Do you think name plates look good on saddles? Also if buying a new saddle do they come already mounted on the saddle or you get it blank and have to install it yourself? Thoughts also on bridle name plates?
Thanks guys!
I, personally, like having my nameplate on most everything I have. I like the look, although depending what ring you’re showing it I don’t know if it could be distracting.
I ride jumpers, my breastplate, saddle, bridle, and girth all have matching plates. I don’t like to put bridle plates directly on the crown, not only do i think it’s more aesthetically pleasing off center, there’s some conversation about what pressure it puts on the poll.
I’ve had to buy mine and then have a saddle shop install them, but you can get ones you do yourself. There are sticky ones without punching holes in things, but those come off much easier, which, depending on your view, could be better or worse.
I don’t show much any more though, so I might not be the best person to ask.
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Check the Off Course forum - there’s a discussion on the pre-installed “billboard” plates some mfrs are now putting on.
My semi-custom Stubben came with a nice, discreet plate - antiqued silver oval with their name, not mine.
If you are talking about a personalized plate, some saddle makers’ Reps offer the option, some you have to ask & it may cost extra.
Back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth (late 80s) I had to order a small brass plate with my name on it from the local tack shop.
Used to identify my saddle in a boarding barn’s tackroom & at shows.
It screwed into the cantle with tiny brass screws - nearly 30yrs later the plate is still there.
I never bothered with a bridle plate, but did get personalized ones for my halters.
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I like the look of a nice name plate. See previous thread about standing martingales in hunters! All my saddles have had one that I’ve moved from saddle to saddle. My horse’s show halter has one, not that you can see it, as it is now covered by fleece, because she is very sensitive and will get a rub in the trailer even going only 5 miles without the fleece covering. She HATES the fleecy halter, too. The matching lead does, too. The name plates make it a lot easier to identify your stuff when it gets mixed in with a pile of barn stuff. That’s why I started putting name plates on stuff. After sorting through the barn tack room, going this LOOKS like my martingale, is this my martingale? Is this my leather lead? Why is my halter on so and so’s door? Why is my lead on this stall? Especially helpful if you do use a martingale that gets taken off and sometimes left at the ring or mixed in with everyone else’s.
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Absolutely anything that has the possibility of leaving my farm has a nameplate on it. This includes draw reins, side reins, my chambon and de gogue, lunging surcingle, and of course all of my bridles, saddles, martingales, halters, lead lines, breastplates, and (leather) girths. That being said, I also monogram absolutely everything that can be monogrammed with either my full farm logo or the farm initials. I grew up riding on the circuit with several BNTs, so this has always been the norm for me and it’s a (pricey) habit I’ve never been able to break! It really does look quite nice, though!
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I agree with Punkie- not only do I think it looks nice, but it has the added benefit of making sure your stuff gets back to you (i.e. when everyone is pulling martingales to do a hack and they all get jumbled together to go back to the barn. Also, I have found it makes it a lot easier to figure out which brown D ring bridle is your brown D ring bridle).
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I’m another believer in putting my name on absolutely everything. In the case of a saddle, it won’t deter theft–since it’s easy enough to remove. But it does reduce confusion. I like the plates from haltertags.com, if you need advice on a vendor.
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Some brands, like Voltaire, will offer to include one with your saddle purchase, while other brands do not. Like many posters on this thread, I put a brass tag on every piece of equipment possible. I even have the little round brass tags on my blankets. Even my saddle cover has a slot for a label (I use my business card) as everyone in the barn pretty much has the same brand saddles, bridles, martingales, girths and blankets. In a sport known for its uniformity, the name plates are essential!
I like name plates on saddles. I have ordered my own (in the old days, through a tack shop) in the past. The saddle I have now is a Stubben, bought about 4 years ago. It came with a pre-installed plate with the Stubben name on it; however, since it was a special order though a Stubben rep, they engraved my name on it as well. I didn’t expect that. They even spelled my name right–a pleasant surprise.
