Making It: Tack Ho on a Budget

Bridle selection at the old barn

As I mentioned before, tack buying is not so much for me right now.

My very mature response has been: poo. And possibly sticking my tongue out.

The good news is, I have an end around that lets me keep having tack fun without all the expense of buying.

Remember how I'm going for the whole "minimalist" thing at the new barn? I have a trunk, a saddle rack, and a couple of hooks instead of a huge locker plus a trunk, plus blanket racks, plus all the space I want in the tack room.

I mean, yeah, I could add more hooks

That means the rest of the pony toys got cleaned and conditioned and put away in (dun dun dun) THE VAULT.

aka my garage.

Yeah, I even washed and rolled all the polos. There is a WHOLE RUBBERMAID TUB of boots. Don't even get me started on the bit box.

I don't spend a lot of time in the garage day to day, so when I'm feeling the need for a change, I just run out and rummage through rubbermaids until I have enough fun toys to keep me entertained for a few days. It's like the best store ever because everything is free and whoever stocks it has immaculate taste.

argyle polos and aramas bridle

I'm a total out-of-sight-out-of-mind person, so it works really well for me. I mean, it's obviously not completely the same as pulling the trigger on fancy new toys. However, I can just swap out a bead string on a browband, grab a bridle I haven't used lately, and pick the cutest polo wraps, which makes it almost feels like shopping.

Can't argue with the results, right?