Wednesday, September 28, 2016

What Do Wednesday: Tack Whoring

I think its a well known fact that some of us bloggers have a problem.

Tack whoring. You know who you are. Its OK. I'm one too. Lets make T-shirts.

But seriously, Graduated Equestrian's post made me realize just how.many.horse.boots. I have. For shame. I even caught myself perusing ETT last nights for more boots without realizing it. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME.

It doesn't help that I've owned 7 full grown horses, 3 mini's and ridden many others. This means I've collected quite the array of tack, bits, boots and wraps over the last almost 20 years (holy shit). Even saddles...I've accumulated 5, and only use 2. I guess Yankee uses one as well..but still. 3/5 is ridiculous. I wish I could say they're super nice saddles like Voltaire's ( heart eyes) or some other french leather, but they work and they're Okayish....for now.

However, nothing amounts to the glorious collection of orange as fuck leather that I've been using on B for the last year and a half. So ridiculously smashing.



I know, I know, you all want it, but simmer down.

Seriously though, despite being incredibly gaudy, and on the verge of tacky, I got everything (reins, breastplate, girth, running martingale) for a slamming good deal at the Stubben tent at Rolex and I'm broke enough to not give a flying fuck about leather colors when it comes to saving money. Plus it matched my saddle, so.

You know you love giant orange breastplate. Admit it.

I think for the whole ensemble, including the saddle I purchased of ETT, I spent $800.

However, I am quite aware of how fucking ridiculous the collection looks, especially on an orange horse, so I am on the hunt to class up our act a little for when we enter the rated ring. I can't change the color of my saddle without drastic moves, like a dye job, but its fine. I figured I would go for a more "mixed leather" feel for our ensemble. Like, light and darks, contrasting...majestically. lolz.

I thought I was going to have to spend a shitload of more money to find a show bridle, girth and breastplate, but friends (blogging and in real life) have saved me yet again!

Just look at it. Let the orange blind you!!

Somehow, I've pawned most of my spare tack on ETT for bills, and I literally have 7 nosebands, 2 stretched out breastplates, an assortment of girths that don't fit...and no bridles. But 7 nosebands. How does this even happen?

So I reached out to friends, and they delivered. I now have 2 spare, classier breastplates in my arsenal as well as a slightly darker bridle and reins. I will have to dye the hackamore nosepiece...or just save and spring for a PS hack (SO many fucking heart eyes). LOLOL, yeah right.

the unicorn bridle. I NEED it. The model even look like B. Its fate.
A close friend here in OH also tried to convince me to buy her Otto Schumaker dressage bridle at a super discounted price and I *almost* did. Its GORGEOUS, but I have no use for it. I already have a dressage bridle and we aren't serious contenders in dressage. BUT OTTO, omg, grabby hands.

So besides friends, real and internet, I also scrounge English Tack Trader on FB (ETT) and Ebay. I've been using Ebay less and less since ETT has virtually anything you could ever want at the touch of your finger. The ISO (in search of) function is also wonderful, you can trade items if people are willing, and get things on a bargain if people are willing to negotiate price.

ALL boots purchased on ETT. $10 for hinds. $50 for front Majyk Equipe boots and $20 for ME bells. Fucking winning.

Ebay seems to be flooded more with manufactures selling the item at almost retail price, versus ETT that has lightly used items sold by horse owners. As long as you use Paypal for your exchanges, you're covered and I've only had to wait on a item for more than 2 weeks once. Generally I love it, and on a budget, its amazing. I don't have the luxury of buying brand new from stores or private sellers, and while that would be awesome for exchange reasons or malfunctions, I really can't. ETT is a lifesaver! And an actual obsession and problem for my wallet, holy shit.

We will never be the perfectly matched pair, but I think it doesn't really matter much in the long run. Only matters how you ride in the end, and I am a-OK with that. I really just want a little semblance of put togetherness and for people to not remember me by my glaring orange tack. Sometimes its best to not be noticed in those ways, hahaha.

Tried for 5 minutes to get a pic last night where he didn't look like a giant moose-giraffe, but unsuccessful. This is our "new" girth & breastplate; still need to exchange the bridle and reins out
Regardless, that leads me to my question. Where do you all go when you're in need of a tack item? Do you scrounge and save? Splurge? Beg friends? Send out an SOS on the blogosphere? Hunt for a good deal? Slave to Ebay or ETT? Tell me dear readers, what do?

43 comments:

  1. THANKS BUT NO THANKS FOR THE ETT TIP

    POOP.

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  2. I had to hide the tack swap sites from my news feed because I was buying a ridiculous amount of "deals" that I didn't necessarily.... Errrr.... Need. Hahaha. I do a little bit of all the things you mentioned, depending on what my budget is and whether the item is an absolute need or just something I want :)

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    1. The want always overrides the necessity when theres a good deal around

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  3. I've always had a love of nice STUFF, especially good deals on high end things, and the blogging thing has only fed into that. I've been insanely lucky to work with some really amazing companies that have, and continue to, support me and my antics... and feed into the addiction at the same time. ;) Those relationships have really proven invaluable to me and my collection of nice stuff.

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  4. I pretty much don't buy things unless I absolutely need them, and even then I scrounge around for the best deal, buy used for things like saddles, hoard gift cards, wait til stuff goes on sale, etc. I hate paying full price for anything.

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    1. SAME OMG, when I can get the SAME thing lightly used on consignment or at ETT

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  5. For me it's blankets. Dee has over 20. Yes you read that right, one horse has an obscene amount of blankets. I use local FB tack sale pages as the USD-CAD conversion is pretty awful.

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    1. I got my collection down to about 6 per horse. Which is still like 12 total...yikes. Washing them all is a bear.

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  6. i love browsing consignment and am basically queen of mismatched tack haha. but darkening oils like hydrophane can work wonders and a couple of my pieces are gonna get the treatment soon!

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  7. I love ETT and eBay. I normally save and buy nice stuff because it always lasts. I have a schokemhole bridle for Annie and I love it. For the price it can't be beat and it's really nice Leather too.

    I had a ps of Sweden hackamore briefly and it wasn't that nice. Looked cool but I ultimately sold it.

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    1. Generally, I can find nice stuff on ETT thats slightly used. As in name brand stuff, like my ME boots and whatnot. Easy if you hold out and do the homework of searching, haha!

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  8. The single biggest hang up in my tack collection is that a certain bay horse decide not to be a jumper and to only go in one bit.

    So that's super boring.

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  9. I usually hate orange tack, but I've honestly never thought of your tack set up as glaringly awful orange. It really doesn't look bad on your orange pony! I'm obsessed with finding nice tack deals, ebay is definitely my go to. ETT is also a dangerous place.

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    1. I used to think it was disgusting before I ever owned orange tack, but it weirdly works on B. Somehow?

      ETT is THE most dangerous place on the internet, I'm convinced

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  10. I liked the orange on B. He rocks it

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    Replies
    1. I actually really like it too. But, for rated shows I'm trying not to be a sore thumb hahah

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  11. I sold a PS of Sweden hackamore about a year ago. It was nice, but I didn't really need an expensive hackamore and wanted the money for a new saddle.

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  12. I am also a ETT regular. There's that an countless other discipline specific sale groups on FB (Dressage tack trader, hunter/jump tack for sale or trade, etc.). I think I'm a member of at least 10 of these groups. I have found a lot of great deals in these groups - I'm always down to buy second hand if its in good condition.

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    Replies
    1. i feel like if I joined more than one I would be unstoppable.

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  13. I tend to save for the full priced item while searching out a deal. That way I'm prepared if I can't find a deal.

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    1. This is also a good plan. I apparently am incapable of saving money though. I need to bury it in the ground in a locked box so I can't spend it.

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  14. I am not kidding I LUST after your orange breastplate. It is perfect for what I need! They do not make it anymore it seems!

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    1. I honestly have never seen one ever, before or after I bought mine. I might willing to part with it ;)

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  15. What is ETT? How do I not know of this wonder...?

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    Replies
    1. English tack trader on FB. AKA the pit of doom for paychecks.

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  16. I'm typically an eBay fan but I just bought a new bridle on ETT and it's literally the most ridiculous thing I've ever purchased (figure 8 with purple padding and purple crystals on both the browband and top half of the noseband) and I'm in love already so it better fit the beast. I can only ride at a walk as that is our current rehab protocol but at least he'll look fantastic as we walk.

    There were purple boots with it but I restrained myself and only bought the bridle.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Did you see the post? It's still going crazy with comments.

      I was only pretending I restrained myself. The boots were already sold. Searching tack sites to figure out where they came from because the seller is being rather vague.

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    2. I like to pretend I have self control

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  17. Dude I have spent waaayy too much money on ETT. But I'm so obsessed. I love hoarding beautiful things. I also am lusting after the PS hackamore. I want more PS but after buying it before it got popular, I don't want to pay the amount they ask now.

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    Replies
    1. I'm hoping it will show up on ETT eventually.....maybe

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  18. ETT is definitely a dangerous place. Though, selfishly, I wish it was more dangerous for other people so someone would buy one of my darn saddles for sale. For a while there I had 5 for 1.5 functioning horses and I'm down to 4... but I want to get at least one more sold and I'm getting really annoyed with people who message me and then disappear or get rude...

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  19. Oh nooooo, this is going to make my husband hate me, LOL. Thanks for the heads up about ETT.

    I usually scrounge through tack websites and try and get the best deal. I finally found a safety vest from a UK tack website that was the best price EVER even with import fees and actually came in my size.

    I do have a holy grail item that I'm hoping ETT can help me with. A few years back I found purple, knock off eskadrons. I love them. Purple is my thing. But the elastic broke on one of the fronts and I cannot, for the life of me, find them again. I bought them in a local shop and I've not seen anything since. It makes me sad.

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  20. The breast plate looks awesome!
    When I need some good tack, I just go perusing peoples' tack trunks. Cost-effective, and I don't even need the internet!

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  21. I have found good deals at yard sales lol!!

    He looks great in his "new" gear.

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