Are you a tack bigot?

when i first bought my horse i rode him in a eggbutt snaffle and caversson noseband. not so long ago i rode him in a dutch gag breastplaate and martingale attachment (mainly becuse he was strong with me a couple of time = bad excuse), he is now in a french link loose ring snaffle no martingale, sometimes breastplate, something to grab onto. so i say that i was but not anymore, if you don't need it, don't have it!!!!
 
I haven't plowed through this thread yet, so appologies if this has already been covered.

Yes, I am a terrible tack bigot!

Horses must be in a soft a bit as possible - I like a loose ring french link made of aurigon (sp), the girth must be shaped and either elasticated at both ends or in the middle, the reins must be either leather or rubber lined dressage reins - none of these heavy rubber reins, shall I go on?

Oh, and properly wrapped bandages should be used for schooling and in the stable at night!

I have to bite my tongue at the livery yard where I work - do I need help for my problem?
 
No, my only hang up is people with the wrong bit who ride heavy-handed, especially a strong bit. See it a lot with kids/teenagers here; gag on the bottom ring, reins about 3 inches long, horse's head straight up in the air with its mouth either wide open or strapped shut. No, your horse isn't strong, he's trying to escape from you hanging off his mouth! Likewise people who insist their horse is "snaffle mouthed" but they're CONSTANTLY clinging onto its mouth, it makes me feel so sorry for the poor horses. If you're having braking issues, rethink your schooling or get a stronger bit and be a bit kinder with it!

And I suppose that's more of a riding problem than a tack problem lol.
 
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people who say their horse is strong so they put it in a martingale, strong bit etc then they say the horse is too slow/not forward going so they then add a schooling whip and spurs, kick the horse on the horse shoots forward from being jabbed by spurs, gets jabbed by the bit and stops then gets whipped for not listening! seen that a few times.

tack that isn't needed and people who use tack cos it 'looks' good/cool but in fact don't know what it's meant for!

stirrups that are too long the rider can't even rise and is on tip toe to touch the stirrup or too short that they are riding jockey style then wonder why they get thrown off when a horse bucks or spooks!
 
misterjay said:
Oh, and properly wrapped bandages should be used for schooling and in the stable at night!
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Just so you know, bandaging legs at night can cause tendon damage, Fluid builds up as it's natural to do so a little bit when standing still and the pressure on the tendons can cause enthesitis where the tendons join the bones.

Agree to bandage/wrap for exercise, just not when resting.
 
Not a tack bigot par-se....but...

Hate seeing tack being used when its not needed -martingales etc (what is the point anyway since most people I see don't fit them properly anyway?)

As far as nose-bands and things go, well quite honestly they do make a difference to some horses so don't have a problem with any of those really...

As for Black tack...would never buy it myself but I don't really think about it when I look at other people xD

I do however refuse to talk about bitting as I've just lost the will to live with most people over that...!
 
People like you (Skewby) make me feel very sad. Why not just get on with your own life and let others get on with theirs? So what if their tack is black rather than your preferred colour? So what if your saddle cost more than theirs? If you are perversely proud to be a judgemental bigot then I think you should consider seeking treatment to see if you can become a more tolerant and happy person. People who are happy with themselves and their life choices don't need to go round picking fault with others you see. Good luck!
 
scotlass said:
Most of my tack phobias relate to bridles -

I have a HUGE issue with bridles that have cheekpieces that have buckles on the outside - flush billet hooks only

The wrong width of leather - shoe-string bridles on hunter types, cobs, certain M & Ms - yuk!

Dangly throatlashes
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Oooohh, I'll join your club if I may.:)
Buckles are cheap and nasty and only belong on dealer's bridles or anyone else who rides lots of horses in the same bridle but they should never be used for best or showing.

Brown tack all the way and proper numnahs please, not those horrid saddlecloths which look like you're only old enough to be doing gymkhanas.

And please don't start me on bling, it's hideous and devalues from the horse, should be at the funfair.

Get me on tack and I'm a right snob, anything else and I'm as common as muck. :rolleyes:
 
I think I'm a reverse bigot.

I hate to see horses in the WRONG tack.

I jump in a french link continental snaffle on the 2nd ring, single rein. This helps to keep her head down a little. Beau carries her head very high jumping and arches her neck so my reins look short. She will, however throw her head down and out when she gets over excited between jumps, this puts her on the forehand which is not a good way to meet the next fence, the action of the gag limits this.

Because she jumps so huge and I sometimes get left behind (my bad but I am yet to meet anyone who can jump her much without ever getting left behind) I ride with single rein so that I can slip them if I need to and gather them back up easily. Far safer than galloping out of control with no reins at the next fence or having 1 so long she gets her foot in it, and kinder than jabbing her poor mouth. She is strong and will open her mouth and lean, so I ride in a flash too.

Because her head is so high and she tends to bounce on her hind legs a little I jump in a martingale for safety, so far I don't think it has been vital but it helps knowing it's there.

Now I know people will leap on this as a schooling issue. I school Beau in a french link snaffle, no flash, no martingale, no problem. She steps through nicely has outline and lateral movements, hacks out in same but with flash as she does lean a little coming back from gallop. I have schooled her over smaller fences in snaffle and done all the ground work, however when the jumps get bigger she gets excited and it is not safe to jump her anything over a meter in SHOWING tack, if she runs on she is more likely to hit the fence and hurt herself or me. I have regular tuition from an excellent showjumper who agrees with my choice of bit and tack as suitable for Beau and I.

I hate to see horses run away with people when a few weeks working in a different bit could teach the horse respect. or worse a horse in a snaffle whose rider hauls on it's mouth to slow it down when in a slightly stronger bit they would not need to. I dislike seeing horses throw their head up and nearly brain their rider but not have a martingale on, or horses with their mouths wide open and no flash/drop etc. It is a shame but not everyone rides perfectly and sometimes a horse may be happier in a different bit of tack to compensate for it's rider.

There is a lady locally to me whose horse will not move, just stands there and won't go forward, has had all back teeth saddler etc is behavioural, she has taken him out of a snaffle and put him in a pelham????

Incidentally my baby horse is in a french link and only has a martingale added for jumping while she is a baby and a little unpredictable. My old mare is in a soft rubber snaffle as she hates metal and no flash, martingale or anything.

My tack is black, it is all english leather and it all fits my horses properly. It also all matches (ie black saddle has black bridle to match) This is my own OCD issue and I don't 'judge' people whose tack does not match, I just think it looks smarter if it does. I dislike brown tack, I think it looks old fashined and has a tendency to look scruffy, but that is my opinion, I don't show and I understand brown is conventional in the show ring.

Sorry so long but been reading this post on and off all weekend and am suprised at the narrowness of some veiws. chocolate cornflake cake if you got this far!
 
*potters off to the local tack shop to buy a black saddle, a bright pink webbing bridle for my chesnut with a nice waterford, while im there, ill buy him a numnah with some bling on it, get a breastplate with a martingale attachment and several pairs of boots. oh and i wont forget a stud girth. i will not bother fitting my tack and ill let all the buckles get rusty and dirty. i will vow to jab my pony in the mouth every 10 mins and ride with spurs and a schooling whip* when my (TINY) pony IS ready to break, at least he will know hes highly fashionable! :)

ETA :- just to let you know, because im sure youve all spotted my ginger cob in my siggy with a black saddle on (gasp) it really really comfy :P
 
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I hate... Poor Quality leather... you only have to look at it to know it's cheap, but you can actually get cheap leather that is good quality if you shop around. I bought two headcollars recently (took one back though) one was £35 and the other was £21 ... guess which one I kept?!

Poorly fitting headcollars and rugs. The former is just dangerous IMO and the latter must be downright uncomfortable for the horse!!! My yard is full of them and they make me cringe!

I'm all for finding cheap solutions when it comes to the care of my horse but why compromise safety and his comfort for the sake of a few quid. Horse doesn't need 10 rugs... he just needs ONE well fitting one!! (and maybe a fleece!)
 
I can't claim to be a "tack bigot", as generally I don't give a jot what other people use on their horses if I have no involvement with them. I have my own preferences, in that I buy the best I can afford, I buy the correct tack for the job / discipline, and I look after it well.

What I don't like, however, is ignorance. It has happened a lot recently when I have gone to teach, and I have found it particularly (but not exclusively) with novice riders / owners.

The Flash Noseband. With a crank cavesson part and the flash fastened so tighly the horse has bulges either side of the strap.

When asked WHY they are using this particular piece of equipment, NONE of them have been able to explain it's use or why their particular horse needs it. And interestingly, every horse has gone much softer once I have removed the flash and loosened the crank noseband.

My philosophy is to keep things as simple as possible, but sadly it is extremely difficult to buy a nice plain flat cavesson bridle in most tack shops. What a pity.
 
I have had to laugh at some of the replies on this thread, there are some VERY uptight people out there!

As long as the tack isn't doing the horse any harm (properly fitted, not dangerously falling to bits, not in a bit that's being misused etc), who cares? If I see someone whose tack doesn't match I don't mark them down as an idiot ... I might have a quiet cringe at baby pink leather bridles, but if someone wants to put that on their horse, what difference does it make to me?

cai put this far more eloquently than I ever could :p
 
Maesfen said:
Oooohh, I'll join your club if I may.:)
Brown tack all the way and proper numnahs please, not those horrid saddlecloths which look like you're only old enough to be doing gymkhanas.
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I think I'm the only person at my yard that uses numnahs rather than saddle cloths. Nu-med half wool lined in brown or black - can't beat them! I also prefer brown tack (even on my grey!).

However although I'm fussy about what goes on my horse I can't say the same about my own turnout - off to ride now in my joggy bottoms!
 
I think I'm probably a tack snob rather than a bigot! I like my horses to look 'nice' and am definitely a fan of brown leather, good quality tack, fairly discreet numnahs, cavesson nosebands etc etc. I do inwardly cringe when I see people with sheepskin on everything, excessive bling and coloured tack but that doesn't mean I'm judging them - it's just not to my tastes. :)

People keep horses on all kind of budgets and as long as their equipment fits well and is used properly I'm not offended if it isn't exactly how I would have it.

I will admit though that I'm not a fan of flash nosebands or dutch gags and I do think a lot of people could do with really thinking about what is best for them and their horse rather than what their friends use (or their favourite showjumper). :(
 
I didnt think I was, but reading this thread makes me think yes I am..

Latest dislike is those v shaped browbands with bling which just look like they are 3 sizes too big.

Other hates:

Flash nosebands unless they are needed (so hard to get a plain cavesson and thats what you should start with !).

Reins other than the rubbered ones. IMO all others are useless and slip.

Giant loose martingales (pointless).

Unnecessarily strong bits and gadgets for no reason or badly used.

Sheepskin on bridles.

Dirty tack.
 
Oh My God I am glad that somethings have moved with the time ie. horrible canvas New Zealand rugs which weighed an absolute ton when wet and you had to be built like a Russian Shotputter to lift them off the horse and then at the end of the winter scrubbing them down and having to soften the wax and rub it into the rug - God give me modern turnout rugs, also they never fitted correctly and rug rubs were a guarantee, also the old jute rugs, they were never much better - nah I am glad some horse equipment has moved on. Actually things are much cheaper now, it is more expensive to get a pair of reins etc repaired than it is to buy new. :o
 
I just want to state that all my mare's tack does fit her and it is good quality... however (brace yourselves :p )...

She is chestnut and her tack is black. :eek:
She has a diamonte V browband.... and a diamonte noseband. :eek: :eek:
A martingale. :rolleyes:
A stud girth with a sheepskin lining. ;)
Saddlecloths rather than numnahs. :o

But she is matchy matchy as she has a white saddlecloth and boots or a black saddlecloth and boots... although the effect is spoilt by the hi-viz stuff that I add in non-matchy yellow and pink. :(

Sorry to all that have witnessed our abomination. :rolleyes:

*Hides*
 
Faracat said:
I just want to state that all my mare's tack does fit her and it is good quality... however (brace yourselves :p )...

She is chestnut and her tack is black. :eek:
She has a diamonte V browband.... and a diamonte noseband. :eek: :eek:
A martingale. :rolleyes:
A stud girth with a sheepskin lining. ;)
Saddlecloths rather than numnahs. :o

But she is matchy matchy as she has a white saddlecloth and boots or a black saddlecloth and boots... although the effect is spoilt by the hi-viz stuff that I add in non-matchy yellow and pink. :(

Sorry to all that have witnessed our abomination. :rolleyes:

*Hides*
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OH MY GOD. You should be forced to only ride indoors by yourself under cover of darkness, and with a bell round your neck so people know you're coming and can avoid you. You DISGUST me.

(I'm kidding, by the way :p)
 
Totally not a tack bigot myself, I’m quite good at getting on with my own thing I think!! Thing is with bits etc. people have to try and find something to suit horse/rider and different things work for different people!

OP must think herself of a bit of an expert me thinks.
 
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