Equine Collectibles Winter 2015 | Page 35

Part of what gives Braymere tack its edge and authenticity is the fact that Jennifer travelled with the hunter/jumper A Circuit while managing a high-end mobile tack shop, and later transitioned to working as a buyer for a large tack and feed store in Brighton, Colorado. Additionally, she has been on the back of a variety of horses and ridden a number of discipline and tack set-ups for more than thirty-five years. There is no better teacher of realism than hands-on reality. Jennifer graciously agreed to participate in a Q&A for the inaugural issue of Equine Collectibles. What was the first piece of tack you made and when? by Heather Malone-Bogle Jennifer: Right from the beginning, I always wanted to have tack for my model horses. Since I didn’t have much access to supplies as a kid, most of my early tack was made from yarn and little scraps of leather or fabric. Rio Rondo’s saddle kit came out when I was in college, and that was just about the best thing ever. For the first time, I was able to make tack that really looked like tack. I built one saddle and a whole host of smaller items. None of them were particularly good, but I was so excited. I really wanted to make more, more, more! Unfortunately, real life intruded. I graduated from college, moved to Tennessee and the hobby was put on hold for a good five years. Jennifer Bray Buxton is currently one of the most sought-after tackmakers in the model horse hobby. Diminutive and unassuming in person, the loudest thing about Jennifer is probably her dogs. Incredibly bright and possessing whip-smart dry humor, Jennifer has a no-nonsense demeanor, with a mischievous streak. Occasionally, silliness prevails as her blog, Braymere Custom Saddlery (see “Trailer of Terror”) can document. Originally from Los Angeles, California, she is a big participant in the Colorado s