The Art of Natural Dressage

I just found the most beautiful cordeo ever!!!

After the AND-clinic I was browsing through Josepha's shop, inspecting her great new set of cordeo's, and then I went to the tiny regular bridle section to look at the Spanish browbands and other nice stuff. And while I was looking through that, I saw the glimpse of a rein behind it.

So of course I dragged it out, and it turned out to be this great dark chocolate brown, extremely elegant, slim leather rein with double baroque silver(ish ) clasps on both sides where the bit should go. Of course no bit here: instead I asked Josepha to shorten the rein into a shetland-sized cordeo, and then add a metal ring in between the clasps of the bit to clip a leadrope in.

It's bee-you-tee-ful, exactly what I was looking for, so nice and slim for shetland size, and also made from very supple leather. About a quarter of the participants saw the rein too and 100% agreed with me, so it's not just a question of taste - it really is beautiful. And of course I'm going to place pics of it over here. So I'm just going to continue to dream of it for a few weeks and wait for it to come. Sigh... We'll finally have a nice cordeo!

it was indeed beautiful just wondering how much it's going to cost you in the end with all those modifications you are really addicted :p

Well, it's my first real cordeo! The other one is just a muddy old rein - it also works and it is really supple too, but not that nive to look at.

The rein itself cost 29 euros, plus 11 euros for the modifications, which isn't that cheap (actually I could buy one Blacky for the prize of two of those cordeos, but they are cheaper in the maintainance ). But it was exactly what I had in mind without knowing it was in my mind, and I have been thinking about a nice cordeo for three months now, so I decided I could treat myself with one. And I'm having my birthday this month!

well, he really is beautiful I'll be waiting for the pictures

Have you pictures???

Please hurry with the pictures

Yes, I want to hurry, but the rein (it still is now a rein, but actually it's a wonderful thought to transform a rein into a cordeo ) still is with Josepha, and only wednesday the lady who makes her tack will come by to fetch it. However, maybe

I can bribe Ralph into taking some pictures of it? As well as Josepha's own cordeo, which also is baroque and really nice to see.

Let's see, what can we bribe Ralph with, heheheh....

I just went to a tack sale on Saturday. I only had ten dollars in my pocket. I searched around the sale (people have tables set up and they sell new and used tack) and found a nice, well worn, and soft english rein with the buckle ends. Normally I owuld cut the ends off (at least one of them) and use a chicago screw to then attach the cut end to the ring. But this time, I had the same thought. I will cut it in the center, shave each cut end down until they overlap but are no thicker together than the rest of the rein, and then stitch it together. Then I will lave the two buckle ends to attach to a ring.

I love using old reins. That is normally what I do. The times I have made one from a new rein, it takes so long for them to soften and become supple.

And I love the idea of giving a new and more appropriate life to a rein that for many years was attached to a bit. Now it will have a higher purpose and more honorable life!

Indeed, very true.

Putting the ring between the two buckles isn't really that useful (because you can't shorten the cordeo with it that much), but it is very pretty and symmetrical.

The main reason why I fell for this rein at Josepha's, was because it was so slim (most horse reins are quite broad) and because it already was so soft and supple. Especially because our pony's are so small, I think that that's very important, because the cordeo has to make tight bends to follow their small necks. If it is stiff, it will act more like a ring, instead of a smooth leather band.

I do the same as you, but instead of shaving the cuts in the middle and stiching them together, I've asked to put another buckle (a regular, small one) over there so that I can make it smaller. Sjors has less neck and withers than Blacky, and because shetlands are so small that means that if a cordeo is a tiny bit too wide, it's already hanging in front of the knees. So I'll ask to make the entire cordeo-length Blacky-sized, and then will be able to shorten it a couple of centimeters for Sjors.

Great you have found your cordeo
I am also happy with the ones I found and I am going to try to braid one myself soon......I want a black an red braided cordeo because I think it would look very lovely on Timber

I am anxious to see your pictures of the ponys wearing the cordeo

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I don't know if we could see it on the ponies...too much hair!

Tamarack got really fuzzy this winter. I have been telling everyone that I have a 16 hand Shetland Pony

I love your cordeos too... Do you know that I was just lying awake last week for an entire night because I was trying to find the perfect color combinations for a cordeo? That site just has way too much choice...
But then I finally found it: dark brown, red brown, dark blue (azure?) and light blue.

I'd love to see your homemade ones when they are ready, maybe I can place an order then? That is, if I haven't gone off and ordered it already, having 0 stimulus control.

hmmmmm..... a bribe?

what do you suggest then?

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HI EVERYBODY !

Ow, I just found a great one: the dates for the next tricktraining and AND clinics.


And now get those pictures posted soon, because then we can start planning new clinics. I can't wait to do another one!!

Your wish is my command..... oh great one

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HI EVERYBODY !