Gift for friend losing horse

[piebaldproblems]

My friend’s mare is getting put to sleep soon. A few of us at the yard were thinking of giving her a memento of her mare for her birthday in August.

We’ve come up with a few different ideas and would be keen to hear what people’s think:
- Bracelet with mare’s hair (except she rarely wears jewellery)
- Painting of the mare (any recommendations for an artist who does fantasy style horse artwork, not realistic portraits?)
- A framed photo of the mare (but we don’t have any good ones)
- A custom model horse or felt horse to look like her mare (again, any recommendations? Would this be too kitschy?)

We’re torn between getting something portable that she can take with her wherever she goes or something big to show how much we care about her. She will be leaving the horse world after her mare goes.

 

[Spotherisk]

Be sneaky and ask her if she’s considering any momentous herself.

 

[Burnttoast]

There are lots of things you can have made with tail hair. I had keyrings made from some hair I'd kept for years that was too short for a bracelet.

I took some photos of my friend's horse on the day he was pts (she did ask me to!) and after some time had passed I had a pencil drawing done from one of them.

 

[Snow Falcon]

My friend had a locket using my pony's mane hair made for me.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I suggest going and getting some pf rhe mares tail, take it from the inside, she wouldnt have a clue!! And what an absolute lovely surprise.

Also another thing you can so with hair is get it put into gems for a ring or necklace or bracelet which might be more hard wearing

 

[gryff]

The "In the Wired Wood" models are, to me, the most beautiful mementos ever. I'm not sure what your budget is. They are on Facebook and just the most gorgeous things ever.

 

[Gloi]

Try and get some nice pictures this week so you can have one printed if need be.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

We opted for a portrait as my friends horse was only 7 when he was pts it was such a shock to her she lost alot of her hair was really sad.

I did a collection round the yard and I got Katy Ferrari to paint him she did an amazing job and we gave it to my friend on mother's day, there were many tears that day but she absolutely loved it.

 

[nikicb]

I suggest going and getting some pf rhe mares tail, take it from the inside, she wouldnt have a clue!! And what an absolute lovely surprise.

Also another thing you can so with hair is get it put into gems for a ring or necklace or bracelet which might be more hard wearing

I'm sorry, but I would be really upset if I found out someone had taken a pair of scissors to my horse's tail, even if it was done for something like this.

OP, you could get her a voucher for one of the companies that does such items if you think that is something she would like, but give it to her in advance so she can arrange to collect some hair for herself. I still haven't sorted out anything with the hair I collected from my mare I lost back in 2020. I keep trying to decide - it's a really personal thing. One of the facebook pages I am currently following is https://www.facebook.com/PrusShoes There are lots of lovely ideas on there. I hope the mare goes peacefully, and your friend finds comfort in whatever you choose. xx

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I'm sorry, but I would be really upset if I found out someone had taken a pair of scissors to my horse's tail, even if it was done for something like this.

OP, you could get her a voucher for one of the companies that does such items if you think that is something she would like, but give it to her in advance so she can arrange to collect some hair for herself. I still haven't sorted out anything with the hair I collected from my mare I lost back in 2020. I keep trying to decide - it's a really personal thing. One of the facebook pages I am currently following is https://www.facebook.com/PrusShoes There are lots of lovely ideas on there. I hope the mare goes peacefully, and your friend finds comfort in whatever you choose. xx

I've still got mane and tail from both of my mares I lost, I plaited quite a large section of tail and they are still neatly stored in an envelope I sill don't know what to do with them not decided and they died years ago.

 

[AutumnDays]

When I lost my mare, my friends at the yard had a bracelet made out of her tail hair for me. I hang it on the edge of a framed portrait my mum had done. I don't wear jewellery, but I really like having that little piece of her to still be able to touch. Another option is you can have some hair put into a bead to go onto those bracelets, or necklace or key ring etc. I had that done for a friend when her and horse hit milestone birthdays in the same year.
(Edited to make sense)

 

[meesha]

I would ask her if thinking of getting bracelet done with horse hair ... Having something like that isn't for everyone, having lost 2 horses I didn't keep any mane or tail. It's not something that Id like either tbh !! Memories, a nice painting, framed photo etc would be more my bag ....

Lovely of you all to think of her !!

 

[Barton Bounty]

I'm sorry, but I would be really upset if I found out someone had taken a pair of scissors to my horse's tail, even if it was done for something like this.

OP, you could get her a voucher for one of the companies that does such items if you think that is something she would like, but give it to her in advance so she can arrange to collect some hair for herself. I still haven't sorted out anything with the hair I collected from my mare I lost back in 2020. I keep trying to decide - it's a really personal thing. One of the facebook pages I am currently following is https://www.facebook.com/PrusShoes There are lots of lovely ideas on there. I hope the mare goes peacefully, and your friend finds comfort in whatever you choose. xx

Its not like your hacking it off .. jesus christ

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Perhaps you should ask her about mementos first. I would be fairly shattered if someone surprised me with that sort of thing. I don’t like to be reminded of grief when I’m not prepared for it.

I have a charcoal sketch of Lady Gascoyne but it was done when she was alive rather than in memory of her, and isn’t too distinctive.



I’m ok with that. I like it as an art piece rather than a memory, and I think it’s discreet enough not to bring me back to that feeling of losing her. Maybe that’s something to consider for your friend.

 

[nikicb]

Its not like your hacking it off .. jesus christ

I didn't say it was. I just wanted to point out that I would be really upset if someone took some of my horse's hair without asking me. It's just something that the OP might want to bear in mind, as I am sure I am not the only person in the world to feel this way.

 

[Burnttoast]

Perhaps you should ask her about mementos first. I would be fairly shattered if someone surprised me with that sort of thing. I don’t like to be reminded of grief when I’m not prepared for it.

I have a charcoal sketch of Lady Gascoyne but it was done when she was alive rather than in memory of her, and isn’t too distinctive.

View attachment 116556

I’m ok with that. I like it as an art piece rather than a memory, and I think it’s discreet enough not to bring me back to that feeling of losing her. Maybe that’s something to consider for your friend.

That's exquisite!

 

[Jenko109]

Not read replies but Pru's Shoes does resin I believe and you could get the mares tail hair set into a paperweight or similar.

 

[Tiddlypom]

A lovely portrait would be my suggestion.

A hard no to removing any mane or tail hair from the horse, dead or alive, without the owner's knowledge . I would be completely upset and disgusted to be presented with such a keep sake.

Owners can choose to have horse hair mementoes if that's their thing, but it's not something to spring on a grieving owner.

 

[asmp]

Sorry but something made out of my horse’s hair wouldn’t be for me. It’s like the Victorian lockets with bits of dead people’s hair.

A nice photo would be my preference.

 

[nikicb]

I thought of another idea OP - how about a voucher for a photoshoot for your friend and her mare? It might be quite an emotional day, but it could provide lovely memories.

 

[ApolloStorm]

I don’t know if any companies specifically but my farrier made a heart out of a pony’s shoe for a lady on my yard when the pony passed - and someone else I know makes a wire outline of a horse with the hair enclosed in the outline as mane/tail.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I didn't say it was. I just wanted to point out that I would be really upset if someone took some of my horse's hair without asking me. It's just something that the OP might want to bear in mind, as I am sure I am not the only person in the world to feel this way.

It was a suggestion to the OP, not to yourself

 

[nikicb]

It was a suggestion to the OP, not to yourself

Absolutely, it was, and I wanted to let the OP know to bear in mind that it might not go down well. At least I know now that I am not the only person to think this way.

 

[SadKen]

My friends at the yard got me a lovely felt version of my mare when I had her PTS. I cried but I do treasure it. I also had a bead made for a charm bracelet which has a single strand of tail hair wound around the inside. It’s very subtle and the charm is blue with sparkles and has forget me not flowers in it. I have other beads for my dogs, still living, but it was my choice and memento jewellery isn’t everyone’s thing. That’s why I have live animals represented too.

 

[Snow Falcon]

Well, I appreciated the sentiment from my friend. I love that I have him close to my heart. I have several bags of hair/fur from ones I have lost. The amount of hair needed for a locket you wouldn't notice.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

I left the horse world after I had my horse PTS, I still have his tail hair but haven't had it made into anything - I think the fact the exit was rather sour hasn't helped.

Also with a bracelet, they are lovely but I'd never wear it because I'd be too scared of losing it

I agree with the poster above, in the wild wood sculptures are GORGEOUS but were well out of my budget

I'm not sure of your friends taste but Welly Kim makes little stand up material horses to look like yours, you can add tack/ a special rug etc as extras, and the pricing is much more accessible

How about getting some lovely pictures of her mare that you could perhaps give her so she can frame them when she's ready to? You could just have them printed and put in a card? OH took some lovely photos of me with my boy in the week before he was PTS and I've had some framed. You could frame one and wrap it for her, or if you think it'll be easier for her just pop them in a nice wallet for her to go through and put up when she's ready

A portrait would be stunning, it just depends on your budget - also does she have anything like that already?

I think you can get charms with a piece of hair in, if she has a chamilla or pandora charm bracelet. I'm not sure how much etc. you'd only need a couple of small strands I think (I'd always have a couple of others as extras in case the post gets lost!)

 

[Barton Bounty]

Absolutely, it was, and I wanted to let the OP know to bear in mind that it might not go down well. At least I know now that I am not the only person to think this way.

No, Im quite sure there will be plenty along to like your post

 

[Barton Bounty]

Well, I appreciated the sentiment from my friend. I love that I have him close to my heart. I have several bags of hair/fur from ones I have lost. The amount of hair needed for a locket you wouldn't notice.

Precisely, I wasnt meaning a Number 1 baldy

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I got friend the tree of life. Its a tree made in a stirrup using the horses tail hair as the trunk and for the beads to be slipped over. It was lovely.

 

[Lurfy]

It really depends on the owners personal preferences. For me a nice bunch of flowers was much appreciated when one of my horses was pts.