Taming the Tack Ho

these pictures make me swoon

Or "How PS of Sweden Made an Honest Woman Out of Me"

I've always been candid about my status as a tack ho. I love tack, particularly boots and strap goods. I buy a lot of it. I sell a lot of it. I love the turnover and the thrill of always having new things. I love knowing all the different brands and leather types and colors and options. I LOVE ALL THAT.

And then Amanda (don't be her friend--you can't afford her) itroduced me to PS of Sweden. I started out innocently enough--I paid about $170 shipped to get the Flat Out Revolution bridle. I was enamored with the bit clips and the look and I think $170 is a relatively inexpensive bridle, so why not?

so simple. so perfect.

Here's the problem.

I absolutely fell in love with this bridle. It's so convenient and so well designed. I didn't 100% love the leather right out of the box, but it improved a lot with care (I am the best at care) and the details just made it all up to me. The clips. The crown. The reins. The lack of a throatlatch (dumbest strap ever). And so on. Instead of being just another bridle in an admittedly good collection, it became my go-to piece.

That's pretty normal for a new bridle and me. What's not normal is that instead of letting my eye continue to wander, I chose my next bridle from the PS lineup as well. (Noted: as a tack ho, I buy shit pretty much constantly. I sell at about the same rate, so I usually have 4-6 bridles on any given day.)

looking so dramatic

Enter the High Jump Revolution. I wanted it. I needed it. I bought it on a super sale in a package deal with a breastcollar. Honestly, I wasn't sure what I would think. The sale meant that I had to buy a color that I historically don't like (chestnut).

And then it showed up. In case you're wondering, the leather on the higher priced PS bridles is substantially nicer than their budget options. (And they're upgrading all of it this month, so hang in there). Sigh. I loved the bridle. The design and detailing was even cooler than my Flat bridle and it's to the point that I even like the color.

chestnut and black and happiness

Like I legit ride in my havana jump saddle or my black dressage saddle with a chestnut leather bridle and I don't even care because I love the bridle so much. HOW WHY THAT IS TACK HO HERESY.

So anyways. I have some priorities other than buying tack this year (YOU GUYS I AM ADULTING SO HARD RIGHT NOW) so I've been staying off of tack groups (except to sell) and tack store websites and whatnot in an attempt to stay focused. But then PS had a 15% off sale in honor of winning a cool industry award and I follow their instagram and I really do want a dressage bridle.

it looks so classy

But I also want to adult.

But dressage. And hoing.

Omg. The struggle was real until hubs stepped up and offered to get me the dressage bridle of my dreams for Valentine's Day. He wins Valentine's Day. I was completely not expecting that since I really don't believe in celebrating hallmark holidays.

And yeah. Here I am with three PS bridles. I don't look at other bridles anymore. I don't browse all the latest tack catalogs looking for innovative features. I don't know how to say this next bit of tack ho heresy, but even the French saddle makers' strap goods have lost their luster to me. (Not saying I wouldn't take one if the opportunity came up, but I'm no longer looking).

so much ps

I really don't know how this happened. I'm a PS girl.

I don't get paid to say that. I don't get swag or discounts or anything, which wtf I totally should. But whatever. I've found bridles that I believe in. I have three (3!!) of them now and I'm happy with them. I don't even have that twitchy urge to sell them and get something else. I'm actually having that urge a little bit about some of my other bridles that I was planning to hang on to.

I'm already planning my next order. I need a throatlatch for dressage showing and a sparkle browband and possibly spur straps (but not til next month because adulting).

Guys. I don't know what to say. I've settled down and gotten boring.

Oh, and don't even get me started on what Tori did to me. Linens are in my sights now too.