My "Travis" doll

I finally finished! I have been working on my "Travis" doll to use in my therapeutic riding set-ups and he is finally done. Now I need to wonder again, why do youth dolls have such big boobs? The one I used was a very small child and the boobs were adult sized! That is part of the reason finishing has taken so long, I just didn't feel like getting out the dremmel and sanding bits of dolls. This morning I had several dolls that needed to be altered so it was the time. So after I dremmeled the boobs off the little doll I wrapped the chest with flesh colored medical tape (there were some small holes where the boobs used to be) and then I finished dressing him. The clothes and head have been ready for awhile. I cheated and used cut down Breyer hunt seat boots. But they actually look pretty good I think. I got some quick in front of the microwave photos but sooner or later I will get some with the doll in the set-up. But I don't want to get out the proper gear, the other dolls for leader and sidewalker...later. The doll didn't need to be the most perfect rider as most judges don't expect the therapeutic riders to be all that good. But he rides pretty nicely just like the real Travis. He also has breeches, short boots and no garter straps, just like the real Travis, lol. So I am looking forward to my next show when I can send him out in the world and see how he does.

The doll has a few differences of course. I needed to make a long sleeved shirt to hide the arm surgery that was necessary. But I like how the doll came out. Though I just realized I need to make a show number. That shouldn't take long. And then he will be all set for the shows!

There was a question asked in the Model Horse Performance magazine about what to use a Yummi resin for for performance and someone suggested as a therepeutic riding horse. It went on to say that you could do several classes that way. I wonder if I should try putting therapeutic trail in a trail class. Pleasure in a pleasure class. I could do just plain therapeutic riding as a lesson (though the show number would have to come off). I don't know if that would work out well. I have a good collection of reference now, lol. Any comments or thoughts are welcome.

More riding photos and a new camera flash

Today Travis went to riding. It was a very nice day. Not too hot, not too cold, he listened and used his words. A very nice day. It was also the second time Travis has ridden the new horse, Scooby. Scooby is very big compared to all the other horses in the barn. Not to mention he is only mostly bomb proof. But Travis is good on him and I make sure to tell him that he needs to ride quietly on Scooby. Even laying down Travis is Taller than all the other kids! This was also the most crowded lesson he has ever had with 4 riders in the ring.

I was happy to get some photos of Travis on Scooby but I also wanted to test out my new camera flash. I actually bought it because I am doing the wedding photos for a friends' sister. She is reportedly not a super picky person but I know that wedding photos are important. I wanted to make sure the indoor photos were visible and not all blurry. The outside photos came out really well and I think the flash "filler" made for some nicer shots. I did comparison shooting to check it out (*note* the original photos are much nicer... I wonder what happened when I loaded them).

This shot is multi-purpose. It may end up being a new reference shot for my therapeutic riding scene for live showing (it shows the proper head gear set-up for the horses) but I was also impressed with how well my zoom works. This shot was from at least 20 yards away!

This is Kitty. She is a nice horse though is sometimes full of nautiness and mare attitude. Right now she is on vacation because she recently had some surgery on her leg. She was my indoor test for the new flash. I think it looks pretty nice actually. I took some photos without the flash of her and they are dark, blurry and aweful. You can tell a flash was used for this but I don't think it's horrible. I am more confident now that I will be able to get decent photos at the wedding. *phew*

This was my favorite shot of the day I think. Travis looks so relaxed and happy and Anna looks like she is enjoying the moment as well. I may have to crop it down at some point to have them as the focus. Hmm, let's see...

...aww! Now if only I knew how to clean up the image a little bit more. This is like a great poster for therapeutic riding. The outside of a horse really is good for the inside of a man...even if he is a little boy.

I need to name some horses a*k*a trading is fun!

I have been happily adding to my painted resin collection over the past couple of months. A lot of it was done by trading unpainted resins (I had so many I could "spend" them like money) for paintwork and whole horses. I also got a super bargain on one which was exciting. But now my dilemma is names.
This great Hazel model sculpted by Morgen Kilbourn (and acquired through a trade with Morgen) was recently painted by Jill Ennis of Ennis Performance models. I traded a couple of unpainted pieces for the paint work and am very pleased with the trade. Very nice work for a very reasonable price. But Hazel needs a breed assigned and a name. I am not sure what breed would fit her best. I am sure some sort of warmblood but what? I will take any suggestions for breed or name. (photo by Jill Ennis) This next horse is a lovely Ravishing Ronald sculpted by Kitty Cantrell and painted by Nicole Sohn of Germany. I got him through a very fun trade with Melanie Knuettel (also of Germany). He was "paid" for with a couple of unpainted horses as well. Melanie already assigned a breed for him and was showing him as a Georgian Grande which is a saddlebred, friesian/draft cross. She also sent wonderful documentation of the breed along with him and I think it is very fitting. I asked Elecktra what I should name him and she said General something and I asked my son what the name was and he said Kitty (it looks like one of the horses at the therapeutic riding barn. Her name is Kitty Hawk) so he ended up being named General Kitty Hawk and then I was amused because THEN I remembered he was sculpted by Kitty Cantrell. So we all think it's a good name. *phew* one down... (photo by Melanie Knuettel)

This last horse is not in-hand yet but will be here in a few days. It is a lovely Matriarch sculpted by Carol Williams and painted by my good friend, Joan Yount. I have wanted a Matriarch for a long time. I love Carol's work and already have a Knightly Cadence, a Victrix out for painting and an unpainted Still Dreamin resin waiting for me to want to prep. Matriarch has been on every want list I ever wrote up. So when Joan said she was selling her and told me the price I jumped at the chance to buy her. She is lovely in photos and I can't wait to see her in person. I am pretty sure I will show her as a paint horse but I am not sure on a name. I started to think on the "Sheza" names and am sort of thinking of Sheza Weekend Princess but I don't know if I like it. Again, any suggestions will be welcome. (photo by Joan Yount)

So 3 new painted resins for my collection as well as new tack coming in. I got my wonderful English set from Jennifer buxton (lovely trade) a very respectable set of English tack from Anna Suna of Latvia (more trading...) and am in the process of working out a trade for yet more English tack from Lauren Islip. I can't remember where Lauren is from, lol. I think I should probably stop acquiring English tack for a little bit. This last set will bring me up to 4 complete sets. I also have 2 other English saddles of lesser quality (one that I made). I only have 2 nice western sets. Maybe I should see if I can get more western tack, lol. I have a lovely Pam Perkins set (that I got in trade from a friend) maybe I need to work on getting another Pam Perkins set.

So I am a happy trader recently and not very good at coming up with names. After all this fun I was also inspired to really buckle down and try to document my collection with values. Collector's insurance is probably in my future.

July dolls so far

Quite a lot of July has been horribly hot so far. And we don't have AC. I have been spending time trying to find ways to stay cool. So not a whole lot has been getting done so far this month. But something had to get done eventually, I have bills to pay and trades to complete. So here are a few dolls that have come out of the studio this month.

First is this casual cowgirl. She's pretty but there is no bling so she wasn't overly taxing (and tiny crystals stick to everything in the humidity).

With her in the same order was this little youth doll. She is wearing half chaps (easier to see in person or different photos) not ugly boots. I was told that pony club rules state half chaps must be grain-out. You learn something new every day. I think these two dolls are off to compete in the Breyerfest open show.

Next was this casual English rider doll for Jennifer. We were working out our trade for awhile and I am happy to have her dolls finished. I always feel bad when I owe people work- especially when I already have their end of the trade (the lovely saddle this doll is riding on was my trade set)

The other part of this tack/doll trade was this judge. He also has a western hat and a little clipboard and pencil (not shown). I think judges are wonderful dolls and can really add a lot to your set-ups.

So I have not been taxing myself much with doll work but the kids are out of school which makes things a bit harder as well. I am thinking about making a cowboy today or at least getting him started. Then there are a bunch of English dolls in my future. Hopefully I can get them done soon. I also have a "Travis" doll in the works for myself. He's coming along nicely I think ☺