Large tack shops recommendations in South West (Wiltshire ish)

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Notimetoride

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I do know most tack shops in the area, but none have what Im looking for. I need a really big tack shop with a huge selection of riding hats as Im not sure what im after. I want to try on several and decide. Looking for both the suede and faux leather Ayr8, and also Gatehouse. No tack shops seem to stock enough hats so that I can try them all on and decide. I am happy to drive a couple of hours perhaps to a really BIG tack shop with an impressive stock of hats. Can anyone recommend any. Incidentally, I thought I had found a decent selection at Ride Away at Wincanton, but lo and behold, they dont stock Gatehouse.
 
Squeak said:
Have you tried Wadswicks? They usually have a good selection of everything.
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Yes. thanks for the recommendation. Wadswick is about 15 mins away from me so always my first port of call. Im just a little disappointed in their selection and they dont seem to stock both the suede and the leather Ayr8 in my size, in the colour I want, AND the Gatehouse Im after :-(
 
Yes , Wadswick are great if you want some lovely tweed or a stunning bling browband (and have a few spare pennies :-o ) No, i do love a trip to W tbh - just a shame their selection of hats isnt too great. I had forgotten about the old dairy. not been for many years. do they have a really decent selection of hats ?
 
Wait a while& go to the equine fair Exeter in December. Lots of shopping opportunities, makes you may not have thought about.
Did that a few years ago, selected the 1 I wanted & bought cheaper off the internet when I got home.
 
I'm in Wilshire and always buy my hats at Aivley near Ringwood - good selection and very good fitters. I fall off and hit my head more often than I'd like so visit them reasonably often!

Wadswick are nice enough store but I find their customer service very poor so have mostly have stopped going there. Last time I went with a pocket full of pony pounds for a treat shop they were so off-handed I left without making a purchase.
 
I've used Thorney Copse Saddlery a few times, its not too far from Wincanton.
They are really small and don't have a website, but there seams to be a lot crammed into a small space.
Maybe give them a call and see what they stock.

These guys are also just of the A37 on the way to shepton (in a little industrial estate opposite the entrances to Glasto) - http://www.maneeventsaddlery.com.
They have ordered in obscure things for me in the past, so also worth a try. NB: The farm shop next door is really nice too!
 
Old Diary shop itself closed down last Monday :-( They only do internet now. I find that I save this kind of shopping for things like Burghley or Badminton where you can go round and pick and choose. Not a very helpful comment as you've got to wait til May at the earliest now !!
 
Its been some years since I've lived in the West Country but is Jennys tack shop in Longwell Green (Bristol) still there or has it moved/closed? its not massive but had a decent range last time I was there

Not sure what Pointings is like these days?.. when I worked there and there was a shop in Bath we had a huge range of stuff, used to be THE place for hats and body protectors.

If you fancy a trek I like Two Times Tack near Oxford, its not a promising looking shop/website on first impressions but their knowledge and fitting is absolutely excellent and their prices very good (and if you are a rug buyer a visit there is a dream come true!)
 
I'm not in Wiltshire but I had a similar issue a while ago. All the tack shops in my areas seem to stock one or two brands and that's it. I really wanted a Gatehouse but nowhere stocked them locally. I ordered it online only to find it was totally the wrong shape for my head. I then went to one tack shop and tried on a Charles Owen - same issue, so off to another to find a Champion fitted perfectly. The guy in the shop told me nearly all brands are made on two models - either a long and thin one (Champion, JTE, Harry Hall) or a more rounded one (Charles Owen, Gatehouse). He also created the Champion brand so knew what he was talking about!

Depending on your current hat and how it fits, if you can't find somewhere that stocks them all, you can probably make a judgement on which shop to go to based on the brands they stock and the shape of your head.
 
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