Saturday, July 24, 2010

Makin' Big Horses for the Richland Park Horse Trials

I made horse heads yesterday! The heads are one of the more complicated elements of the pieces I am making specifically for my favorite event of the year,  The Richland Park Horse Trials.
I'll be manning the forge and displaying my work while reveling in the beauty of over 500 acres of Michigan farmland dotted with fantastically talented horses and riders doing their thing with skill and grace.
I'm making big horses specifically for this event.  They are freestanding, (around 20-21 hands!) and made from 9/16" corten roundstock. I'll display these and some of my other work as well as make some coal smoke, hammer away on a few things and tell some jokes. Last year, I even got to learn a few things from a farrier or two and loved swapping stories and tales from the world of hot metal. The event is open to the public, with a small fee for parking. Proceeds to benefit the Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center, in Augusta, Michigan. Whether you're an avid horse lover or not, you'll really enjoy your time at the event. Its quite spectacular.
Learn more about The Richland Park Horse Trials: http://www.richlandpark.com/index.html

Learn more about Eventing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eventing