First Times

 There's a first time for everything. And this was my first time making a jump and a traditional English bridle. First off is the jump...

 

 

 

The standards were actually fairly simple. And I really like the outcome. Each standard is double sided, one side has a queen of hearts, the other has a jack. For my first attempt at nice looking standards, I think it went quite well.

 

Crossrails for all!



 The poles are just dowels cut, sanded, and painted. I rushed through the jump cups and really messed them up. I really wanted to finish... But I do like my finished product. And the poles work as ground/trot poles.

 

 The jump isn't really all to large. But it fits Newsworthy quite nicely.

 

 

 Attempted artsy photo in bad lighting, fails every time. ^

 

Now for the bridle...

 

Excuse the tape around the bit, I don't own any sticky wax and I need something
to hold bits in place..

 

You can sort of see the raised noseband...

 

 It is fully adjustable and has a darker colour in person. I could not get a good picture of the other side. I took about ten, but none of them worked out. Yes, there're keepers for the straps, but I got fed up with them...

 I adore this bridle. For my first shot at a) raised nosebands b) an entire bridle and c) a flash attachment, I think it went quite well. The whole thing came together quite nicely. I have a pair of laced reins on the work bench, not going quite as smoothly, but coming along.

 

 Next up is a figure-eight bridle for Sato, a something, probably one like this, for Newsworthy, and a leather halter for Black Caviar. And I'm going to attempt a saddle at some point too.

 

 As for customs. Nothing is going anywhere. Since where I live, it's generally below freezing this time of year and I spray outdoors, the matte spray and primer immediately begin to freeze as soon as they come of the can and onto the model. So, customs (at least unprimed and pasteling) will have to wait. But that means more time for tack and props!