Cautionary tale for those who keep old equipment for . . .someday . .

[TheJenners]

@Paint_Party

“We don’t want your crap! We have our own crap!”

Truer words never spoken! I have some memento items I keep, otherwise I sell or toss. I do have three saddles right now and two don’t fit my ridable pony, but since they are adjustable and quality there is no reason they won’t fit my coming 3 yo when she’s older. But I “rehomed” some bridles last spring when I had a mold epidemic in my tack room after a water leak, and traded money plus three quality figure8s I don’t use to have the leather goods I do use cleaned. So I do have some nicer bridles and a leather halter currently hanging inside the house in my spare room closet, the two every day bridles in the tack room. Or three? I think three. Regardless.

I sold four blankets in January that had been professional cleaned and then riding around in the back of my car for a YEAR. That’s a clue

[MorganMaresVT]

For people in this situation…one suggestion for the blankets. Get everyone together. Get rid of the blankets you wouldn’t be willing to put on your own horse. Get the serviceable used ones cleaned if needed, and definitely keep the new or like-new options. Work with a local horse rescue to start a local “blanket bank” to help horse owners who need a blanket or two to but can’t necessarily afford a new one. This is a very popular service where I live (Vermont) and has benefited many.

Saddle pads- clean the ones that need it. Many animal shelters will accept them cleaned to use in cage areas. They also make good “furniture blankets” if you are moving.

[Incantation]

When we my mother sold her farm, I went through the tack room. There were probably 30-40 blankets/sheets in various states, many very old - some from the 70’s and 80’s. She had a big garage sale and I advertised horse blankets, various sizes, some with damage, starting at $5.00. I sold 90% of them to people who don’t normally blanket their horse, but wanted a “just in case” blanket, and made $200, and only had a handful left that were either tossed if they were junk, or donated to the MSPCA, along with some other tack.

[TheJenners]

My blankets were Weathabeatas that had only seen a couple seasons. I got nearly new price for them. Two of the four were in the original bags. These werent junk.

I just dont blanket because I dont clip everyone anymore.

[clanter]

@Incantation

There were probably 30-40 blankets/sheets in various states, many very old - some from the 70’s and 80’s.

we have several Baker blankets from the 1950s that are in great condition, since we moved form Kentucky we rarely have need to blanket the horses but we do have these heavy winter blankets just in case. These are in addition to various newer things

[RMJacobs]

I guess I should be grateful that DH included most of our horse stuff in the garage sale he held before we moved off the horse property. He gave away a lot of it, or if someone bought something, threw in a bunch of other stuff with it. But he was only able to sell one saddle (the used English saddle that my daughter absolutely had to have, and then used once).

We sold the Western saddles (nice synthetics) shortly afterward through a Craigslist ad. I think we sold one and threw in the other. I sold my pony cart through the CD-L group. I found out when I got there with the cart that it was a therapeutic riding program. They insisted on paying for the cart, so I threw in my nice beta harness, all my whips and some other odds and ends.

I never could find a buyer for my small pony harness, and donated that to another therapeutic riding program. They are local to me now (although they ween’t when I donated it). I keep meaning to contact them and find out how the harness worked out for them. I told them I expected them to trade it for something else if it didn’t suit them, or sell it if they could.

The last of my stuff was where I boarded my remaining pony. When he died, I asked the BO what she could use. She took all of it, which was very helpful. I don’t know what she was going to do with a blanket suited to Colorado winters in South Carolina, but she wanted it for whatever reason. She and her husband were very good to my pony and very good to me, so I was happy to give her all of it. I told her to feel free to sell whatever she didn’t want to keep.

Rebecca

[pony_baloney]

Last year I attended a therapeutic riding center’s tack sale. Lots of tables selling lots of things but not many people buying. I was looking for a small turnout sheet, but they had them just in giant piles on the ground divided by large ranges of sizes. In the field where I parked, there was a huge dumpster overflowing with unsaleable items; it’s a shame that they’ll probably have to pay to have that removed and dumped.

Twice I rented a table at a local tack sale that benefits a local rescue. My best sellers were my old Breyer horses (from the 70s, in original boxes). Sold cheaply but went to good homes. At the end of the day I just donated the things I didn’t want to bring back home. The stuff just doesn’t seem as valuable when you have to pack it up and store it again until next time. My beloved old Barnsby dressage saddle didn’t sell on consignment at the tack store so I donated that to another barn’s benefit sale. I’d like to go but it will break my heart to see it there, unwanted in a pile of other once loved saddles.

[Foxglove]

@pony_baloney --too late for my friends as they are to move off their property to a new condo 2000 miles away, but one of the most satisfying ways I disposed of unwanted horse equipment was to take a few items (maybe 10) --things like a nylon halter or two, frayed lead ropes, an unused bridle, saddle pads (clean), and a few worn brushes, out grown boots --clean everything, then put ttems into a bin with a sign that said FREE. I would take them to a 4-H horse show and leave them out in a conspicuous place. Everything would disappear --usually even the box —I saw one tiny person running with a set of shiny spurs --saying, “Look what I got! Momma, what are these?” –

[Foxglove]

One final thought on this sad subject: Suggestions for having a successful sell-off at a 4-H (or similar) tack sale or swap.

1. Rent one more table than you think you’ll need —spreading things out, displaying them, clean and in good repair will get you more lookers and more buyers –

2. Have BIG price stickers so that someone walking by in the aisle or at another table can SEE what that nice saddle is going for. (I was looking for an extra saddle pad for my neighbor who rides sometimes with me --what caught my eye was a BIG sign on a stack of used pads that said $5.00–bought one!)

3. Have a “FREE” box --some people who came to take things out of my FREE box, stopped and looked at my saddle --one of them bought my saddle for her trainer after sending her the information and a picture–so all good!

4. Stand up, make eye contact – Person walks by, say, “You look like you need a (fill in the blank).” Person says, “No.” Ask what they are looking for --what kind of horse they have, riding they do etc. etc. Show them your stuff (even if they are not interested in that specifically) . Say, “Well if you see someone looking for a really nice dressage saddle with an adjustable tree --send them over!”

5. People are proud of their kids --so if a parent/child is walking by, ask the kid what he/she is looking for --if they show, about their horse —again --once someone stops at your table --it is MUCH MORE LIKELY they will buy something.

6. Get off your phone!!! The gal-pal who gave me a space on her table to put my saddle was NEVER off her phone. She sat there, hunched over, texting the whole time I was there. Meanwhile, I was selling her stuff (my saddle sold in 15 min --so I really had nothing to do but wander around and then try to sell some of her stuff). No one will bother you to ask about an item if you are on your phone!

7. Be helpful —if you know someone has something that someone might want --send them that way.

8. Have change —geesh --no brainer but neither the older couple or the gal pal thought to bring 1’s 5’s and 10’s to make change --yes, I baled everyone out —the woman who bought my saddle gave me 50s --so I never had to use my change.

9. If someone seems remotely interested --ask them to make an offer. Walking away with $10 is better than not selling a saddle you have asked $20 for.

10. Wear clothes that can get dirty --picking up old saddles, bridles, blankets can make you pretty filthy.

I love tack sales --I just wish I had a greater need for some things --or that when my kiddos were showing they were the massive events they have become. The biggest one I’ve ever seen was Kalamazoo 4-H Tack Sale — I would say that sellers were outnumbered by lookers --and lookers become buyers. I will probably take a few things next year --just so I can get in early --vendors get in the building at 1:00 PM —buyers can’t enter until 5:00 PM —but I will tell you that my saddle sold at 1:30 --most folks doing what I did --getting what they want before the crowd comes.

[goodhors]

@Foxglove Great advice! I think you covered all the areas for sellers at Tack Sales, very well. So easy but most folks don’t put themselves out to sell like you describe. They take home a lot of their stuff because of poor selling techniques.

I think I have given away all my “free stuff”, but having such a box is a great draw to have people look closer at your things.

I haven’t ever been to the Kalamazoo Sale, but it has a great reputation for many vendors, lots of variety in items for sale. It is 2 hours from me, ending in “the dark of night” which I don’t like driving home in when I am tired. Our Driving Club has had a table there the last three years, to help people that want to learn about driving equines. The volunteers always have a good time, talk to lots of people. I think they sell driving items too. Nice, light whips, slow-moving vehicle signs that velcro on a carriage, to help new drivers be visible. Sometimes people just want questions answered or where to shop for harness or carriages, perhaps how to market an unused carriage.

[mscapen]

For blankets and odd pieces of leather: ie stirrup leathers, straps I normally give to my local blanket cleaner. She will take stuff to repair or give to seomone she knows needs something. She is in contact with lots of people in the area therefore knows of rescues or just he kid with the pony in a backyard that needs a halter repair or a remodeled, shaped flysheet, rainsheet or other. Nice woman and she takes it all.
Maybe there is someone like that in your area. Our local tack shop will also take briddles etc and give you a fair price. Saddles they will buy also but those would not get a lot of money. Just sold a bunch of odds and end it paid for my mare’s supplements. Also thinking about these issues as I have probably hung my stirrups.

[Foxglove]

@mscapen --not my things —belong to a couple of (older) friends who have to be off their property 3/31. The time to do as you suggest has passed. My final suggestion to them, today, was put a “Free Horse Stuff” add in the local “Craig’s List.” The husband said, (again) “or we can just burn it all.” They are out of time and energy. It took us six man hours to load about 2/3 for the 4-H tack sale (they did make $1200, but still have bunches of stuff left). They are moving 2000 miles away, and have no way to store or market what is left. Even loading it all up again (I assume it is back in the barn), is likely beyond them.

[Baybear]

My first barn and current barn owers are tack hoarders. The first barn recently downsized and should’ve sold a lot of tack but didn’t. Husband no longer plays polo so not sure why they need his polo saddles, and her horses aren’t really rideable so not sure why she needs to keep the saddles she had from when she was a Jr. to now in her late 60’s! and all the bits and bridles over the years. Current barn similar situation - family business since the 60’s and I’ll bet the first bridle they ever bought is in their tack room, which is pretty full. Unless the tack is cleaned and check regularly, it becomes unsafe to use or sell.

[fledermaus]

Tack hoarding is just a form of hoarding. Accumulating more and more stuff you don’t need, won’t ever use, because to deal with it, and all the sentimental value and the memories, not to mention the sheer work and all that decision-making, leads to inertia which if not addressed is going to leave a big and possibly enormous mess for someone else to clean up.

Probably it’s because I’m getting old, but I sure know a lot of people with hoarding issues these days. It runs in my husband’s family, and as his brothers move on (one way or another), they are leaving monumental piles-o’-junk behind. Last week my nephews filled a 20 yard dumpster in their late father’s yard just with metal, which the scrap company paid them for (although not much). It didn’t even touch all the rest of the useless valueless stuff he’d stuffed his house and yard with.

I have one horse, one saddle, two bridles (one for trail riding and the other for dressage lessons), two girths, a heavy and medium blanket … when things wear out I throw them away. If something doesn’t fit any horse I sell it or give it away. My leather tack is oiled and hanging up properly. I’ve seen way too many tack rooms packed with dusty twisted saddles and cracked strap goods piled in a bucket in dark dirty corners. Don’t keep what you don’t use, and whoever comes after you will bless you, whether they are buying your farm or settling your estate.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

All of this. In all honesty, although all horse people joke about “tack hoarding,” most people I know who I consider genuine hoarders (versus having a few too many fancy saddle pads and such) are also hoarders of other things, from bottles of condiments more than 10 years old and encrusted in barn dust and computer desk monitors from the early 00s in the barn office.

I think it has a lot to do with attaching your memories and sense of worth to objects, although being raised to never throw things out is a factor.

[ShenanAnna]

The Scandinavian “death cleaning,” while sounding creepily morbid, is something done by older folks to save their heirs the headache of dealing with all the person’s stuff. Useful idea, sorting through your stuff and disposing of it the way you think it ought to be done!

[fledermaus]

@Impractical_Horsewoman

I think it has a lot to do with attaching your memories and sense of worth to objects, although being raised to never throw things out is a factor.

For real hoarders, it’s a full-blown mental illness. I’ve had some first hand experience with that. But you don’t have to be so crazy to pile up a lot of junk. You just have to have a bad habit and stay in the same place.

The best way to deal with the problem is with a disinterested helper, who will stand there and pick one thing out of the pile and say “keep, sell, give away, or toss?”, wait until you’ve made the decision, and put it in the right pile. Then they pick up another one. For as long as it takes.
At the end, they remove all the piles except the keeps and you never see them again. Most people who have a problem like this will not be able to do it alone, or else they already would have.

[Jackie_Cochran]

I had accumulated tack before my MS made me so disabled that I could not do the horsework myself so I started riding lesson horses.

Because of my handicaps I find it useful to have a hoard of tack so I can figure out a bit that the horse likes better and a bridle to put it on (that is how I got rid of my older leather bridles and some reins.) Before I got my Pegasus Butterfly saddle I had two jumping saddles and an ancient dressage saddle I could use to find a more-or-less fit with my more recently bought six-pocket saddle pads.

I want to use my saddle since it has all of my safety additions on it, so I bought this saddle so I had a chance of fitting more than one horse satisfactorily if not perfectly. My safety additions are the RS-tor riding aid, a “oh sh*t strap”, rider grips, stability leathers, and Tech Venice slope safety stirrups, stuff that lesson stables do not provide their riders.

I use my old leather jumping saddles on my riding simulator. They would not bring much money in anyway if I sold them and they did not fit any of my riding teacher’s horses.

My riding teacher “uses” my tack hoard. I have passed on a few saddles (kept so the leather remained supple) when my riding teacher asked me if I had a saddle that one of her other students could use (I got paid, ancient saddles or Wintec GPs so I did not get a lot of money.)
A lot of my bits ended up on lesson horse bridles at my lesson stable, these horses obviously needed a change of bit so I donate them. Since I switched to titanium bits (Fager) my hoard of stainless steel bits and my excess non-Fager titanium bits end up on the lesson horses’ bridles (hey, I might need to ride that lesson horse one day, it is much better for me to ride a horse in a bit it likes and will listen to.)

My now excess saddle pads now cushion my remaining saddles on their racks. I have various strap goods lying around, several different types of bitless bridles in various sizes for those days in which my body JUST DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY so the horse does not mind me riding it so much since there is no way I can hurt its mouth with a bitless bridle.

Otherwise I am down to four bridles, two double bridles and two snaffle bridles. The rest of the bridles got given to my lesson stable, plus many excess reins.

Due to my past and present tack hoards I can comfortably ride lesson horses who themselves are at least somewhat comfortable when I ride them. Since I ride at two stables and I do not share any tack between them except for my saddle, that took care of a lot of my excess tack. That is why I have two double bridles!

[JBCool]

Sent you a PM

[Scribbler]

I agree hoarding is a whole different thing. But the North American world is so awash in consumer goods that almost everyone is accumulating more stuff than they need. Tack also accumulates when you change horses and need new sized gear. And people give you good quality stuff with no resale value.