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

[hut-ho78]

It’s a lot easier to find homes for newer stuff than old stuff. The 2 old flat, hard, still serviceable saddles that I still love but don’t fit my current horse are not what is desired in the saddle market today. I sold all the newer ones that don’t fit. I can probably sell my old western saddle but I love it too and just had it reworked and the tree checked. We have charity auctions and a lot of my stuff was donated to a local trainer for that cause. Then we had a barn move and I threw out a lot of unusable stuff. There always seems to be more accumulating though, blankets and bits, saddle racks, etc.

Hmmm. Maybe I think I should buy a horse that my beloved old flat saddles fit.

[Paisley_Pony]

@Impractical_Horsewoman

although being raised to never throw things out is a factor.

I think this was especially true for my grandparents’ generation who went through the great depression. When it came time for my mom to go through my grandmother’s things, she found a dresser drawer filled with beautiful things that her mother had never worn because she might never be able to have something as nice again. Even after being married to my grandfather for decades and being relatively well-off, she never lost the “It might be scarce someday” mentality.

[goodhors]

@Paisley_Pony That is really true. I grew up with Gramma who lived thru the Depression, my Mom who was a kid but saw and felt the effects of Depression scrimping, making do, doing without or having to grow what was needed. Then tight times with us growing up with a single mother, who seemed to have a saying for not getting things we wanted! Warning that we would end up in the poor house. Ha ha We never went hungry or wore raggedy clothes. Did have to help put up canned and frozen food to eat during winter. Being tight with things sure has rubbed off on us kids now adults. We do take good care of our stuff. Very hard to let stuff go, because maybe you won’t be able to get another thinking is still there in us…

But because I don’the want to take care of “stuff” anymore, the paring it down has been in progress awhile. I am using my Mom’s fancy hand embroidered pillowcases. I admire the BEAUTIFUL hand stitches every time I touch them. So tiny and neat!! Other fancy things get used regularly. If they get worn out, they were enjoyed/admired on the way. Cat sleeps in the old wooden doll bed with high posts. She barely fits! I just like looking at the bed my Grampa made for Mom, cat won’t hurt it, better than storing it away.

Horse stuff is still being sorted to add to my tack sale items. My problem is that very few items ever get worn out here!! Guess that is a problem with quality products! One last Sale and I am done until Fall.