Model Horse Performance!

After hearing alot of praises about the Model Horse Performance magazine, I got a subscription to it! And it came today.

I have to say, that all of the praises were right! This is a really cool magazine and I can’t wait to get more  There’s also  a side saddle how-to plus a halter tutorial, so I can’t wait to try those out.
After the cancellation of JAH, it’s cool to have a model horse magazine again.

Cuttin' and Dyein'

Today was cut out and dye day.
I use tooling calf leather. I like it better than the out right tooling leather. The tooling calf leather is more flexible.

And this is my favorite tool to thin leather with.

So even though the leather is already thin, it doesn’t hurt to get it as thin as I can without cutting through all of the way.
Pieces cut out.
Then dyeing and drying. The pieces look weird because they’re on the grain/rough side. 

Patterns

At the Ride For Pride Show, I noticed that there was one performance class that didn’t get alot of entries. That was Saddleseat, the gaited horse class. Now Saddleseat tack really isn’t made to be used in any other class. It’s made exclusively for the gaited horse class, unless you have a really really creative explanation to use it in something else. Saddleseat really isn’t on the top list of diverse types of tack.
So I’m going to try to enter into a “smaller” type of performance class to see how my tack fares. Yup, I’m going to attempt to make a Saddleseat set.
Google images is like a tack catalog so I got plenty of pictures of all the different views of the saddle. It has much straighter flaps than a Huntseat saddle.
 I drew and used multiple drawings and cut outs to get it right. That’s the patience part of tack making. Get the paper drawing right so that no leather is wasted.  Better to waste paper than leather!

I only have the top flat and skirt done, but so far is looks like it could be a saddle!