Keepsake Ideas

[chunky monkey]

I was thinking recently about what happens when I loose chunky. Hopefully it's a long way off. But seeing a few threads on tail keepsakes it got me thinking. His main and tail have for what ever reason become very thin. Mane is non existent to half way up the neck. His tail hair is thinner and more brittle so it's unlikely I'll get good hair to make a keepsake. I'd like to have something to remember him by, something useful. So the only thing that is part of him is his shoes. I did say that once hes retired I might take him barefoot. Currently hes only shod on the fronts and only has a new set every 12 weeks. The farrier always takes them away but I was thinking of asking him to leave them for me from now on. I would have about 8 by the end of a year. So in 2 years I would have 16. So what could I get made up with them. I know some people use them for a wine rack, but I dont drink so a wine storage rack wouldn't be of use to me. So I need ideas.

 

[MrC]

I have quite a bit planned for keepsakes when I can bring myself to do it all.

I will have a bracelet made and a pendant for a necklace. My friend and her daughter and getting something and my mum and the lady who had him on loan.

The rest of the tail is being plaited with ribbons and glitter and will be mounted in a frame with one of my favourite pictures of Kia and will have pride of place on my living room wall.

I cannot however still bear to hold the tail. I took the whole lot as he didn’t have much to begin with being half appy x

 

[fourlegs]

Boot rack?


I like this -

 

[Jessey]

Our local forge makes horse shoe Christmas trees, I really like them or you could have a door knocker or name/number made for your house. I like the idea of using his shoes

 

[Bodshi]

I like the interlocking hearts that @fourlegs posted. Personally I would find something so in your face and functional as a boot rack too upsetting. I'd need something more private, something that reminded me of the good times together. It would have to be jewellery or something like the interlocking hearts that I could hang in a quiet place in the garden. Just personal preference though. A shoe Christmas tree might be nice as it would be special and cherished each year.

 

[Sparky Lily]

This is one of Harvey’s (17hh ISH) shoes with one of Grace’s (38” Shetland) with tail hair from both. They were best friends in life and she was nose to nose with him when he was pts. Grace is still with us, happily.

 

[Feawen]

I’ve seen resin jewellery with hair set in it - that would work with a small wisp of hair, I think. Resin pendants and charms and similar.

I keep meaning to ask for one of D’s shoes to keep and perhaps have polished.

 

[Skib]

The Victorians kept a dead person's hair in a locket. I own one such. Plaited. I had the chance to take hair from Maisie but never did. I didnt want hair from a dead horse on my body.
Instead, I kept lots of photos of her and have one on my phone all the time. On one of the display screens. Maisie and my share mare are in my social media profile pics too.

 

[OwnedbyChanter]

You actually don’t need that much hair for some of the jewellery. I have a beautiful heart pendant of chanters.

I have two of his shoes that the farrier removed for me on the day. I will get them made in to something I did the the locking hearts on here.

I would recommend getting the hair now and. It waiting.

I actually got chanters neckless made before the day that way i was wearing it when it happened.

Miss the old sod so much

 

[newforest]

This was made from a tiny piece of tail hair.
It's a stock pin and anytime I competed or went hunting, or had a jacket on for any reason it's always in my pocket.

 

[domane]

I had one of Gracie's shoes chromed. It's in a display box on my wall

 

[GaryB]

I haven't got a photo but a friend had a necklace with a glass bead thing on it and they put a piece of hair in it while the glass was liquid so it looks a bit like smoke (does that make any sense at all?) I've tried to find a picture but I can't I did spot this page with lots of ideas:

Keepsakes & Memorials | Dignity Equine Cremations | Hampshire

www.dignityequinecremations.co.uk

 

[newforest]

I haven't got a photo but a friend had a necklace with a glass bead thing on it and they put a piece of hair in it while the glass was liquid so it looks a bit like smoke (does that make any sense at all?) I've tried to find a picture but I can't I did spot this page with lots of ideas:

Keepsakes & Memorials | Dignity Equine Cremations | Hampshire

www.dignityequinecremations.co.uk

Almost like a spiders web look?
I suspect there are many on esty that can do that type of thing.

 

[newforest]

I didn't keep anything from the last lad.
But I did crack my collar bone so I will not forget him when it get arthritic later on!!!

 

[Jessey]

I have Bo's tail somewhere, I took it at the time but still haven't brought myself to doing anything with it maybe that's a job for this winter.