Displaying Your Horse Show Ribbons

It doesn't take many horse shows to begin accumulating a large number of ribbons. After a while finding a place to put these awards that represent your hours and hours of hard work begins to be a problem. I have a few ideas on how to display your horse show ribbons.

Remember your first horse show ribbon? Maybe it was just a little fun show and you got fourth place in the egg and spoon class. Your award was a little stripe of white satin ribbon with the words "Fourth Place" printed on it in gold letters. It was a proud day for you and your family. It was easy to find a place to hang that special ribbon. Maybe you displayed it on your horse's stall door for a while, or your mom hung it on the refrigerator or kitchen bulletin board. Then, after everyone had admired it, you pasted it into a scrapbook. Easy.

But, you and Ole Paint have been showing for a couple of seasons now, and collected dozens of ribbons. Your ribbons are no longer the little strips, but rosettes with streamers. You worked hard to win those ribbons and want to proudly display them for all your friends and relatives to see.

Of course we've all seen the hangers that are about the size of a towel rack, with room to hang no more than six ribbons, and sell upwards of twenty bucks. Buying enough of those racks to hold your ribbons is going to mount up a large bill, and a lot of screw holes in your wall.

One of the easiest was to display a large collection of ribbons is to hang them on your mini blinds. If you don't have blinds on your windows, you can buy one for about $5.00. Hang it on a window, or on your wall. As you get more ribbons and need the space, let the blinds down little by little until the whole unit is covered with ribbons.

Another simple and attractive way to display Horse show ribbons is to run a strand of thin wire or cord from corner to corner of the room about six inches below your ceiling. Attach with a small nail or screw, pulling the wire tight between the two ends. Hang the ribbons on the wire or cord until you have ribbons. Eventually, you'll have a border of colorful rosettes decorating your room. You can even start a second row when you need the space.

If you have shelves holding the trophies you have accumulated you can run wire or cord along the front edge of the shelves and hang the ribbons.

Now that you have decided how to display your ribbons you can relive the memories each one represents every time you look at them. Now, that is better than packing them away in a box and stuffing it in the attic.

For a smaller number of ribbons, or the special ones like the big championship rosettes, buy a large wooden picture frame. An unfinished one can be painted in your barn colors or to blend with the room's décor. Cut a piece of chicken or rabbit wire to fit the back of the frame and staple or nail it in place. Cover the edges of the wire with masking tape so the cut edges of wire won't scratch the wall. Hang the frame and attach the ribbons to the wire mesh. Now you have framed those memorable ribbons for everyone to view.

Need more space that a picture frame allows? A tri-folding room divider or screen is another attractive way to show off your riding accomplishments. Built of a wooden frame, like the picture frame, line it with woven wire. Another option is to make the screen out of folding louver doors, hinging three doors together. Hang your ribbons on the little louvers. You can also hang a favorite horse show photograph on the folding panels.

Sewing the ribbons together to make a ribbon pillow, or even a quilt, is another way some people preserve their horse show ribbons. Cut off the rosettes and use the ribbon stripes to make designs for pillows, wall hangings, throws, tote bags, and even apparel. Don't know how to quilt? Fortunately you can have someone do it for you. One resource is can be found at http://www.showthrow.com/ This lady will fashion your ribbons into a variety of quilted items.