Chapter 18: Ponies Need Tack

~~ August - Week 33 ~~

“Well, now you are all proud owners of ponies,” Don said.

“The only problem is that I didn’t bring enough tack or saddles to sell you.”

“Do you have enough different saddles that would fit the ones we chose?” asked Kyle.

“Yes,” said Don. He took them to the shed and pointed out the saddles he had, “That one would fit Red Lady and Blondie. That one would fit both Prince and Two Socks, and those two would fit any of the other three.”

“What about bridles?” Bear asked.

Don selected four bridles and laid them across the saddles. “This last set would be best for Two Socks; he has a big head.” Lee, Tony and Kyle had to snigger at the comment but didn’t elaborate.

Kyle asked how much each set would cost and a set of brushes?” Don named some figures. “Can I borrow them?” asked Kyle.

Don asked, “Why?”

Kyle said he could scan them into the replicator and as long as Don was happy with a percentage. He could then have any other buyers, order them. Don agreed, and Haf set up the paperwork.

Haf loved the new system. In the last place he had worked, it would have taken days to complete all these sales and contracts that had been negotiated this morning. This lovely system let him do the documentation in minutes.

He could simply send a copy to the owner, instead of having to get them to sign multiple copies. And he loved the money transfer system. He didn’t have to weight coins and carry large amounts around. He loved working in Futura.

Horrie said he would get the saddles cleaned up and make sure they were in excellent repair. He would then send them to the Replicator building when he had finished. He asked Kyle if he should do the same to the other two saddles they had, but he didn’t have a lot of spare leather as they needed some work.

Kyle said, why not. He also suggested Horrie should get Lonnie Omega to have a look at them. She was brilliant with leather and may even have spare materials he could use. Kyle commed Lonnie and told her about the tack problem. She agreed to come over.

Cais informed them, now that he had the ponies he needed, he would be able to bring four reptii’s into Sal for butchering. So, there would soon be more leather for Lonnie and the headers. If she were going to make saddles, she would need it.

Gus asked about traces for the sleds and halters for the work ponies. Horrie said he could help design the traces and he had a couple of halters they could also get copied. Gus put in an order for six of each when they were ready.

Horrie said his boys would drop the ponies over to Gus later if he still wanted to take them today. Gus was happy with this, so he and Gavin headed off, to get some work done and Blue went with them. Dave and Sandra also said they had work to do and would come back to visit their ponies later. Tony and Lee also decided to make tracks as well.

Bear asked if he could borrow some tack, as he would like to take Smoke for a run with Vera and wear in his new shoes. He only planned to be out for about an hour or so. Horrie gave him one of the sets Don had gotten out and said it was no problem, as he had to work on the others anyway.

So, Bear and Vera went to saddle their ponies.

Sean and Kyle decided they would take Don to see the replicator.

Just as they went to leave, Lonnie drove up. They stayed while she inspected the saddles. Kyle explained what he wanted to do.

Lonnie said, “Well you could, but theses saddles are well worn. How soon do you want saddles?”

“Well, it would be nice if they had some of them by Sunday,” Kyle said.

Lonnie asked, “Horrie, who do you have that can do basic leatherwork?”

“Harriot my wife, my daughter Brianne and I generally keep the tack in order,” he said.

Lonnie went back to the linger. She pulled out a supple saddle and showed it to him. She told them, “Cais said the other day, their saddles were not as good as he would like for herding.”

“So, I just finished making this one for him to see if he would like to buy them. This one is based on a design my grandfather used for making Australian Stock Saddles.”

“They make excellent saddles for herding, and for general riding. Most people find them very comfortable. It has a fibreglass tree, soft padded panels and brass fittings. What do you think?”

Don and Horrie examined the saddle with interest. Don asked if she would mind if he tried it out. He liked the look of it, and it was light and supple. Lonnie agreed. Don went and saddled a young mare that he was still training to herd. He took her into the lunging paddock and went through some moves as if he was herding animals.

He came back after fifteen minutes with a big grin, “Lonnie this saddle is bloody marvellous. Cais would be a fool not to buy them. I’d like to think I’m no fool, so can I have some too?”

Lonnie laughed, she was very pleased, “Well, if Harriot and Brianne would like a bit of extra work, I think we can do something for you. Could we borrow a corner of your shed to set up?”

Don grinned, “I think you and I need to have a chat.”

“What about getting them replicated?” Kyle asked.

“Oh, I agree, we can get them replicated, but I need to make the prototypes first,” Lonnie said. “Then I’ll make one-offs for those who want the personal touch.”

Everyone agreed this was an excellent solution.

Lonnie had a feeling she would be quitting her old job real soon. The extra workers in town now made this possible. She had signed on as a Cleaner/Kitchenhand, but she also had an Arts degree specialising in Handicrafts. She had also learnt the art of Saddle Making and other Leathercraft from her family.

She was thrilled to be back doing her trade and loved working with the new hides from the reptii and camla. She still wasn’t sure why she had signed on for this voyage originally, but she was more than happy with her new circumstances.

“Lonnie,” Sean said thoughtfully. “How about, I get you reassigned to Sale? You can do your eight-hour shift with him, so you stay employed under the current agreement for the crew. You can then spend the rest of your time on these other projects.”

He then suggested, “It might even be an idea to see if he wants a flatmate. He has spare rooms in his flat above the Dairy. It makes you closer to here as well if you’re going to be working with Don’s people.”

Lonnie grinned at him, “I can’t see a problem with either of those ideas, Sean. Living and working with Sale would make things a lot easy for me.”

Sale had hinted to her only the other day that he wouldn’t object to her becoming his permanent bed mate, rather than the casual one she was now. He had even offered her one of the spare rooms as a workroom for her, to entice her to move in with him.

Lonnie also suspected he planned to make the move long term as well if she agreed. He’d had the hots for her, for some time as she well knew. He wasn’t half bad in the sack, either. Plus, they had a lot in common, when out of it. She had a feeling if she let Sale have his way the Captain may be preforming his other job as well.

Kyle had Haf put a hold on the contract.

He would work out a new one with Lonnie and Don later. Haf agreed this would be prudent and cancelled the contract. Sean said he would go have a word to Sale and then get her job assignment changed. Kyle had other projects to go to as well, so the boys said their goodbyes and went to do other things.

Don, Lonnie and Horrie’s family got together to work out how they were going to set this new enterprise up. Lonnie measured the ponies and agreed on at least four main sizes for the Pelly’s. She even measured the Hesty’s and decided one main size would do, if they made saddles for them.

She had made templates of the pieces required when she had designed the first saddle. The girls went with her to collect the materials. Horrie called Gary and organised some worktables for them. He was happy to oblige and sent over Ivan and Iran to set them up for him.

Lonnie and Horrie’s family soon had a small production line going. June already had scans for the solid parts like the tree and buckles but not the material parts. The family helped her get them cut out. Lonnie then got June to scan them into the replicator.

They couldn’t make them out of the leather she had used, because of the ‘no flesh’ restrictions, something Kyle had forgotten in his excitement. June was, however, able to find the pattern for a synthetic substitute. She and Lonnie both agreed it would work after June copied and replicated a cutting for her.

Lonnie was happy with the solution. It meant the handmade saddles would be worth more. She told Don later the new material made good saddles for when he hired tack out for casual riders, as they would be easy to clean and would wear well over time.

June was also able to produce a couple of industrial type sewing machines, needles and heavy thread for her as well. She even produced staple guns and staples for the hidden fixings. She adjusted the material parts to the sizes Lonnie needed.

Lonnie got June to produce a set to make kid-sized saddles for the smaller work ponies. She had a feeling, a couple of Pix and Prols she knew, might like them too.

When Ian was transferring the patterns from the engineering replicator on the ship, he had gone through all the archives. He had found several categories for the replicator that could only be accessed from the replicator in engineering.

There were a lot of items, which he had no idea why they had been included for a starship. But they would be invaluable for the new settlement. To his delight, he had even found golf clubs. He had transferred a copy of everything to the big replicator on Futura.

Lonnie taught Horrie’s family, how to use the sewing machines. She had also gotten material from June, to use for saddle blankets and horse blankets. She then taught Harriot and the other girls how to hem them. The girls soon worked out many other uses for the wonderful machines.

Lonnie, Horrie and Brianne worked on shaping the saddles. The new materials were easy to stretch, staple and then sew. Soaking wasn’t required. They had little trouble constructing the five saddles over the next week. Lonnie had even gotten two of the leather ones she had previously started, completed with Horrie’s help.