A quick plea!

[MrReally]

Bit of a rant, bit of a plea, quite long

Popped into my local saddlery this afternoon to pick up some feed I had ordered and got talking to the lady who owns it. She was just saying how things have hit her hard at the moment (hasn't it everyone!)
Anyway we got to chatting and she said there are so many of her customers that walk into the shop ask her advice and spend ages having a good chat to then only go and find the cheapest place possible to buy equipment from the internet! They then come in the next day and proceed to tell her that they can get it cheaper on ebay etc. I know this recession has hit hard for a lot of people but I was still surprised about what cheek it is to use this poor woman's advice/experience & then chuck it in her face.

She said how its got so bad she might have to shut and I really don't want this to happen. Its so hard to get good sound advice and even a friendly ear.

So my plea is to please help your local tack shops. They are finding it hard too. Robinsons and such, might be cheaper but do you really want to loose all the great advice and personal service in favour of a cheap TKmaxx of the horse world where the staff can't be ars*d and have no knowledge at all.

Sorry rant over, just soooo depressed we might lose our saddlery that I have been using for a good 5 years!

 

[mattilda]

I usually buy from my local feed merchant/ saddlers. I have all my rugs washed and repaired there ands also use their saddler to repair any tack that requires it. However, if they don't stock what I'm after then I will use the Internet rather than trail around several shops.

 

[chestnut cob]

[ QUOTE ]
So my plea is to please help your local tack shops. They are finding it hard too. Robinsons and such, might be cheaper but do you really want to loose all the great advice and personal service in favour of a cheap TKmaxx of the horse world where the staff can't be ars*d and have no knowledge at all.


[/ QUOTE ]

The other side of the coin is that our local saddlery is awful. It's a small shop which used to be fantastic but was sold on about 4 years ago. The new staff have no idea what they're doing, they mostly don't know one end of a horse from the other and can't advise on anything. If you go in to ask about a supplement, say, you have to explain to them what it is, what it does and even suggest to them who they might be able to source it from. They are expensive, only stock basic chaff and nuts in terms of feeds (they say "we can get that in for you" but it takes weeks), and if you do order something "special" in (which in my case was a pelham...

), it takes weeks to come in and if you call to query, you are told basically to sod off, please don't call again, we will call you when it comes in. At least when I go to Countrywide they're helpful and try for you!

The other local place is v good though, in fairness. Always have loads of feeds in and offer great advice if you query something, and always have great deals on. My feed comes from Countrywide I think via YO who buys in bulk but I buy most other things from the smaller store.

 

[MrReally]

Yeah I can see both sides too, Its a hard one I can understand that shops need custom, but if our local saddlery was rubbish I would have to get all my stuff online as I refuse to enter the likes of horseatack or robinsons (I'm fussy I know

)
I only ever went to Robinsons once (I am not too far from them) and the customer care was non exsistant and they really didn't know anything about horses. but stock wise they were fab. Its a tough choice loads of stock or customer care.

 

[chestnut cob]

Argh, don't talk to me about Robinsons!! I would rather do without than buy something from their Cannock shop (not been to the others). It's really and truly awful. I occasionally buy the odd thing online from them but only as a last resort and if I can't get it anywhere else - I bought a cheapy drop noseband from them last year as wanted to try one before spending lots of money, and for £7 it was worth it. I don't often buy from them though. I ventured in to the shop once..

 

[Angua2]

not having a credit card really doen't give me a lot of option. However, I agree that the smaller shops do give a more personal service

 

[Donkeymad]

I have been saying this for so long now. Cornwalls BEST tack shop closed down because of this, others are closing. Same goes with having saddle fitters etc out.
How many people on here are guilty of doing this? I would bet a very high percentage.

 

[Flibble]

Actually I often find that our local Tack Shop can be competitive and although I do buy online I often find it a good idea to buy local as you have a human being to take it back in to discuss any issues.

Anyway if its cheaper online it isnt always when you add postage.

Wheelbarrow from Robinsons £39.99 very similar locally 29.99

 

[xbuzzx]

Agree we always try to buy from the tack shop as much as possible, they're so good and always have so much advice! One of the wworkers from our local one has been out to our horse 5 times now in the last 2 and a half years, free of charge, to check his saddle as he is really hard to fit for a saddle!

 

[fjordhorsefan]

I prefer tack shops, as I like to touch what I want to buy to check quality, and also see what other exciting things they have in! I can happily spend a day going round the tack shops within a 30 mile radius.