What equipment to keep after selling horse?

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Atm I’m 99% sure I want to sell my horses, and have a horse free life for a bit, but will more than likely want to return to it in a couple of years.

I’ve got mounds of tack amassed over a 15 year period, despite having regular clear outs!

I could do with some extra cash. Unfortunately a lot of the stuff is only really worth a couple of quid on eBay, but there’s a good lot I can sell (I don’t think I need ten bridles!)

However, the bigger crux of the matter is exactly what stuff do I keep? I’ve got a collection of SJ and XC Boots i’d be loath to part with, as buying the replacements would be fairly expensive, and the ones I’ve got wouldn’t sell for much (as most run of the mill second hand stuff doesn’t).

I’m thinking that a possibility of at least keeping a couple of rugs, mine are 6ft, and the chances are that next horse will fit into them.

I’ve also got a really nice couple of bits of tack that I wouldn’t want to sell.

Does this all sound sensible for a clear out/give up? Try and get rid of most but keep the essentials/nice stuff?
 
Personally I would say get rid of the rugs: if you keep them, you'll end up - subconsciously or otherwise - looking for a horse to fit the rug rather than vice versa, and if you're coming back into horses any time in the future you really want to have a clean slate; you may end up wanting to buy a totally different sort of horse to what you have now!

Can't advise you re. the rest, sorry!
 
Rugs are tricky: bulky, tricky to store. Brides, if they're full size and you're likely to get another horse, keep a few. Sell the saddles, they're probably worth the most, include in price of horse? Keep expensive boots. Stick everything in a rug bag and shove in the loft.

I've kept brides, a couple of leather headcollars, too many rugs. I've still got the horse, just don't ride anymore.
 
I'd say sell absolutely everything.

Who knows when you'll get back into horses and things like bridles will need upkeep. You might even move and then have to lug all that with you too.

If you've still to sell your horses advertise an option to include tack/rugs. Assuming everything fits well its one less thing for new owner to have to arrange.

Technology for boots is always advancing and you might find what is current now isnt worth much in a couple of years if they don't fit your new purchase.

See if there are any horsey car boot sales in your area as you might make more there then Ebay and no postage.

So yeah sell everything and factor in the buying of new things when you're saving for a new horse.
 
I would keep good quality leather bridles, leather head collars, stirrup leathers and girth’s if expensive
Everything else I’d sell - especially rugs for the reasons already mentioned
 
Yes I would sell the rugs and keep some bridles (I think 10 might be a bit to many). I often look for bargains on eBay from really expensive things so that might be a good way to go.
As TPO said, it might be good to sell the well fitting tack with the horses, so it's less stress for you and the new owner.

Probably not helpful but oh well
 
I probably shouldn’t comment as someone who finds it hard to part with anything but I’d keep the things that I know I really love to use and are likely to be hard to come by again if I sold them. Things do move on technically so some things will age more than others if you keep them. On the whole I’d get rid of most rugs especially stable rugs but if you have any good expensive outdoor ones like Rambo I’d be tempted to keep those at least for awhile. My last 3 horses have all been a similar fit so rugs have been well shared. Saddles I’d sell as they’re not likely to fit a future horse.

There’s nothing to stop you doing a phased clear out starting from things you find fairly easy to part with as long as you have space to store.
 
As someone who gave away or sold everything when I was forced to have a break from horses and then had to re buy I would be cautious about selling anything that would cost a lot to replace, especially if it wouldn't sell for much. If you have the room to store it I would sort through and keep a slimmed down selection. Current horse is in previous + 1 horses rugs and it saved me a lot of money.
 
I'd personally keep stuff that's smallish and generic to horses in general - grooming kit, head collars, bits etc, and sell the big stuff and things that fit a specific horse.

When we moved the horses home for the first time, I needed all the tack room stuff as I'd been on full livery beforehand. A friend was giving up horses for a while so gave me all her feed buckets, bins, feed scoops, brushes, lead ropes etc! It was so lovely of her, and saved me a load of money not having to buy new. I'm waiting for the day she gets back into riding and wants it all back... All of that could have been stored easily for next time, but I'm not telling her that!
 
I lost 2 horses together and kept everything when I was horseless but it was only for 6 months. Most of the tack from one horse fitted the new one. I only needed a saddle, girths and a bit. I am still slowly selling stuff that doesn’t fit the new horse. Any purchases were funded by sales.
If you are intending to be without a horse for a few years I would agree with others that it would only be worthwhile to keep classic and sentimental stuff. Any thing else may become dated or deteriorate.
 
I've recently lost a pony and my advice is to start selling what you definitely don't want first, there is no rule that says everything has to go up for sale at the same time.

Start selling stuff as you decide to part ways with it, even items that are only worth a few pounds soon mount up to a bit of decent cash.

Once the pile of stuff starts to go down you will have a more clear view of what is left and after your selling experiences you'll have a clearer idea of the realistic money you can expect for things.

You'll almost certainly then decide on a second, third, fourth wave of selling.

As you get left with unsold items consider batching them as job lots, I sold four nice numnahs for £4 once but at least they were gone.

Once you get down to the sort of stuff that will be easy to store you can then decide to stop or to continue selling.

For anything of slightest value get really good pictures, it may seem devious but I find carefully aspirational pictures can be useful, show bridles placed with rosettes in view etc... If you decide to sell a high value saddle for example show it on a nice saddle stand on a sheepskin numnah against a red brick wall etc... You'd be amazed how much of a difference this makes, even small items photographed on a straw bale make pictures nicer

My last bit of advice is always send via a signed for service some people will do all they can to claw back their money through loopholes
 
Dont throw anything that will cost more to replace. 10 bridles, not needed. But a smart full bridle likely to fit a future horse, keep. Even if you end up buying a pony you can always sell when new horse arrives.
 
Hmmm difficult really. After several decades with many horses when my faithful old chap was at the end and I decided to sell absolutely everything other than the gear for my remaining very last, ever, ever, ever horse- and donate all the money I raised to animal rescues - the resulting rather surprising amount I raised was welcomed by the chosen horse rescue charity.

However, now I have drifted into a very small online tack outlet and I am aware of huge mark ups on half way decent tack , and my mare show signs of quite possibly needing to retire anytime in the next year or two I really do wish I had kept a fairly broad selection of decent tack 'just in case' I am tempted to buy yet another last ever, ever, ever horse.:rolleyes:

My advice would be keep the best and sell the rest. Good quality tack will always be worth money - mediocre and low end stuff wont hold value so sell it on now.
 
I retired my old boy five years ago, and got rid of everything. A move I really regret. My advice is keep it all, and when you return to riding, if what you have fits, then use it, if it doesn't - sell it and put it towards what you need
 
I kept saddle, bridle- more for sentimental reasons. Kept one of each of my favourite rugs, have used couple on share horse or given away since. Kept brushes, equipment for one horse.
Sold pretty much everything else- I figured times change, tech develops so top of the range boots now may be improved on by the time I get another, so I’d probably want to buy new.
Saying that if horse turned up tomorrow I’d have enough to fully kit it out as long as it was the right size!!
 
I would keep good quality leather bridles, bridle parts such as nosebands and brow bands, reins and such like. They can be taken apart and stored easily - can then be matched up together if needed for a new horse, and even altered to fit (I've done this - my bridle is on its second horse).
I'd also keep bits, leather headcollars and anything that is likely to be difficult/expensive to replace.
I find rugs a pain to store but if you have some really nice ones like thermatex or old-fashioned woollen day-rugs I'd hang on to them.
Saddles are a trickier one as they take up space - if you have a really comfortable saddle that you love then don't be in too much of a hurry to let it go, particularly if it is a type that is not always easy to find such as a small adult saddle that will fit a native.
 
We get lots of lovely people donating their tack to our little charity and we are very grateful for it. If you have saddles you are best selling sooner rather than later as fashions change so quickly and so do the popular makes.
 
The saddles I have are all Thorowgood ones, which I intend to sell. They should be easy to sell and pretty much get what I paid for them. If next horse happens to fit into one, then again they are cheap enough to pick up secondhand.

I have made a start on selling some bits, but haven’t really made much profit off eBay yet!
 
Look at the size of your available storage space and keep the good quality stuff.
In your position a few years ago I decided to keep a good leather bridle, a basic grooming kit, the clippers and a complete set of almost new Rambo rug and liners. Much of the stuff that fitted the horse went with her.
The rug is kept in a metal trunk in the old tack room, the other stuff in an underbed drawer in the house. Feed bins and buckets have been repurposed in the garden.
If a new horse turned up tomorrow i’d cope, but I don’t have a room full of old, dated stuff, deteriorating and being eaten by mice.
 
I would sell/ get rid of anything that isn't sentimental.

You never know what type of horse you will end up with and as others have said kit moves on in terms of innovation all the time. Saves the hassle of storing and looking after what you are not using.

I also imagine that after a break of horses getting a new one will be quite exciting so you might want to pick up things specially for that horse- you can spend the money that you have saved by not having a horse for a few years ;)
 
I'd keep the quality and sentimental items and let go of the rest.

One tip for selling is make sure your items are clean and don't need repairing - I'm always amazed at the number of people whose adverts include the phase "needs a clean" - who the hell is going to pay decent money for grubby second-hand stuff? Clean, well photographed items with measurements and a price (people don't like make an offer ads) will always sell more easily.
 
I'd get rid of everything other than stuff you wear yourself (e.g. hat, gloves etc.), in case you want to go for the occasional ride in the meantime.

You are right - a lot of the stuff you'll try to sell will bring very little income, and replacing it new would cost much more. But you can mitigate this to a large degree by simply buying everything used if and when you buy a new horse. Where does it say that a new horse needs new tack? The last tack sale I was at (trying to sell, not to buy) made me realise I could have completely kitted out a horse of virtually any size, for peanuts. (Maybe with the exception of a well-fitting saddle.) Everybody else is selling is in the same position as you are now, and you can get really nice, serviceable tack and rugs for little money. After the first roll in the mud, that new rug is going to look the same as the used one anyway.

Another interesting calculation is: how much does it cost you to store the extra stuff? How much could you save over a year or three if you could get away with renting a smaller place (and saving on heating another room/attic/basement), or not paying for extra storage space somewhere else? Storing stuff is not free, it costs money as well.
 
Having been the person who sold everything, I was never going to need it, and then had to replace it, I would keep anything made from good quality leather, that you can store well. Last year I went shopping for a small bridle and there is very little English leather and English made,good quality leather work available unless you pay a small fortune. One bridle I have is now £300 new.
 
TPO said:
I'd say sell absolutely everything.

Who knows when you'll get back into horses and things like bridles will need upkeep. You might even move and then have to lug all that with you too.

If you've still to sell your horses advertise an option to include tack/rugs. Assuming everything fits well its one less thing for new owner to have to arrange.

Technology for boots is always advancing and you might find what is current now isnt worth much in a couple of years if they don't fit your new purchase.

See if there are any horsey car boot sales in your area as you might make more there then Ebay and no postage.

So yeah sell everything and factor in the buying of new things when you're saving for a new horse.
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THIS! ^^
 
I would keep any good quality tack as that will be a fortune to replace. If I ever have a break from horses I would keep my prestige saddle and girth, Keiffer bridle, veredus tendon and fetlock boots, CWD breastplate and tendon and fetlock boots. I would keep my anna scarpati stable drapes, show saddlepads, ears and rugs as again I spent a lot of money on those and wouldn't like to replace them. The only other thing I would keep is my grooming kit as I didn't realise how expensive they were to replace until I had to buy a new kit recently. oh and my tack locker I would keep as again expensive to replace and I'd use it to store the stuff I am keeping

Everything else I would get rid off, especially rugs as I hate trying to store them
 
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