“My tail bag design basically came out of necessity,” explained Andrea Emery-Drayton, CEO of Blooming Tails in Paso Robles, CA. “I used so many different tail bags that simply fell off. I grew tired of replacing the bags that I spent good money on so I worked on creating my own.” Yes, necessity is the mother of invention.
Andrea : an Early Bloomer with Horses
Andrea started riding as soon as she could walk and hold a lead rope and continues to ride today. The bulk of her riding development happened while working at a Pony Rides stable in Reseda, CA where she rode and trained the ponies. She had a lot of fun getting bucked off, stepped on and rolled over. Thus she learned how to really ride in the process. Andrea also rode and worked where the family horses were boarded at the Rocking H Quarter Horse racing ranch. She worked cleaning stalls, grooming and exercising the young horses before they went to the track to help pay for her horses’ board.
Local horse shows where she competed in Western Pleasure and Equitation classes were another venue. “We didn’t have a lot of money for showing and we didn’t have a horse trailer so I rode my horse to shows.” Andrea recounts, “I always tried to fancy up my horses and myself as best I could with what we had and used tail bags even then.”
The Central Coast
Her parents Warren and Vel Miller, have a ranch in Atascadero overlooking the beautiful
Her mother, Vel Miller, is a local artist whose work reflects the western lifestyle and scenes from their ranch. Vel was the featured artist at the Cattlemen’s Western Art Show this year.
Today, Andrea with her husband Steve reside in Paso Robles on their ranch where they also raise Texas Longhorn cattle and quarter horses. Andrea trains her own horses just for the ranch work she does but she also enjoys watching reined cow horse and cutting events. Observing the experts helps her learn techniques she brings home to apply on her own horses.
Appreciating a Long Pretty Tail Launched Blooming Tails
Even though Andrea doesn’t show she still appreciates a long pretty tail and saving time with brushing out a tail with no tangles. “I have tried all the tail bag options out there. Either the material was wrong, or the design was wrong, or a combo of both, so I tried to improve these designs. Eventually I decided to create my own design,” Andrea explained. “I have a pile of design failures from several product trials,” says Andrea regarding how she came up with her current, patented design. Now Andrea loves her product and loves being able to simply brush out a tail and enjoy its beauty.
Each Blooming Tails Tail Bag is Hand-Made
Each bag is hand-made by Andrea. “I am very particular about how the bags are made,” expressed Andrea. There are many pull-points where the integrity of the material or design can be compromised. Andrea knows where and how to reinforce problem areas because she wants each bag to last. The last bags she put on her own horses have lasted over a year and a half and so far and still going.
Patented and Trademarked Design
Blooming Tails tail bag design is patented and trademarked. Each part of her patented design, for example: The “X” on each bag is intentional and is part of the design structure. “I’m happy I went through the patent and trademark process as it was truly a learning experience,” explained Andrea.
Get a Blooming Tails Tail Bag for Your Horse
These colorful, hand-made creations are available from the Blooming Tails website. Andrea sells her product all over the
Andrea’s Time is Split in Many Different Directions
“It takes one and one half hours to make one bag,” explained Andrea. The tail bag business is just one of the many different directions Andrea goes in a week. So she doesn’t have a huge supply on hand. “I really did this mostly for myself. I wanted a tail I could just brush out quickly and enjoy its beauty.” Then her friends started asking for them, and their friends, and so on, and so on.
Andrea encourages anyone who has an idea to, “Go for it! Get it out there. Experience the patent process. Don’t sit on your idea, especially if you have the time to get it marketed and going.”
Taking this life snap-shot of Andrea, we find a local horse person who has created a useful horse product and is selling it all over the country and the world. Enjoy the beauty and ease of a well-protected tail. Get one or two Blooming Tails tail bags for your horse(s).
what a wonderful SLO Horse News! I want to reach out to Velvet Noses that sounds like a cool place to volunteer Thanks for always bringing fun and interesting articles and news :) Julie in Nipomo
Thank you Julie.