82 SIDELINES JUNE 2014
FORHORSEPEOPLE • ABOUTHORSEPEOPLE
ByDani Moritz
Today,MaryAnn Jacobsen is amaster jeweler inher own right
— producing stunning equestrian-inspired leather bracelets that
attract everyone from littlegirls togrownwomen. But how shegot
here is a little unconventional.
Shedidn’t growup fascinatedwith tinybeadsandgirlishmake-
your-own-bracelet kits. That childhood passion was more so
reserved for her sisters, who now show off their jewelry in art and
jewelry shows.
But something clicked when Mary Ann and her husband, who
is a U.S. Army veterinarian, made the move from Maryland to
Texas. The summer heat— combinedwitha lackof foxhunting in
thearea— inspired the idea to combine jewelry andhorses. That
way she could do somethingwith horses that didn’t include riding
in 100-degreeweather.
Andwho can blame her?
She envisioned her bracelets lined up at horse shows and tack
shops. She had the business savvy from her other equestrian
businesses, so she started her jewelry business, Grey Horse
Saddlery, which shares the same name as her previous mobile
tack shop.
“Basically, I just started making leather bracelets. They’re
mostly leather with cute clasps. I do several different equestrian-
inspired pieces. One has a horseshoe clasp, some have brass or
silver bits,” she explained.
And it appears her bracelets are a hit. She travels to shows all
over Texas and has already been approached by several tack
e
Entrepreneur -Texas
APersonalTouch:
MaryAnn Jacobsen’s
Equestrian-Inspired
LeatherBracelets
MaryAnnon a foxhunt
Photo byRoseBlodgett
shops to carry her bracelets.
“I likegoing to thehorse shows and talking topeopleandbeing
able to do things right there,” she said. “At a show, I’ll make a
bracelet how they want it— for example, a different color or size
— I’ll do them custom if I don’t havewhat they need at the table.”
Currently, Mary Annmostly attends hunter and jumper shows,
although she has been approached to attend some dressage
shows. And traveling
is
on the agenda — although she admits
jugglingher husbandbeinghome, takingcareof thehorses, adog
and the chickensmakes traveling abit of a struggle.
Nonetheless, she looks forward toexpandingher business and
has her fingers crossed that her husband gets transferred back
to Maryland, which would make hitting the bigger shows more
feasible.
But for now, she’s just excited to keep expanding where she
canwhilemaintaining thepersonal touch thatmakesher bracelets
special.
Formore information, “Like”GreyHorseSaddleryonFacebook.
A collectionof MaryAnn’s jewelry.
Photo courtesy of MaryAnn Jacobson
MaryAnn’s bracelets helpequestrians showoff their style.
Photo courtesy of MaryAnn Jacobson
