Hackamore Tutorial

Todays post will (hopefully) be a compete tutorial in making a Mechanical Hackamore!

Not only is this bridle easy and fun to make, but it is great for gaming entries or entries in which the rider is dismounted.

For this tutorial you will need beading pliers, and wire snippers, scissors, and some wire of the same gauge as what you use for buckles. 

We will make the cheekpieces first.

 The bottom hole should be slightly bigger than the top two.

Repeat for the other side...

Make the curb piece, to get a good length measurement lay the piece about 2 centimeters from the tip of your models nose. The rings you made on the sides should clear the sides of the horses face.

Lastly for wire pieces, make the nose piece, there is no particular measurement for this, it should fit comfortably over the bridge of the horses nose. BUT, do not bend it to fit the horses nose exactly! In real life this would be extremely painful, for model purposes it should be bent in a U shape that is loosely fitting.

Now snap it all together! Use your pliers to bend out the end of the wire in the loop, so you can slip the loop of another piece in to the ring.

(The nosepiece rings go into the second hole on the cheekpieces.)

Don't forget that curb strap!

Now for the finishing touch, wrap the nosepiece in coban or vetwrap.

Add a headstall and reins and your done!

Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Performance Showing

I've been performance showing for quite a while now. It's by far my favorite division to show in! From the first time I saw Jennifer Buxton's blog I knew that's what I wanted to do. 

So with a borrowed saddle and some home-made props I set off to my first performance show.

I got pounded. I received two NAN cards; one in harness (I was the only one in the class) and one in Other Western. 

Harness entry by Emma VR, photo by Maddy Hinman 

After this I knew I had to step up my game. Like many people, I obsessed over my setups. I learned about real equine events, some I had never even heard of. I learned the appropriate amount of bling a reining could have.

My setups slowly got better and I'm very happy with the progress I've made. My most recent show was Models In The Sunshine. My highest placing was 3rd, but I'm so happy with it! 

Other English entry by Emma VR, tack by Five Paws Studios, photo by Maddy Hinman

However, there are many things that I wish I'd knew at my first performance show. I'll share a few with you, and hopefully you can learn from them!

1. Use sticky wax liberally.

At one show, I had a very elaborate Western Skijoring setup in Other Western. It took me a while to set up. The judge read my reference card and looked it over many times. Then when she set out the ribbons she passed mine over.

I went over to get it so I could tack up the horse for english. The judge stopped me as I was walking back to my table and said she loved my setup and it was correct, but the bit had fallen out on both sides. She also said she would have placed it first had that not happened.

2. It's OK to talk to other, more experienced performance showers for help.

One of my best friendships ever started with a simple question to Maddy about performance showing and tack making. I wouldn't be where I am now without her and Becky, and my setups would be nowhere as good! I've also met Rachel Fail at a recent show. She didn't hesitate to share her tack making secrets and answered and questions I asked.

Amazing setup by Rachel Fail. Photo by Becky McCorkendale.

3. Performance showing is expensive.

No doubt about it. Performance showing is EXPENSIVE. You can easily have a $400 model, $300 tack set, and a $200 doll. I imagine there are many people out there who would love to do it but don't think they can afford it.

How I as a 13 year old girl afford it, you ask? I trade. People will trade quality paintwork for tack. Figure out something you enjoy doing, and work at it until people want your work!

Western Pleasure set owned by Jennifer Arsuaga, tack and doll by ?

RRS Ms. Congeniality owned and painted by Emma VR

Although I've learned many things, these are just some of the most important. If you'd like to hear more, let me know in a comment! Thanks for reading!

-Emma

Meet the Authors: Becky

Hi yall, my name is Becky and I am also one of the authors here!  My favorite part of the hobby is performance, I love making tack!  Hopefully I will make plenty of  tutorials to post on here. 

I am one of the "Two Cowgirls" and I absolutely adore horses!  I love riding and I work with the horses at a horseback therapy barn.  Eventually I would love to start gaming. 

My major hobby is tackmaking, turning scraps into art. I recently made my tack available on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Flying-B-Saddlery

I have also recently started painting. Pictured is my first traditional and 3rd horse I have pasteled.

Thanks for reading!

Meet the Authors: Maddy

Hey y'all! I'm Madelyne, aka Maddy Hinman(Lazy H. Custom Tack) and I'll be one of the cowgirl authors here.

I live on a 40 acre farm and have five horses(along with tons of other animals), so I am involved in the real horse community as well as the model horse community.

My mustangs and I, Loco Cocoa and Sakari.

My first love was barrel racing, which taught me how to ride.

I currently do endurance on other peoples horses, and am in the process of  training my horses for various western events.

Khomets Boss Hoss and I pole bending for his first time
 (owned by Cheryl Van Deusen)

In the model horse hobby I enjoy tack making and performance showing the most,

DunGottaGun owned by me, tack by me.

I've also just started painting this year,

Roans just happen to be my thing ^_^

                                         And last but not least prop making.

I also really enjoy photography and videography, check out my youtube channel;

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiJ7a3OllSkYz6gauiAuXrg

Thanks for reading, I hope you'll consider following our blog! :D

Meet The Authors: Emma

Hello! My name is Emma Van Riper and I'm going to be one of the authors here. I enjoy pretty much everything in the hobby including showing, both halter and performance...

RRS Ain't She Dashing Owned by EVR

Setting up enties for Other Performance.

As well as tack making...

RRS House On A Hill Owned by EVR. Halter made by EVR.

And my favorite thing, painting!

RRS Ms. Congeniality Owned and Painted by EVR

I also enjoy riding real horses...

And taking photos of others riding them!

I've been to BreyerFest twice, for 2013 and 2014. All of the authors here are going to Breyerfest 2016 together, though!

I really look forward to blogging here more! Hopefully you enjoy everyone else's 'profiles!' Thanks for reading and have a great day!

-Emma

Welcome!

Welcome to our blog! 

This page will be run by three amazing authors, Maddy Hinman, Emma Van Riper, and myself, Becky McCorkendale. We are all teenagers and homeschooled. (Yes, we are socialized!)

From left to right: Maddy, Becky, and Emma.

We all are involved in the model horse, and "real horse" world. Once a week we hope to post on a horsey topic, tutorials, new arrivals, reviews, show reports, and our current projects. 

Emma rides English, and Maddy and I ride western. Hence the name 'Two Cowgirls And A Jumper!'

We are all highly involved in the performance aspect of showing and make our own tack, so if you have any technical questions please ask! We all hope to make it to Breyerfest 2016! 

-Becky