WHYY!

Polos

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I am fed up of the numerous tack shops in my area opening up that only stock the cheaply makes such as gallop and unbranded Indian leather tat.

I just want at least one tack shop selling decent good quality makes. Is that too much to ask!!
 
because unfortunately due to the times thats what most people are buying atm :/

I'm quite lucky we still have a few that stock the good quality stuff, i do have to stop myself going there quite so often though!
 
Yes, yes yes ! I stopped off en route to somewhere and visited a saddlery. What a disappointment . It was full of cheap junk.
Even the online saddlery's are the same. Compare them to tack shops on the continent -and there is no comparison. Except for the over inflated prices.
 
I'll swap, ours are full of Le Miuex, Pikeur and other such gorgeous and un-affordable things.

I'd rather have things like that and save up for them as I know they will be worth it and last years!

I have to say lemeuix is really worth it though, they are so much nicer than my Roma merino pads.

I am quite jealous of the tack shops on the continent, the things they stock are lush!
 
That is becuse the Cheap stock is available to small and unproven businesses who can easily and cheaply get small amounts of stock in. I hate it too.
 
I agree I'm trying to find some nice long boots for Christmas for conpeteting & all I can find is standard boots I'd wear up the yard
So irritating
My local stocks some nicer stuff but nothing of what id call high end
 
The fact is anyone with a debit/credit card can get hold of some of the cheaper trade catalogues. Then flog the items at below retail. So those of us who run legitimate businesses that also stock the cheaper end as well as normal ranges are seen as expensive. I am a BETA member but those that tend to operate out of marketstalls and from home generally don't have the years of knowledge or experience in the horse world and are just after a quick buck
 
To be honest I have a small riding horse, that has a wide forehead etc:- so I found a saddler that would come out and measure his head and make a bridle that fitted, it is superb and still only cost me the price of a bridle from the saddlers, I now have a Welsh sec A that has a very small head, my horse dentist said on Tuesday he's seen shetlands with bigger heads and I've lost her phone number. :(
 
people are always saying on here how we should support our local tack shop but it's hard when so many of them sell tat! I am frequently turning to the internet and events like HOYS to buy good quality stuff.

Theres a few dodgy people all over my local fb groups selling the cheapest of the cheap things. It's annoying as it just clogs the groups up-I hardly see anything other than this tat! It is also annoying when you go to a local table top sale and find they have taken over half the tables with their junk!
 
I don't know where all these fantastic tack shops on the continent are, because they are certainly not near me. We don't have any at all. We have to rely on the big sports shops that are 40 minutes drive away, or the internet.
 
The cheap tat is great!!

I buy nice expensive well made stuff for me and my horses for best BUT my teenage daughters have a habit of loosing boots, getting jods ripped or stained breaking tack, loosing brushes. So they get cheap tat till they learn to appreciate the finer things in life. Their ponies/horses had synthetic or older saddles for everyday use and the show saddle, event saddle, dressage saddle that cost a small fortune were used for shows, lessons, training not for just galloping around the fields and through the water!

I just wouldn't be able to afford to replace the really expensive stuff.

Thank God for the Cheap Tat sellers....as long as it fits my horse/child....then it makes perfect sense.

PS kids are learning but its a slow process!
 
haha charmel!

I have always had to buy things myself for my horses (apart from my saddle as my parents kindly paid for that) and I have preferred to buy good quality. Besides I like the satisfaction after saving up for months of taking extra shifts at work to finally get something nice :)
 
I would suggest it is down to the extortionate opening and generally pro forma orders that a lot of the bigger brand names want. Ariat wanted 10k about 5 years ago, and they are all much the same. Plus when you have internet sellers selling at pence above trade, they simply can't compete!
 
Cheap tat hater here too, I would rather save up or buy second hand quality stuff than new, cheap tat.

One of our local shops has changed hands recently, used to be expensive but top notch, now it's all cheap tat and run by women with zero taste and questionable equine experience.
 
I'm amazed anyone is still able to sell the high end saddles at full price. The internet is awash with lovely saddles going for less than £100. The depreciation on a £2k saddle must be frightening.

Incidentally, I wouldn't knock the gallop cheap tack too badly. I've two of them in my tackroom. One is the only thing that's ever fitted my XXXW Dartmoor stallion. Both have been used regularly for 15yrs and going strong. They're ugly, but the only functional complaint I've ever had is that the girth straps are too short.
 
I find cheapy shops are good for things like hay nets, buckets, feed scoops, brushes, lotions and potions etc, your everyday yard stuff basically!
I tend to buy things like tack, rugs, breeches, jackets etc either online or travel further to a bigger tack shop.
 
I find cheapy shops are good for things like hay nets, buckets, feed scoops, brushes, lotions and potions etc, your everyday yard stuff basically!
I tend to buy things like tack, rugs, breeches, jackets etc either online or travel further to a bigger tack shop.

I agree on that front, my buckets and haynets etc are cheapy ones but everything else I like to be nice
 
Im kind of lucky I live close to both Robinsons and Oakfield Saddlery.
Oakfield make some really good English leather tack at a good price. And Robinsons is just Robinsons
 
I love cheap stuff!

The only thing that cost me much is my saddle (and hat, actually)

but everything apart from those two things above have to live outside in a box, so I don't want really nice stuff ruined. I don't have the luxury of a tack room and I'm not allowed to keep stuff in the house.
 
Cheap tat hater here too, I would rather save up or buy second hand quality stuff than new, cheap tat.

One of our local shops has changed hands recently, used to be expensive but top notch, now it's all cheap tat and run by women with zero taste and questionable equine experience.

Think I know where you're talking about, such a shame as I don't want to drive Mike's to visit the new store.


On the very rare occasion I have some money I tend to go to wadswick, it's a bit of drive but stocks more than half the local crap shops here.
 
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