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You open the door and step inside. The scent of leather and treats fills your nostrils. The sight of sparkling browbands, spacious grooming bags, and beautiful riding helmets dazzles your eyes. You run your hand over the soft jackets, saddle pads, and blankets. You feel happy and incredibly tempted. Welcome to the equestrian world—a world full of gear and care temptations!
READ ALSO: Tips: Save money without compromising the quality
If you’re a horse person, you probably know the feeling of joy when you walk into a tack shop. As you see and feel all the amazing products, it begins. You start dreaming of how that glittering saddle pad with rhinestones will look as you ride into the show arena. You imagine the feeling of putting the new purple halter on your horse and grooming it with the soft brush made of genuine goat hair. You think about how your horse's coat will feel after being washed with the organic shampoo.
Shopping for your horse isn't much different from shopping for yourself. The only difference between horse owners and regular people is that horse people mostly shop for their horses. After all, your horse shouldn't go without anything.
Many horse owners have preferences for certain items in the tack shop. This often means the tack trunk or saddle room is overflowing with these exact things. Because you can always use just one more, right? Here are our top five horse products that many owners tend to have a few too many of.
They come in so many materials and colors. Yes, of course, we’re talking about halters, which you absolutely can’t have too many of. They break or get dirty so easily, and it’s always good to have one—or ten—extras lying in the closet. Maybe you use a specific halter when the farrier comes, another for turnout, a third for the trailer, and so on. Besides, a halter is an essential piece of equipment for leading your horse. It won’t do if your horse is suddenly without one when it’s time to bring them in from the field. That’s when it’s important to have an extra hanging by the stall, ready to grab.
Saddle pads are another thing you can’t have too many of. Ideally, there should be a selection on the shelf in the tack room to choose from. One reason is they get dirty and need washing. Another reason is it’s quite nice to be able to pick a pad based on your mood and style for the day. Saddle pads come in a vast array of colors, thicknesses, shapes, and materials, providing ample opportunity to build a well-stocked wardrobe. If you compete, it’s especially important to always have clean white pads so your horse can sparkle in the arena.
If your horse wears blankets, you know as a horse owner that having just one is far from enough. You should ideally have a rain blanket, a fly sheet, a transitional blanket, and a thicker one for when temperatures drop to teeth-chattering levels. And that’s not all—it's best to have at least two of each kind. Blankets can get torn by pasture mates, snag on things, or get soaked.
The grooming kit should ideally contain a brush for every purpose and every part of the horse. A soft brush for the face, a curry comb to remove mud from the body, one for shedding season, one for the legs, a soft brush to polish the coat, and of course, a special one for mane and tail. There’s a certain satisfaction in watching dried mud disappear from the coat and seeing your horse stand sleek and well-groomed in a shiny, cared-for coat.
Everyone knows they always get lost or broken: lead ropes. They tend to vanish around turnout or bring-in time when you suddenly need a rope to lead your horse. It’s especially bad if they’re in one of the classic colors: black, brown, or navy. It’s also often the lead ropes that take the hit if a horse panics, gets startled, or just bolts off. The cheap ones don’t last long. So it’s almost a routine to throw a lead rope into the cart when shopping for the horse.
That’s probably a hard question to answer. Because who knows if one day you’ll suddenly need that brown saddle pad, the green lead rope, or one of the 20 brushes lying in the closet? Better to play it safe.
Also read: Do you have a fearful horse? Pair it with a calm companion
