It’s always entertaining to go to Hermes and look at the $75 hoof picks, just kidding, fun store. Interesting that Manhatten Saddlery has upgraded. I haven’t been there in a couple of years.
I haven’t been to Manhattan Saddlery in at least two years, maybe I will stop by on my lunch hour. The owner passed away a few years ago but her son continued to run it. As far as I know he is still there but you are right that the staff was not very helpful or friendly.
[QUOTE=patterson;8146205]
OK, FF, I’ll give it another look-see next time I’m passing by. It was the owners’ unfriendliness and the return policy more than the stock IMHO. There’s enough negative stuff out there about them on both counts that maybe they’ve gotten a clue–in which case, props to them:)[/QUOTE]
This^
If I see a tack shop in my travels, I will stop and have a look see but I don’t really hunt them down. When I was in Reno a few years ago and had nothing else to do and was just driving around seeing what I could see, I found a tack shop and spent some nice time in there chatting horse with the shop owner!
The only time while away in popped into a tack shop was in Aiken, and it was more like a horsey themed boutique than a tack shop, was over at OSF yesterday and had a ball at Farmvet!!! Go figure!!
[QUOTE=GoneAway;8145389]
I don’t know if Chateau Stables is still doing trail rides in Central Park, but that’s definitely next on my list, hopefully next month[/QUOTE]
They are!
[QUOTE=french fry;8146330]
Yeah, I don’t know if ownership/management has changed or if they’re just making more of an effort now but I was really pleasantly surprised.[/QUOTE]
There might be more recent history I don’t know about, but in 2012 June Tsang (the owner) died and one of her sons took over. I’m not sure he quite knew what he was getting into, but maybe he’s started figuring it out?
On the other hand, I was completely enchanted by the place when I was a kid (and it was Miller’s, and they could bring anything horse-related in the universe up from the basement, such a magical place!), so I’m far from unbiased; I’m really happy there’s still a tack store there.
Hi all,
I’m an assistant manager at Manhattan Saddlery and wanted to drop into this thread to thank you for your feedback - both good and bad! If you’re local and haven’t been to the store in a while, we’d love for you to swing by. There’s been major changes in the past year and we’ve worked hard to improve the inventory, customer service, and look of the store. The management are horse people, we have an actual return policy, and there isn’t a pair of puke green Tailoreds in sight!
If you drop by, feel free to ask for Jessie or keep your eyes peeled for a glasses-wearing redhead; that’s me! I’m always more than happy to chat with COTHers.
[QUOTE=amb;8148943]
There might be more recent history I don’t know about, but in 2012 June Tsang (the owner) died and one of her sons took over. I’m not sure he quite knew what he was getting into, but maybe he’s started figuring it out?
On the other hand, I was completely enchanted by the place when I was a kid (and it was Miller’s, and they could bring anything horse-related in the universe up from the basement, such a magical place!), so I’m far from unbiased; I’m really happy there’s still a tack store there.[/QUOTE]
There was an article about a year or two ago (I think in COTH?) about the owner and how her son took it over in her memory after her death. It was still Miller’s in 2002 or 2003, I had just gone back to riding after a long absence and loved going there on my lunch hours.
Nice to hear from you 173north, I will have to stop by soon and check out the store and its improvements.
Thanks Jessie–I totally will! I’d be thrilled to have a place right on my way home to indulge my tack store addiction. And I’m old enough to remember Miller’s , so I’m all for supporting Manhattan Saddlery.
[QUOTE=173north;8149006]
Hi all,
I’m an assistant manager at Manhattan Saddlery and wanted to drop into this thread to thank you for your feedback - both good and bad! If you’re local and haven’t been to the store in a while, we’d love for you to swing by. There’s been major changes in the past year and we’ve worked hard to improve the inventory, customer service, and look of the store. The management are horse people, we have an actual return policy, and there isn’t a pair of puke green Tailoreds in sight!
If you drop by, feel free to ask for Jessie or keep your eyes peeled for a glasses-wearing redhead; that’s me! I’m always more than happy to chat with COTHers.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=173north;8149006]
Hi all,
I’m an assistant manager at Manhattan Saddlery and wanted to drop into this thread to thank you for your feedback - both good and bad! If you’re local and haven’t been to the store in a while, we’d love for you to swing by. There’s been major changes in the past year and we’ve worked hard to improve the inventory, customer service, and look of the store. The management are horse people, we have an actual return policy, and there isn’t a pair of puke green Tailoreds in sight!
If you drop by, feel free to ask for Jessie or keep your eyes peeled for a glasses-wearing redhead; that’s me! I’m always more than happy to chat with COTHers.[/QUOTE]
Good to hear - have not been in the store in the past year and I buy an inane amount of tack (it’s an addiction) Willing to check it out and give it another try. BTW what is the return policy now?
Full returns within three weeks for anything in original condition with tags/packaging intact; store credit or exchange after that. Helmets and sale items are final sale.
Looking forward to seeing you all! (PS - if you’re in the city and find yourself in dire need of something within the day, we’ll messenger it to you!)
Nice to hear Manhattan Saddlery lives.
I have a friend ( actually a former trainer) there whom I will drag there with me next visit.
For the posters who don’t bother with tack shopping on non-horsy trips:
Why not?
For me it’s fun to see what’s local.
I have a pair of breeches from Epplejeck in Holland, a (used) Stubben pad from a shop spied while on a tram in Zurich & almost talked myself into a bridle from the Royal School in Seville.
Also visited several barns near Beijing with an ex-pat friend.
Busman’s holiday?
Maybe.
But fun to find the commonalities in horse people worldwide.
Here’s the best traveling tack shop story ever:
About 10 years ago my sister and family were living in India in Delhi. I was visiting and watched my nieces take a riding lesson. The instructor told me about a tack shop in downtown Delhi so I had the driver take me there. It seemed to be a luggage shop. So I asked about riding clothes (hoping to get stuff for the nieces) and the woman said, “sure, we have that”. She called for this young guy who climbed up on the counter and up the shelves to the ceiling. He removed a ceiling tile, reached in, and took a bag of breeches out of the ceiling. I’ve been to a lot of tack shops over the years and that never happened before!
Thanks for posting 173north! I will be by tom or sat! I saw from your Instagram that you guys carry La Martina and I’m really excited to check it out! (:
Good news (for me anyway). I stopped in to the store the other day and was very pleasantly surprised. I work 5 blocks away and had stopped even trying to shop there based on past history and an archaic return policy. They have spruced it up quite a bit and carry a nice selection of products. The (new) staff was both knowledgeable and accommodating and they have a normal return policy.
I am glad I gave it another shot and will be back
