Haystring braiding

[paintponylvr]

I was asked to post some pics of "a" braided harness I've made. Actually I now have 3 of these - 1 is still not complete, but it might get there eventually!

I've braided off and on all of my life since I was between the ages of 5-10. Some of the things braided were of course my stick horse's mane, my own (I actually suck at doing that!) or friends' hair, different projects with different materials, my daughters' hair and now my granddaughters' hair PLUS different braids on the ponies manes and tails. I'd paid someone else to do braided leather work (sure didn't think the "average" teenager could do it) - so that I could give my mom a hand braided headstall, romel reins, riata and hobbles that all matched - made out of good leather and died black and meant for her cremello mare - one Christmas. Little did I know that would become a base for wanting to braid my own gear (sometimes) about 30 years later!

I'm still "perfecting" the "art" I guess. Lately, I simply haven't had the time to do much braiding - so only braid what I need mostly out of necessity right now type projects.

I don't remember what year I ordered my first set of paracord. I didn't want to do the "traditional" paracord stuff (the soldier type bracelets and such). I was bound and determined to make something that would last that the ponies could safely wear to identify them. Collars are what I decided on. While waiting for the first paracord to arrive, I practiced techniques with haystring - I had enough of the stuff laying about!

Then I decided I just had to try some of the other projects in the book that I got (directions for some of the horse type projects). Got the paracord and did a headstall out of it - DID NOT like it - especially for the ponies. So Hay string became what I used and I perfected designs I liked. Then... Hmmm, can't afford "proper" harness - why not just make my own while i put the $$ together for what I want/need?

Here is a rather good shot of the "harness". I made headstall (w/ throat latch and browband) - flat braid, the driving lines - MCR purchased from a local rock climbing shop, the breast collar with rings and the traces are a flat braid; the breeching, hip straps, back strap are all a flat braid and the crupper is a flat to round to flat braid.

Here's a close up of some of the parts - I also used recycled hardware - so some isn't "pretty" anymore but it does work! These two harnesses were made between Christmas 2009 and March 2010...

One of the headstalls - probably 3rd type of design (?). This one was completed in July 2010 and yes that is recycled haystring from some of Vicki's round bales. Have no idea where her hay supplier was getting that red/white string - when she and I went looking for some - we couldn't find it in the Ag stores or on line... We are probably calling it by the wrong name.

 

[amysue]

Paula, those pieces are amazing! You have brought the concept of "upcycling" to a whole new level.

 

[lkblazin]

Thats incredible!!! And to think i throw most of mine away

 

[sundancer]

That is a great idea!! So creative and functional!

Julie

Victory Pass Stable

Maine

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Brilliant Paula !!! They look fantastic

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

I remember you posting this before and i admired them soo much. I get so annoyed at the hay strings hanging about, and my dad usualy just leaves them lying around to i trip on them, they get put in haynets, they look messy and clog up my tools..ahhh!! haha

 

[paintponylvr]

Here's a pic showing the girth and wrap strap I made. It doesn't show very well, sorry. The canvas one with the surcingle had died 2 days previous to this. I figured out how to "split" the ends - it has 2 buckles on each side to work with the mini sized surcingle.

Yes, the breast collar in this pic is sitting too high. Had the wrong one on the wrong pony. Don't know if we ever fixed it during this driving/picture session... Think we "just made it work"...

Here is a pic of the girls learning to drive as a pair - with two separate pleasure harnesses. Bell and Bit before I purchased a double tree. We are going to be pulling a chain link drag w/ the pair w/ 2 different sized single trees. The girls were pretty good sports considering the "night mare" this was. Also, I'd just finished the pair driving lines. Woof - I think there has to be an algebraic expression for how to get the measurements right for that!!

Much fewer headaches to BUY them already set up correctly, let me be the first to tell you! Though, I do/can still use them, LOL.

Better set up to pull the draft horse stone boat at a draft horse event. This is Oct 2010. In March 2011, I was able to get a "proper" bio-thane work harness with painted (now know - YECK - prefer completely stainless steel but woof $$) hames and work collars.

So back to using the harness in parts on various ponies for training!

Jan 2013

March 2013

 

[paintponylvr]

Rocklone -

I could probably get pretty creative with the "short" strings from small hay bales. Splicing doesn't work so well - bulky and weak at the splice for harness type "stuff". I braid the short ones now in mostly 4 strand round braids and use them as "ties" or straps for lots of different things! To include tie downs in my truck bed, ties at each feed bucket for each pony, Cross ties if can use them short, trailer ties (I keep about 10 hanging in my trailer at a time), bucket ties (doesn't break like snaps do, but usually have to cut them to get them untied), collars when i didn't have time to make the flat strand collars I prefer, the ropes that tie the top and bottom of the 16' panels around a hay bale.

This shows the feed tie with a different style hay string collar. The blue & white is recycled in that a friend found a bucket of the stuff behind her shed when she cleared that area to make a paddock. Who knows how long it was out there. The snap below will break before the braided ends will.

Another type of collar and tie. Star wore that collar for years. No hardware on it! The first few years, that wonky conglomeration up by her ear could be untied and collar removed while she was ridden, driven or pics taken. When I sold her, I didn't even try to untie it - I popped my knife out and just cut it when I delivered her to her new owner.

**********

When I first started braiding, I didn't have this many ponies and I often cleaned and rolled the string (from the round bales) up into "tamales" while I waited for the ponies to finish eating after I fed them.

I had what I call a cowboy gate before I could afford the $300 for the 2 separate gates that eventually went up in that spot. It lasted several years before ponies realized it wasn't "HOT", then I got creative with "blocks" and that worked for a while, too. Finally got the gates purchased - but the "cowboy gate" worked a treat for quite some time!

It was 5 strands of braided "rope" strung from a solid post to a pvc pipe (tied thru holes in the pipe to be a set distances and not slide up/down). The end of the pvc pipe got put down into a ring of wire that held it in position, the top was tilted forward to tighten the gate and then a wire loop was dropped over the top of the pvc pipe and the post to hold the gate shut. This was done with short haystring in a double 3 strand braid (flat) and the strings were spliced in different areas to maintain strength.

I can't find any pics of the cowboy gate...

But here is a pseudo close up of a fence line with braided string as the "wire". The white down in the right hand bottom corner is hot.

This photo looks pretty "trashy"...but it did work for quite a long time. Until we started having problems with the "ground" and then not having that white wire/rope hot. That was when this became a panel fence line with a gate.

 

[paintponylvr]

If I was still actually riding, I'd like to make my own western girths from Alpaca hair (have several suppliers w/i 50 miles of us).

The book/patterns I started out with are on this website... not sure if I can post? though? U braid it dot com. If you go to their gallery of pics - they have different projects displayed by themselves and customers - in paracord, leather and mohair... BEAUTIFUL but I will always love my haystring braiding!!

 

[paintponylvr]

I don't have pics of the buckle cruppers but here are two pics of the first slightly adjustable crupper I made - it's looped to prevent the long end from flapping. It was sized from a hackney pony back strap/crupper and it's too long for most of our ponies.

the balancing side reins, too long for this girl but work great on our larger shetlands.

That's pretty much it for all the different projects.

 

[chandab]

I don't have pics of the buckle cruppers but here are two pics of the first slightly adjustable crupper I made - it's looped to prevent the long end from flapping. It was sized from a hackney pony back strap/crupper and it's too long for most of our ponies.

The plastic tubing over the crupper braid is brilliant. [Looks like oversized fish tank air hose.]

 

[paintponylvr]

Close! it's actually from the electrical wiring section of Lowe's/Home Depot.

I learned the hard way to put it on before I closed a solid loop like that or to do it before putting the 2nd buckle on one...

 

[paintponylvr]

Another use for the hay string - and the latest project?

I started crocheting. I last crocheted with yarn as a pre-teen in the late 70's. When my hubby started crocheting a couple of years ago, I played w/ some yarn for a little bit, but just couldn't get into it - at all.

Now... Simplest pattern - a basic rectangle crocheted by a chain and then single crochet stitches to the length of your foot. Then the end that started the work (the chain) becomes a puckered toe and the other end becomes a basic heel and it's stitched together - 2 seams! Now if I can just get my newly learned crochet skills to become more even while working with an unwieldy material such as hay string!

The granddaughters love them already - had a hard time getting them to take them off. The youngest granddaughter's ended up being done first - simply because when I got done with the crocheting, it wasn't long enough to fit the older one's foot. The weave is much tighter in these two - though I felt it was much more uneven... I need to undo the top of the one foot and make it open in more of a "v" like the 2nd one. That will allow her to put it on herself.

Made the 2nd set a slightly larger stitch (or so I thought)... and did the original chain a bit longer. The two "panels" ended up being roughly the same size, but when I made them into the slippers, the one is significantly larger than the other. The fit is better on the smaller one and the larger one looks like an "elf shoe"... Gracie didn't care - she was running around the house in her new little "gramma shoooz" as she called them...

When haystring is crocheted this way, there is much less stretch and give (not nearly as much as with yarn). However, for the bottom of the foot it is very cushion-y. I'm now making a pair for myself. The next goal is to make them with a more advanced pattern - that requires both row and stitch counting to make a tapered toe. We shall see how that goes. I also have a different pattern that will come out with a very different appearance - but I will have to adjust the pattern for the girls (much smaller) since the tutorial I have is for adults.

I can also use the hay string as a 2nd braided, or crocheted sole and then can use silicone to make it more solid/waterproof on the bottom - to wear in wet conditions??

 

[Mona]

I have seen pot scrubbers for non-stick pans crocheted with bailer string also! They are round, double-sided sort of hollow if you know what I mean.

 

[Jill]

Oh my gosh!!! I love, love, love what you're doing!!!! So pretty and such talent

 

[paintponylvr]

I never realized how many different shades of orange haystring comes in,

Mona - I actually have a rectangular plastic "loom" (think "Knifty Knitter" which was the original name but they are out of business now) made by Boye from Hobby Lobby. I have done a couple of different stitches to make rectangular panels (dishcloth pattern) and they make excellant, double layer scrubbers. I now have one hanging near every water tank or tub and also one in each grooming bucket. They work GREAT for removing the winter hair right now - especially from heads and legs. The great thing? I'm not replacing all my rubber curry combs this year. Welllll.... maybe a couple.

I've also made a longer, larger panel into tubes to hold the plastic, ever present wal-mart bags for doggie pick up and out in the barn for what ever trash bag uses they need to be used for.

I started really looking at this "stuff" after purchasing a couple of cotton yarn dishcloths (in pretty colors) and a flat, round nylon scrubby crocheted from the nylon tulle material.

Jill - I didn't think pretty, at first. Though I DO really like some of the yarn creations I've seen (may graduate to yarn later, but for now, like using the haystring). But I certainly thought practical with how many of those "cheapie" gel shoes (that aren't so "cheap" anymore and smell really bad!) that our daughter can't keep her kids in - they either rip out the toe plug on the flip flop types and they outgrow the "boat type" too, too quick... But I was tickled with the look AND the fact that they think they are sooo cool. I was TICKLED, can't begin to say how much.

I mentioned a belt for them - their pants are always too large in the waist as they are sooo tiny w/ such long legs (like their mother was). Well, I will braid quick every day belts from the orange haystring here pretty soon (need to pick up buckles) and then will braid each of them a cute one out of paracord in their favored colors that will hold children's' size western belt buckles.

THANK YOU, both!!

 

[Mona]

WOW, I have to say, I am surprised they work so well for getting hair out.

If that's the case, and they are sort of rough to the horses, I bet you could also do up a big long rectangular panel to wrap around a couple of posts out in the pasture to allow the horses to scratch themselves on it. I bet they's love that!

 

[paintponylvr]

Well, kinda already been "thunkin" on that one... but like Chanda, I have a hard time doing single large projects and so far, my work hasn't become consistent enough to easily join pieces end to end to do something like that.

Getting ready to somewhat stop the projects as I get going on other things outside that are needed...

HMMMMM... I wonder about wrapping a "cow tube" that is draped between two posts with insecticide on it and letting the ponies both groom and fly spray themselves!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I've been doing a little on the loom and think it might work to make a scrubbie or two. My recent bales have all had wire, though, so I'll have to get some string somewhere.

 

[paintponylvr]

TSC and Ag stores carry new haystring for balers. Not sure what is carried in your area, you'd have to check. Really in-expensive for a whole lot of it! Many different types and in different areas. You'd have to check to see the thickness of it, too.

For me, the string around the small square bales is too thick and too short (from the bales - not from the box from a store) for most projects. It's amazing the differences in the "types" and I guess 'gauges' (thickness) of haystring as I truly never noticed before or knew. The thicker haystring, believe it or not, has less stretch for looming projects while looming, but more stretch when removed from it after project done. Since I haven't worked this in yarn, I don't know if it's the same...