WESTERN PEEPS, need your help!!!

[Coreene]

As some of you know, Oliver was the recent recipient of a darling Pimp My Ride bling-bling western show saddle. :cool: Medium oil, lovely tooling. Came with a matching breastplate, which is of course at least 10" too short when you attach it to the cinch.

As an aside, please note I remembered to say "cinch" and not girth. ;)

No, we have not gone over to the dark side! Though right now he is LOVING his time with our western/all-around trainer, who rides him nice and forward and has put some divine AQHA World Champion manners on him (hey, what do you want, the trainer did his junior career with Jason and Charlie and was a reserve WC). But at the same time, there is just something inherently mixed metaphor to be riding a big WB in a Crates show saddle with a lovely pimp-o pad and a medium brown Klimke snaffle bridle.

Oh where oh where oh were can I get a nice bling-bling western headstall (note I remembered to say "headstall" and not "bridle") in WB size? And if I could get some fabbo Pimpmobile reins to go with it, oh my. :yes:

Help poor Oliver!

[stryder]

Well, I am solidly impressed at your use of the lingo. Are you thinking of a split-ear? Or something with a browband? Roping reins with a drop-dead gorgeous romal, or simple split reins?

I don't know how Oliver feels about pink, or lime green, but here's a woman-owned company that may be able to help:
http://www.horsebling.net/brrebr.html

[5]

This place is fairly close if you are still in HB.
They will make what you want if they don't have it

http://www.brokenhornsaddlery.com/

[Bluey]

It would help if you post a picture of the saddle and horse, to match the "headstall" to both.;)

http://www.rods.com/default.aspx

http://www.smithbrothers.com/

[reinerspook]

Carlos at Carlos Silver in Roseville can make you anything your heart desires, and it will be gorgeous! His website is carlossilver.com

[apcohrs]

Do you want reins dripping with silver? Check out some saddlebred show catalogs.

[Coreene]

Thank you! Unfortunately, a regular sized headstall is too small for his WB head, hence this thread. Otherwise I would already have several for all moods. :lol:: Needs a WB-sized browband, too (doing browband and not split ear). Something blingy with some nice blingy romal reins. PiTA to find, have been all over the www and no joy. Not at computer so can't post a pic, but IIRC I did post one before, need to check. The lighter side of medium. Black horse.

[Woodland]

Oh I love this thread - what fun!

I use to have a local saddle maker make things to my design and size specs. Usually because i had Impressive bred AQHA. They have notoriously broad foreheads, short eye to muzzle, larger jowls and "tea cup" size muzzles. Halters were locatable, but head stalls - no way! Never could buy off the rack. Sadly my guy passed on - but his beautiful work remains in my tack and trophy rooms.

My current hunter is a retires res WC halter horse. I buy a horse and a cob bridle and combine them to make them fit. And don't get me started on finding a breast plate that works - I had to have those custom made.

[Coreene]

I'm going to check al these wonderful suggestions when I am at a computer, thank you guys, I just adore how blingy western tack is! Ollie's trainer has some seriously pimped out Blue Ribbon saddles that are just beyond. It's funny, the Klimke is the exact color of his saddle, so at least we're not having too much of a fashion faux pas. Now I want one of those striped border parade pads, too. ;)

[pintopiaffe]

Hm. I'm more of a working Ranch girl myself. I loff me the plain working bridles with a silver concho or two for "Go t'town on Sundee Shows." (and did relatively well dressed as such...;) ) Crates... ah... drool... I had to sell on my beloved Crates. Best damn western saddle I've ever known, I'll spend the rest of my life trying to find another... but didn't fit me nor the stupid-short-coupled ponies, though it WAS wide enough. :sigh:

I prefer a nice Barco (Aussie Style) bridle... or a simple single strap with one ear.

But for blingy stuff, try searching for things in Draft size-which won't be all THAT big, as most riding drafts are more like WB sized... and also... hold your breath and close your eyes for a moment... then... slllooooooowwwwwllllyyyy let it out.... and look for Gypsy Vanner tack. <ducking and running> Seriously. Some BIG ol' heads *and* some serious loff of bling.

Now, I don't have any links tonight... but give me time. I'll find 'em.

I should scan the photo I have of me and the pair o'buckskins at the Ranch I worked at. I'm in faded, sheepskin lined denim jacket, (I own exactly ONE pair of jeans before and since that job) chaps, a western hat... Pippy is in working Ranchwear, saddle is an A-tree circa early 1900's, halter underneath single ear working bridle... and Skippy (they *were* 1/2 sibs afterall!) is the pack horse with the sweetest double diamond I've ever thrown. Sepia tone it and you could pass it off for the 1800's. No bling there baby. Be laughed off the spread. :p

[mypaintwattie]

While Sierra thinks he looked wonderful in his current "headstall", she would like to remind Oliver that once you find the elusive headstall that fits she can have it dedazzled like her pimp show headstall. Just a thought....

[HuntJumpSC]

Of course, you know we want to see pimped out Oliver pics! :cool:

[Coreene]

I promise! Mypaintwattie said yesterday he looks like a giant Quarter Horse when he's in his giddyap gear. I just love the bling. Hate my stirrups though. Rode in the BowBalance on my dressage saddle Thursday, so yesterday in the Crates it's like "what shitty, poxy little stirrups." So Wattie can steer me in the right direction on those. Don't know a thing about western except that I just LOVE it and would never put a youngster, greenie or horse needing bootcamp with anything but a great western trainer again. What a difference.

[Risk-Averse Rider]

Cousine Blondie thinks that Cousine Oliver would look simply dashing in a split ear headstall.

[Coreene]

And when I can find one in WB size, please assure Cousine Blondie that I will folow his fashion advice and get one of those, too. Because to be fair, I should have one of eash, this and a browband one. A nice fancy short shank mullen mouth (or whatever the yee-ha equivalent is for mullen mouth) to go with the split ear, of course. ;)

[Bluey]

Get the aluminum stirrups, scrolled even better for bling.
Those are heavier than the wood and leather ones and will feel better to your Enlish feet:

http://www.barrelracer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=001&Category_Code=900

http://www.horsetackco.com/engraved-roping-stirrups.html?zenid=4498ceb9dfb30a88fe74c58d8760e1 5f

[Dad Said Not To]

Oliver needs a hitched horsehair bridle. If you find a bridle you like, you can have these people add hitched horsehair to it. http://www.hitchedhorsehair.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5&Itemid=4

[bludejavu]

Here's just about the flashiest bling you can buy - don't let yourself go into sticker shock though:eek:! We collect these and use them on our Saddlebreds but we have dressed up Friesiens and a warmblood in them and they look pretty spectacular on them too - the bridles with the little face chains are so elegant: http://www.paradesaddlearchive.com/hpost.htm

[Coreene]

OH MEIN GOTT in HIMMEL. Those parade saddles, OMGiH they are DIVINE! But perhaps a bit OTT for walking around the barn with. :lol: Bluey, I am ordering the engraved roper stirrups tomorrow. Love 'em. As for the headstall, I'm afraid it has to be silver pimping, not those beautiful horsehair ones, so the search continues but gosh they are lovely. :yes:

[Plumcreek]

Dear Correne, As someone who understands the importance of the right purse, you must know that the tiniest detail will make or break a proper western headstall, and cause Oliver either pride or embarassment among his peers in the pen (not arena - pen). No stock western headstall of the proper look will come in a warmblood size. Nope. Saddlebred tack makers may have one for their western classes, but it would be Wrong, Wrong for your barn. I am pretty sure of that. I also vote no on the split ear - they are uncomfortable and outdated. Better is a sliding ear loop thingy (two actually, one for each ear, is the current must-have style), that can adjust for the horse. Now, I see that you want a browband headstall. They are attractive and more secure on the horse, and are perfectly OK as long as Oliver stays out of the big time western pleasure show pen.

I would get two sets of reins, split and romal. Romal will be harder to find in a looong length, so you can use the split initially. Luckily for you, split reins (handy since you can use them with a snaffle or curb bit) come in long lengths that will work with Oliver, and those you can buy stock.

The headstall, however, must be custom measured for Oliver, and Broken Horn is the place to go, as they know what is current and they are quality and affordable. This will not be a fortune, as the custom leather straps, themselves, are simple and inexpensive to make, no fancy raising or stitching needed, and the silver buckles , browband plates or curved ear piece plates can be had in all price ranges from crystal crusted, sterling custom engraved to Ebay silverplate. Ergo, you, with your high style, can design your own bridle for Oliver in your desired price range, and to match the reins you buy and your saddle. Go to it.

Hopefully, someone has shown you how to turn your saddle fenders: You apply conditioner to the saddle, then place saddle on a saddle rack and twist the damp fenders as tightly as you can in the backwards direction, like a REALLY tight twist, and stick a broom handle through the stirrups to hold the tight twist at least overnight. Fenders will have a nice curve that fits your leg and turns stirrups right where you want them.

[Coreene]

Then Broken Horn it is! :yes: After all, heaven forbid it should be a fashion faus pas - Aunt Esther would never let me hear the end of it.

[Plumcreek]

Good. Now you can start to pick out the bling. Schneiders sliding ear bridle link is included to show the buckle style possibilities - the headstall buckles would be the same on a browband bridle, except you would need a third smaller one for the throatlatch, plus the brow plate.:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sterling-Silver-Overlay-V-Browband-Bridle-Trim-New_W0QQitemZ270424820107QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Def aultDomain_0?hash=item3ef693498b&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294 %3A50

http://cgi.ebay.com/Montana-Silversmith-silver-gold-bridle-halter-Browband_W0QQitemZ360160970676QQcmdZViewItemQQptZL H_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item53db4447b4&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116#ebayphotohosting

http://www.montanasilversmiths.com/categoryproducts.aspx?toplvl=154&catid=154&subcat=154&subcat1=162&catprods=162

http://www.sstack.com/jump.jsp?itemID=15&itemType=CATEGORY&iMainCat=4&iSubCat=15&level=2

[bludejavu]

A word of advice concerning V-browbands. They are my favorite too and I have two western show sets with v-brows. However, some of them are very confining size-wise. My nicest one is a bit snug on my larger headed Saddlebreds. If you get one that is a band on top of leather, you stand a better chance of fitting a larger brow. I'll post a link of mine so you can see the type you probably don't want strictly because of fitting problems. A sliding-ear bridle is by far the easiest to fit on a wide-browed horse.

Going to get the link now...http://www.horsegroomingsupplies.com/pictures/gphoto-g213849.html

The bridle in the link is a Circle Y custom bridle. When it fits a horse, it is absolutely gorgeous. But this type browband has no flexibility, no bendability and only fits a rounded brow that isn't too wide.

[Bluey]

Get the bridle/headstall with the buckles that can be changed, not the sewn in ones and eventually have some silversmith make you custom ones with your initals, brand or favorite design:
Like this fellow, that made my bit and spurs with my initials and some day I will get also bridle buckles made, just not yet:

http://campbellsbitsandspurs.com/

In the old tradition, that today is not quite as strictly observed any more, horses in the snaffle wore headstalls with browbands and in the curb single ear.

Today, we can see all kinds of arrangements out there that are ok and a newer invention, the double ear headstall.

I prefer a browband and throatlatch, as I have seen too many horses rub or shake their heads and lose one eared headstalls, so I am glad I don't absolutely have to use ear headstalls.
Now, if I was bridling just for looks and had a curb bit, I probably would maybe have a one ear headstall.

If you are going to have silver ferrules on the side cheek pieces, with a larger horse with a large head, flat ones would look better.
The round ones were originally only seen in very small horses and came from the arabian circuit into California western bridles, although today all and everything goes.

Now, for the bit, what are you going to use?
Remember, if you use romal reins, they are traditionally used on curbs with loose sides and hobbles between the shanks, if split reins, anything goes.

[monstrpony]

Google Sarah Hagel.

She can create anything you want, any size you need, any bling your heart desires, and the leather quality puts Edgewood, Hadfields, et. al. to shame. Alas, a bit spendy, but Worth It.

[MistyBlue]

I had hoped Bludejavu would pop in with her fabulous parade saddle collection. Aren't they to die for? *le sigh*

Okay, not to highjack but this will probably help Coreene too.

Can anyone give a breakdown or explanation of leather tack colors for western???? Please?
I bought my first western saddle last year. I've been trying to get a bridle/headstall to match for almost a year now. Since then I've been using a nylon one, but I want matching leather.
I do not have a western tack shop nearby...at least not one that has more than 2-3 western bits of tack to look through. I've been ordering online and returning because nobody seems to name their colors! The photos looks right, I get it in and the color isn't even close. So back it goes. I see some called chestnut or sunset...most are just dark or light oil. Haven't found any headstalls called medium oil...and the dark and light oils seem to encompass about 500 different shades and colors.
This headstall looks close in color to my saddle in the photo:
http://www.horsebling.net/tulehe.html
What color is that called in western tack? My saddle is a medium orangey reddish brown I guess you'd call it. If it were english I'd call it Newmarket.
Coreene I am guessing is as anal as I am with matching her saddle and headstall/bridle so I hope this is a help to her also.

[Plumcreek]

I do not know if anyone makes 'medium oil' in new tack, as it is not popular at present. To me, medium oil is the color you get when you buy a light oil finish and add many applications of oil/lexol to make it feel supple and break in. Some of those 'light oil' saddles have a wax finish or something to keep them light.
Light oil: ( http://www.sstack.com/shopping/product/anotherView.jsp?img=local/products/family_viewlarger/30699.jpg&iProductID=10830 )
Hate the look, and exhibitors who want that look don't condition their tack like hunter people do.

MistyBlue, I think you have to buy a lighter bridle and darken it yourself. Beware of the red cast of cheaper leather, never goes away. Good leather in a light oil finish does look like newmarket. Dark oil would be like a havanna color.

[MistyBlue]

Thanks Plumcreek, I wouldn't have thought if darkening a light oil. :D
The Billy Royal saddle is gorgeous, but the matching headstall to that saddle probably costs more than my saddle, LOL! My saddle is close to that color, maybe a little more orangey, hard to tell since mine doesn't have tooling. Maybe it just looks more orangey. The seat is black like that one too...I thought about a black headstall but when I sit in the saddle you can't see the black seat. ;)
I've seen some light oil that look like a pale cream unfinished leather...that's what was scaring me about ordering a light oil.

Checked through SSTack for headstalls and found a few that look like the right color...Billy Royal's light oil does seem the same. Don't know why I wasn't checking there before...I buy ALL my horse blankets there.
Found a set of reins I liked...but they're $1500!!!! For reins. Just reins. Made out of kangaroos.

[Plumcreek]

Thanks Plumcreek, I wouldn't have thought if darkening a light oil. :D

I've seen some light oil that look like a pale cream unfinished leather...that's what was scaring me about ordering a light oil.

Checked through SSTack for headstalls and found a few that look like the right color...Billy Royal's light oil does seem the same. Don't know why I wasn't checking there before...I buy ALL my horse blankets there.
Found a set of reins I liked...but they're $1500!!!! For reins. Just reins. Made out of kangaroos.


I owned kangaroo reins once, very supple. That pale cream unfinished color (gag!) on saddles is the color likely to be waxed and non-darkening. Don't think they do the waxing thing on bridles. Ebay has some nice western show bridles right now, some from that Pennsylvania seller that knows good used tack.

[Hoofprince in Mud]

This headstall looks close in color to my saddle in the photo:
http://www.horsebling.net/tulehe.html
What color is that called in western tack? My saddle is a medium orangey reddish brown I guess you'd call it. If it were english I'd call it Newmarket.
Coreene I am guessing is as anal as I am with matching her saddle and headstall/bridle so I hope this is a help to her also.

When I was a kid, it was truly worrying not to have the saddle and the bridle the same color, I lived in an area with one saddlery, and mail order was still a dream of the future. The common practice amongst the brigade of girl pony owners (instructed by those more knowing than ourselves) was to darken, by oiling, the color of non-matching bridles and saddles, until everything was a matching color. Some products such as the Passier stuff, or any other bought saddle oil with a tan hue with darken things a tad. Olive oil eventually gives a dreamy brown color on Newmarket. Although the bridle you link to is marketed as being oiled, a few dudicious applications would make the color richer. I have to say, for $50, a made in the US leather bridle that only needs to be oiled is a pretty good deal. I like the turquoise on the brow band.

I'm sorry, I can't help you with the names of Western Saddle leathers.

[JetsBuddy]

Definitely get the aluminum stirrups if you can, blinged or otherwise. You can get them in colors too. I use Showman barrel racing stirrups with grips on all of my saddles, like these:
http://www.chicksaddlery.com/page/CDS/PROD/1087/MSL691-S
They make a huge difference. Check ebay - there's lots of stuff available and some sellers do custom work. You can get a plain bridle or headstall and bling it yourself with conchos and fancy Chicago screws. Look for barrel racing tack - bling is the name of the game. If you are not doing speed work, a double ear bridle would probably work. A lot of them have ear pieces that slide that allow for some adjustment. I've found that browband bridles don't always fit my Mustang so I would look for a different style. http://www.allamericanequipment.com/catalog/ has some cool stuff.

[monstrpony]

Some further thoughts--

Rather than going toward a "bridle" type headstall and romal reins (which should only be used on a true curb bit--is Oliver ready for that?), any respectable dressage horse visiting in The Tradition should get a custom Garcia or perhaps Jeremiah Watt snaffle and have Sarah twist a custom-colored horse-hair mecate (with 2 extra feet of length, for that WB neck) for reins.

I recall when you were shopping for Oliver a double bridle, but don't know if he's really in that yet or not, and suspect, what with the reasons for his diversion visit with the western trainer, that you really don't want to be messing with a curb bit in his mouth at this point (and romal reins on anything less than a serious bridle bit is, well, honestly ... tacky. And not in a good way). You certainly don't want to do it just for the bling, and you can plenty bling enough a snaffle outfit--my mentor recently had a silver-mounted Garcia snaffle made with his brand on the center concho that is to die for gorgeous. One of those, one of Sarah's headstalls and mecates, a nice shoo-fly hanging off the throat latch, and you'd be seriously stylin, girl!

[bludejavu]

I had hoped Bludejavu would pop in with her fabulous parade saddle collection. Aren't they to die for? *le sigh*

Thank you so much for thinking of me MB - I didn't actually post a link to our collection - it was to a site that sells parade saddles. My picture gallery is linked to my website in my profile if anyone is interested in seeing what we own.

As far as medium oil - that is actually my preferred color to show my Saddlebreds. I can't stand the ultra light oil and although I love dark oil, it really didn't compliment our red chestnut show horses. I can tell you though that the actual medium oil color varies greatly as to whatever the leather/saddle manufacturers determine it to be. Using the oil approach on lighter leather might give you a match and you might end up with a very different shade than your saddle. Try buying something that you can return to the dealer if it's not a good match before trying the oiling method that you wont be able to return.

[mypaintwattie]

Some further thoughts--

Rather than going toward a "bridle" type headstall and romal reins (which should only be used on a true curb bit--is Oliver ready for that?), any respectable dressage horse visiting in The Tradition should get a custom Garcia or perhaps Jeremiah Watt snaffle and have Sarah twist a custom-colored horse-hair mecate (with 2 extra feet of length, for that WB neck) for reins.

I recall when you were shopping for Oliver a double bridle, but don't know if he's really in that yet or not, and suspect, what with the reasons for his diversion visit with the western trainer, that you really don't want to be messing with a curb bit in his mouth at this point (and romal reins on anything less than a serious bridle bit is, well, honestly ... tacky. And not in a good way). You certainly don't want to do it just for the bling, and you can plenty bling enough a snaffle outfit--my mentor recently had a silver-mounted Garcia snaffle made with his brand on the center concho that is to die for gorgeous. One of those, one of Sarah's headstalls and mecates, a nice shoo-fly hanging off the throat latch, and you'd be seriously stylin, girl!

Oliver goes in a double or snaffle bridle quite well. Coreene didn't say she would put him in a western curb, he actually does all of his western work in an eggbutt snaffle. We just can't find a western headstall that will fit a warmblood size head- that's all she is looking for, a headstall and reins.

[mypaintwattie]

Then Broken Horn it is! :yes: After all, heaven forbid it should be a fashion faus pas - Aunt Esther would never let me hear the end of it.

I'm always up for a road trip- can Aunt Esther come?

[bludejavu]

Would these possibly fit him - several of them are nicely blinged :D.

http://www.drafttack.com/page58.html

[Flsunnfun]

If you want quality bling (and resale value)....go with the big boys.

www.harrisleather.com

The make custom headstalls too. My boys would never fit into anything that wasn't;)

[Coreene]

a silver-mounted Garcia snaffle made with his brand on the center concho that is to die for gorgeousOh you are such a bad influence sometimes ... that's why I love you. :cool:

All this stuff is so gorgeous. I mean, seriously, seriously gorgeous. LOVE IT. In an ideal world, I would have a total bling-bling browband headstall - silver bling-bling - with the abovementioned bling-bling bit and some total blingin' reins. That would be the snaffle. Then, of course, the two ear headstall with a pimp-a-rama curb bit and pimped romal reins.

Please point out if the curb thing had incorrect components. Wattie can attest to the fact that "dohickey thingie" is the oft-used phrase when I have no idea what I am talking about. Which, with the western persuasion, is all the time.

Here is a photo of Oliver in my saddle, looking very put out, and Oliver with his trainer in his dressage bridle and trainer's Blue Ribbon work saddle. Because it's always important to have a trainer whose work saddles cost even more than the horse did. :lol:

Edited to say that yes, he does have a short-for-the-US dressage tail. I like 'em shorter.

[findeight]

Oh where oh where oh were can I get a nice bling-bling western headstall (note I remembered to say "headstall" and not "bridle") in WB size? And if I could get some fabbo Pimpmobile reins to go with it, oh my. :yes:


Broken Horn can easily modify one for you or make it up custom. you can even pick the leather finish, silver pattern and color of that (dumb) horsehair tassel they all seem to like hanging off the dropped vee shaped browbands.

Obviously, you need to do something about that snaffle...too plain. They can weld "hubcap" sized conchos over it;).

Reins..well, silly, Luis Ortega rommel with double ferrules (sp? haven't used those words in years). Is there anything else? Ought to only run you 5 grand or so, for the reins anyway.

Honestly, when I switched to Hunters, friends were amazed I went right to the good stuff and dropped 450 on a bridle (in 1995). I just smiled and said it included the reins...little do they know what that bling can cost on a somewhat more economically priced QH. You make up for the difference in horse price with the tack:lol:. That does NOT include reins.

Oh, dammit, we forgot the custom made "navajo" with leather tooled trim matching the saddle in colors that match your outfit. One must blend after all.

[monstrpony]

Uh, let me know when you find the Ortegas for a mere $5K ...

[Chester's Mom]

Here is a photo of Oliver in my saddle, looking very put out, and Oliver with his trainer in his dressage bridle and trainer's Blue Ribbon work saddle. Because it's always important to have a trainer whose work saddles cost even more than the horse did. :lol:

Edited to say that yes, he does have a short-for-the-US dressage tail. I like 'em shorter.


I must say Coreene, Oliver looks SMASHING! Once he has bling-bling we'll need more photos!!

[Plumcreek]

Hmmnn. My nice headstall is a Blue Ribbon. I don't remember how or why, but it has a browband with 'cowhorse futurity' knot and silver tipped ends, and throat latch running through the browband loops. It also came with a sliding ear piece, and I had a matching one made when the style changed to two. So basically I have two bridles in one - convertable. It is an 'unstyle' basic style with silver that is timeless - good thing with me.

I agree that an engraved silver, offset Dee snaffle with sweet iron mouth is a must.

[FancyFree]

Oliver looks fabulous! The trainer is not bad either. :cool: