Your Best Used/Consignment Tack Store Find

[AAHunterGal]

I’ve lived in areas that are fortunate enough to have amazing consignment tack stores nearby, so I thought it would be fun to start a thread where you share your best score(s)! Also share where you got them and any other consignment stores of note in your area.

We all would love to buy new all the time, but let’s face it, it’s $$$ and this sport is already $$$ enough. I myself will buy pre-loved forever, and would love to learn of some new great places to support.

So! Here are my top three scores (and the places I found them):

Middleburg Tack Exchange in Middleburg VA:

1. 4 pairs of colored TS breeches for under $200 total
2. A buttery pair of brown suede Pinnell chaps that fit perfectly

The Grey Tail in Golden, CO:

3. Saddle Right Leather Half Pad - These things last forever, are so lovely, and you can even put in a tasteful nameplate on the bottom of them for a little extra special-ness!

I have also bought so many fantastic pieces at Grey Tail - if you live in CO and haven’t shopped there yet, you’re missing out!

Other stores I love:

Changing Reins, Ashland VA
Crozet Tack and Saddle, Crozet VA

[2DogsFarm]

Just one, but it’s a Winner
On my 1999 honeymoon in Zurich, DH & I are on the tram to Hauptbahnhof marketplace.
We spy a tack shop & stop on the way back.
Scored a used Stubben saddlepad.
I forget how many Swiss francs (pre-Euros), but probably around $20USD.
Heavy ivory cotton, nearly 25yrs later & many machine washings, still in great shape. Minor stitching lost at places in the binding, easily fixable.

[cutter99]

I got a $1200 pair of red cayman Lucchese boots at a tack swap for $75. The soles were not even scuffed, so they did not appear to ever have been worn.

I have always wanted a red pair of cowboy boots. I don’t ride in them. They are for dress up only.

[atl_hunter]

I was prepping for the WDAA World Show this year but had no out nor saddle (I was borrowing my trainer’s saddle, but I was worried about scheduling conflicts).

In the 4 weeks prior to the show, I found a gorgeous Blue Ribbon show saddle for $1000 (the woman was moving and just wanted it gone!), a hand beaded show vest with serious bling, suede, fringe for $295 on eBay. My friend resells show clothes and says it was likely $4k new.

I also got an On Pattern Designs horsemanship shirt for under $400. These are normally $1695 and up. It was barely worn - looked brand new.

I also got a matching ShowTime pad for 1/2 price of new.

I’ve also scored Parlanti boots at the Dover tent sale for $200 and a pair of barely worn Ariat Monaco boots on eBay for $175.

I’ve had some great luck, for sure!

[Renn_aissance]

Mine was via a saddle sales group on Facebook.

This saddle could have been custom ordered for me. It came with a bunch of special order options that I didn’t even know were available from this manufacturer (understuffed, almost flat padded flaps; integrated panels) and an extraordinarily hard to find flap configuration I had never seen paired with this seat size, before or since. It was not absolutely perfect for my horse, but I was looking for something to shim as his back changed with age and semi-retirement and then re-panel once it settles, and the dimensions were just about perfect for that job. And to top it all off the previous owner had also custom ordered it with trim in my favorite color.

The thing would have cost me $8k or more new, and I’m glad the seller and I found each other, because it’s such a specific fit for horse and human that we might be the only two people in the country who would have wanted it.

[Equestrian24]

As someone who shops primarily used, SO many things! I have also scored tons of nice stuff on eBay.

I purchased two of my cherished saddles, an original Collegiate Graduate and a Courbette Husar, from a tack shop near me that carried a bunch of used saddles. I’ve had both for many years now and they’ve both been worth every penny!

I’ve also bought several odds and ends from another local tack shop with a consignment section, including an old English-made Crump bridle with reins for only $20!

From online consignment shops, I’ve gotten tons of older English-made odds and ends for dirt cheap, a nearly new square raised Beval New Canaan bridle and reins for around $150 I believe it was, an also barely used Moritz for around the same, an almost new Courbette standing martingale for $25, a buttery soft Triumph breastplate & running attachment that’s in great shape for the age, etc.

I got a Hadfield’s headstall that appeared to be brand new for $99, as well as an almost new Crosby XL Excel headstall for $25 from Maryland Saddlery!

As for eBay and similar sites, I’ve scored two beautiful near mint older saddles (a Crosby Sovereign and another Courbette Husar), several bridles including Crosby, Beval, Stübben, Campbell, Dover Wellington, old Pessoa, Edgewood, Jimmy’s 20th Century, Northrun, Courbette, and Aramas, a New Cavalry standing martingale that appears to be new for around $30, brand new Crosby XL Excel and Crosby Selle Française girths (some of my favorites), Jimmy’s and nearly new Americana girths for $30 apiece (also some of my favorites), a nearly new Voltaire Hunter Girth for $200, the older fleece lined Beval and Dover open front boots for around $30 apiece, etc.

I’ve shopped at Tack Solutions by Leslie, Rainbow’s End Tack, Maryland Saddlery, The Trainer’s Loft, The Brassy Bit, and probably some others I can’t think of at the moment, online. Some don’t have a lot of high end stuff but will occasionally have a really reasonably priced gem (especially if you’re like me and like older strapgoods; the Triumph breastplate came from Rainbow’s End and I also got a gorgeous better-than-Edgewood vintage bridle with Crosby braided/plaited reins for next to nothing from the Trainer’s Loft).

[StormyDay]

Middleburg tack exchange is too well organized; they know what they are selling and what it’s worth. Good if you are selling there, but not as good if you are looking for a deal.

Though I did get a pair of almost new CWD Equifit boots there for about $100.

My best luck has been at the consignment store In Wellington; it’s usually a bit of a mess (maybe in a good way though) and a lot of times there’s stuff that’s priced really low because it’s some European brand that they don’t know what it is. I’ve gotten some really good deals there.

The A Bit Used in Purcellville is really good for blankets, they get an absolute ton of them every year. I got a Rambo Purple Wug (usually $350) for $75.

The dover sales are usually excellent too. I miss them having them. They missed us last year. I’ve gotten some excellent deals on returned riding boots, blankets, and bridles.

But my best deal, by far, is my Verhan Saddle. I paid $1200 new. They were selling for, IIRC, close to 5 before they closed.

[AAHunterGal]

@StormyDay

Middleburg tack exchange is too well organized; they know what they are selling and what it’s worth. Good if you are selling there, but not as good if you are looking for a deal.

I don’t know about that! Those Pinnell chaps cost $175 Though I do understand that with custom things it’s more difficult to keep the premium.

[Peggy]

Sprenger duo D-ring snaffle for $20 at Rolling Hills General Store. I had no use for it, but couldn’t leave it there. Ultimately sold to a friend and split the difference with full disclosure.

[mdp9]

I love my older used monoflap CWD jump saddle from Middleburg Tack Exchange. I had just gotten my first really nice horse and walked into Tack Exchange to look at high end saddles. I was too naive to realize how hard it is to pluck a saddle off the rack and have it fit your horse. I think I got it on trial, talked myself out of it, and then went back after I talked myself back into it. I loved it! A year later when I had a saddle fitter out for getting a dressage saddle, she asked to see the fit of my jump saddle and I held my breath until she commented how nicely it fit the horse. Totally luck on my part! I actually still have the tag on the saddle, tucked into the flap, as a bit of a superstitious good luck bit and also to remind me that the $2200 I spent on it seemed so extravagant but ended up being one of my best purchases.

Other things- a $15 leather monoflap girth that was exactly the size I needed after looking for a while, used breeches bought on a whim that ended up being my favorite pants ever, used tall boots at a price point that I could justify having a schooling pair in addition to my show pair.

As @StormyDay commented, Middleburg Tack is super knowledgeable and you won’t really find an under valued hidden gem. BUT it’s really good for finding specific or unique items at reasonable price points. Love just browsing around there and I always find things I want. The staff really know their stuff.

Another Turn Tack in Purcellville is also very good with top notch customer service.

[StormyDay]

@AAHunterGal

@StormyDay

Middleburg tack exchange is too well organized; they know what they are selling and what it’s worth. Good if you are selling there, but not as good if you are looking for a deal.

I don’t know about that! Those Pinnell chaps cost $175 Though I do understand that with custom things it’s more difficult to keep the premium.

I think the custom items that are going to be a size are always going to be cheaper. Also, I know some people go in there and say they want the items sold fast so they purposely ask for them to be underpriced.

[EverElite]

Love this thread!

Not exactly consignment shops (they know too much to score good deals these days, especially in this internet era!) but a few of my highlights: a gorgeous, brand new Pessoa (circa early 00’s) fancy stitch bridle from the Fidelity Pawn Shop in Warrenton, Virginia; a $50 SaddleRight leather half pad at the Calabasas Saddlery tack swap; a $5 Beval half pad; and the crown jewel: a Crosby Prix de Nation in pristine condition for $25, the latter two both from a tack swap in Northern California.

[blue_heron]

So many, but the first two that come to mind:
A Vespucci double bridle for $50
My brushed leather DeNiro dressage boots for $300

[skip99]

I’ve found many good deals, but most recent at a nonprofits semi-annual tack sale: Equiline breeches for $10 and a custom colored Grand Prix techlite show coat for $30.

[pony_baloney]

I buy most things on consignment, but the one big bargain I can think of is a pair of Pikeur stretch corduroy breeches for $15. They were like new and they’re my fave winter pair.

If anyone is looking for a bargain on a great older dressage saddle, my old Barnsby Raven is selling for $300 on consignment. Anyone??? Please???

[Spudsmyguy]

A gorgeous Kentucky dressage coat on Ebay for $70. I love it and even though it no longer fits, I can’t bear to part with it. I used to wear it to work and received tons of compliments.
A hand beaded leather belt (like a browband) for $5.00 brand new.
A Nunn Finer breastcollar for $20
A pair of new Romph breeches in my size for $15.00

So many other things I’ve forgotten.

[luvmycabanaboy]

My own saddle that had been stolen!!!

It was stolen out of my truck while it was parked in downtown of the city i lived in. I called the police and they assigned me a case number. I posted on Facebook that it was missing and for anybody to keep an eye out (its a unique two toned brown Prestige that I’ve never seen anybody else have)

Weeks went by

Then a good friend who is an EMT in a completely different city was driving the ambulance around and her partner randomly suggested they walk into a random pawn shop way out by the airport.

Lo and behold, she sees a jump saddle in there. She texted a picture of it to a DIFFERENT friend making a joke about the butt sweat marks and how whomever owned this thing sits crooked (ahem.rude.lol). That other friend had seen my facebook post and said “i think that’s luvmycabanaboys…”

I rushed over there and called the police on the way.

The saddle was bought by the pawn shop for $90 and he was selling for $200 (it was probably worth ~$2000 at the time). The officer said he could take it in as evidence, but it would get thrown around in their warehouse and I may not get it back for months or more. OR, I could pay the pawn shop guy what he paid for it and have it back right then. I chose the latter. The pawn shop gave the officer all the details of the guy who sold it to him, and hopefully he got caught (i never heard…)

[StormyDay]

That is both wonderful luck but also really shitty.

[Peggy]

Regarding pawn shops, I had to buy my stuff back from one. The local police had an arrangement with the pawn shops: PD would notify them of stuff stolen in local robberies and the shop would let them know if they ended up with any of it. The quid pro quo was that the victim had to pay the shop for their stuff. I was reimbursed by my HO insurance. They caught the guy but I don’t remember if it was via the pawn shop, fingerprints, or some combo.

[giddybiddy]

At Equine Affaire a few years ago, a therapeutic barn vendor was selling a handful of consignment items to benefit the program. It was mostly older blankets and tack. Then I saw them—a pair of Tucci tall boots. The foot size fit my tiny feet perfectly, even though the calf was too small by an inch or two. They were $100, so I snagged them anyway. Had my local cobbler add a panel in the back for another $100, and now I wear them every day!