# Home-Made Horse Tack



## FutureVetGirl

I have a lot of extra time in the evenings around the house... so... I was thinking, instead of sitting around watching TV, I could make horse tack. Not saddles and bridles, or bits or something, but a simple crop, or halter, lead rope, lunge line, or perhaps some blanket or even a saddle pad.

I found one book of stuff: http://www.amazon.com/Make-Your-Own...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219345834&sr=8-1

But I probably won't be able to get that book since it's kind of expensive (for my budget), and it would be hard to get it sent to right place.

Has anyone on here made their own tack? What kind of materials would you guys suggest? We have a couple of hardware stores that sell rope and clips and stuff, for lead ropes, halters, etc. But the rest I'm unsure about. Anybody have comments or suggestions?

The things I'd REALLY like to make are as followed:

1. crop or whip (I own one... but it's a long dressage one that's no good for normal riding)
2. lead rope
3. halter (not a rope halter, but a leather or web halter)
4. lunge rope/rein
5. fly hats (or whatever those things are called)
6. crazy things for horses

Once again... has anyone on here made anything? Or is in the process of making something? Or even want to make something? Please share a picture, and post any comments or suggestions you guys might have!


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## FGRanch

I saw somone with a homemade bridle on here once. It was very nice.


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## Vidaloco

There is a company called U- Braid-It that sells supplys and stuff for making horse tack. http://www.ubraidit.com/ I noticed the site isn't working and they are closed till the 25th of Aug. so you may have to wait on that one. 
Tandy is great for any leather supplys 
http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/index.asp


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## FutureVetGirl

Thanks for the links... but I'm not looking for suppliers of stuff. I can get almost anything that I might need. There are quite a few places around here that sell good quality leather for cheap, and some even shape it how you want it, before you make something.

What I'm looking for... for the most part... is some tips of things that I can make, that will work. And for links that give some slight instructions on stuff. Sorry if I wasn't fully clear on that above...


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## Vidaloco

Here is one on making rope halters. I've used these directions they are simple once you get the hang of it.
http://www.naturalhorsesupply.com/tiehalter.shtml


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## PoptartShop

That's pretty cool!  Hehe yeah, I like the homemade halter one...lots of people have those- I still didn't get around to making mine. :roll: LOL!


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## Dumas'_Grrrl

I made a home made carrot stick one time... It was kinda fun. I made it out of spite though...I refused to pay what parelli charged. I hardly ever use it though... :roll: I would suggest that you only make things that you will use :lol: 

Here are a couple of pictures.










If I remember right the whole project cost we a whopping 6 bucks.


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## FutureVetGirl

Ok... something that I WILL use would be a short riding crop/bat. But I have no idea what kind of materials I should use for it. I know I need something that is kind of flexible... so it's not just a hard stick. Any ideas?


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## Dumas'_Grrrl

Well.... I used a fiberglass electric fence post. it is somewhat flexible since it is 4' long but if you cut it down it would lose flexability. I would just go have a "field trip" to the local hardware and farm stores and nose around and see what comes up. I don't really use a crop so I'm not sure if it would be cost effective to make your own. I have seen some rather cheap $7-8. To be honest the people that I know that do use a crop usually just cut a tree branch to use as a switch when they need one.

SOrry i'm not more help on the resourses. :?


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## FutureVetGirl

Thanks... I'm really not wanting to buy one though. I'm wanting to make stuff. To pass the time... and to just make stuff. I'm wanting to decorate it how I want to. And so on. It's not a matter of money...

I was just wondering if anyone knew of some good materials for it.


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## Dumas'_Grrrl

What about buying a cheap whip and then decorating it...ya know personalize it. 

As for the halters and such, natural horse supply has a good article on how to make your own halter and I have googled a few times for instructions on making bit less bridles and such...sorry I didn't mark the sites so I could share where they were but a search on the net should turn up some fun stuff to make.

Don't forget that a once you figure out the knots the possibilities are endless.

OH...something on here I thought would be fun to make on those crappy cold winter days were rhythm beads.


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## FutureVetGirl

I'll be heading to our home improvement/home depot type store on Monday to check out stuff... not buy... but see what's there.

What are rythm beads? *is googling now*


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## Dumas'_Grrrl

Check out this thread. There are a few pictures of them on horses.

http://www.horseforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=12827&highlight=ryhythm+beads


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## blossom856

Here's a post for making your own bridle.

http://www.horseforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=7867&highlight=bridle

I made myself one. It's really easy and works great. You could get a bunch of cheap bits off ebay, a ton of different color ropes from the hardware store and go nuts.


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## PoptartShop

That's so cool...ahh, when I'm less busy I'd really like to try some of those things!


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## KANSAS_TWISTER

ove making stuff for my horses!!, i'm on the hunt for a blanket pattern for a winter blanket, i did attempt to make a fly mask once but it looked bad and didn't fit any one i had.....and bras DON'T work.....lol


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## Fox Hollow Deb

Leather work is fairly easy once you get the hang of it. Pick up Al Stohlman's 'The Art of Hand Stitching' for great how-to. It shows the tools and how to use them, how to attach buckles, make loops, etc. I use a stitching awl, with the thread in the handle, instead of the two-needle method he describes. Springfield Leather and Tandy/Hidecrafters should carry it. Springfield usually has better prices on everything, and the people are great to deal with.

Reins & stirrup leathers are good starting projects. Halters involve more work, but just look at each piece, how they attach, and make one section at a time. You can also rivet leather, but stitching looks much better.

Nylon is harder to work with. It's tough to stitch, hard to cut, and you have to burn any cut end or it'll fray. The webbing is slippery to handle. It's easier to do on a stitching machine.

Find 'The Leathercrafter & Saddlers Journal' magazine. It's full of advice, instruction, projects, suppliers, and patterns. You can order single back issues to get specific projects. They have articles mostly on tooling, but you'll pick up hints and how -to even in those. You'll find articles on making bridles, saddlebags, can holders, chaps, Christmas ornaments, spur straps, placemats, cell phone holders, hat bands, holsters, belts, braiding leather, etc. 

Once you get started, think about doing repairs for other people. I've been repairing tack for about 12 years. It's more a hobby than a business, but I enjoy it, and repair people are few and far between. Just put an ad at the feed store, at boarding/riding stables, local newspapers. If you have the time, go to stables to do pick ups & delivery of items. You can also do tack cleaning, seems like nobody has time to do that!

Saddle pads are pretty easy to do. I use unbleached cotton for the bottom, polyfelt (from Wal-Mart) for the lining/middle, and printed cotton or wool on the tops (I prefer wool). I just traced another pad onto paper for a pattern, cut it a little bigger to allow for seams, and stitch it all together. Use blanket binding tape or seam binding around the edges.

Good luck!


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## Cheyennes mom

I don't know if this is what you are looking for but I have a horse treat recipe that my horse absolutely adores! tell me if you wanna know it, because I'm not sure if you were looking for that.


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## Eolith

FutureVetGirl said:


> 1. crop or whip (I own one... but it's *a long dressage one that's no good for normal riding*)
> 2. lead rope
> 3. halter (not a rope halter, but a leather or web halter)
> 4. lunge rope/rein
> 5. fly hats (or whatever those things are called)
> 6. crazy things for horses


 
This is a little off topic... but I don't understand how a dressage whip is no good for "normal" riding? I rarely ride a horse without one. Crops are so short you have to hold the reins in one hand and smack them with the other, with is much less controlled in my opinion. The dressage whip allows you to reach their haunches and shoulders well to cue certain responses.


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## eventing101

Fly hats are actually called Fly Bonnets by the way


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