How to Make a Renaissance Costume for Your Horse
Before you visit your local "renaissance faire" in your favorite costume, remember to also dress up your trusty steed. She will enjoy wearing a costume that is colorful and makes you proud, if you choose materials that are appropriate for your climate and keep in mind what materials and costuming she can wear easily and comfortably. With a few simple steps, you can make either a simple or ornate costume -- also called barding, caparisons or trappings -- that both you and your horse can be proud of when you join the pageantry. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 2 quarter sheets in a bright jewel shade of blue, red, yellow or green
- Sewing machine or sewing kit
- 5 old leather belts or a studded leather bridle
- 4 yards of bright white or silver cloth
- 3 large pieces of card
Instructions
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Choose two quarter sheets or blankets of the same bright color, one for the horse's backend and one for his front. The front sheet will need to fit around or tie under your horse's neck, leaving neck and head bare. You might want to have your horse wear a hood of the same color, so that it appears that the front sheet covers all of his front including head and face, as the knights of the Renaissance dressed their mounts.
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Choose one of the many crest emblems and symbols from the Renaissance era. Choose a very plain, flat image of a hart, lion, dragon or a fleur-di-lis, for instance. Then cut two stencils of this image, one large and one small, out of the card.
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If you want to try jousting, get some training first! Take the large and small stencils of your crest symbol and pin the stencil to your white or silver cloth. Cut four small and four large crests out of the cloth. Sew these onto both sides of your quarter sheets so that they are visible when the horse is wearing the sheet. You might also use a blanket that already has a large animal or fleur-di-lis symbol stitched onto it.
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Create a simpler look by fitting your horse with a breast collar made of studded leather or rich cloth. Decorate four or five old leather belts with studs, then fit them around the horse's breast and rump. You could also sew scalloped edges onto a richly colored cotton or velvet cloth and use these as a breast collar and rump barding, for a medieval pageantry look.
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Create a decorative overgirth by stitching symbols such as a medieval cross or a fleur-di-lis in silver or bright white onto brightly colored fabric. Measure and sew the material to stretch comfortably over the saddle and under the horse's belly. A decorative undergirth can also be made this way, in a color that complements the horse's saddle pad.
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Tips & Warnings
All of these ideas can also easily be found on professional tack and horse costume websites, in case you wish to buy some or all of the costume.
Your best ideas will come from the experts -- the knights themselves, illustrated in medieval and renaissance art found in books and websites.
Be aware of your horse's intolerances -- if she dislikes any extra headcovering for instance, avoid the hooded form of the quarter sheet costume, and choose decoration that hangs further away from her head.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
