Friday, April 17, 2015

Things a Tack Ho Doesn't Sell

also horses. don't sell horses.
aka "what to buy, I guess"

I'm basically a revolving door of really excellent tack. I rarely pay full price for anything and I almost never personalize because I know I won't keep anything forever.

Over the past few years, there have been a few things that stayed with me.

KEEPSIES
1) Bits.

I do not sell bits.

I want to be that crazy old lady with an enormous trunks of bits in my barn who has every design under the sun. I do not want to be that lady with strap goods or saddle pads, but bits? NEVER LET THOSE BABIES GO.

(Unless you have two in the same size/design and think it's unlikely you'll need them at the same time. I sold a copper mouth french link loose ring because I had two.)

srsly old phone pic


2) Equifit T Boots

Truth: I bought my set years ago on super sale brand new from a rep. I thought I wanted the hook stud models, ended up with the velcros, and never looked back. They're just fantastic boots. They are a basic color, they look classy on every horse, they fit very well (on everything I've used them on) and they are easy to clean. They haven't rubbed even my most sensitive of princesses and they're suitable for nearly every occasion.

I've sold lots of open front boots (and I still have lots), but these are the only ones that seem to have gained a permanent spot in the vault.

memories are forever
3) Nice halters

This one sort of doesn't count but also sort of does. I buy a really nice halter when I get a horse. I put the horse's name on it and the halter stays with the horse.

Unless it's a bitch like Izzy and then I sell it when she moves away. Ha!

But for real. Halters are the one thing that "belongs" to the horse, if you will, and they are special to me.

you aren't looking at the saddle pad
4) Saddle pads

This category does not include half pads. I sell those all the time (and buy them even more frequently). I am such a miser about spending money on saddle pads in the first place that when I finally do have them, I just keep them until they have to be thrown away. They need to be nice neutral colors that don't clash with any given color scheme and they need to fit my saddles.

And if they fit that criteria, I pretty much just keep them. That's what rubbermaids are for, right?

might be keeping these
I'm trying to think if there's anything else, but nothing comes to mind. These aren't necessarily the things I enjoy the most, just the ones I keep the longest. I mean, my #1 love is strap goods, but no one wants to be that lady with 30 year old bridles that is all "these were so hot three decades back".

At least, I can't imagine it.

Am I just weird? What else do you keep forever?

21 comments:

  1. I never sell ... nothing (except the horse). Though it appears I will NEVER sell my lovely green hunt coat. The thing has been for sale for almost two years. I'm about to call it quits on trying to be rid of the thing. It's a nice coat. SOMEONE PLEASE BUY IT. I don't want to move it to another city.

    I like your theory on halters. That's my theory on dog collars, so it makes perfect sense to me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Have you tried listing it on Ebay? I've had luck there with things I couldn't sell easily on English Tack Trader.

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  2. I never sell my bits. I have bits I'm sure I'll never use again, but I'm sure as soon as I sell one, I'll want to try it on a horse. There is one exception, I am considering selling the old style of the Myler D Ring Snaffle. I just haven't found a horse that likes that particular bit.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Email me a picture? I have a weird thing for myler.

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    2. Ooh! What kind is it? A friend of mine has been looking for just such a thing!!

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    3. Really?! Awesome! It's the older one with the metal pieces that hold the leather in place that are out away from the bit a little instead of built into the ring. I know that doesn't make a lot of sense, but I will get photos tonight for you both. It's a single joint with the curved mouthpiece. My old trainer had me use it as a gag on my OTTB gelding but I he liked the happy mouth gag better. It's 5"

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    4. Hey ladies, emailed you both photos. Let me know if you didn't get them!

      Delete
  3. I too hoard bits! I also have a few brushes that I've had for 10 years plus that I will have as long as they last.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Uh, everything? Because buying it in the first place is such a pain, selling it will be doubly a pain.

    I think I just hate shopping, that's my real problem.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I keep almost all of the things. You know this. It's alright, you can shake your head at me.

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  6. i have a really really hard time letting go of stuff lol... i'm a hoarder with no horse - perhaps the worst kind??

    but i am trying to sell a few things right now, including a HS KK ultra loose ring bit (i already have one) and a pessoa anatomic jump girth...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I won't ask. I won't ask.

      What size?

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    2. What size is the anatomic girth? We need something to keep the saddle from sliding forward on Ms. Built-Downhill's little shoulders... :-) (Also, would it work for that?)

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  7. I pretty much follow all of your items here. I will sell saddle pads though, because I don't like to hang on to ones I don't use anymore. Anything embroidered stays though!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I used to hoard bits until I found I really only ever want to use Herm Sprenger bits so I am selling most others. I keep halters with nameplates on them. Everything else can be sold, although it may take me YEARS to decide I can finally sell something.

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  9. I never sell anything, I use it till it's trash and then throw it away.
    But I do treasure my turn out blankets, sheets, flysheets. You never know when there is a desperate need.

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  10. I love the part about halters. When our gelding Shalom passed away, I took off his halter (even though it was an ugly rope halter) and hung it up in a special place, once we get his portrait all set up, it'll hang under it with a plaque for his memory. It may be ugly, but it was just his. And no other horse is allowed to wear it.

    Ditto with my Quarter's leather halter and his "every-day" halter. No one else uses them, it's his and special to me. :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I agree that halters go with the horse. I keep all manner of things, and also sell or give away all manner of things. Most of my stuff is not particularly valuable, so I keep it "just in case" rather than try to get $$. Somehow I've amassed a huge quantity of liquid products - shampoo, flyspray, showsheen...

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  12. My trainer has a wall of bits. It's kinda awesome, and frankly looks pretty cool as decor let alone knowing u pretty much have one of anything to try. She also has bridles and other leather goodness that are easily over 30 yrs old. The ones kept up are impressively soft . Reminds you why you buy quality.

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  13. Selling bits and saddle pads is kind of a hassle anyway. The two times that I sold saddle pads over the internet I lost a good chunk of change trying to ship the darn things. Bits I have also had zero luck ever selling, so they tend to stick around anyway.

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  14. I have every single horses' halter that has come through my barn still.

    Also with you on saddle pads and bits

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