The (long) faces behind the business.
NickerDoodles wouldn't be NickerDoodles without the horses of course! My "team" of Traditionals and Classics are the "stuff" that holds my business together; built my business actually. Today I'll be introducing you to 11 special horses who not only make up my current Traditional collection, but are crucial members of the halter modeling team at NickerDoodles!
The Mascot: Chip
Zips Chocolate Chip (Chip for short) is one of my first Traditionals, and essentially started my halter making journey. The Zippo Pine Bar mold has always been one of my favorites, and it is even more so now! The reason? Chip of course! :) I started experimenting with halter making on him, using his face as a guide for measuring. After selling halters for a while, and adding more Traditionals to the team, Chip remained the top horse for halter making! His beautiful dark bay coloring also makes him eligible for modeling most any color halter! He looks good in light blue, royal blue, orange, red, yellow... the list goes on. Probably his signature color is the stunning Key Lime, pictured above. I have also discovered through feedback and measuring with different molds, that Chip's face is the best general guide for Traditional halter sizing. From halter making to modeling, Chip is definitely the #1 workhorse at NickerDoodles, and he's never retiring! :) [don't tell him I said that... ;)]
Chance
"Take a Chance on Me" a.k.a. Chance, was my very first Traditional. My love for the Zippo Pine Bar mold started with him. I didn't even know much about Traditionals, and had never seen this mold before, until I saw him in my local feed store. I had to snatch him up! I love Paints, what can I say? 😂 As a team member of NickerDoodles, he models halters for photography and listing photos for my store. He hasn't made much of an appearance on my insta page, but I hope to change that, since he's such a handsome boy!
Flint
Startin' Fires a.k.a Flint, is the third member of the NickerDoodles team! Around the time he was released, I was looking for a dashing Quarter horse, preferably a Grey, to model certain colors that didn't stand out quite as much on my other horses. Flint was the answer! Right away he was a big hit, modeling halters for my store and going on many photo shoots. What I love most about him is that he's very photogenic, at any angle! Red and Royal Blue are his best colors.
Cisco
KC's Cisco Dude, a.k.a. Cisco, is the fourth and only Buckskin member of the NickerDoodles team! His name was inspired by Kevin Costner's horse in Dances with Wolves. (great movie btw!) I love Buckskins, and Cisco fit the bill perfectly! He's one of my top faves for photography since he's very photogenic. He looks his best in Red, Green and Royal Blue.
Cody (and Austin)
An Obvious Doc's Cody, a.k.a Cody, is the fifth team member and probably the most special horse in my collection. His namesake was a real horse my brother used to own who was absolutely phenomenal. With bloodlines tracing to the famous Reining sire Topsail Whiz, and a heart of gold, he was a once in a lifetime horse. While big and very strong, he was sweet and gentle with everyone, especially kids. Cody here, (OF Topsails Rien Maker) looks exactly like him, even the facial markings! The cowboy is Austin; I decided not to change his name, since that's the name of my brother who owned Cody. Austin and Cody model my halters well together, each one adding a realistic touch to my photography. Cody looks handsome in many colors, but his favorites are black and lime green.
Dakota
Everything was going great at NickerDoodles! Well, almost everything... my team was made up only of stallions, and the boys were getting tired of modeling the "girly" halters. So, Dakota Skies a.k.a. Dakota, entered the picture! The one and only mare on the team, she rocks those pink and purple halters like no other!
King
Smart and Shiney a.k.a. King, brings extra sass and class to the NickerDoodles modeling team. After getting Cody, I really came to love the Smart Chic Olena mold, and when King came up for a good deal, how could I pass up my favorite color on my favorite mold? Not to mention those popping dapples! He really shines for the camera, and he models halters perfectly. He looks good in many colors, but his favorite is NickerDoodles' Dazzled Red stock halter. The sparkly rhinestones add some extra "shine" to this already shiney boy! :)
Duke
One Classy Duke, a.k.a. Duke, is now making a comeback to the NickerDoodles team! I was on the fence about growing my Zippo conga, so I tried selling him. Lucky for me he didn't sell; I took him to a show and decided he was a keeper when I discovered he was LSQ, not to mention I realized how much I missed having him on the shelf. He is originally Rugged Painted Lark, a BreyerFest Celebration horse, but I re-named him after my Paint mare's sire, who looks exactly like him. :) He hopes to make his debut as a halter model soon!
Remy
Jumpin the Gun, a.k.a. Remington or Remy, is the newest Olena boy to join the NickerDoodles team! He's already a big hit with his beautiful color, and being so photogenic he will definitely be at the top of my photo shoot list! :) He's discovered his color is definitely Forest Green!
Magic and Hamlet
These two adorable minis are the newest addition to my collection and soon-to-be team members! It is my goal at NickerDoodles to make halters in all different Traditional sizes, from Draft to Mini, and that's where Magic and Hamlet will lend their cute faces! :)
The Real Horse
Well, the NickerDoodles team wouldn't be complete without my inspiration and best friend, June Bug! She is an American Paint horse, and loves treats (duh), going on trail rides, racing in our field(which I love too) and has developed a keen interest in my model horse activity. If I'm on a photoshoot near her corral, she's right there watching me, and has even become acquainted with some of the team members!
Of the last 10 years of owning horses, June Bug has been a part of my life for 5, and I couldn't be more blessed! I have learned an immense amount with her, including how tack and halters should properly fit. Her colors are blue and purple, which is obvious by taking a look at the tack room. :) As far as halters go, I love using rope halters and nylon, depending on the task. June Bug doesn't care, as long as it fits well and is a snazzy color! :)
The team at NickerDoodles will most likely grow, but our goal is always the same: bringing you quality halters and tack to outfit your own model horse herd! :)
~ Haley
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