Hi all!
I’m traveling to visit some family in Europe for the next two weeks and was hoping for any recommendations on tack shops around London! I recently sold my awesome TB gelding, picked up a new project OTTB and of course they don’t wear the same size, so… Time to find a few fun things for the new boy!!!
I’ll also be in Barcelona for a week, but I have no idea what the tack scene is like there!
thanks!
Go to Harrod’s in London and get the house brand lanolin saddle soap. It will be in a white tub with the Harrod’s fugly green label and have a black lid. That stuff is awesome and unique. It’s also not particularly expensive as good quality saddle soaps/stuff in London goes.
Also the tack section in that (legendary) department store is worth a visit, as is the whole place. In addition to the saddle soap, I got a very nice quality wood-backed oval finishing brush. It has held up beautifully and remains one of my favorites. A while back, I think most of their leather goods were made by E. Jeffries. If you like the styles, you cannot go wrong with their quality. Jeffries used to make Beval’s tack long ago and still represents the best of old school, solid, made-in-Walsall tack.
If you are a bit hound, you can get some super cool bits over there, much less expensive than there for things like Beris and Bomber bits.
Funny, I’ve been to Harrods several times but never thought to look at the equine stuff. I was also traveling as a kid (I grew up in Yorkshire and we had family in London). But it’s been years and I’m excited to go back!
Someone mentioned Bobby’s tack, so I’ll have to look them up while I’m there!
As people above have said - the only place I can think of is Harrods, they do a lot of nice Kingsland/Pikeur stuff. I would also check out Holland Cooper stuff in Harrods, they do gorgeous country clothing although rather pricey!
Not a tack shop but if you have time would try and go to the Royal Mews which are the Queens stables, not sure how much you get to see as a tourist but I went on a private visit there and it was stunning!
Go to Lillywhites in Piccadilly. Can’t miss it, right when you come out of the tube station.
You can get down to Basingstoke from London in about 45 minutes on the train and then visit the Robinsons Megastore http://www.robinsonsequestrian.com/pages/stores?store=bas001 where you will find far more choice and far better prices than anything in London itself. Most of the London saddlers have long gone.
Harrod’s has some horse brushes and other equestrian items.
There is a nice Barbour store right in Piccadilly too. Most of the stuff is $$$ but they have a decent sale rack. Not exactly equestrian, but close.
[QUOTE=BritishEquestrian;8903860]
Not a tack shop but if you have time would try and go to the Royal Mews which are the Queens stables, not sure how much you get to see as a tourist but I went on a private visit there and it was stunning![/QUOTE]
Ditto the Royal Mews. I went with some very non-horsey friends; I think they enjoyed it more than I did. The harness is amazing. We stopped at Harrod’s later. I got a little crap as the only thing I bought was a whip. Told the guys who worked for me they better not step out of line!:winkgrin:
Loved the Royal Mews. Last time I went to Harrods, the equestrian section was like 2 tables of some Harrod’s branded brushes for a gazillion dollars. Not really unique or very interesting. It’s such a tourist trap in there that I don’t think I will ever go back. I expect it’s good to go once, for the experience, but that’s enough.
I loved the Royal Mews and I really, really loved the Household Cavalry museum in Whitehall.
There’s a Hermes store on New Bond Street. It has Equestrian items.
I second Lillywhite’s, the one in Piccadilly particularly.
I’m trying to remember the name of one of the grand British stores like the old Harrod’s that had an amazing food hall. It probably doesn’t exist any more. I guess I am thinking about Fortnum & Mason’s, and it does still exist.
Now that is a wonderful place.
Vineyridge, Harrod’s still has an amazing food hall!
Selfridge’s has a good food hall.
Is the horse book store still around? Close to bucking ham palace I tripped across it years ago. What a find!!
There really aren’t any tack shops in London that have a great selection unless you’re just looking for a souvenir. Head out of town!
J.A. Allen, the horseman’s bookshop and publisher, sadly closed some years ago.
Lillywhites has a better choice than Harrods as it at least sells sports equipment rather than just being a tourist honeypot. However, I have always found the staff to be poorly informed as they are not usually horse people.
Giddens is still in Bond Street http://www.schniederboots.com/ but the prices are eye-watering unless you really want those truly beautiful boots of a lifetime.
If you have time, go outside London.
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