Do you use your competition tack everyday?

Firewell

Firewell

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I'm just bored and wondering really..
I use the same saddle and bridle at home and at competitions. I have smart saddle pads, headcoller and boots that I save purely for competition and show rugs but I always use the same tack. Mainly because my horse is used to his bridle and how it fits and I'd rather make any changes at home first. He always wears the same snaffle bit in all disciplines, it's only the martingale I make changes to but it's the same one he wears at home. He has the same girth and girth cover too.
However as I was tacking him up this morning and my Jeffries bridle and reins disappeared in to his mouth for the umpteenth time (he chews everything!) leaving me trying to pull it out of his mouth avoiding teeth marks I considered getting a 'work' bridle just for home. Then I wouldn't have to worry if it wasn't cleaned regularly of if he chewed it.


How many of you have smart tack and home tack?
 
Same tack here! I have my snaffle bridle for flatwork/SJ and my other bridle with stronger bit in for hacking/XC. Dressage saddle for flatwork and jump saddle for jumping/hacking. Never really considered having "competition only" bridle(s) as it would annoy me spending a decent amount of money and then only using it on average once a week! ;)

I keep certain saddlecloths just for competitions, but boots are used as and when needed. Try to keep one of my fleece rugs smart for going off yard... but if it's first to hand when at home, it gets used! :o
 
The saddle is used for both. Dela has 3 bridles, 2 of which are worn at competitions (snaffle and a double bridle) and the other is just for use at home :) She has boots and a saddle cloth that only get used at competitions because they're white :p
 
Apart from saddles I have different tack for everyday/competition inc different numnahs, saddle cloths, boots, show rugs, headcollars etc.
I'm not very good with taking care of things so if I had the same for everything I would look a mess at competitions
 
I use the same for everything I find it too hard to organise everything as it is never mind having another set of tack to look after I ride in my prestige saddle all the time as I bought it new and fingured it was the only way to break it in was to use it like wise with my leather boots, I saved them at the start but then when I got to a show found them hard to keep my leg on so I use everything all the time!! Phew!¬!
 
What is used at competition is used at home although one numnah i try not to use too often at home as shows the dirt a little too well!

My theory is that the show tack could effectively be like a pair of ill fitting shoes but if you only ever use it at comps you may not realise. If the home tack fits well and the horse works well then it is like a pair of comfy slippers and so giving you the best chance of the horse going well in competition. Granted I don't do showing so therefore the same level of cosmetic niceness isn't essential ;)
 
I have competition boots/numnahs/rugs etc, but all of my bridles and saddles are used at competition and at home... Although certain things such as my 5 point breastplate and leather headcollar don't get used at home either...
 
I used to have a different bridle with my old girl, it was very similar to the one she wore everyday with the same bit and type of noseband. I cant say it ever really made a difference with her.
With the new one he is in her hand me downs so i decided to get him a new bridle that will be used everyday, im of the same opinion as Santa_Claus, the more used to it, the more compfy they are. But as its not the cheapest of things i own i wont be using it if im going anywhere that involves mud and prob not in the rain, as much as i dont mind cleaning tack id rather not have to that often :o.
He has the same saddle for everything, diff boots for when we are jumping (home or at shows) and a couple of saddle cloths that only get used at shows but are the same make as his everyday ones. Rugs again different but thats because they tend to only be needed at shows.
I do try to keep things seperate if i can just so i can look smarter than i feel, for me it helps the with the whole occasion of it. :)
 
I do but i only have one very posh bridle but as most of mine are about the same size and i only take one out at once its everyones bridle, if i had something that nibbled tack i would definately be having posh and not posh tack
 
At the min I use the same saddle for everything, but have different bridles, boots, girths, saddlecloths etc for shows and home. Hoping to get a jumping saddle in the future for competitions as well :)
 
I always use the same saddle as its fitted to him but I have a work bridle and show bridle. Head collars for home and different for travel/show. I use a different numnah tho as I can't be doing with washing his white one daily!! He has a couple of just show rugs but I use any rug that will help keep him comfortable in our horrible weather!! Always the same bit.
 
Same saddle, but I have loads of bridles - In part because I am lazy, and I have each bit, set up on each bridle - I have about 5 hanging up atm between 2 ponies.

Home and competition boots/bandages too.

Everyone has a leather headcollar for travelling too.
 
i don't do enough competing to warrant different gear, but even if i did, i prefer to ride in my "normal" boots/ chaps so i don't change too much! I am TERRIBLE at looking after stuff, so my normal gear is a bit worse for wear, i may well end up with some stuff for "best" (the only thing i currently have is a white saddle cloth which i am trying desperately not to get dirty!)
 
Use same saddle for both home and competitions. Everything else have seperate show kit ie bridle, boots, Numnah, show rugs etc. This is because I like to make sure everything is clean and ready do go so just load it on the box and we are off :)
 
same basic tack, just have *show only* bandages, saddlecloths, girth covers and over reach boots etc.
mine are never left unnattended tacked up so minimal chance for chewing/rubbing etc and if they persisted in chewing reins etc im afraid to say would be shown the error of their ways rather briskly, just not allowed!
 
I use same saddles and bridles at home and competition. I also use the same boots, but make sure they have had a clean before I go competing. My White saddle cloths are kept for clinics and competitions.
 
I used to have separate sets of tack as I used to show and do dressage. Its now up for sale on ebay bit by bit so to speak, so anyone who wants a nice bargain of quality stuff, look me up. Mini TX has a day to day bridle and a show bridle, but her saddles are used day to day as well as they were expensive. We have a complete set of saddle cloths and rugs which are logoed up with our sponsors details on it, plus a posh pair of travel boots to match.
 
I've always used pretty much the same and if I have anything only for showing - white pad, boots etc - I always use it at home first and try to have a similar style to the horse's everyday wear. I nearly got murdered once when someone put a "klingon" pad (with the grippy non-slip patches) on a horse for the first time at a show and it turned itself inside out. :eek: Plus it made the horse jump badly.

I was most fascinated by AQHA people when I worked in that world. Even very "average" competitors often had complete sets of tack for home and showing, including incredibly expensive saddles, although they usually didn't have as much silver on the work tack. The show saddles literally got plunked on for the class - they didn't even school in them at the show - and whisked of immediately, lest they get marked in any way. Considering that good western saddles can cost as much as a car, I thought it showed some real commitment!

I would never use a saddle only for show, though, as even the exact same models aren't identical and that must impact on the horse's performance.
 
Prince33Sp4rkle said:
same basic tack, just have *show only* bandages, saddlecloths, girth covers and over reach boots etc.
mine are never left unnattended tacked up so minimal chance for chewing/rubbing etc and if they persisted in chewing reins etc im afraid to say would be shown the error of their ways rather briskly, just not allowed!
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He tries to grab the bridle/headcoller as I put it on, sneakily grabs the reins or throatlash while he's opening his mouth for the bit, naughty monkey! He'll try and suck in the end of his drop noseband if I don't quickly do it up lol. I tried smacking him away but he gets upset and I don't want him to associate having the bridle on with a wallop so I ignore it and quickly pull it out his mouth. Its just his personality coming out and I think he'll grow out of it as the game becomes boring. I don't mind it so much, don't want to squash all of his character. He's had his bridle a year and the only casualty is a pair of reins, I'm usually pretty quick at stopping him.
I think im perhaps trying to justify needing a new bridle! I've seen a beautiful, soft havannah grackle bridle which would look gorgeous on him! It's not to expensive either, could be a very pretty 'work' bridle ;). Saying that he doesn't even need a grackle and has never worn one before! Oh well :).
 
I use same tack but like you have 'show' numnahs.

I dont think I'd like using different tack as for some reason I have some bizarre superstition of not wearing anything thats completely brand new at a show - everytime I have something has gone wrong!
 
My horses are lucky if they have a bridle of their very own, much less a spare to show in, haha! I jest- sort of. The project horses do have several hand me down parts to their bridles.

I do have show only pads and wraps because they are white, and not sensible for daily use in our red clay.

Bandages, coolers etc, are used sparingly enough that they are ok to use at a show.
 
firewell said:
He tries to grab the bridle/headcoller as I put it on, sneakily grabs the reins or throatlash while he's opening his mouth for the bit, naughty monkey! He'll try and suck in the end of his drop noseband if I don't quickly do it up lol.
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mine is exactly the same, I try to rectify it as fast as possible, but his favourite trick is to grab the reins when I get on, so I have to get off again to untie them from his mouth! The biggest problem I have is when lunging, can't stop him from grabbing everything :D

My horses have always had bridles for best and for home, cheap work bridles, which I am not so worried about getting wet or covered in mud. I always use new stuff at home first though - firstly to make sure it fits and is adjusted correctly, but also because of superstitions!
 
one of my horses has a show bridle, he's and expert bridle chewer/scraper and he wears a different bit at shows so it's easier to keep the fit right without fiddling about every time. Other two only have one bridle each although 4 year old will get a nice one when he proves his worth. All have one saddle each but show saddle cloths, rugs, boots and headcollars.
 
Different sadddles, bridles, boots, numnahs, fluffy pads, rugs etc for shows and home.

My show saddle is de luxe stubben leather and would not stand up to everyday work, it is sooo soft and beautiful!

My work tack is all good quality english leather and have another 3 stubben saddles for home :)
 
Like yours my horse loves to chew everything, my bridle now has teeth marks in the cheekpieces and the throatlast has nearly been bitten in half so I decided to get a seperate bridle for competitions to ensure it stays smart. I am going to aim to do the same with boots, saddle cloth ect lets just hope I stay disciplined.
I use the same saddles all the time.
 
same bridle and saddle sometimes i use her dressage one instead of jumping one and the bit shes in a loose ring snaffle at home and 3 ring gag at shows :) saddle cloth boots ect all differnt :)
 
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