Tack by Susan Bensema Young
Sue Bensema Young has been making some of the finest tack in this hobby since the late 1970's - I started collecting her work then and have continued since! She is especially known for her Western tack but in my opinion makes the absolute finest Parade sets and harnesses. My Bensema collection includes 3 Parade sets, around 10 Western sets and numerous harnesses include two four horse hitches (Traditional draft scale and classic scale royal harnesses) and a Traditional scale pair harness. She is also the author of the book "Guide to Making Model Horse Tack (1998)" that can be ordered directly from her. Sadly her work is in such demand that it is very difficult to get now but she holds lotteries for orders approximately every year or two.
Visit her web site:
Timaru Star II - The finest in Model Tack!
Please click on thumbnails to view larger versions of photos!
"Merrimack" models a breathtaking Western show set by Sue, just finished in April, 2000 in her "ripple
weave" tooling pattern. Accented with a blue suede seat , this set would do
"the king" proud! It also features alternating blue and white braid trim
on the cantle, horn and front areas as well as blue and white braided
knotwork holding down white tassels It even came with its own matching
hobbles (shown attached to the rear girth on the left side) and riata.
All I need now is a "Little Bird"! (Think he'd look GREAT in this!!)
The matching white denim saddlepad with tooled wear leathers and fancy
cochos (decorated with little silver tips on the
straps!) is a first for Sue.
White and blue braided Western bridle to go with the ripple weave set. Believe it or not it was made primarily
of white dental floss and decorated with braided blue and white knots and miniature tassels plus the decorative sideloops.
This bridle is similar to the decorative folk art "prison bridles" made by Western inmates (those rare people with
copious amounts of full time). Sue put an estimated 76 HOURS into this bridle and show sets.
Some more pix of it taken by Sue from her web site
"Ratchett" here models an older Bensema set from my collection, this one from the mid 1980's when
she first introduced her basketweave tooling. The bridle is one of her few braided leather bridles with
knotted sinew trim. For an older set this one holds up VERY well! The saddleblanket is a recent
ebay purchase made by HAR Ranch!
PERFECT TOMMY in his Susan Bensema Young Parade outfit, an art nouveau design
based on design elements in The Peacock Skirt" by Aubrey Beardsley illustrating Oscar Wilde's
play Salome
LAST CARESS shown in a Classic scale Parade set by Susan Bensema Young,
based on an Art Deco waterfall pattern.
LAST CARESS - in a Susan Bensema Young fine harness shown hitched to a phaeton
by famed miniature coachbuilder Bill Hudson 
HUNTER ROSE - shown in his Susan Bensema Young stud bridle
