So, I'm here in school getting depressed because, having failed at many jobs, I know I'll never be able to do what I'm getting a degree in for any length of time. The reason I chose this major is because I love country/ranch people and want to work with them but because of my ADDness, this sort of job just isn't going to cut it.

Meanwhile I'm a watercolor artist and I start colts and train horses... I'm alright at it but because of other things, they're not something I want to do or can do for the rest of my life. Lately, I've been toying with an idea and the more I think about the more certain I am that this is something I would enjoy and be good at and most importantly, I could do it nearly every day of the year and not get tired of it. That is making western gear and bits and spurs...

With all the horse training I've done, even the expensive quality stuff is mainly designed by craftsmen -- not horsemen -- and they just aren't any good for getting the job done. That's why almost any trainer/horseman/cowboy worth his salt gets custom stuff done and many aren't even happy with what the custom makers do. And so, the good ones charge a premium.

And so, I want to craft bits, spurs, and belt buckles.

Then, later perhaps, I would also love to do leather work. I just LOVE the smell and feel of leather. Spur straps, c.hinks, chaps, saddles, belts, and other things... breastcollars, cinches, etc etc etc...

Possibly even rawhide braiding for bosals, romel reins, quirts, at some point in time.

I found a school for making spurs, bits, and belt buckles that includes materials, some tools, and room and board. It's one on one instruction for 4 weeks and costs $3000. Not counting travel expenses of course. The saddle and tack making schools are similar costing around $4500 for one on one instruction but not including room and board.

I definitely plan on finishing my college degree. But, I'm also about as certain as I can be that this is what I want to do. Problem is, first, coming up with the money to learn the trade, and second, establishing a reputation. With all these things, once you've got a reputation, you're set. The problem is getting to that point. Me being me, I want to jump off the deep end. But that's not going to work here. Any advice? I'm alone on this one. So any advice at all would be greatly appreciated!!

Here is some of the work of the craftsman who teaches the spur/bit/buckle making class...

http://www.lynescustomcowboyco.com/spurs/sc-th.jpg

http://www.lynescustomcowboyco.com/bits/metisbit-th.jpg
http://www.lynescustomcowboyco.com/bits/shortsh-th.jpg
http://www.lynescustomcowboyco.com/beltbuckles/labrecque-th.jpg

Sometimes you can get a grant.....to get schooling you need. Just a thought.

Not all of those are ones that have to be paid back. It might be worth checking into.

I think that is a great idea. I live here in Texas and I have a heck of a time finding someone to fix my stuff. I have a pair of boots that need to be taken in an inchand I need new billets on my saddle, but I have to drive an hour to the closest person.

Anyhow, going into buisness yourself take self discipline, organization and perserverance. If you have any electives left, maybe a buisness class, a basic web disign class and a marketing class to help you get started. Oh, and basic bookkeeping as a musthave also. Good Luck!!!!!!:)

Well, once my horse sells, and after working part of the summer, I'd have enough funds to get started with the bit/spur/buckle making. Then, perhaps if I sell a few pieces it will pay for itself and for saddle/boot/chaps/c.hinks/tack/belts/etc making school the next year.

I've taken a class in web design and know it well enough to make a decent functional website. I'm an ag business major, so I've got a number of business classes under my belt.

I've got exactly one month til my appointment to hopefully get diagnosed. Perhaps with medicine, I'll be able to actually do the book keeping. If not, I just need to sell enough so that I can pay my friend, who's a whiz at book keeping, to do it for me.

My main (only?) concern is the marketing aspect. Pretty much, advertising and "normal" forms of marketing mean nothing (except maybe articles in trusted magazines and journals) and word of mouth/reputation means everything. And so, if you've got a reputation, you're in hog heaven and can practically name your price. If you don't, you can't barely give your stuff away. I've been roasting this one on the spit for awhile and it's still raw...

Oh, and is it a western saddle? I have some billets...

Can you save for the school that teaches you this trade while you're at your current college?

I don't think you should worry about marketing at this stage - i know your mind is flying waaaay ahead of you (which is great in some ways, because it allows you to see what you can achieve) but you know you have to take it step at a time, or you will end up feeling overwhelmed. I don't want you to give up, because it sounds like such a great idea - all the things you have been doing up to this point are giving you skills you can use in this business. So keep your focus, finish your current course, get into the trade course. Things will fall into place as you go, but you can't expect all the answers to come to at once.

I really wish you the very best of luck in this, i think it sounds like a great businesss venture, but it will take staying power, so don't burn yourself out with worry about the future. Let the future take care of itself, just work at the present.

Marketing is easy. Make out cool buisness cards with your websit on it. Make some stuff for display and go to every rodeo, craft days, horseshow, ranch rodeo and playday you can find. Show them your stuff. They may not buy then, but, they will have your webpage when they need or have the money for something.

I ride english now, but my favorite peice of tack and I still use it to hack around, is my tourquise beaded custom headstall my husband bought me for mothers day at a craft show. I love it and it makes my horses head so pretty! I have never seen anything like it. It is not like the cheap beaded stuff you see in cataloges. When people see your unique look, they will want it.:)

Can you save for the school that teaches you this trade while you're at your current college?

I don't think you should worry about marketing at this stage - i know your mind is flying waaaay ahead of you (which is great in some ways, because it allows you to see what you can achieve) but you know you have to take it step at a time, or you will end up feeling overwhelmed. I don't want you to give up, because it sounds like such a great idea - all the things you have been doing up to this point are giving you skills you can use in this business. So keep your focus, finish your current course, get into the trade course. Things will fall into place as you go, but you can't expect all the answers to come to at once.

I really wish you the very best of luck in this, i think it sounds like a great businesss venture, but it will take staying power, so don't burn yourself out with worry about the future. Let the future take care of itself, just work at the present.

Thank-you!

If my horse sells, then with the money he brings and a few weeks work, I'll have enough to go to the bit/spur/buckle making school. It lasts a month and ideally, I may be able to work the first part of summer, and do the trade deal the last part of summer. Then, I'll have 9 months to play around with it while I'm in school. That could very well work.

Marketing is easy. Make out cool buisness cards with your websit on it. Make some stuff for display and go to every rodeo, craft days, horseshow, ranch rodeo and playday you can find. Show them your stuff. They may not buy then, but, they will have your webpage when they need or have the money for something.

I ride english now, but my favorite peice of tack and I still use it to hack around, is my tourquise beaded custom headstall my husband bought me for mothers day at a craft show. I love it and it makes my horses head so pretty! I have never seen anything like it. It is not like the cheap beaded stuff you see in cataloges. When people see your unique look, they will want it.:)

Hmm, going to all the rodeos, cuttings, reinings, shows... I could think of worse things than that! :p
Plus, if people recognize you and see you all the time... that's half your reputation...

And you gave me a great idea about turquoise. I'm thinking, since people ask me if I'm native american all the time, I should do a lot with turquoise, silver, and rawhide. That would be awesome.

Haha, just thinking about making this stuff gets me SO excited!

Thanks guys. You've helped a lot. I talked to my mom about it and she always unwittingly gets me down. She's a "realist" while I'm a dreamer and she just kept asking who I was going to sell to and how on earth I was going to make enough to support myself. But I know that I could craft beautiful quality stuff and I know that once I put myself out there and get seen and known, I'd be able to do well for myself.