Confessions of a tack hoarder

I have to admit that when offered a HUGE lot of tack I’m going to say yes, even if I don’t need any of it. This is what happened to me over our Christmas break when visiting my in-laws. Do I need a box filled with show halters? Sure do! How about 15 cotton sheets with the largest being a 76 and about 2 sizes too small for any of your horses? Yep, I need those too! And what about all of these headstalls and reins, you already have a bunch in your barn do you need these? Are you kidding? Of course I need those! Pony driving bits? Yep better put those in the boxes for me too! Tiny little horse shoes? You can’t possibly need those! Yeah, I might make some crafts with those, you better put them in the box. How about this English saddle that has been in a box for 40 years, you are pretty picky about the saddles that go on your horse, are you sure you want this? Heck yes I want that! I am starting a horse museum in my barn!


I am a tack hoarder! I honestly didn’t need any of the things that I came home with. But I wanted it all! Hubby’s family was big into breeding and showing Arabians back in the 60’s and 70’s. So over the years they had acquired a LOT of things which over time were neatly packed away in the basement and then eventually forgotten about until now when my husband’s grandmother had asked my father in law to start cleaning out the basement and getting rid of stuff. Since we now have our own farm that we can fill full of treasures we were naturally first on the list to ask if we wanted any of it. And me being a tack hoarder couldn’t say no. I have a feeling that next time we go up to the farm we will be leaving with all the driving equipment and harnesses that are in the garage next to our restored horse drawn grain cart that we were given and need to figure out how to get home!

The stuff I did manage to take a peek at is pretty cool. The sheets are all brand new or used once or twice are the awesome well-made kind that you don’t find these days. They are all different sizes and I have a feeling just might be too small for my monster, but doesn’t mean that one day I won’t have smaller monsters. As long as I’ve got them stored away in a plastic tote they will stay perfect for many, many more years. I’ve got the room to store them! I also found a vintage parade headstall, it is the fancy kind that has thin little chains and diamond shapes that connect from the browband to the cavesson. I’ve always wanted one! It even has the matching reins. What I was most impressed by was the bag with the English saddle and tack. The bridle, reins and girth have the softest leather I’ve ever felt! I’ve heard leather being described as buttery soft and felt some fine leathers, but this stuff is amazing especially after sitting in a basement for 40 years. I’ve got leather belts in my basement that aren’t in as good of shape as that English tack is. I didn’t get a good look at the saddle, but I’m sure it is way too small for me and way too narrow for my beast. But it is a bit of my hubby’s family history and I’d like to keep it around. There were two western saddle blankets included in the lot. They were unlike any I’ve ever seen. (I really need to go and take pictures) I’m not sure if they were for showing Arabians in western tack, or if it was the style back in the day, but they look like normal woven western saddle blankets but on the back they have long yarn fringes. They are kind of neat. I also now have a black pair of tapaperos that are almost an exact match for my medium oil colored pair I got last time I visited the farm. They are amazing. I wish either pair matched my saddle I would totally rock those! I’m sure there are things that I can and will use in the many many boxes of stuff. Maybe once I start sorting it out and oiling and conditioning the leather I will have my monsters model it and I'll take some pictures.

So there you have it, if someone offers me a tack for free I’m going to take it. Even if it’s old and out dated, and I have no use what so ever for it. I am a tack hoarder.

Also I hope ya'll had a wonderful Christmas! I spent mine with both of our fantasic families. Since we have no snow it was perfect traveling conditions. Best we've ever had! I still can't beleive we don't have any snow. the forcast for the rest of the week is in the upper 30s! Unbelieveable!!