Wednesday, February 18, 2015

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.

28 comments:

  1. This is amazing! I'm glad someone finally got you excited about 'linens'!!!!!

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  2. "Don't be her friend, you can't afford her."

    LOLZ, but so true :)

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    Replies
    1. For real, Amanda is a bad influence!

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    2. I dunno what any of y'all are talking about.

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    3. Bwahahahah! I wish I could like this like 1000X.

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  3. We know about PS, but WHAT DID TORI SHOW YOU?!

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  4. Love them. I lived in Sweden so therefore I need one, because they come from Sweden.
    Question. I'm sure you have answered it already, but since it doesn't have a throat latch are you ever worried about it accidentally slipping off? I am sure i sound like a crazy person, but a few of my western headstalls don't have throat latches and everyone warns me about trail riding in them because they could just fall off if the horse shakes his head, or rubs it against something. Sorry if it is a silly question, but my friends have me paranoid and clinging to the fact that bridles need throat latches...

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  5. I love you, but I also hate you. I've had the same bridles since the stoneage.

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  6. I'm living through you because I need the HJR so bad!!! Like I wanted to order it during the sale but I need to pay for this years hay soon. BOO hiss....

    Hehe I have like 60 saddle pads -all Poly or Ecogold but I think the Ogilvys steal my heart!

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  7. When I first saw the PS jump rev bridle I honestly thought it was hideous. Nut it has grown on me soooo much. Love the anatomic, the clips are awesome looking, the chestnut color looks gorge, stop tempting me!!!!

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  8. Good news is, there's lots more tack out there to ho on...

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  9. At some point I really need to see all this tack in person. Someone near me needs to buy some and then have me over to look at it.

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  10. I'm totally with you on the needing a sparkle browband! I'm frothing at the mouth for the Golden Rock or Fance Pancy one.

    Wait!! The Fance Pancy one is on sale right now!!! ~dies~

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  11. I finally committed last week to buy the Flying Change bridle with the sale, and then when I went to buy it- they were all out of the black full size, in Pick'n'Mix and everything! Words cannot say how bummed I am. I had to go buy myself a new pair of full seats to console myself.

    But seriously, I'm so bummed they were out of stock. :( :(

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  12. In LOVE with the High Jump Revolution Bridle! Its simply stunning. (Tack-Ho here too!).

    Helps that you have yourself a very handsome model!

    xx Lindsay
    The Inside Turn. Equestrian Blog>

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  13. I think I am the only person who is not totally in love with the PS bridles! I mean, don't get me wrong: the clips are a great idea and I like them. I like that the flash attachment is completely removable. But I felt like the leather quality was "meh" (admittedly, I got the Flat Out Revolution) and I cannot express how much I dislike the reins. I don't like the combination of grippy reins with stops and I hate the gigantic martingale stops.

    I've been thinking of a new dressage bridle, but am not impressed enough with PS to fork out the money for one.

    I am incredibly impressed with their customer service and shipping, though!

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    Replies
    1. Wait. You got the grippy reins with stops with the flat out?

      How much do you hate them and what color are they?

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    2. I hate them A LOT A LOT and they're dark brown. (Or just brown? I can't remember what color PS called them. They're not black and not that chestnut color either.)

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  14. I love the look of some of their bridles, but others make me go O.o
    I would love to get one each for my girls of the ones I love, but adult on really hard here too so sadly no spare dosh to splurge on horses that each have two functioning bridles already *sob*

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  15. I LOVE these bridles so much and I can't wait to buy one. I need an upgrade!

    Do you use the reins that came with the bridles, too?

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    Replies
    1. Yes! I actually love the reins. I buy cob size bridles and they run a little short, which is perfect for my short-necked horse, but something to be aware of if your horse is bigger.

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

    Now all you need is a PS ring... do they make those yet?

    ReplyDelete

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