With the right method of attachment, these bells could easily be adapted for use around horses. Not only do they have the potential for scaring away undesirable carnivores, they also do a great job of flushing birds out of the brush and alerting other trail users to your presence. (Assuming that the other trail users aren’t plugged in to some electronic device du jour and blissfully ignorant of their surroundings.)
Several years ago, a friend and I were getting ready to ride an LD ride together. She had one of those bells attached to her girth, and I remember expressing some concern over listening to that for the entire 25 miles. She assured me that after a little while, I wouldn’t even hear it. I wasn’t reassured, and spent the evening plotting whether or not it would be feasible to sneak out that night after she was asleep and sabotage the bell with some sort of cotton batting…or super glue.
Fortunately for all involved, these thoughts were only fleetingly entertained, and the bell lived to jingle another day. (And spook a couple horses along the way. Endurance rides are so good for exposure to unusual things.)
But let’s face it: These bells are large. And loud. Very effective, yes…but some of them are loud enough to block out your own thoughts and discourage conversation. While that might be a good thing on occasion, there’s a downside: It can also impede some horses’ ability to hear what’s happening around them, and therefore spook even harder when startled.
There’s got to be a happy medium.
One of my hobbies for the past few years has been making handmade jewelry, and I’ve managed to amass quite a collection of pretty beads and baubles. Some things were left over from a previous project…but not enough left for a duplicate. Some were a passing whim…a sparkly piece that caught my eye but have yet to find a use for. Whatever the reason, the bottom line is: I’ve got a ton of beads.
While digging through one of my boxes of beads, it hit me. Literally, it turns out, as a length of ribbon, strung with beads and vintage silver bells, jingled its way down to land on my foot. I was unscathed, but the bright, silvery jingling of the bells reminded me of my trail bell – and just how much sweeter of a sound these made.
Within the hour, I had a couple of prototype bell strings made: a mix of decorative beads (color-coordinated, of course) and small, silver bells. I put them to the test the next day. Clipped to one of my front saddle d-rings, they merrily jingled away as I put Mimi (the little while Go Pony for whom this blog is named) through her paces. She seems to like the bells as well, and the jingle inspired a little extra bounce in her steps.
And thus was born, Go Bells.
Each bead-and-bell string is handcrafted and made here in the USA. Each piece is a unique, one-of-a-kind offering: No two will be the same. Each Go Bell is build around a color scheme, but even within the same color scheme, they’ll each offer something a little different.
Each Go Bell is made up of a combination of small and medium silver and/or brass bells, and can contain any of the following: hand-crafted vintage silver bells, hand-blown glass beads, Swarovski crystals, carved wood beads, and much, much more. Each is hand-strung on waxed linen for strength, and attached with a brass swivel clip.
While they are designed for outdoor use, the Go Bells are a decorative object, and as such, I do not recommend exposure to water or horse sweat, and as such, would advise you to attach them some place where they won’t be in direct contact with the horse and/or sloshing sponges/buckets/water scoops.
The Go Bells were designed with the intention of hanging them from the saddle. They are a bit weighty to be hung directly from a horse’s bridle or halter without excessive bouncing, and attachment to the mane or breastcollar could result in excess moisture exposure. The clips fit nicely on the d-rings of many saddles, and they also function well clipped off to the zipper pull off a saddle pack.
Since they are made by hand, Go Bells are produced in limited quantities, in small batches at a time. I am constantly adding new bells to the selections, so keep checking back here frequently. Remember: Each one is unique, so don’t wait to order if you see one you like.
Each Go Bell sells for $18, plus $5 shipping and handling. You can go to the Inventory page to see the current Go Bells for sale. Each bell has an associated secure PayPal "Buy It Now" button. Click on that to purchase your Go Bells.
Please Note: I don’t promise that these bells will scare away bears, mountain lions, bobcats, or errant mountain bikers. They are merely a tool to be used in hopefully making others aware of your presence…and beautifying your horse at the same time. So please, exercise caution and awareness while out there, even with the bells on.
Warranty: If your Go Bells break during the course of natural use, I will repair them and send them back to you, no charge. The only cost you pay is the shipping to send them to me. Because of the unique nature of each Go Bell, it might not be possible to replicate the original exactly without the original beads. Excessive trauma to the bells will void the warranty.
Each Go Bell is made up of a combination of small and medium silver and/or brass bells, and can contain any of the following: hand-crafted vintage silver bells, hand-blown glass beads, Swarovski crystals, carved wood beads, and much, much more. Each is hand-strung on waxed linen for strength, and attached with a brass swivel clip.
While they are designed for outdoor use, the Go Bells are a decorative object, and as such, I do not recommend exposure to water or horse sweat, and as such, would advise you to attach them some place where they won’t be in direct contact with the horse and/or sloshing sponges/buckets/water scoops.
The Go Bells were designed with the intention of hanging them from the saddle. They are a bit weighty to be hung directly from a horse’s bridle or halter without excessive bouncing, and attachment to the mane or breastcollar could result in excess moisture exposure. The clips fit nicely on the d-rings of many saddles, and they also function well clipped off to the zipper pull off a saddle pack.
Since they are made by hand, Go Bells are produced in limited quantities, in small batches at a time. I am constantly adding new bells to the selections, so keep checking back here frequently. Remember: Each one is unique, so don’t wait to order if you see one you like.
Each Go Bell sells for $18, plus $5 shipping and handling. You can go to the Inventory page to see the current Go Bells for sale. Each bell has an associated secure PayPal "Buy It Now" button. Click on that to purchase your Go Bells.
Please Note: I don’t promise that these bells will scare away bears, mountain lions, bobcats, or errant mountain bikers. They are merely a tool to be used in hopefully making others aware of your presence…and beautifying your horse at the same time. So please, exercise caution and awareness while out there, even with the bells on.
Warranty: If your Go Bells break during the course of natural use, I will repair them and send them back to you, no charge. The only cost you pay is the shipping to send them to me. Because of the unique nature of each Go Bell, it might not be possible to replicate the original exactly without the original beads. Excessive trauma to the bells will void the warranty.
Go Bells are Copyright 2011 Ashley Wingert
