Creative Ways to Display Your Horse Show Ribbons
Growing up, my sister and I had a wall in our tack room that was designated for our horse show ribbons. From our very first equitation and pleasure shows, to our Pony Club rallies, and the events that we traveled up and down the east coast for, we hung every single ribbon, no matter the color, on that wall. Over the years, they collected dust and became discolored. Some were bent and had tears, but each one carried memories. When the last horse left that barn as I went off to college, my mom asked my sister and I what we wanted to do with our ribbons. She came up with the brilliant idea of displaying them in a vase. She used ones that were a little more worn to stack in the middle and placed the ones that were brighter or larger around the edge. These vases have moved with me four times now and are always a stand-out piece wherever I put them. Everytime I look at them, I’m reminded of all of the hard work and dedication that has brought me to where I am today.
Horse show ribbons are more than just a piece of fabric to all riders. They are the symbol of countless hours at the barn, more falls in the mud than you’d like to remember, and moments of heartbreak and disappointment, but also joy, triumph, and perseverance. They deserve to be displayed, so I’ve compiled a list of my favorite ways to proudly show off those ribbons.
1. The classic hanging display. This method is similar to how I hung my ribbons growing up, but in a more portable design. You can organize the ribbons by color, discipline, or division. Designate a hanger for each year or horse and watch your success expand right before your eyes.
2. Frame it! You can never go wrong with framing your favorite ribbons. Whether you have multiple ribbons that you want to display together because they were won with a special horse, or if you want to group a bunch of the florets to create beautiful artwork, this method is truly customizable and will look great in your barn, home, or office.
3. Get creative with vases and containers. One of the things I love about the way my mom displayed my ribbons was that she used different sizes and shapes of vases. Think outside of the box when it comes to containers - anything that is made of glass and is enclosed (to ward off dust and bugs) could be a ribbon holder!
4. Custom pillows and quilts. What better way to show off your prizes than to make them into a custom quilt or pillow?! This etsy shop creates custom works of art using your ribbons so that you can showcase them around your home.
5. Wreaths for any occasion. Last but not least, I love the simplistic design of these wreaths. You could use ribbons of one color or style, or mix and match the designs for a stand-out stall door decoration.
Do you have any creative ideas of how to display your horse show ribbons? Have you tried any of the above suggestions? I would love to hear your thoughts and comments. As always, thank you for joining and supporting our community. We are so excited to have you along for the ride!
Until next time,
Jess
pc: Jessica Champagne; pinterest.com