for the horse, and especially since it now fits the horse like a glove.

Thanks for the tip on the photo, though I am pretty sure that I will have forgotten the advice next time I need to take a picture. I have come to the conclusion and understanding that taking pictures is not my strongest suit. :-)

Brgds

Jonas

[Klara]

7 hours ago, Mulesaw said:

@Klara ...

Thanks for the tip on the photo, though I am pretty sure that I will have forgotten the advice next time I need to take a picture. I have come to the conclusion and understanding that taking pictures is not my strongest suit. :-)

Brgds

Jonas

Needn't be. Seriously, taking useful pictures (works of art is different) is much easier than leatherwork. I think my above advice is almost it with camera phones. (Get your subject to fill the picture would be another one, but you do that already.)