What do you do with your stuff after the death of your horse?

[Defying_Logic]

I lost my horse last October. She was my first and only horse, but I do teach and train part time, initially as away to pay my horse bills. In the immediate aftermath, I sorted my stuff (of which I have a ridiculous amount) and got the stuff I continue to use regularly in my tack box and the rest stored in my trailer (about 5 large rubbermaid bins).

Now, I’m trying to figure out what to do with all of it. I know some things I’ll keep for sentimental reasons. I also know that there is some stuff that I don’t need to keep, but will never want to use on another horse, and then there is some stuff that just doesn’t make much sense to keep at this point, but I’m having trouble sorting things. How did you decide what to keep after losing a horse? And what did you do with the things you didn’t keep? What was donated, what was sold? Are there things you regret getting rid of?

[atlatl]

I just keep it all, it’s not like you have to feed it. But then, I have enough storage space. The first custom saddle I ever bought was for a horse that had a career ending injury before it was delivered. I’ve been able to use it on 2 subsequent horses and for me, it’s a great reminder of the 2 wonderful geldings that preceded my mare. I even left the name tag for the middle horse on it. I like to remember them and try to be happy it ever happened with them instead of sad that it’s over.

If there was something I wasn’t going to keep, I’d gift it to someone who needed it or donate it.

[RMJacobs]

I sold my retired driving pony’s cart and harness (partly to keep me from being tempted to start driving him again, partly to pass on some great stuff. But I just couldn’t sell the stuff that belonged to my deceased Hackney pony. I donated some to a therapeutic horse program, and wish I’d donated his harness as well. I knew of good programs when I lived in Colorado, where I did the previous donation. Now that I live in South Carolina, I’ll have to do some research and find a good recipient for the harness.

Rebecca

[Jo]

For the things that were nice or usable, but that I didn’t want to use on another horse, I gave to my best horsey friend who lives in a different city. Our horses were the same size, so she was able to take in things like the custom colored quarter sheet and the barely used new-ish winter blanket. I liked that I was able to know where they were going, but wouldn’t have to look at them on a regular basis.

Other sentimental things that were older or not necessarily servicable were packed away or incorporated into decor items. For example, I took her halter plate and attached it to the portrait I had commissioned years earlier.

I see nothing wrong with donating or gifting items that hurt the heart.

[bt1]

Pretty much same as others kept some, gifted some, donated some… kept my first ponies blankee and tack…kept saddles basically for sentimental reasons.

[jherold]

I send a box of horsie stuff down to Tressa Flores for their silent auction benefitting St. Judes. (There’s a post on giveaways).

Facebook link for the ride: https://www.facebook.com/groups/261192150662966/

Donations can be sent to:
Tressa Flores
1295 Linwood Road
Watertown, TN 37184

[Edre]

I kept the big and expensive items that store easily (blankets, tack) and smaller items that may transfer between horses easily (brushes, bits). Beyond that, I kept rudimentary things - one set of standing wraps + quilts, one set of polos.

I ended up giving away/donating/throwing away everything else. Things in serviceable condition that weren’t too heavily used I donated to a local equine rescue (grooming sprays/shampoos, vet stuff, wraps, boots, fly masks, blankets/coolers I decided I wasn’t going to keep). I also let some close friends have a crack at what they wanted of the vet supplies/sprays/grooming stuff/etc.

[clanter]

Having several others and all kept here at home we have just kept the tack, their halters with leads are kept with the others but not used. When pulling out the sheets and blankets when needed, their sheets or blankets are removed from storage and just placed on top of the chest. Silly but just a piece of me that wants to honor their service

We have kept all the saddles where they were.

[Frostbitten]

We take the smaller stuff, brushes, fly fringes, cob halters, halter fleeces, girth covers with us when we go to the Caribbean. Most of the horses there have nothing and it makes a big difference. its Amazing how much stuff accumulates in tack rooms and storage boxes!

[Montanas_Girl]

I kept his halter, to eventually put into a shadow box (although it is still hanging on the closet door in my bedroom as of right now). I gave away/sold his blankets, lead rope (monogrammed), and most of his tack. I threw out half-used tubs of ointment, etc. that probably should have been tossed long ago. I kept basic grooming supplies, fly mask, and other items I plan to use on my next horse.

[SLedbetter]

I’m donating the things that won’t fit my current horses to a mustang rescue in the northern part of our state. I put Cash’s bit in a shadow box I made for him. I’m holding on to some things still for sentimental reasons.

[Denali6298]

I tossed or gave away all the consumables. I kept everything else. When I got my current horse I donated the things that wouldn’t fit her. My tack fit so I still use bits, the bridle, girth. I cried the first time I put the girth on and saw my first mares name on the elastic. Her saddle is being made into a bar stool as I had to get a better fitting one for my current mare.

[shiloh]

I recently had to sort thru all my horse stuff and it was so hard. But I finally had to realize that I could not afford to keep freighting all that around for the next years, that it was doing no-one any good sitting in boxes and finally, getting rid of it did not mean I was getting rid of them. I still have all the memories. I kept their halters and gave the rest away to a local rescue who loved and appreciated everything and how hard it was for me to finally let go. The perishables (shampoos, fly sprays, medical supplies, etc) went right way to my last barn for community use.

One day I will have another horse and will get to have the fun of buying all that stuff all over again.

[Foxtrot_s]

Unload as much as you can through used tack stores, donations, etc… Even good quality stuff gets dated over years as styles do change somewhat. Most of my stuff was 30 years old, but then I didn’t care, and in the end there was no demand for it. Stuff accumulates, and if you get back into horses, you can re-accumulate bit by bit.

[gottagrey]

Well it all depends on if you’re planning to get another horse - either buy or lease. I don’t have too much sentimental attachment to most barn/stable supplies. So there would be a lot of stuff I could get rid of ( unless a new horse was coming my way). Stuff I would keep - bridle, saddle, halters that have name on them (like I still have my horse’s halter he wore when he was shipped from Ireland). And anything he may have won - some places give out brushes, grooming boxes etc. those I keep. Dressage tests = I keep. Some people are using halters to make hanging planters, I might be inclined to do something like that…

Sorry for your loss -