Fed up paying stupid prices for general horse kit!!

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gemmypie44

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In our family business in fishing gear I have learnt how much things cost to make... I love my labels and quality but finding out my favourite boots were made in china for £10 and I paid £150, it got me thinking... I pay way too much for most my horsy stuff my coat £100, jods £40 a time if I'm lucky polo shirt 40 for a nice one when we bring them in for £2 and sell them for £5 ( they are green tho). But I was wondering do you feel the same? Or is horse riding just meant to be expensive?
 
I quite agree, just because something has a picture of a horse on it it suddenly becomes really expensive!! I try to buy stuff where the "label" doesn't matter. Hope this helps: buckets can be picked up from one of the big DIY stores for a £ or so (hint.. they are nice and bright orange!) I have bought cheap duvets at a large supermarket to put on horses as extra "stable rugs" in the winter -if you put them inside a cover then you can wash the cover easily when they get soiled. And if you don't care about labels there are also `no-name' brands at some of the bigger outlet stores on things like saddle soap etc, or ebay for cheaper rugs etc. I would, however, never skimp on the important stuff like feed, good quality tack or veterinary care.
I do agree that it seems a bit criminal that things are manufactured in China for £10 and sold here for £150...
Hope this helps??;) Good luck!
 
this is partly why I don't buy horsey brands - my riding tops come from discount sports shops and cost £4 each. why pay £40 for a brand name when it's probably going to get covered in slobber and hair :D
 
I'll jump on this bandwagon! :D It does seem like the stuff marketed to equestrians - riding kit, grooming kit, etc. - gets really expensive. Especially if it has someone's name on it! That just tacks on the £. Pound shops, DIY stores, heck even ASDA for tubs and the like, and they last just fine. eBay is also a great place to shop, if not so much to sell these days.
 
Defiantly! But even alot of tack is made in china and Taiwan! Hats are made for £4!!! Our supplier has looked into it for us I cannot belive the catalogue of things that I see on my horse shop shelves are made for pounds if not pence... Really goes to show people like myself who own a horse for no particualar reason but to enjoy riding out don't need to pay so much!
I brought rubber reins for £40 (label again) with a great big made in china stamp on them, gave them to my supplier he said they cost £1.55 to make!!!!
He went to china and got a sample of clippers, not the quietist ones very heavy duty, would be good for a riding school or people to share, they cost £15 to make they are already sold here in the uk for £250, he said if we sold them the rrp would be £50..... I just paid that for trimmers :( but would people pay that and feel like they had a Bargin (even tho they are the same as the £250 ones) or be weary of the price, I am sometimes.....
 
Yes I agree.................BUT I do love my Joules tops! Only buy them in the sales, but they last and last, one I've had for five years, they wash well and don't lose their colour or shrink like a lot of other tops. I bought a pair of Jods from Tesco, wore them once, washed them and they shrank too!

I do go the the Horse Wear House in Kibworth a lot, they have tons of good quality jods/tops tack/rugs and grooming gear all at very good prices
 
I buy T-shirts and hoodies, jumpers for the yard from H&M, their basic long steeve tops and stuff are fine for the yard and at £20 for 2 much cheaper! The T shirts are bright and fitted and look nice with a pair of jods in the summer and are only like £6-8 each.
Saying that I have just splashed out on a load of Jules tops as like someone else mentioned they wash so well and last forever! H&M stuff or high street stuff is only good for a year or so.
Jods I buy cheapy ones, I hate expensive ones, as I'm petite I find even the size 24's are baggy and the material too heavy and rough. I like the Dublin supafit joddies they fit like a glove and are so comfy.
The one thing I will buy quality is riding boots/yard boots as the cheap ones just don't last.

Horse rugs and things I think a joke, most of them are manufactured abroad now and even the expensive makes like Mark Tod leak or tear. Leather work is crap and stretches yet everything is so expensive. I try to buy tack that I know is manufactured in the UK like Jeffries as that will last.
It really makes me cross how expensive things are. A cheap plastic grooming brush can be upwards of £10, we as consumers are taken for mugs a lot of the time :(
 
I refuse to pay silly prices for horse kit. I don't get caught up in the latest fashions either for riders or horses. Wherever I can buy secondhand I will. I would rather buy something decent secondhand than pay the same price for something cheap and nasty new.
Have only ever bought jods for myself new though. Did try some secondhand ones on ebay once, they were reported as needing attention. Too right holes in the crotch that needed stitching lol. They lasted two rides then in the bin. Other jods were in a Robinsons sale and a pair of Gallop ones from ebay that were not bad and in their second year of wear now and cost me less than £15 with postage I think?
I try and buy buckets and other stable equipment in shops other than horse stores because they cost less. Again got a few bargains along the way like a good straw fork for a fiver. A wheelbarrow for free as someone gave me a clapped out and broken one and another person the same and managed to make one decent one with the two of them.
Car boot sales and equine sales are also good places to trawl as well as ebay of course.
Also got some horse equipment from an animal auction as well as Beeston auctions.
Best buy at a car boot was a Shires stormbreaker winter turnout rug in immaculate condition for a tenner. A pair of real nice leathers and flexible stirrups for the same. Two sheepskin numnahs in good condition, slightly faded on the top but wool was fine for £2 for the two!
Bridles, the most I have paid is around £25 to £30 I would say. However barring one bridle two of my other ones are made up of different bridles but do have good components in them like Rhinegold etc. A pair of Stubben extra full laced reins for £22 including postage. Set of Heineger clippers last year cost me around £75 from ebay with two sets of blades and postage.
Saddles, one leather think English? £100 including postage. Coleman Croft saddle, real nice saddle bought five years ago from ebay in immaculate condition £165 including postage. A Thorowgood saddle, in excellent condition for my mare £50 from a horse event.
Have managed to save a lot of dosh over the years. Not trying to gloat as that is not my intention. I am just saying that bargains are there if you take the time to look for them.
If you don't mind buying a rug that needs a wash or repair and get it a lot cheaper. A shop soiled item. Leatherwork that needs a good clean and oil. Yes it may take time to sort but think of the money you can save. I have always had to save money as always had more than one horse and now I have 4 so have to watch the pennies even more. That does not mean that my horses go without. I just make sure if I get any luxury item it is cheap or secondhand. I don't compromise on their health or comfort though which is why I have made up bridles myself because I have an extra full where most of the nosebands don't fit as too small and a cob that is not a cob fitting in some parts of his face. Far cheaper to get a base bridle and then bits on top. If went to a saddler and had them made up gawd knows how much I would be paying.
But yes try all the places you can. Some saddleries even have second hand sections too where you can buy or sell. There are other websites besides ebay that you can buy secondhand from. Local newspapers too.
I would much rather save money where I can so that I can treat them for special occasions or else have money for vet bills, wormers, farrier etc which if I went around buying every leading brand under the sun I would be broke.
 
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Well fingers crossed we will be able to change this Market and start providing quality everyday kit at real prices for real riders... Horses cost enough to look after without having to spend on essentials which either are poor quality, fit, size or too expensive.
 
Yep it is poor quality and over priced!

I buy stuff from other brands like hiking and cycling shops, even golf wear. I bought waterproof trousers from primark for a fiver, matching coat also a fiver, was dryer than my mate in rhino stuff!

Have jodhs from aldi and they wash better than caldene ones.

Poor neglected horse gets washed in human stuff, with sponges and buckets from wilkos.
 
It's like I love Jack Wills/Abercrombie and Fitch/Hollister etc but can't really afford it so either buy it on sale or on eBay so though sometimes I can be decked out in it, I have paid a tiny fraction of the original price :)
 
I don't like the orange buckets. I bought a couple & the handles kept coming off so false economy. It pays to look around elsewhere for buckets though.
I get shampoo etc from Poundland.
TKMaxx always have a lot of ski wear in the winter season. I get warm socks there & base layers make excellent xc tops - mine is purple.
Hi viz winter jacket £15 to £20 from the market. Hi viz zip waistcoat with pockets for TREC £5 from the market as well.
Mind you occasionally horsey stuff is cheaper. In the winter I often pinch a few carrots out of their huge bag (£1.50) for our dinner!
 
hairycob said:
Mind you occasionally horsey stuff is cheaper. In the winter I often pinch a few carrots out of their huge bag (£1.50) for our dinner!
Click to expand...

Me too! :o

But now I get restaurant rejects and offcuts for the horse so I have to buy my own for the OH's dinner.......
 
I agree about buckets and t-shirts etc, but I spend money on safety equipment and tack as if you buy a decent saddle and bridle etc, you get more life out of it and cheaper stuff is horrid to touch and you can tell it's not English or Italian. My favourite is Jeffries. My favourite breeches are Rugged as they fit so well (even a shorty like me)! I used to wear Shires, but they are actually quite uncomftable and go to holes! Since it's nearly winter, I guess all my money will now go on feed and bedding :((
 
We have a canning factory near us so those that aren't the right shape (though human consumption grade) are sold to farmers for cattle etc. We go up there with Hifi bags fill them up to the brim and pay £1 a bag...don't get that in Tesco!
 
I was ridiculously pleased to subscribe to a horse magazine and get a lovely black and gold grooming kit in a bag :D so I could keep the Oster one hubby got me for best.
Oh dear :( - didn't get her half as clean and shiny as my Oster brushes so I've swapped them back again. Actually it's unbelievable the difference a quality brush makes!
Also my cheap bargainous polo shirts from Costco are now looking tatty and shrunk while my Joules one is still in fantastic condition.
As others have said - it's better to either save up and buy quality or look for second hand. It's so worth it in the long term.
 
It's amazing how much manufacturer's think we horsey people will pay for stuff.

Like many of you i buy clothes for other sports much cheaper than the equestrian equivalent. I also am happy to buy second hand for certain things, that way you can buy much better quality too.

I am happy to buy some things at full price if I know they will last or I want confidence in their safety.

I have had a Lavenham rug for years and will be buying new ones this winter to replace weatherbeeta that is worn out after 3 years. That way the price per wear is much cheaper than something cheap to buy but doesn't last.

If paying a lot I find that British and German made kit lasts far longer than Asian made stuff.
 
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