HORSES, TACK AND I
(Dejan Kovac's story originally published in Konjska Snaga, Croatian Horse Magazine)

Since I can remember, I am obsessed with horses. I say "obsessed" because word "love" simply is not strong enough when I try to describe my feelings towards those unique creatures. When, as a little boy, someone would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would proudly answer — a wagon driver! At that time, in my area, there were no other forms of horsemanship as there are today who did not want to leave their old friends and exchange them for machinery in performing every day jobs. Since I would watch them as they would go by my house in their wagons — that was the job I wanted.

My story is nothing special, there are thousands of other kids like me, but maybe is less usual that that infinite love for horses grows into a love for horse tack as well. When I enter a tack store, I feel like I'm getting fresh dose of thrill and happiness that will make me live longer. It's strange and I can't even say how it all started. Maybe because it was always easier for me to get a saddle, reins, etc., than a horse; therefore, being surrounded with horse tack I was to some extent substituting being in a company of horses.

Even later when direction in my life took me abroad to United States, and to areas of what is left of "Wild West" where even today there are many horses, it was not meant to be that one of those would be mine.

About six years ago, in one magazine, I came across an advertisement for a book about basic methods of braiding horse tack from colorful parachute cord. This book was written by mother/daughter, Rebecca Albertson and Cybele Geideman, with a goal to keep a traditional way of making horse tack. The only difference between old and new way of manufacture is in the material. They exchanged leather for parachute cord which gives tack an extreme durability and colorfulness with an easiness for cleaning and maintaining. I immediately liked braiding reins, halters, breast collars and other tack, and after few models which I followed from instructions in the book, I moved on to designing my own models which made my work even more interesting. However, I do have one problem fingers can braid, since it is a slow and hard work.

Depending on width and shape of braiding, sometimes I hold up to 16 (yes, sixteen) threads of different cords which I braid in a specific order also watching for tension and strength. To braid from one color is much simpler.At multi color one, you always have to watch for a pattern to come out the same through entire strap. If I put some adornments, which have to be braided in exact intervals...you get an idea how much time and effort is needed in order to braid one. For example, a halter, and also why many ideas (for now) stay only in my head or written down on a piece of paper.

I'm not saying that this is the hardest way of braiding horse tack. Leather lace and horse hair braiding I think is more complicated and much slower (especially horse hair, where in an hour you can braid only couple of inches).

That is how it all started: from love for horses to making a unique handmade horse tack. Don't think I don't know there is machine braided tack, but I can tell you for sure that it does not have such a strength, long duration, and uniqueness as handmade one does.

Today, my wife and I are back in Croatia. We decided to go back and start domestic, Croatian production of horse tack and everything else that goes along with it.

EQUUS is a young company still in development, and among all other offers, we also offer custom braided tack, as well as basic repairs and cleaning of used tack.

Our web site is www.equus-ddk.hr and you can also e-mail us at info@equus-ddk.hr.

Dejan Kovac