I have a 20 year old tube of hair goop in my show brush box that I used to use on my long departed gelding’s mane before halter classes. I don’t use it but it still smells good. I keep it there for the good memories and maybe luck. His spirit is still with me in every class. 
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I agree, we carry extra halters always incase something breaks, but in 35 years showing our horses that was the first (and hopefully) the only thing taken at a show (well other than Fig winning that world championship in a division open to all ages, no on expected a weanling to win)
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It took me years to deal with my Hackney pony’s harness. When he was euthanized, he’d already been retired for a couple of years. That harness moved with me from Colorado to South Carolina, and then came back to Colorado when I finally decided to donate it to a therapeutic riding barn. They were going to take up driving with their clients and had some smaller critters that the harness might fit. One was a pony, the other was a donkey. I hope they got some good use out of it as it was a very nice leather harness.
I wasn’t living back here when I donated it, and I ended up living not too far from that barn when we moved back. But I haven’t wanted to ask them how it went because I don’t want to know if the harness is just sitting around unused.
To his credit, DH didn’t gripe much about moving the harness multiple times over long distances. He knows how hard it was saying goodbye to that pony. He even cleaned it for me a couple of times to keep it from getting moldy in SC, and when I was finally ready to donate it.
Rebecca
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This is my DH’s close contact, remade by Calyse, includes my TB’s browband as the handle & laced reins as the shoulder strap. His Balkenhol bit is on the strap, but Dang! it’s heavy 
She made a wallet from the same saddle & DH’s saddleplate is on that.
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It might be heavy, but it is beautiful! I’ve toyed with the idea of doing something like that with my Passier Century, but haven’t been able to commit to the idea yet.
Just call me a tack hoarder! I have the pony saddle my sister and I used to ride in, my second western saddle that I bought, the Circle Y that replaced, the Passier and the hunt saddle that replaced it (the maker is escaping me right now), an Australian stock saddle that a friend gave me that I put on my mare once, but didn’t ride in. I haven’t owned more than one horse I could ride at a time since I was in my 20’s. Add 40 to that, and here I am with a bunch of old tack…
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I am a tack horder. I literally have nearly everything.
But the absolute most ridiculous is that I still insist on using these cheap ass, busted scissors I “borrowed” from my mom circa 1992. They are dull as all get out and the handle has been broken as long as I can remember… yet I still insist on using them for shortening manes and banging tails. Why am I like this?!?
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I’m seriously trying to purge things. My siblings an I just went though the sadness of clearing out my parents house last fall to sell it. I don’t want to saddle (no pun intended) my daughter with that job, though I don’t think she’ll mind the tack, it’s the hundreds of crappy paperbacks and clothes that need to go.
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I have a royal blue and red rain cooler from the early 90’s that my first horse wore. It’s still pristine but so outdated.
I love that rain sheet.
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whispers… GOODWILL!
My local has a drive up, I don’t even have to get out of the car, just pop the trunk.
@jvanrens That saddle sat on a chair for over 20yrs.
Now I get to use it.
Though I rarely carry a purse, the wallet goes with me everywhere.
& Calyse got enough surplus leather to make at least one more small purse.
I’m just old but I have—and ride in—my Crosby PDN from when I was a junior. It took me to the Maclay finals in 1973 or 1974. I have a second, little bit newer one I got on eBay that I ride in too. I also have my custom Dehners, also from when I was a junior. I can still wear them and have, although they aren’t in style. I still have a couple brushes from back then and my tack trunk too! The tack trunk isn’t in perfect shape, but it works. Crazy. That Calyse purse is adorable. But I couldn’t sacrifice my beloved saddle for a purse 
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I have a couple of items still in use that probably ought to be retired. Like a set of reins broken and repaired several times. I already have newer versions that could be used instead.
I also have a small trunk of stuff. My first horse’s saddle blanket, which is falling apart. Foal through yearling halters that both the third and fourth chestnuts wore that are still in good shape. Worn out long yearling - two year old halters for the third and fourth chestnuts. I don’t remember everything that’s in there. I likely still have the bridle that came with my first horse. I used the reins up until a couple of years ago.
I did put my first horse’s custom bridle (without reins) in a shadow box. I have my second horse’s custom halter to go into a shadow box (which I also have) but haven’t done it yet. It’s only been six months, but I’m leaning towards putting my third horse’s bridle (which has pieces from my second horse’s bridle) into a shadow box.
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My tack trunk. It’s small and heavy so it’s pretty impractical, especially compared to all the bigger rubber tack totes on wheels everyone else in my barn uses. But I’ve had it for almost 30 years and it’s in the colors of the barn I started riding at when I was in elementary school so it’s super sentimental. I should probably clean it up and bring it home to use as an end table or something, but I’d feel weird walking into the barn and not seeing it.
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Do husbands count? He’s a bit worn out here and there and passes gas a lot, but still useful.
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Could it be a throw over the back of a sofa or chair? Or on a guest bed if you have one?
Would you feel that way if you could see it in your house when you got home from the barn? Could it be a conversation starter if you have company over?
They were your mama’s so mean a lot to you.
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That’s a good idea, but doesn’t really work in my house. I like the idea of a bag, mentioned above.
OR - just had this thought - I’ve been thinking I should get a cushion/tack trunk cover. I could have it made into that!
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My mother still has her cutback saddle. It sits on a quilt rack in her bedroom. It was last used probably 25 years ago. It is one of those scary super flat Barnsbys. I used it for a few years, but it didn’t fit me. She bought it used in the 60’s. It still gets conditioned periodically and is in surprisingly good shape.
My cutback is upstairs in my spare room. I haven’t ridden in at least 10 years and never will. I keep hoping maybe my niece or nephew (fat chance) will get the riding bug. My niece goes to the barn to play with the cats.
I still have each parent’s tack trunk. One is my coffee table, one is at the barn. There are some gems in each one. The 1950’s(?) cribbing collar is no joke.
I have Dad’s green & white wool cooler. It started out grass or kelly green. It’s now lime. The matching Curvon sheet is still green green, but it has some holes where it’s just disintegrated. It’s about a 68" so it doesn’t fit much. It did fit my first mare. The last 2 horses it was too small for, now it’s too big for the ponies.
I gave a bunch of stuff to my trainer when he was starting out. Some of it was just a long term loan.
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My wooden tack trunk is too BIG and heavy, and pretty impractical. It is 28" tall, 18" “spread” and 38" wide. It has tiny handles on each end, you can JUST get 3 fingers into them. It is painted red and black, our (GBHPC) Pony Club colors, and it was well used when we got it circa 1966. I used to store (horse) blankets, but its is really awkward to get things in and out of, so it sits mostly empty. But I CAN’T throw it out or give it way!
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I still have my very first piece of horse equipment, a hoof pick I won at my first show when I was 8.
I don’t think I’ll be getting rid of that.
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