IM Silver Horse Tributes & Referrals

Horsehair & Engraved Silver Jewelry
Hand crafted quality, one piece at a time.

IM Silver Horse Tributes and Referrals

IM Silver Customers have sent in many precious tributes about their horses and the keepsake jewelry that I create from their beautiful horsehair.  Please send me your horse’s tribute and IM Silver story if you would like to share. Thank you!

An opportunity to honor my horse's memory

06/18/08
I recently lost my precious horse of 20 years.  I was devastated when I lost Hammer and Ivy gave me an opportunity to honor my horse’s memory by building beautiful pieces of jewelry to remember him.  I purchase a necklace as well as a bracelet.  It is the most comfortable pieces of jewelry I have ever owned.  In addition to comfort, it is a stunning tribute to my handsome boy and I feel as if I always have him with me.  Each piece of jewelry is well constructed and fits even better with continual wear.  Ivy was so patient while working with me through the tough time of Hammer’s passing.  Not only is she a skilled artist, she is a kind and caring person as well.

Thank you Ivy for all you have done for me!
– Jodi Frederick

 

Tribute to a Beloved Horse

6/20/08
On June 2, 2008 I had to put my best friend, King, to sleep due to twisting from colic.  King was 23 yrs old and I was there when he was born and I was there when he passed.  It truly was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.  Ivy helped me to honor my big boy by making some wonderful pieces of jewelry and other items from King’s mane and tail.  It was very difficult for me to meet with Ivy, but she really took her time with me and was so patient.  She truly respects you and your horse.  I had some ideas in mind for a couple things that she had never attempted before.  She was excited to try out my ideas and much to my delight, they all turned out absolutely incredible.  I’ve showed all my friends what Ivy has created for me and like me, we cannot believe the exceptional and professional work she’s done on these intricate works of art.  I feel fortunate that I at least have a part of King with me and close.  I will forever be indebted to Ivy for all she has done to help me through this horrible grieving process.  Once you see Ivy’s work, you just want to work with her to create more and more.  Thank You Ivy for all that you do for us horse owners to help us pay tribute to our beloved horses.

Sue Oberly
Gunnison, CO

A Lasting, Tangible Legacy

10/24/10
Our Arabian mare, Aziza Star, was more than just a part of our family – she was our world.  In addition to being a Champion Western Pleasure, Sidesaddle and Native Costume show horse, she was designated the 2007 official Arabian Horse Association Ambassador, for her lifetime of work in the show ring, representing the Arabian breed, and working with handicapped, abused and disabled people.  Her trademark white socks led us to parks, churches, camps and even the premier of Disney’s “The Young Black Stallion.”  To lose her was to lose a world that she escorted us though, a world that would not have existed without her.

We are so pleased with your jewelry; it really bridges the gap. Now we have something from Z that we can wear and enjoy every day.  It is so much better than just having a piece of her hair tucked in a drawer somewhere. We simply cannot thank you enough. The three piece necklace is not only beautiful, but is also comfortable to wear, always lays in the right spot and never rotates. The wide weave necklace is stunning; it’s flawless and more beautiful than I imagined. Your jewelry is an incredible tribute and a lasting, tangible legacy for our most beloved horse.  We will cherish the jewelry forever.

Thank you so much,
Laura and Lori Woodruff
Aziza Star Arabian

06/18/08
I recently lost my precious horse of 20 years.  I was devastated when I lost Hammer and Ivy gave me an opportunity to honor my horse’s memory by building beautiful piece of jewelry to remember him.  I purchase a necklace as well as a bracelet.  It is the most comfortable pieces of jewelry I have ever owned.  In addition to comfort, it is a stunning tribute to my handsome boy and I feel as if I always have him with me.  Each piece of jewelry is well  constructed and fits even better with continual wear.  Ivy was so patient while working with me through the tough time of Hammer’s passing.  Not only is she a skilled artist, she is a kind and caring person as well.

Thank you Ivy for all you have done for me!
Jodi Frederick

6/20/08
On June 2, 2008, I had to put my best friend, King, to sleep due to twisting from colic.  King was 23 yrs old and I was there when he was born and I was there when he passed.  It truly was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do and I am still in a very numb state.  Ivy helped me to honor my big boy by making some wonderful pieces of jewelry and other items from King’s mane and tail.  It was very difficult for me to meet with Ivy, but she really took her time with me and was so patient.  She truly respects you and your horse.  I had some ideas in mind for a couple things that she had never attempted before.  She was excited to try out my ideas and much to my delight, they all turned out absolutely incredible.  I’ve showed all my friends what Ivy has created for me and like me, we cannot believe the exceptional and professional work she’s done on these intricate works of art.  I feel fortunate that I at least have a part of King with me and close.  I will forever be indebted to Ivy for all she has done to help me through this horrible grieving process and I plan to also have a Christmas gift made for one of my girlfriends of her horse’s tail and have some more jewelry made with my other horse’s tail.  Once you see Ivy’s work, you just want to work with her to create more and more.  Thank You Ivy for all that you do for us horse owners to help us pay tribute to our beloved horses.

Sue Oberly
Gunnison, CO

11/21/08
While meandering a street fair in Crested Butte, CO this past August, I had the fortunate experience of meeting Ivy.  I was immediately taken with Ivy & her talents of creating such beautiful & unique horse hair jewelry.  Having never seen anything like this before, I could not wait to get home to GA in order to trim some of my Bossy girl’s tail to send her straight away.  If only I had known then how special Ivy would soon become.  This past October my girl became very sick & spent 4 incredible weeks fighting with all her might to survive, we believed we were on the mend.  Much to my great sadness it turned out to be too much for Bossy & we had to put her to sleep November 12, 08.  With her went a very important piece of my heart.  As one of life’s coincidences would have it, my necklace was ready and Ivy called the very day I had to put Bossy to sleep.  Ivy was warm, compassionate & shared some good thoughts with me & it lifted my spirits to know my finished piece was on its’ way.  My necklace arrived 2 days later & I love it!   It keeps a piece of Bossy close to me, in honor of her.  The workmanship is absolutely beautiful, & people notice, I have been asked about it so many times in just a week.  I happily share Ivy’s information with my horse loving comrades.

Nichole Rea
KrysilAlpharetta, GA

12/11/08

Hi Ivy,
I received my bracelets and key chain and I am so pleased with how they turned out. They are exactly what I wanted.  You did a wonderful job…thank you so much.  You were prompt in getting them made and shipped to me and I appreciate that.  

Thank you again…
Linda

12/19/08

Hi Ivy, My name is Cindy Canfield my friend Sue Oberly had you make me a horsehair necklace out of hair from Prince my horse.  I got it today and just love it! You do such Beautiful work!  I’m going to show it to my friends who have horse also and maybe you’ll get more work from Pennsylvania.  Just wanted to let you know how pleased with the necklace I am.  And to Thank You!

Sincerely,
Cindy Canfield

01/08/09

When our grand old horse, Ivan, died I wanted to have something special to remember him by.  A friend suggested that I have some jewelry made from his tail.  I did some research on line and really liked what I saw on Ivy’s web site. When I contacted Ivy I found her to be friendly and helpful.  Within a couple weeks of sending Ivan’s hair to Ivy we had our lovely pieces.  The jewelry is well crafted and truly beautiful.  The best part is, as Ivy explained, the pieces are sturdy and durable and meant to be used and worn.   Ivy was a delight to work with.

Gina Post
Chicago, IL

05/22/09
Hi Ivy,
I just wanted to say “Thank You so much” for the lovely picture pendant you crafted for me of my Dear boy King.  We’re coming up on the one year anniversary of King’s passing… very hard again… but having this beautiful picture of him draped around my neck on his horsetail necklace brings me much comfort.  I still miss him terribly, you know that, and your consideration was once again deeply appreciated.  And I still wear his horsetail bracelet you made for me a year ago… never take it off… he’s always with me.

Thank you again for everything.

Warmly,
Sue Oberly

12/17/2009
My sister and I had the pleasure of learning to ride on Mozel Tov.  Mozel was kind and safe, but knew how to challenge us when needed; he taught us and many riders before, to be real riders.  You could find Mozel being ridden, in our back lawn, out on the trail, or winning in the show ring.  Mozel was so trustworthy, that when my sister was just two, she could brush him, sit on him bare-back, and hold him by herself.  Being able to create jewelry out of his beautiful hair seems like the perfect way to honor Mozel and keep him with us; he lived a long and happy life.  Ivy has been very easy to work with, and has had several good ideas as to what we might like.  I am very pleased with how the bracelet turned out and cannot wait to give it to our Mother for Christmas; this will truly be a special and memorable gift.

Clara Hall

01/26/10
My horse, Mango, was my best friend.  He was little guy, but his heart and personality more than tripled his body size.  There was nothing in the world that my horse wouldn’t do for me, and when we sadly had to put him down, I wanted to be able to honor him.  I decided I wanted to do this by having a necklace made from his tail. I found several websites offering these types of services, but when I saw Ivy’s website and read her personal write-up, I knew I wanted her to make my necklace.  Just like her website suggests, you can tell that Ivy is a wonderful person and loves horses.  She does this because this is her passion, not just some business.  Her love for horses really comes out in her work.  The necklace she made me was absolutely gorgeous, and I can’t help but smile every time I put it on.  I love it. Ivy was great to work with-sweet, willing, and very timely.  I felt like I sent my order to her, and in a very short amount of time, I had my necklace.  If you have a passion for horses, want to honor an amazing horse, like I did, or just want a creative, quality piece of handmade jewelry accompanied by great service, I would certainly recommend Ivy to anyone.

-Emily Morelli

10/24/10
Our Arabian mare, Aziza Star, was more than just a part of our family – she was our world.  In addition to being a Champion Western Pleasure, Sidesaddle and Native Costume show horse, she was designated the 2007 official Arabian Horse Association Ambassador, for her lifetime of work in the show ring, representing the Arabian breed, and working with handicapped, abused and disabled people.  Her trademark white socks led us to parks, churches, camps and even the premier of Disney’s “The Young Black Stallion.”  To lose her was to lose a world that she escorted us though, a world that would not have existed without her.
We are so pleased with your jewelry; it really bridges the gap. Now we have something from Z that we can wear and enjoy everyday.  It is so much better than just having a piece of her hair tucked in a drawer somewhere.
 

We simply cannot thank you enough. The three piece necklace is not only beautiful, but is also comfortable to wear, always lays in the right spot and never rotates. The wide weave necklace is stunning; it’s flawless and more beautiful than I imagined.

Your jewelry is an incredible tribute and a lasting, tangible legacy for our most beloved horse.  We will cherish the jewelry forever.

Thank you so much,
Laura and Lori Woodruff
Aziza Star Arabian

10/28/10
Hi Ivy-

The necklace is exquisite!!!  It is so refined and elegant.  I LOVE IT!! I have wanted a horse all my life.  My Dad passed away in 2002 and I couldn’t seem to let go.  A friend was starting a “ladies group” to ride/take lessons every Friday.  She asked me if I was interested, I was trying to think of a fib to say no and my
husband said, (she’ll be there).  I was afraid, had not done much riding in my life and had a scare a couple of years earlier.  I ended up going and this is where I met Blackfoot.  I loved him after my first ride.  During two wonderful Summers, we rode every Friday. In the Spring of 2004, the friend decided she was selling Blackfoot.  I knew there was no way I could buy him.  Never say Never!! The rest is history years old and finally got my horse!!  I truly believe my Dad sent him. For years I have been looking different places to have a necklace made out of his tail. Nothing looked right.  Until I saw your work. I wasn’t planning on ordering the concho horsehair pendant, but I thought what the heck, might as well get the whole package.  So glad I did.  It is a very unique necklace.  Can’t believe you hand engrave your conchos, that makes it even more unique and personal. I can enjoy my necklace and my horse at the same time.

Thanks for your beautiful work

 
-Nancy

11/23/10

I had a beautiful necklace made a year ago by Ivy for a very special horse I lost, and I loved it so much that I wanted to have one made for a close friend so that she, too, could have something so meaningful to remember her horse by.  The second necklace lived up to every expectation I had from the first-it was gorgeous, and Ivy was so great to work with.  My friend cried when I gave it to her, and she has been raving about it and wearing it ever since.  Thank you, Ivy, for making us such beautiful
keepsakes!

Thanks again for everything!
Emily

01/19/11
 
This past spring I lost my “once in a life time” barrel mare, Boundary, to colic. My husband knew how much she meant to me so before he berried her, he cut some tail hair for me. I had no idea what to do with the hair when a friend told me about Ivy.  My mare put her whole heart into her job so I knew after speaking with Ivy she was the right person to work with the only think I had left of my great mare. Ivy made me two beautiful bracelets. One for myself and one for a young girl that loved my mare almost as much as I did.  Her workmanship was superb and she is obviously a perfectionist, but more important to me was her compassion and ability to understand and honor Boundary’s memory.  Ivy took her time to discuss all my options to insure my bracelets would be exactly what I wanted.  There was nothing my mare loved more than to load into the trailer and go make a run and when she didn’t get to she would grind her teeth in frustration.  Now, thanks to Ivy, my friend and I should be able to hit enough barrel races with our bracelets to keep even Boundary happy.
 
Thank you Ivy,
Donna
 

1/31/11
Dear Ivy,
My husband, Clark, ordered a necklace, bracelet and key chain as a surprise for me for Christmas. How utterly touched I was to receive such a beautiful and thoughtful gift. It made me cry with tears of joy. You truly have a gift in the beautiful workmanship of your creations. Clark could not have chosen more perfectly according to what I would have chosen. I love the concho pendant which also spotlights her chestnut color, given her tail was mainly black.  Molly (SA Gold Satin) was my beloved 24-year-old Arabian mare with whom we shared 15 years, and who I lost on August 21, 2010. It was love at first ride. We spent many lovely days together, most in an arena, some at dressage shows, some on trail rides with friends, some giving rides to children, some just loving on each other. She had a sweet and willing disposition, the quality of which made her worth her weight in gold, and then some. She was a horse by breed, but a pony by size, standing 14 hands, with typical Arabian huge gorgeous eyes.  I feel so blessed we were together so long. The gift of her life in my life has touched me positively and unforgettably. I continually thank the Lord for her.  She has been celebrated with a star registered in her name within the Pegasus Constellation and a personalize postage stamp. The jewelry made by you, however, is a more tangible gift that keeps her close with me. I am sorry I haven’t written before now. I find myself emotional still. Your story about not riding after your loss of Brownie resonates with me. For me, it is about a relationship.

Thank you,
Leesa

2/24/11
Ivy,

Words can hardly express my heartfelt gratitude for the beautiful memento you made for me after the loss of my horse “EC’s Too Busy Dancin”.  The bracelet and earrings are stunning, and all my friends, both ‘horsey’ and ‘non-horsey’ alike have been amazed with the quality and perfection of your work. Your communication with me was more than prompt and the kindness and compassion you showed me was wonderful.  Your customer service was over and above fantastic!

A little about Busy: Busy was born May 26, 2002 on the Appaloosa breeding farm where I board. The day he was born, I took one look at him and said “I WANT THAT COLT!” He was actually born a dark bay with a VERY large blanket with huge spots (and turned into a VERY loud leopard as he got older). I was lucky enough to convince the barn owner to sell him to me, and purchased him as a weanling. Busy was a very quirky horse: very bright, and un fazed by anything. I even tied balloons to his halter one day as part of his ‘de-spooking’ training! He walked calmly by my side, the brightly colored balloons bouncing merrily by his head. He used to put his two front feet on top of the automatic waterer in his stall so he could peer over the top of the stall and look around. He was adept at undoing his stall latch and letting himself out to wander around (earning a special lock on his stall). He could untie himself, but never went too far. He lived up to his name: he was always “Busy” getting into something!

I was so excited to ride him I started him gently before he was 2, and with less than 30 days training on him (and somewhere around his 2nd birthday), took him to a large Appaloosa show at our IL State Fairgrounds. Busy tried his very best and we took many ribbons in Trail, Western Pleasure, Most Colorful and Halter. People kept telling me what a nice 3 year old he was, then looked at me in shock when I explained he was only 2, and still ‘green’ broke.I have many wonderful memories with Busy – like the time we rode down to a motorcycle rally to check out the bikes, riding into town for a some drinks at the local watering holes, going horse camping together, and countless trail rides. Busy was a comfortable, willing, unflappable mount, and everyone who ever met him fell in love with his inquisitive and friendly personality.

Busy fell sick suddenly and colicked a couple of days before I made the painful decision to end his suffering on October 10, 2010 after every measure had been made to save him. He  had “twisted a gut” and performing surgery gave no guarantee for survival. He was buried on the same farm he was born, next to his mother, who passed on previously that year of a broken leg. Busy was a ‘broom tail’ Appi, which means his tail was minimal at best. I am so impressed that you were able to take the little bit I was able to salvage and make me these gorgeous  pieces. Thank you again for your concern, professionalism, communication and amazing craftsmanship! I cannot recommend you highly enough to anyone who would enjoy a forever reminder of his or her wonderful companion.

Regards and Many Thanks,
Holly A. Idec

6/15/11

Hi Ivy,

I recently received a lovely bracelet that you made for me (ordered by a very close friend of mine). He nervously had me close my eyes, and as soon as I laid eyes upon the bracelet, I choked back the tears. I knew immediately what it was, and that it contained the hair of two very special geldings. My grey is an 8 year old draft cross who I bought as four year old with only a dozen rides on his back. Needless to say he was green and I was an adult amateur getting back into riding. We had a few bumps along the way, but three years later we got it figured out and became great team mates. This gelding was the ” other man ” in my marriage, and my husband did not always understand my need to be with the horses 6 days per week. Over time, my riding became a friction point in our marriage and I struggled to explain to my husband the importance of horses in my life. I simply could not breath without them. My daughter had outgrown her pony we had been leasing and was in need of a horse. It was time to hand my beautiful gelding over to her (our plan all along). It was agonizing for me and most days had me in tears, but my husband refused to own two horses so my hands were tied.

In the winter of 2009, my husband started to feel ill, and a few months later, we were reeling with the news that he was in stage 4 colon cancer, with a grim prognosis. He started an aggressive regime of chemo in March of 2010, and it was a rough go on both of us. My husband knew he did not have a lot of time left. He also knew that I was struggling with all of this and did not have my usual form of therapy without a horse to ride. He spoke with my coach and asked if we could find that special horse for me that would give me strength. After looking locally and in neighboring provinces, she took a shot in the dark and phoned a local pro to see if he had anything. He was willing to sell his personal grand prix horse as he had bills to pay and a lot of young horses to bring along. We were greeted with a stunning 8 year old dark bay KWPN gelding with the most beautiful spirit and mind I have ever had the pleasure of working with. I came home, my husband took one look at me and said “this is the one right”? Tears flowed and a week later, we brought him home to our stables. My husband  passed away two months later, and I still can see his smiling face as he walked into the barn to see me and my new boy. My husband’s gift was selfless and because of his actions, this horse has a place in my heart that no other horse will ever come close to.

Why am I writing this to you? Well, as I write this, I look at the bracelet on my arm and so many emotions wash over me. I want you to know that your bracelets evoke such meaning and spirit to many people like myself, and I want to thank you for  creating such a beautiful piece of jewelry.

Bonnie

11/10/11

I contacted Ivy by just looking on the Internet for horsehair belts.  I loved what I saw and asked her to design a belt for my guy for a wedding gift.  Not only did she work with me for ideas I had for extra tooling of the leather, but she kept in constant contact with me about receiving the horsehair I mailed and her every progress.  I loved the belt so much when I received it, that I ordered a buckle as well-and all of these 2 items were done under the gun because I didn’t give her much notice but Ivy was super.  I would recommend her work to any all who cherish a unique, personalized gift.

Cathie O.R in Ohio

11/23/11

Foxy came to me as a 7 year old full of spit and vinegar and left me at 28 a gentle spirit.  I thought I would teach him a thing or two but to my surprise he taught me a lot more.  He taught me that patient, kindness, and consistency go a long way.  The biggest lesson he taught me was his trust would be given in small increments until he decided I was worthy of his full trust.  Foxy gave me hundreds of hours of trail rides as well as friendship.  Even at 28 years old he was still so flexible he would starch his ear with his back left like a dog.  He loved eating bananas and watermelon and he especially loved getting baths on our notorious humid Maryland summers .  Foxy drifted off to horsey heaven on September 26, 2009 after a horrible bout of colic.  Almost two year later I was vacationing in Gunnison, Colorado where I came across Ivy and her horse hair jewelry.  Ivy does beautiful detailed work.  It is obvious she puts her heart and soul into her work to help people like myself have a forever piece of such a wonderful four legged friend to carry with me always.

Thank you for sharing your talent,

Kim

2/26/2014

Baillar joined my family as a scared abused and neglected Peruvian Paso yearling. He taught me to trust those you love, always ask questions and be brave when asked. Above all always be kind and trustworthy. Our journey together only lasted 15 years. Due to severe arthritis and DSL we made the decision he needed to be in a place where he could be free. That was 2 years ago. I still miss him dearly and even though I have a new friend….there will never be another Baillar. The necklace you made will be a constant reminder of his lessons.

Thanks again for doing what you do,

Deana

4/4/14

Ivy, Sarah and I wanted to let you know how much we love our bracelets.  What a wonderful way to keep our beloved horses close to us on a daily basis. We never take them off.  I often find myself stroking the braids and remembering the great joy those horses gave us.  Luke,   Comet, Tonka, and Dollar….Each one so different but so special in his own way.  You patiently listened with quiet compassion while I cried through the story of each one of our boys.  I had been saving the hair from Luke and Tonka for many years, waiting to find someone I could trust to make just the right keepsake.  When I met you I knew you were the one.  Thank you, Ivy, for creating these truly unique bracelets.  Your skill and talent is amazing.  My friends are impressed and hope to one day be able to remember their horses in the same way.

Many thanks again and May God Bless You.

Cheryl and Sarah Sheetz
Ft. Lupton, Colorado

4/29/14

When I was 10 years old Toby was given to me as a birthday present. From that day he was my best friend and my companion. We showed together for 10 years and then enjoyed trail rides and sunny days just hanging out in the field. This past August he passed away. I knew that I wanted something that would remind me of my best friend everyday. After lots of thought and looking through all the options I knew one of your bracelets was exactly what I needed. I received my bracelet from you on my birthday which would have been mine and Toby’s 16 year anniversary together. It was the  most special gift I could have ever received. Thank you so much for my bracelet and for getting it to me so quickly. I love how the bracelet is wide enough that it shows all the variation in Toby’s tail and the spacer with his name engraved on it just finishes it! You have wonderful products at such a reasonable price!

Thank you again!

Sincerely,
Alexandra

5/1/2014

Hello, It has been a pleasure working with IM Silver.  I was kept informed from the time they received my horsehair until the finished product was in the mail.   This gave me assurance that the jewelry was being completed in a timely manner and made me feel like an important customer.  The jewelry is beautiful, woven perfectly and the original hand tooled silver is ONE-OF-A-KIND.  I have placed 3 orders so far and hope to place more in the future.

Thank you, Ivy.

Sincerely,
Ann Schlater

5/15/14

A friend of mine told me about IM Silver, her craftsmanship and how wonderful she was to work with. Per his recommendation, my boyfriend Reed and I collected horse hair to send to Ivy for a Mother’s Day jewelry gift. We did not provide much time for Ivy to work on this, but her turn around time was fantastic. She thoroughly communicated with us to ensure the jewelry was made to our liking and it was beautiful. Our mothers were ecstatic with the sentiment of the gift! They love the personalization and thinking of their horses and children each time they wear the jewelery. We couldn’t be happier with her work!

~ Katie Davis

06/11/14

My daughter and I met Ivy at the Horse Expo in Denver. We spent a good part of two days visiting with her at her booth. My daughter had designed a pendant to attach to a necklace Ivy would make with Garfield’s tail. She had Garfield for 22 years and he had recently passed away at age 28. We both felt lost and sad without him. Ivy helped us in our grieving process. She is a kind and compassionate woman. That kindness and compassion goes into her work. My daughter and I have 4 incredible pieces of Ivy’s work. We never take them off. It gives us the feeling Garfield is still somehow with us. We have recommended her to friends and they have ordered pieces from her. They have been enthusiastic about the quality of her work and pleased with their pieces.

Ivy will forever be in our hearts.

Janet Nugent

My dad being a jeweler was the one that chose Ivy to design my special pieces of my beloved horse Brandy.  Out of all the artisans he believed she had the most professional looking web site, very reasonably priced for what she does and the quality was exceptional.  I enjoyed working with Ivy very much.  She was kind and compassionate as I told her about Brandy and how I lost her.   She was able to help me chose the right pieces to honor my horses memory.    I received my pieces a few days ago and loved them so much that I am sending Ivy some strands of tail from my new horse to make a bracelet.

Thank you so much for what you do.

Karen Wischow
Ellington CT

7/21/14

Serendipity Story 3: Horsehair It’s hard to lose a horse. Autumn’s Cinco had recovered but we almost lost him this spring to colic. My horse, Saturday, had since then broken his leg and is buried in the back pasture. Ken and Val, just a day prior to my trip to Colorado, had lost their beloved lead mare, Bert. Day two of my trip, Jan brought 2 small packages for me to take home. One for Autumn and one for me. Birthday gifts that I could open now or later, but if I did, I would know what Autumn’s gift was. I decided to wait. The last afternoon on my trip, I drove to town determined to do some casual shopping in Gunnison. Downtown Gunnison has lots of photography, jewelry, antique, gift and art gallery stores. The next to last store I ventured in was one of the many art galleries on the street. I gravitated immediately to a display with gorgeous, yet delicately woven horsehair necklaces, earrings and bracelets. The artist conisidentally happened to be there checking on her booth, Ivy McNulty. As I drooled and ogled her work and began to pick items off in a cluster of excitement to take a closer examination, Ivy came over. We began a polite conversation about her work which turned into: “I used to live here, I’m a Spann” “I’m a Paloni” “I have a sister here, Jan” “Oh, yes I know Jan.” “I have a horse that recently died” “What was his name?” “Saturday” “You could send me some of his hair?” Ivy had to go and I picked out 3 silver sets of earrings for Autumn, Abbey and myself.

It was time to get home and pack for the airport, but not before I showed Dad my great purchases and mention to him that with Ken and Val’s recent loss of Bert, this horsehair braiding would be so perfect. He smiled and agreed. Back in Tulsa, I was awakened early the next morning by a text ding from Jan. I rolled off the couch at Abbey’s apartment and read “you’d better open your present…” It was a horsehair necklace made by Ivy from Saturday’s hair and the silver pendent had his name engraved on the back! I squealed and cried and laughed in amazement. John had sent Saturday’s hair several weeks ago upon the horse’s death to Jan. Jan had already given me the necklace BEFORE I wandered into the store. And…I had unknowingly bought myself scroll earrings to match. Ivy and Jan had been frantically texting back and forth thinking I would send more horsehair. Such a fun story! The other package for Autumn contained a necklace from Cinco’s hair. And…I had unknowingly bought Autumn floral earrings to match. Everyone had been in on the gift, John, Jan, Lee and Ivy.

Serendipity at its best!

Sandy Ankenman

Hi Ivy,

About a month ago you made this bracelet for me. I know you asked for some pics to put on your face book page of the horses. The pic of me galloping the horse, his name is Ridge and he passed away from colic. The pic of me doing dressage is the horse I have now Paddy.  Thank you so much again I love it. Have had many compliments all ready.

Thanks,
Cassie Ball