# Are you a tack bigot?



## skewby (23 January 2011)

I think I am.  I make snap judgments based on what people dress their horses in.

This is in no way meant to offend, I stress these are MY little hangups, I only use tack which is listed in my 1970s manual of horsemanship  and I'm just interested to know whether anyone else forms an opinion of another rider on sight in this way?!

For instance, I tend to think:

Poorly fitted martingale, i.e. horse would need to be double jointed to ever make it have an effect - rider is barmy, just more tack to clean, and in particular tack which is so easy to dirty and so horrid to clean

Dutch gag - horse only requires a snaffle but it must have got strong once.  And as I have yet to ever see one used with two reins, this probably contributes to my distaste.  And if horse is snatching/unhappy in its mouth - rider must be a saint or not the full £, there's no way I'd cope with that (particularly hunting)

Pelham with roundings - see dutch gag

Treeless - clueless

Am I on my own here?  And please don't fill the thread with replies of "but I use blah blah blah because blah blah blah", I am not making any observation here really other than, I am more than slightly uncomfortable with my prejudices!

ETA, and waterfords make me feel sick


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## Hippona (23 January 2011)

skewby said:



			This is in no way meant to offend, I stress these are MY little hangups, I only use tack which is listed in my 1970s manual of horsemanship  and I'm just interested to know whether anyone else forms an opinion of another rider on sight in this way?!
		
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If your '70's manual is like mine it comprises of cavesson/hunter-style nosebands and variations of snaffle only

I dislike flash nosebands with a vengance......also crap quality leather, poorly fitting saddles, or saddles that fit but are wrong for the horse (or don't show the horse off properly). And I dislike black tack.

Disclaimer......I am pre-menstrual. Today I hate most things


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## eggs (23 January 2011)

Flash nosebands are my pet hate.

I'm also not a fan of black tack - especially on chestunts (guess who has a chestnut).

I don't judge people on what tack they use but I do worry that people follow the latest tack fad without actually understanding its use/influence - especially with bits.

I know not every horse will go in a snaffle with a cavesson but I don't think as many horses have to be in flash nosebands with martingales either.

I was horrified at a local show jumping show to see so many kids/teenagers with pelhams and martingales on their horse/pony with spurs on themselves kicking and hooking all the way round the course.


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## Piglet (23 January 2011)

I agree but I am a bit open minded, I do use a NuShule (I think that is how it is spelt)  basic training bit which my horse seems happy with and I do like the drop noseband as opposed to the flash (1 less strip of leather to wash down after I ride)!  I do take a bit of offence at the comment of the treeless saddle, I use a Heather Moffett enlightened equitation GP saddle simply because my horse is sooooo much happier in it, his big shoulder can move freely underneath and is not restricted like the tree saddles.


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## Kokopelli (23 January 2011)

I think the exact same way! Maybe I was born in the wrong decade?


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## Feathered (23 January 2011)

It's over tacking for fashions sake what bugs me. Kids riding in grackle nosebands, gags and those showjumper girth doodahs when they just don't need it but it's in fashion. Aaaaargh!


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## outandabout (23 January 2011)

Lol, I make snap judgements about people based on the prejudices they display on web forums  

I have posted before about why I ride my horse XC in a Dutch Gag with a single rein on the second ring - I tried him with two reins and a curb strap, he doesn't get on with it.  He doesn't get on with any of the many other bits I have tried...but is angelic in the gag, needs only the lightest touch.  I would like to see anyone stop him XC in a snaffle!!

I don't care what tack other people use - that is their business and they probably have a good reason for it.  Dirty tack on the other hand, has no excuse.  Can't imagine it is pleasant for the horse and it shortens the life of your equipment if you don't look after it properly...


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## miss_bird (23 January 2011)

I hate flash nosebands, saggy martingales.
I also hate going to show and seeing all the horses/ponies tied down with loads of stuff because it is the latest fashion.
Also as eggs said, the kids on ponies tied down with pelhams, gags and martingales then kicking on with spurs.
That reminded me i also hate spurs on young children
Saying that i used to have to ride my old mare xc on the 2nd ring of gag or there were no brakes through over excitement, rest of the time she went in a basic snaffle


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## Dogstar (23 January 2011)

Blimey, nearly everyone out hunting uses a dutch gag, me included, it must be hard for you ;-)
Honestly, I found a Dutch gag with a single rein worked wonders on my lad and my waterford gag is the only thing my old girl hunts happily in! But I admit to own my prejudices too, mainly cheap, dry, dirty tack and bling.


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## skewby (23 January 2011)

fadedv - read my post (the blah blah blah bit.  Your post is like the teacher in Peanuts to me).

Eeeyore, the Heather Moffett saddle is a different kettle of fish, they are quite nice, you would not know they are not treed.  I'm on about the horrible big slaps of things people have to endlessly "shim" and which never, ever stay put.  Honestly, I just think "a fool and his money...".  Oh, and "poor horse's back" (i.e. that's my prejudice!)


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## scotlass (23 January 2011)

Most of my tack phobias relate to bridles -

I have a HUGE issue with bridles that have cheekpieces that have buckles on the outside - flush billet hooks only

The wrong width of leather - shoe-string bridles on hunter types, cobs, certain M & Ms - yuk!

Dangly throatlashes


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## tasteofchristmaschaos (23 January 2011)

I do think that it has become "cool" to have a horse with as much tack on as possible, regardless of whether or not they need it. I do think it's a bit pointless to have it all on, but so long as it isn't harming the horse at all, i don't have a problem with it really. 
What really bugs me is ill-fitting tack, makes me want to scream!
With regards to a dutch gag, I used to ride my old mare in a dutch gag on the normal ring. People used to say to me, why don't you just ride in a snaffle? The reason was that 99 times out of 100 she would be fine, but occasionally she would get the wind up her tail and try to go hell for leather everywhere. When that happened, I would jump off, and put it down to the second ring. That way I could have some semblance of control!


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## skewby (23 January 2011)

Dogstar said:



			Blimey, nearly everyone out hunting uses a dutch gag, me included, it must be hard for you ;-)
		
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Lol not in my pack, it's all TBs cos hilly country (gawd knows what we are doing there but we cope admirably!) and they're all in snaffles!  I am so jealous!  I got to the opening meet and realised I'd forgotten my curb chain.  Ran round every wagon/trailer, was met with 100% "sorry we are snaffle mouthed" (luckily found a curb in depths of lorry at last minute, lol)


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## outandabout (23 January 2011)

skewby said:



			fadedv - read my post (the blah blah blah bit.  Your post is like the teacher in Peanuts to me).
		
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Gosh, how unnecessary... my post was clearly intended as at least partially being tongue in cheek.  If you post a load of apparently irrational hangups on a web forum you must surely expect others to judge you in turn - judge not lest ye be judged 

Or, to save you the bother of reading that:

blah blah blah blah blah


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## tallyho! (23 January 2011)

So what is this clique called? I'll put it on my sig...


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## Serephin (23 January 2011)

No, I am not a tack bigot.


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## Lolo (23 January 2011)

I HATE HATE HATE it when people look at my tack and make snap judgements...

My old horse was ridden in a saddle that cost £15 off eBay. And you could tell. It fitted, it was cheap and it suited our needs. However, it was also disintegrating (stitching on the flaps kept coming out regardless of how many times we got it sorted...) and looked scuffed and old no matter how hard I polished. It looked so terrible. But it suited us, and fitted. And that wass all that mattered.

I do actually hate with a vengeance too-long-stirrups. Winds me up a treat.


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## Cedars (23 January 2011)

Sheepskin I hate. 

Black tack on chestnut horses. 

Bridles without nosebands!!


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## kez1001 (23 January 2011)

roundings! i hate them use two reins!

standing martingales done up too tight - they have their uses but only if correctly used.
draw reins for same reason as above, actually most gadgets!

oh and a weird one, people who dont put cheekpieces/nosebands into keepers! Ian Stark gave me a lesson once and said if your keepers are undone your going to fall off  ok a bit superstitious but its stuck with me!


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## tallyho! (23 January 2011)

flamehead said:



			Sheepskin I hate. 

Black tack on chestnut horses. 

Bridles without nosebands!!
		
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Oh, why?


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## pip6 (23 January 2011)

Treeless saddle with green base & girth straps, neoprene girth, plastic white bridle, also have a green one & a yellow one, green martingale, all correctly fitted. Definately not in your manual of horsemanship!

All purpose designed for job (for endurance forget leather, poor second choice as by end of ride hard, cracked & would rub as been wetted so much), functional, helps to get horse sen on road, efficient & fun. Got plenty of stick from 'classical' people at last yard. Bottom line line is they sat around talking about their achievements, I went out & did. Guess who had more fun!

Doesn't matter what tack looks like, as long as safe & correctly fitted.


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## SonnysHumanSlave (23 January 2011)

What's wrong with treeless? 



Your 70's manual prob has 1rug for everything. Why can't you move on with time? Imagine if you were really Ill and the doctors books were made in the 70's so he couldn't diagnose you with something we now know about.

FYI I ride in a treeless, black tack, flash noseband and snaffle as that's what works. I have been using just a cavesson but he now needs the flash.


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## Paint Me Proud (23 January 2011)

flamehead said:



			Sheepskin I hate. 

Black tack on chestnut horses. 

Bridles without nosebands!!
		
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Blimey - you best not come watch me ride my horse then! 

and to make it even worse my saddle is SYNTHETIC!!! lol!


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## monkeybum13 (23 January 2011)

What do you guys think about drop nosebands then?


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## Mike007 (23 January 2011)

monkeybum13 said:



			What do you guys think about drop nosebands then? 

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"Burn the witch"!!!!!!!


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## eva (23 January 2011)

can I say:
gosh people relax and let others be?
most of the time people have a damn good reason to have this tack or that, 
and in any case whether they do or not - it's their horse & their choice & none of your business!
it seems that confessing to be a tack bigot is some sort of accomplishment?


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## horsey mad matt (23 January 2011)

i hate some thing, (not going to mention them as will get shot) but people pay loads of money for their horses, care for them, do absolutely everything for them. so if you fancy a breastplate but your horse doesn't really need one, you can put one on if  you horse doesn't need boots you can put them on because you have done so much for your horse!!! ok some things can go a bit far likea gag if they don't need one, but something are just aloud (if that makes much sense lol)


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## Whoopit (23 January 2011)

I absolutely detest those bloody nylon webbing/plastic bridles you can just throw in the washing machine and come in every colour of rainbow. They look just absolutely dreadful. As many have mentioned - if it's meant to be ridden in with two reins, please kindly do so or rather than muddle around with roundings, just take a lesson in how to hold more than one rein and a whip and a hipflask  

Sort it out - it's not a My Little Pony you're on!  

Additionally, if you feel the need to strap it down and kick on with spurs, please go to a BDSM dungeon


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## Double_choc_lab (23 January 2011)

monkeybum13 said:



			What do you guys think about drop nosebands then? 

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Mother puts on tin hat hoping Monkeybum doesn't post a picture of me XC in the 70s with a drop noseband (although all tack was brown leather!)  Those were in The Manual of Horsemanship.


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## tallyho! (23 January 2011)

I absolutely hate coloured horses!!! They don't match anything in the shops and should be banned.


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## PoppyAnderson (23 January 2011)

eva said:



			most of the time people have a damn good reason to have this tack or that,
		
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More and more though I think people don't know why they've put their horse in certain pieces of tack. Given some of the comments on this forum, some people clearly have no true idea of what they're doing. They're doing it because their mate told them to/they've seen others do it etc etc. They've not researched it or picked the brains of experienced people or gone through a process of trial and error. And the horse is the one who invariably suffers in some way, be it in a small or a big way.


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## OneInAMillion (23 January 2011)

I am quite happy in my cavesson and snaffle! We only use a martingale at comps so my tack cleaning is much quicker than most


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## xxMozlarxx (23 January 2011)

tallyho! said:



			I absolutely hate coloured horses!!! They don't match anything in the shops and should be banned.



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ahahah... seriously, coloureds were really looked down on in the 70s and up until fairly recently, we all sneered at them!!! Oh and yes... we did only have New zealands, jute rugs and dropped nosebands, there were no 'back' people either.


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## tallyho! (23 January 2011)

Nigsha said:



			ahahah... seriously, coloureds were really looked down on in the 70s and up until fairly recently, we all sneered at them!!! Oh and yes... we did only have New zealands, jute rugs and dropped nosebands, there were no 'back' people either.
		
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I know! Now all jute is good for is carrying your wine back from Tesco!!!


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## Chestnuttymare (23 January 2011)

Well, I have correctly fitting, good quality, havana tack, French link bit, No martingale or flash etc. I like traditional stuff. That's for me though. I personally don't give a stuff if your tack is pink with purple spots. Not my business. I don't like to see ill fitting tack though as it must be really uncomfortable for the horse, but there is nothing I can do about it so there is no point in getting wound up.


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## miss_bird (23 January 2011)

Oh no i think i must now be in trouble i breed coloureds, i do have sheepskin numnahs, and i ride with my stirrups long.
But all my tack fits correctly, so think i might have just redemed myself a little bit


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## SO1 (23 January 2011)

i used to be, but that was because I did not understand how a lot of the "newer" or more complex sorts of tack worked so thought that anything other than simple snaffle/cavesson combination was cruel.

I would rather have a piece of tack on that i did not need and be safe that not have it on and have an accident. it has become more dangerous for riders out on the roads and in some places bridleways which are being used by cyclists and quad and motor bikes etc when perhaps they should not be.

I hack out in a martingale and most of the time I don't need it and it does not come into action unless the head is lifted beyond a certain height, but there have been times when it has been very useful not just for the head lifting but the neck strap is useful if you need something extra to hold on to in an emergency!

bits are as strong as the hands behind them, a stronger bit again will not come into action until you to put it bluntly you pull more! I ride out in a snaffle but I know people who ride in gags and mainly have them on a longish rein without a lot of firm contact but the extra is there should there be an emergency.

in the school it is different as you are very unlikely to meet a mad driver speeding along or have some sort of animal/bird burst out of the bushes and surprise/frighten your horse, it is an enclosed area so if you do fall off at least there is a limit to where your horse can go.


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## tallyho! (23 January 2011)

miss_bird said:



			Oh no i think i must now be in trouble i breed coloureds, i do have sheepskin numnahs, and i ride with my stirrups long.
But all my tack fits correctly, so think i might have just redemed myself a little bit
		
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OMG you BREED them?????????????????????????????

What on earth for???


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## Spot_the_Risk (23 January 2011)

I don't think I'm a tack bigot - I hope I'm not anyway!

I prefer havana to black tack, but when my horse was being fitted for a new (to him, secondhand) saddle, I told the saddler I didn't care on the colour, so long as it fitted.  Sods law, I got black!


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## ArabHorseLover (23 January 2011)

no, i'm not a bigot at all - live and let live and all that. mind you, i probably would say that - given that i ride both of mine in treeless saddles, rope halters, bitless bridles or bridles without nose bands. And god forbid, i ride arabs.


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## Ditchjumper2 (23 January 2011)

tallyho! said:



			I know! Now all jute is good for is carrying your wine back from Tesco!!!
		
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I actually still possess a jute rug..............and have even been known to use it. I also have a twisted snaffle, remember those....................it's what we used to use if they were a tad strong in a plain snaffle.


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## JenHunt (23 January 2011)

Kokopelli said:



			I think the exact same way! Maybe I was born in the wrong decade?  

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this....

and IMO kids ponies should only ever be in a snaffle, and preferably only with a cavesson noseband!


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## Cedars (23 January 2011)

I don't mind synthetic saddles because we use them purely because we can't afford leather ones and our horses have a habit of throwing themselves on the floor and ruining tack. 

I agree with the hatred for coloured bridles, I used one we had lying around to get puzzle bitted and I was embarrassed!!!


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## Sussexbythesea (23 January 2011)

skewby said:



			Am I on my own here?  And please don't fill the thread with replies of "but I use blah blah blah because blah blah blah", I am not making any observation here really other than, I am more than slightly uncomfortable with my prejudices!
		
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My only observation is... yawn


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## miss_bird (23 January 2011)

tallyho! said:



			OMG you BREED them?????????????????????????????

What on earth for??? 

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Because my stallion is coloured and he keeps making little coloured foals


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## Dizzle (23 January 2011)

Eeyore.1 said:



			his big shoulder can move freely underneath and is not restricted like the tree saddles.  

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I have a horse with a big shoulder and have a correctly fitted treed saddle that enables his shoulder to move underneath it (although sadly not the first saddle I bought, which resulted in bruised shoulder blades!)

Have just realised I'm one of those people in a martingale for no reason simple other than I'd forget to pick up my breast plate if it wasn't attached 

I don't like raised/padded noseband/browbands, plain flat hunter style all the way.


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## xxMozlarxx (23 January 2011)

miss_bird said:



			Because my stallion is coloured and he keeps making little coloured foals
		
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Hehehehe we used to call them ***** horses!! No offence, I think they are lovely now!! Dont think I ever saw a black saddle in the 'olden days' I've got one for my young boy now though as he is grey and looks very handsome in it! And I had a synthetic which was brilll to clean but not too comfy, so soon got a lovely english leather.


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## somethingorother (23 January 2011)

Well, i used to think i was. But after reading this thread i'm positively open minded!

My only tack irk is people using items without fully understanding it or needing it. 

I ride in a dutch gag either snaffle ring only or with double reins. I don't like them used with one rein on any other ring but the snaffle though. But if you understood how they worked and why, and your horses sensitive mouth, then i don't see why anyone would use one rein.


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## xxMozlarxx (23 January 2011)

Blimey.... didnt realise p*k*y wasnt allowed!!


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## Pearlsasinger (23 January 2011)

Well I have used synthetic saddles and my current horse brought her black tack with her (she's grey).
My tack gripes are mainly about bridles/bits.  I can see no justification for strapping a horse's mouth shut with any type of nose-band - so cavesson all the way for me.  
I certainly can't see that strapping the mouth shut round a single jointed snaffle is likely to be comfortable. Although single jointed snaffles were certainly the most commonly used  bits in the 60s and 70s.  I think it's always better to find a bit the horse is comfortable with than to strap it's mouth shut.  It drives me crackers that is is nearly impossible to find a bridle with a cavesson noseband for sale, you seem to have to buy them separately these days.
I agree that many people do not understand the principles of bitting and have no idea about the conformation of the horse's mouth.  They simply follow fashion blindly.
Whoopit - I can frequently be heard commenting on the 'My Little Pony' mentality of many riders & owners
I'm another who thinks that Pelham's/gags should be used with 2 reins. 
 And I hate to see draw reins, particularly out hacking.


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## bumper (23 January 2011)

Spot_the_Risk said:



			I don't think I'm a tack bigot - I hope I'm not anyway!

I prefer havana to black tack, but when my horse was being fitted for a new (to him, secondhand) saddle, I told the saddler I didn't care on the colour, so long as it fitted.  Sods law, I got black!
		
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Same here! Plus...it's synthetic, which I generally am a tack-snob about, buy hey, it fits, is adjustable in the tree, and he is growing/changing shape.




Whoopit said:



			As many have mentioned - if it's meant to be ridden in with two reins, please kindly do so or rather than muddle around with roundings, just take a lesson in how to hold more than one rein and a whip and a hipflask  

Sort it out - it's not a My Little Pony you're on!  

Additionally, if you feel the need to strap it down and kick on with spurs, please go to a BDSM dungeon  

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That's just too funny :-D Quite right too...especially the part about the roundings...hate them! Two reins are not that difficult!

I must add that at the moment my black synthetic saddle is used with Havana leather stirrup leathers, as I haven't actually got round to buying black ones. Makes me feel quite rebellious actually.

Will I be allowed back in here again now???


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## spookypony (23 January 2011)

Wow, slightly scary thread! Of course, we all have our prejudices (I don't much like really lumpy saddles, too-_short_ stirrups, and excessive dead sheep [especially those nose-marshmallows!]), but it's a worrying thought what people may be thinking when encountering _us_ in the woods  : scruffy, extra-furry, partially muddy pony with natural mane; elderly synthetic saddle (black, oh woe!); _alas_, a black bridle (though with cavesson and snaffle, _phew_...but slightly raised, _oh NOES!!_ [it was the only one without a flash loop]). No _wonder_ the local dead-sheep-and-bling experts seem to look down on us sometimes...of course, their horses are also much taller, for the most part, so that could explain it too...


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## Kokopelli (23 January 2011)

spookypony said:



			Wow, slightly scary thread! Of course, we all have our prejudices (I don't much like really lumpy saddles, too-_short_ stirrups, and excessive dead sheep [especially those nose-marshmallows!]), but it's a worrying thought what people may be thinking when encountering _us_ in the woods  : scruffy, extra-furry, partially muddy pony with natural mane; elderly synthetic saddle (black, oh woe!); _alas_, a black bridle (though with cavesson and snaffle, _phew_...but slightly raised, _oh NOES!!_ [it was the only one without a flash loop]). No _wonder_ the local dead-sheep-and-bling experts seem to look down on us sometimes...of course, their horses are also much taller, for the most part, so that could explain it too... 

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Got to admit though the nose marshmallow works wonders for my horse  Its only temporary though and I'd rather use that then strap his head down with a martingale


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## kickandshout (24 January 2011)

ok here goes.
people adding more and more tack to compensate for their awful riding  !!!! 

but have to add i use a variety of stuff
simple snaffle no flash black tack and spurs !!-- dressage

waterford gag 2nd ring, running martingale, no flash, dead sheep noseband !!and spurs! -- showjumping/xc

but can i redeem myself as i occasionally school or hack in a hackamore which  my horse is fab in.


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## Crazy Friesian (24 January 2011)

Nope, but I prefer to keep it simple. I get confused far too easily...  The mind she boggles when she sees lots of "stuff" on horses...


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## marmalade76 (24 January 2011)

I also hate flash nosebands, mainly because most people don't seem to know how to fit them.

I also dislike black tack, especially on chestnuts.

I also don't understand why people use matingales that are so loose they are ineffective, why give yourself more tack to clean for no reason?

I also hate bridles with buckle billets.

I hate cheap, nasty tack and bling.

No horse should ever have to suffer the indignity of wearing pink!

I have no problem with the number of reins on pelhams and gags, but hate to see horses in strong bits they clearly don't need.

I hate to see kids' ponies smothered in tack, most don't need it. Case in point, reletives of the OH bought a 12.2 pony for their daughter as a snaffle mouth - a quiet, polite, sensible pony. Since they have owned it it has sported a flash, a pelham, a gag, a martingale and even a Market Harborough!

I am old-fashioned, I like old-fashioned stuff.

I admit to liking a bit of dead sheep though!


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## Enfys (24 January 2011)

pip6 said:



			Doesn't matter what tack looks like, as long as safe & correctly fitted.
		
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Quite. 

I don't care what other people dress themselves, or their horses in - unless it is hunting, and then I am the most awful stickler for dress, turnout and manners.


My bridles have neither nosebands nor throatlashes, some fasten with leather, others with screws. They are all embossed leather, my reins are rope and my bits are mainly curbs. Oh, and my saddle is synthetic 

Do I give a flying fig what anyone thinks about me based on what tack I choose to put on my horses? Not in the least, they may think what they wish. 

 I think that old quote is very appropriate -

*"Those that mind don't matter, and those that matter don't mind"*


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## *hic* (24 January 2011)

PoppyAnderson said:



			More and more though I think people don't know why they've put their horse in certain pieces of tack. Given some of the comments on this forum, some people clearly have no true idea of what they're doing. They're doing it because their mate told them to/they've seen others do it etc etc. They've not researched it or picked the brains of experienced people or gone through a process of trial and error. And the horse is the one who invariably suffers in some way, be it in a small or a big way.
		
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^^^^This

There is always a considered reason why my horses, or my daughter's horses, are wearing what they are wearing and it's usually out of the 70's Manual of Horsemanship! Although sometimes, like yesterday, I was asked why my horse didn't have a martingale on after she smacked me in the head with her head. The reason my horse was NOT wearing a martingale on an exciting first-time beach ride was because it was in the tack locker on the lorry and the lock has broken - that was also the reason she didn't have boots on! She wouldn't normally use either boots or martingale though.

As for pelhams and roundings - if it's the only combination the pony will XC happily in whilst giving my novice daughter the feeling she can stop if necessary then that's what he'll be wearing. Pony normally is happy in a loose ring thick-mouthed snaffle but panics if you take a strong hold and his panic is a true bolt, not what you want with a novice up XC on an enthusiastic and capable pony. A nice thick-mouthed vulcanite pelham he seems to find very reassuring, it doesn't matter if she grabs a handful of it to slow him up, he responds without panic and both pony and rider have a lot of fun. Look askance if you wish but actually I do understand the bit action, the rider and the pony and if you find a combination that works then changing it seems pointless.

Anyway that was years ago! Yesterday she was out on a ginger ninja in black tack (it's what fits him), synthetic (why wear leather on the beach if you don't have to?) with an American gag used with two reins, together with a cavesson noseband and no martingale (he never has a martingale, it wasn't left off for the same reason mine was). American gag is only used for emergency brakes as we weren't sure of the his reaction to the sea and the huge expanse of sand. He loved it


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## skewby (24 January 2011)

fadedv said:



			Or, to save you the bother of reading that:

blah blah blah blah blah  



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Hehe ok touché lol


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## skewby (24 January 2011)

monkeybum13 said:



			What do you guys think about drop nosebands then? 

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Not enough of them about.  Can you even buy one in a tack shop anymore?  A simple drop with a snaffle might solve problems quite easily, whereas your tack shop will just advise you upgrade to the "bubble bit" (and no mention of two reins either ).


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## horsey mad matt (24 January 2011)

when i first bought my horse i rode him in a eggbutt snaffle and caversson noseband. not so long ago i rode him in a dutch gag breastplaate and martingale attachment (mainly becuse he was strong with me a couple of time = bad excuse), he is now in a french link loose ring snaffle no martingale, sometimes breastplate, something to grab onto. so i say that i was but not anymore, if you don't need it, don't have it!!!!


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## misterjinglejay (24 January 2011)

I haven't plowed through this thread yet, so appologies if this has already been covered.

Yes, I am a terrible tack bigot!

Horses must be in a soft a bit as possible - I like a loose ring french link made of aurigon (sp), the girth must be shaped and either elasticated at both ends or in the middle, the reins must be either leather or rubber lined dressage reins - none of these heavy rubber reins, shall I go on?

Oh, and properly wrapped bandages should be used for schooling and in the stable at night!

I have to bite my tongue at the livery yard where I work - do I need help for my problem?


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## dieseldog (24 January 2011)

Why should a dutch gag be ridden with 2 reins?  It has 3 rings so surely you should use 3 reins?


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## dibbin (24 January 2011)

No, my only hang up is people with the wrong bit who ride heavy-handed, especially a strong bit. See it a lot with kids/teenagers here; gag on the bottom ring, reins about 3 inches long, horse's head straight up in the air with its mouth either wide open or strapped shut. No, your horse isn't strong, he's trying to escape from you hanging off his mouth! Likewise people who insist their horse is "snaffle mouthed" but they're CONSTANTLY clinging onto its mouth, it makes me feel so sorry for the poor horses. If you're having braking issues, rethink your schooling or get a stronger bit and be a bit kinder with it!

And I suppose that's more of a riding problem than a tack problem lol.


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## riding_high (24 January 2011)

people who say their horse is strong so they put it in a martingale, strong bit etc then they say the horse is too slow/not forward going so they then add a schooling whip and spurs, kick the horse on the horse shoots forward from being jabbed by spurs, gets jabbed by the bit and stops then gets whipped for not listening! seen that a few times.

tack that isn't needed and people who use tack cos it 'looks' good/cool but in fact don't know what it's meant for!

stirrups that are too long the rider can't even rise and is on tip toe to touch the stirrup or too short that they are riding jockey style then wonder why they get thrown off when a horse bucks or spooks!


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## tallyho! (24 January 2011)

misterjay said:



			Oh, and properly wrapped bandages should be used for schooling and in the stable at night!
		
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Just so you know, bandaging legs at night can cause tendon damage, Fluid builds up as it's natural to do so a little bit when standing still and the pressure on the tendons can cause enthesitis where the tendons join the bones. 

Agree to bandage/wrap for exercise, just not when resting.


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## LizzyandToddy (24 January 2011)

Not a tack bigot par-se....but...

Hate seeing tack being used when its not needed -martingales etc (what is the point anyway since most people I see don't fit them properly anyway?)

As far as nose-bands and things go, well quite honestly they do make a difference to some horses so don't have a problem with any of those really...

As for Black tack...would never buy it myself but I don't really think about it when I look at other people xD

I do however refuse to talk about bitting as I've just lost the will to live with most people over that...!


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## Snowy Celandine (24 January 2011)

People like you (Skewby) make me feel very sad.  Why not just get on with your own life and let others get on with theirs? So what if their tack is black rather than your preferred colour?  So what if your saddle cost more than theirs?  If you are perversely proud to be a judgemental bigot then I think you should consider seeking treatment to see if you can become a more tolerant and happy person.  People who are happy with themselves and their life choices don't need to go round picking fault with others you see. Good luck!


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## marmalade76 (24 January 2011)

skewby said:



			Not enough of them about.  Can you even buy one in a tack shop anymore?
		
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I bought a Jeffries one a couple of weeks ago from the tack shop in Stow-on-the-Wold.


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## Maesfen (24 January 2011)

scotlass said:



			Most of my tack phobias relate to bridles -

I have a HUGE issue with bridles that have cheekpieces that have buckles on the outside - flush billet hooks only

The wrong width of leather - shoe-string bridles on hunter types, cobs, certain M & Ms - yuk!

Dangly throatlashes
		
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Oooohh, I'll join your club if I may. 
Buckles are cheap and nasty and only belong on dealer's bridles or anyone else who rides lots of horses in the same bridle but they should never be used for best or showing.

Brown tack all the way and proper numnahs please, not those horrid saddlecloths which look like you're only old enough to be doing gymkhanas.

And please don't start me on bling, it's hideous and devalues from the horse, should be at the funfair.

Get me on tack and I'm a right snob, anything else and I'm as common as muck.


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## Spotsrock (24 January 2011)

I think I'm a reverse bigot.

I hate to see horses in the WRONG tack.

I jump in a french link continental snaffle on the 2nd ring, single rein. This helps to keep her head down a little. Beau carries her head very high jumping and arches her neck so my reins look short. She will, however throw her head down and out when she gets over excited between jumps, this puts her on the forehand which is not a good way to meet the next fence, the action of the gag limits this. 

Because she jumps so huge and I sometimes get left behind (my bad but I am yet to meet anyone who can jump her much without ever getting left behind) I ride with single rein so that I can slip them if I need to and gather them back up easily. Far safer than galloping out of control with no reins at the next fence or having 1 so long she gets her foot in it, and kinder than jabbing her poor mouth. She is strong and will open her mouth and lean, so I ride in a flash too. 

Because her head is so high and she tends to bounce on her hind legs a little I jump in a martingale for safety, so far I don't think it has been vital but it helps knowing it's there. 

Now I know people will leap on this as a schooling issue. I school Beau in a french link snaffle, no flash, no martingale, no problem. She steps through nicely has outline and lateral movements, hacks out in same but with flash as she does lean a little coming back from gallop. I have schooled her over smaller fences in snaffle and done all the ground work, however when the jumps get bigger she gets excited and it is not safe to jump her anything over a meter in SHOWING tack, if she runs on she is more likely to hit the fence and hurt herself or me. I have regular tuition from an excellent showjumper who agrees with my choice of bit and tack as suitable for Beau and I.

I hate to see horses run away with people when a few weeks working in a different bit could teach the horse respect.  or worse a horse in a snaffle whose rider hauls on it's mouth to slow it down when in a slightly stronger bit they would not need to. I dislike seeing horses throw their head up and nearly brain their rider but not have a martingale on, or horses with their mouths wide open and no flash/drop etc. It is a shame but not everyone rides perfectly and sometimes a horse may be happier in a different bit of tack to compensate for it's rider. 

There is a lady locally to me whose horse will not move, just stands there and won't go forward, has had all back teeth saddler etc is behavioural, she has taken him out of a snaffle and put him in a pelham????

Incidentally my baby horse is in a french link and only has a martingale added for jumping while she is a baby and a little unpredictable. My old mare is in a soft rubber snaffle as she hates metal and no flash, martingale or anything. 

My tack is black, it is all english leather and it all fits my horses properly. It also all matches (ie black saddle has black bridle to match) This is my own OCD issue and I don't 'judge' people whose tack does not match, I just think it looks smarter if it does. I dislike brown tack, I think it looks old fashined and has a tendency to look scruffy, but that is my opinion, I don't show and I understand brown is conventional in the show ring. 

Sorry so long but been reading this post on and off all weekend and am suprised at the narrowness of some veiws. chocolate cornflake cake if you got this far!


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## BSJAlove (24 January 2011)

*potters off to the local tack shop to buy a black saddle, a bright pink webbing bridle for my chesnut with a nice waterford, while im there, ill buy him a numnah with some bling on it, get a breastplate with a martingale attachment and several pairs of boots. oh and i wont forget a stud girth. i will not bother fitting my tack and ill let all the buckles get rusty and dirty. i will vow to jab my pony in the mouth every 10 mins and ride with spurs and a schooling whip* when my (TINY) pony IS ready to break, at least he will know hes highly fashionable! 

ETA :- just to let you know, because im sure youve all spotted my ginger cob in my siggy with a black saddle on (gasp) it really really comfy


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## CBFan (24 January 2011)

I hate... Poor Quality leather... you only have to look at it to know it's cheap, but you can actually get cheap leather that is good quality if you shop around. I bought two headcollars recently (took one back though) one was £35 and the other was £21 ... guess which one I kept?!

Poorly fitting headcollars and rugs.  The former is just dangerous IMO and the latter must be downright uncomfortable for the horse!!! My yard is full of them and they make me cringe!

I'm all for finding cheap solutions when it comes to the care of my horse but why compromise safety and his comfort for the sake of a few quid. Horse doesn't need 10 rugs... he just needs ONE well fitting one!! (and maybe a fleece!)


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## Maiko (24 January 2011)

I can't claim to be a "tack bigot", as generally I don't give a jot what other people use on their horses if I have no involvement with them. I have my own preferences, in that I buy the best I can afford, I buy the correct tack for the job / discipline, and I look after it well.

What I don't like, however, is ignorance. It has happened a lot recently when I have gone to teach, and I have found it particularly (but not exclusively) with novice riders / owners.

The Flash Noseband. With a crank cavesson part and the flash fastened so tighly the horse has bulges either side of the strap.

When asked WHY they are using this particular piece of equipment, NONE of them have been able to explain it's use or why their particular horse needs it. And interestingly, every horse has gone much softer once I have removed the flash and loosened the crank noseband. 

My philosophy is to keep things as simple as possible, but sadly it is extremely difficult to buy a nice plain flat cavesson bridle in most tack shops. What a pity.


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## dibbin (24 January 2011)

I have had to laugh at some of the replies on this thread, there are some VERY uptight people out there!

As long as the tack isn't doing the horse any harm (properly fitted, not dangerously falling to bits, not in a bit that's being misused etc), who cares? If I see someone whose tack doesn't match I don't mark them down as an idiot ... I might have a quiet cringe at baby pink leather bridles, but if someone wants to put that on their horse, what difference does it make to me?

cai put this far more eloquently than I ever could


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## LeneHorse (24 January 2011)

Maesfen said:



			Oooohh, I'll join your club if I may. 
Brown tack all the way and proper numnahs please, not those horrid saddlecloths which look like you're only old enough to be doing gymkhanas.
		
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I think I'm the only person at my yard that uses numnahs rather than saddle cloths. Nu-med half wool lined in brown or black - can't beat them! I also prefer brown tack (even on my grey!).

However although I'm fussy about what goes on my horse I can't say the same about my own turnout - off to ride now in my joggy bottoms!


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## celia (24 January 2011)

I think I'm probably a tack snob rather than a bigot! I like my horses to look 'nice' and am definitely a fan of brown leather, good quality tack, fairly discreet numnahs, cavesson nosebands etc etc. I do inwardly cringe when I see people with sheepskin on everything, excessive bling and coloured tack but that doesn't mean I'm judging them - it's just not to my tastes. 

People keep horses on all kind of budgets and as long as their equipment fits well and is used properly I'm not offended if it isn't exactly how I would have it. 

I will admit though that I'm not a fan of flash nosebands or dutch gags and I do think a lot of people could do with really thinking about what is best for them and their horse rather than what their friends use (or their favourite showjumper).


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## imr (24 January 2011)

I didnt think I was, but reading this thread makes me think yes I am..

Latest dislike is those v shaped browbands with bling which just look like they are 3 sizes too big. 

Other hates:

Flash nosebands unless they are needed (so hard to get a plain cavesson and thats what you should start with !).

Reins other than the rubbered ones. IMO all others are useless and slip.

Giant loose martingales (pointless).

Unnecessarily strong bits and gadgets for no reason or badly used.

Sheepskin on bridles.

Dirty tack.


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## Enfys (24 January 2011)

tallyho! said:



			i absolutely hate coloured horses!!! They don't match anything in the shops and should be banned.

:d:d
		
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pmsl!:d


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## Piglet (24 January 2011)

Oh My God I am glad that somethings have moved with the time ie. horrible canvas New Zealand rugs which weighed an absolute ton when wet and you had to be built like a Russian Shotputter to lift them off the horse and then at the end of the winter scrubbing them down and having to soften the wax and rub it into the rug - God give me modern turnout rugs, also they never fitted correctly and rug rubs were a guarantee, also the old jute rugs, they were never much better - nah I am glad some horse equipment has moved on.  Actually things are much cheaper now, it is more expensive to get a pair of reins etc repaired than it is to buy new.


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## tallyho! (24 January 2011)

miss_bird said:



			Because my stallion is coloured and he keeps making little coloured foals
		
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That is such a shame. I'm so sorry for you *hugs*




(p.s. you do know I'm joking right???)


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## Meowy Catkin (24 January 2011)

I just want to state that all my mare's tack does fit her and it is good quality... however (brace yourselves  )...

She is chestnut and her tack is black. 
She has a diamonte V browband....     and a diamonte noseband.  
A martingale. 
A stud girth with a sheepskin lining. 
Saddlecloths rather than numnahs. 

But she is matchy matchy as she has a white saddlecloth and boots or a black saddlecloth and boots... although the effect is spoilt by the hi-viz stuff that I add in non-matchy yellow and pink. 

Sorry to all that have witnessed our abomination. 

*Hides*


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## 4faults (24 January 2011)

as long as both horse and rider are comfy I couldnt care less what other people put on their horses


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## dibbin (24 January 2011)

Faracat said:



			I just want to state that all my mare's tack does fit her and it is good quality... however (brace yourselves  )...

She is chestnut and her tack is black. 
She has a diamonte V browband....     and a diamonte noseband.  
A martingale. 
A stud girth with a sheepskin lining. 
Saddlecloths rather than numnahs. 

But she is matchy matchy as she has a white saddlecloth and boots or a black saddlecloth and boots... although the effect is spoilt by the hi-viz stuff that I add in non-matchy yellow and pink. 

Sorry to all that have witnessed our abomination. 

*Hides*
		
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OH MY GOD. You should be forced to only ride indoors by yourself under cover of darkness, and with a bell round your neck so people know you're coming and can avoid you. You DISGUST me.

(I'm kidding, by the way )


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## Meowy Catkin (24 January 2011)

I think the bell might spook her... but if we're going really fast... no-one will see anything more than a blur!


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## _Rach_ (24 January 2011)

skewby said:



			Pelham with roundings - see dutch gag
		
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Have you ever tried going XC with two reins? Its a handfull


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## dibbin (24 January 2011)

When I get a new horse, I'll have to get a bell too. My tack is BLACK and I use SADDLECLOTHS.


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## Starbucks (24 January 2011)

Totally not a tack bigot myself, Im quite good at getting on with my own thing I think!!  Thing is with bits etc. people have to try and find something to suit horse/rider and different things work for different people!

OP must think herself of a bit of an expert me thinks.


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## Starbucks (24 January 2011)

_Rach_ said:



			Have you ever tried going XC with two reins? Its a handfull
		
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Or tried hunting with them when trying to drink out of a hip flask?


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## Meowy Catkin (24 January 2011)

*Hands Dibbin a 'bell of shame'*


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## _Rach_ (24 January 2011)

Starbucks said:



			Or tried hunting with them when trying to drink out of a hip flask? 

Click to expand...

oh the thought itself scares me.... thankgod for D rings


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## SplashofSoy (24 January 2011)

Snaffle with plain cavesson for me usually with no martingate etc.  Brown tack on chestnut with brown numnah.  However do have to use cheltenham gag for XC/hunting and commit the HHO sin of only using it with one rein.  My little brain/hand eye co-ordination wont let me manage two reins.


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## Daytona (24 January 2011)

Dutch gag with single rein on the bottom ring disgusts me - it should be banned..!

ok if you must use , then on middle or top, or 3rd and 1st with rounding.  I also do not think children should use spurs -EVER.!
THEY SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A PUNISHMENT..!

Also I hate to see children with out body protectors, if I had my way it would be mandatory for all children under 14.


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## Woodykat (24 January 2011)

_Rach_ said:



			Have you ever tried going XC with two reins? Its a handfull
		
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Always do - No problem


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## ponypops (24 January 2011)

cant stand dirty badly fitting tack but biggest bugbear hopeless riders with tons of gadgets thinking it makes them look good~~~~it doesnt.

notice that few people dislike "bling".  i did too until children involved. one of my girls is pink bling while other purple not quite so bling!  it costs a fortune but i find they take real pride in their bling and must say if it keeps them happy and cleaning tack!!!!!!


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## ponypops (24 January 2011)

speighty79 said:



			Dutch gag with single rein on the bottom ring disgusts me - it should be banned..!

ok if you must use , then on middle or top, or 3rd and 1st with rounding.  I also do not think children should use spurs -EVER.!
THEY SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A PUNISHMENT..!

Also I hate to see children with out body protectors, if I had my way it would be mandatory for all children under 14.
		
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oh dear re the body protectors!!!!!!  my kids do ponyclub games and have an absolute ball but would be severely impeded by a body protector. i train a team of kids and must admit when new ones turn complete with body protectors i think oh dear could be a problem!!!!


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## jenz87 (24 January 2011)

Gosh there is some anger here!!! *hides*

I myself have a flash *gasp* however this is a new addition as previously she decided to go through a dressage test with her mouth "epically" open, so was advised to put a flash on. 

We also have a sheepskin half lined dressage pad, which is the only type of numnah that alows her to move freely (and yes we do have a correctly fitting saddle!!)

Besides that our tack is black (shes grey) and i have a cheapy leather bridle cos im poor and i cant afford to buy £££ ones when they do the same job!! She also has a loose ring snaffle.

I may not be a tack bigot, but i do get a bit annoyed when you see the kids wizzing round with spurs and pony club kicking at a small jumping competition.

Also people with bubble bits on the snaffle attachment.


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## dibbin (24 January 2011)

Faracat said:



			*Hands Dibbin a 'bell of shame'*



Click to expand...

Thanks Faracat  anybody else want a Bell of Shame?


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## Bug2007 (24 January 2011)

I am a simple tack kind of person, hate to see a tack shop on the face and back of a horse/pony.

I do however have a flash on my mare, drop didn't work. Mouth of a hippo, she is happy in it. 

I hunt in a Pelham with two reins, although sometimes the top rien is forgotten as i'm trying not to go past the master for the third time!!!!!

I say keep it simple, take it all off and put on what you need if you need it. As long as it is correctly fitting and clean.

Major thing for me, i'm a tackk cleaning freak, i love it.


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## Javabb94 (24 January 2011)

some VERY interesting replies to this thread,

my horse came in....
a french link loose ring snaffle
plain cavesson
no martingale,

but he hadnt done much jumping and wasnt particularly strong when i first got him 

when i got him i started doing lots of jumping with him and my instructor said to put him in a flash as he used to open his mouth and run out through the shoulder whatever i did didnt help this is now sorted

he raises his head sometimes when jumping hence why he now has a martingale and also as a safety device for me 

he also now is in a 3 ring gag (the one with just one ring either side of snaffle ring) its a happy mouth also with a roller,

he used to chew his bit all the time but now he doesnt and he gets quite strong when jumping so i changed to the gag,

however i didnt go straight to this i tried a wilkey snaffle that didnt have as much breaks as the gag but that didnt really help,

he seems to love the bit he is now he is so much better and i am quite soft with my hands with him and he goes very well in it!

so i did try all the traditional things, but obviously java loves to jump 

oh yes he has a lovely sheepskin pad to keep the pressure of his back with his low withers and a navy and gold piping saddlecloth


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## mashnut (24 January 2011)

Oh dear.
I have black tack, a synthetic saddle, running martingale, grackle noseband and a hanging cheek french link snaffle.
On a very strong, spooky skewbald mare.
But I like black tack and my wintec, and the grackle is never too tight. Maybe I should hide under the cover of darkness?


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## blitznbobs (24 January 2011)

speighty79 said:



			Dutch gag with single rein on the bottom ring disgusts me - it should be banned..!

ok if you must use , then on middle or top, or 3rd and 1st with rounding.  I also do not think children should use spurs -EVER.!
THEY SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A PUNISHMENT..!

Also I hate to see children with out body protectors, if I had my way it would be mandatory for all children under 14.
		
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Why should children not use spurs? When I was 14 I'd ridden for 12 years and rode medium level dressage - I also wore spurs which were used as a communication tool rather than for impulsion... I only ride well trained horses in spurs but to put an age on it seems silly to me.

I also commit the sin of riding my pony out and about in a dutch gag. He has a habit of bolting for home and it makes him much more civilised... I ride at home in a french link loose ring snaffle... and a double in the show ring. Oh and I own quite a lot of black tack too... that seems to be a dressage vs showing thing. So I have black for the dressage ring and brown for the showing ring.

Blitz


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## dibbin (24 January 2011)

Well, mashnut, it's the Bell of Shame for you too. My first saddle was BLACK and SYNTHETIC, and I rode my boy in a FLASH, so you're not alone.


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## JessandCharlie (24 January 2011)

I have a flash bridle. AND it's BLACK!


*Dons tin hat*


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## jessamess (24 January 2011)

tbh as long a horse is comfortable, happy and the rider has control I couldn't careless 

some people worry way to much about other people, you focus way to much of your time sitting slagging off other riders and now their tack!!! 

Get a life, why does it matterrr 

Would MUCH rather see a rider with a comfortable happy horse in their control in a gag with a grackle noseband than someone sawing and pulling at the mouth trying to stop a horse with it's head in the air with a snaffle and a cavasson...


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## skewby (24 January 2011)

Woodykat said:



			Always do - No problem 

Click to expand...

Ditto!  I have always found double reins really easy, and I love being able to go rude horse - have curb, nice polite horse - have bradoon.

The only time double reins are even vaguely a pain are when horse takes a flyer out hunting and I get left behind and slip them, on landing (particularly at a drop!) we'll have a few scarily fast strides while I'm getting my knitting back!  But I have two very different reins on bradoon and curb so that helps.


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## tallyho! (24 January 2011)

I think I've missed the reply that gave reason for black tack hate. What was the reason again?


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## stacie21 (24 January 2011)

i also agree in pointless tack and endless amounts of gadgets most of which are badly fitted but a question to the people who hate black tack i have a very dark bay/ black gelding who i think would look silly in any other colour what colour would you have him in. i do understand about the chesnut and no black tack lol


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## stacie21 (24 January 2011)

just like to add if its fitted correctly and needed and a benifit i have no problem with the extra bits and bobs


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## MagicMelon (24 January 2011)

I hate nosebands other than cavessons (even those I find pointless but I have to use it as its 'done' for competing!).  Hate flashes, grackles, drops etc.  I think its just covering a problem - horse opens its mouth because it hates the bit or whatever, hey lets strap its mouth shut!  Yuck.

Also dont like faffy tack like martingales - again, as above - dont see the point in trying to yank the horses head down.  I had a pony who had very high head carriage, I did try one and she simply fought against it more.  I think too many people use them automatically, as they do with nosebands - they dont give them much thought.

Hate it when people also keep using the tack the horse the bought arrived in, why trust someone elses judgement?  I'd rather strip the horse right back to a snaffle etc.  Too many people say the use a certain bit / martingale / noseband just because the last owner used it.


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## tallyho! (24 January 2011)

On a more serious note, if you need tack at all you clearly need more NH lessons. The whole aim is to ride in complete harmony, nekked with nothing but the breeze and the carrot stick between you both (would suggest keeping those ShockAbsorbers on for safety reasons) 

Bits are for wusses and saddles are for bony bottoms that hurt horses backs. 

One should really aim to ride with the mind as that is the only way to ensure perfect balance between horse and rider.

Ladies should wear skirts at all times and ride side-saddle (unless you are level 46 in which case you won't need one) and bowlers should be polished with emu-oil only.

There! I've said my peice!!!!!!!

eta: oh and all sheepskin accessories should be of the brown vareity as white is considered "common"


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## Jackobean (24 January 2011)

'Fraid to say it but I'm a total tack snob....... I can't help it! 

Tack has to be good quality English leather - I absolutely hate the cheap imported crap, none of mine would ever be subjected to that

Hate scraggy, frayed, holey numnahs. Sheepskin ones for me.

Hate bridles with buckles, made up bridles using different coloured parts. Using a brown bridle with a black saddle. I could go on & on & on

Colour of tack to suit the horse's colour - i.e black tack on blk/wht, brown tack on bays, etc. I personally prefer brown tack. However my mare has 2 sets of tack - black for when she's black in winter, brown for when she's bay in summer (am I going to get slammed for this! )

I'm not into over bitting or gadgets but will use necessary bit when required - i.e gag for hunting, snaffle all other times. I have no choice, I cannot stop her in anything but the gag when hunting - she is far too enthusiastic.

I always try & buy the best my money can buy & I regularly update my horse's stuff to keep it newish.

Most importantly good quality tack but it has to fit properly too - or what's the point?

The way I justify my tack snobbery is that I wouldn't want to go to work in cheap shoes that were 2 sizes too tight, in a rank colour, shoddily made, etc, so why should my horse, especially when she has the added chore of carrying my fat ass on her back.

I don't really care what others use but I have to be honest & say many a time I have looked at a horse & thought " poor you"  

This thread has made me chuckle as I have been a secret tack snob for such a long time, I'm relieved to hear it's not just me who hates rank tack !!!


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## mhorses (24 January 2011)

yes i am

i always say 'oh that must be a novice' if i see a rider with a synthetic sadde!


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## xxMozlarxx (24 January 2011)

tallyho! said:



			On a more serious note, if you need tack at all you clearly need more NH lessons. The whole aim is to ride in complete harmony, nekked with nothing but the breeze and the carrot stick between you both (would suggest keeping those ShockAbsorbers on for safety reasons) 

Bits are for wusses and saddles are for bony bottoms that hurt horses backs. 

One should really aim to ride with the mind as that is the only way to ensure perfect balance between horse and rider.

Ladies should wear skirts at all times and ride side-saddle (unless you are level 46 in which case you won't need one) and bowlers should be polished with emu-oil only.

There! I've said my peice!!!!!!!



eta: oh and all sheepskin accessories should be of the brown vareity as white is considered "common"
		
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ahahahah.......... xxx love it!!  very funny


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## xxMozlarxx (24 January 2011)

Faracat said:



			I just want to state that all my mare's tack does fit her and it is good quality... however (brace yourselves  )...

She is chestnut and her tack is black. 
She has a diamonte V browband....     and a diamonte noseband.  
A martingale. 
A stud girth with a sheepskin lining. 
Saddlecloths rather than numnahs. 

But she is matchy matchy as she has a white saddlecloth and boots or a black saddlecloth and boots... although the effect is spoilt by the hi-viz stuff that I add in non-matchy yellow and pink. 

Sorry to all that have witnessed our abomination. 

*Hides*
		
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SHOCKING!!!


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## DragonSlayer (24 January 2011)

As long as it fits, isn't causing the horse/pony any grief then I wouldn't care if the horse was wearing lemon yellow tack with matching rollers in the mane....


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## xspiralx (24 January 2011)

No I'm not.

I hate to see poor riding - but I couldn't care less what tack someone is using so long as it isn't hurting the horse.


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## Dizzle (24 January 2011)

skewby said:



			"bubble bit" (and no mention of two reins either ).
		
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I tried out a horse for loan once, the owners sister had a very sweet natured 12.2hh 28 year old pony that had 'been good as gold since they got the 'bubble bit'..."

By 'bubble bit' they actually meant a Cheltenham Gag... with only a rein on the gag attachment...


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## HorseyyKidd (24 January 2011)

mhorses said:



			yes i am

i always say 'oh that must be a novice' if i see a rider with a synthetic sadde!
		
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I think that is ridiculous! How can you justify that someone is a novice just because they have a synthetic on?! I have synthetic wintecs on my girls, because one is a 3 year old, nearly 4 and is shanging shape, and I dont want to go treeless! And the other is a lil bit on the chubby side and has weight to lose so will also be changing shape! 

I think people need to grow the hell up and stop passing judgements on others, at the end of the day as long as it fits and horse and rider are happy, who on earth is everybody else to judge because it really doesnt affect you! I dont normally like writing on here, but all these comments are ridiculous! Get a grip! What other people use on their horses does not affect you! Stop all the judgementalness!


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## dibbin (24 January 2011)

mhorses said:



			yes i am

i always say 'oh that must be a novice' if i see a rider with a synthetic sadde!
		
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Seriously? I've been riding for 14 years and got my first leather saddle 6 months ago, so apparently I spent 13 and a half years as a novice. Can I take my stabilisers off now?


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## dieseldog (24 January 2011)

tallyho! said:



			I think I've missed the reply that gave reason for black tack hate. What was the reason again?
		
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It's from the olden days.  Black was used for harnesses and brown for saddles.  Black was seen as common.

I own both black and brown tack - sometimes even on the same horse.


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## mashnut (24 January 2011)

*bell of shame rings*



dibbin said:



			Can I take my stabilisers off now?
		
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Stabilisers?! Where can I get a set of those? And do they come in a synthetic black?

*ringing fades into distance*


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## brighteyes (24 January 2011)

Yes, I am. Less is more and get it properly fitted - oh, and English leather!


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## miss_bird (25 January 2011)

I think i also need a bell of shame as i had a good look in my tack room today, i have mostly brown tack but do have a set of black, and i found a pink (yes that was pink) bridle and a white one that a friend made for my horses from the webbing stuff when she was learning to make them.
I did have to try them on the horse but that is it.
Oh yeas nearly forgot my sheepskin numnahs are (well were/ supposed to be) white.
Think i have a cow bell of shame


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## xloopylozzax (25 January 2011)

the colour of tack thing came from the fact that black dye covers a multitude of leather sins- therefore hiding the quality (or lack there of)

honestly, i like simple tack, snaffle, pelham (2 reins, and a lip strap to keep the curb chain in place) or double bridle (all brown) and a straight cut saddle because of what we do. sheepskin numnah in winter when they slim down a bit to mantain saddle fit, and because i like it.

the rest i dont care, if you fit it properly and can justify it then good luck


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## hadfos (25 January 2011)

No i am not a bigot at all....I hate brown/havannah tack of any kind,but certainly wouldnt pass comment on somebody elses personal choice 
My lad has NEVER had to wear a martingale in his life,he is 16 this year(yes i know this as he has been mine all of 8months of his life)
He has always been ridden in a french link,until last yr,changed to a myler comfort snaffle,best thing i ever did,wish i had bought one yrs previous 
As regards the synthetic bridles etc...we are not all made of money,and people also use them for convenience which would fit into their busy lifestyle!
Yes i agree that alot of people overbit,spur their horses etc,that should be of more concern,not the colour of their leather,saddlecloth etc!


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## spookypony (25 January 2011)

speighty79 said:



			I also do not think children should use spurs -EVER.!
THEY SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A PUNISHMENT..!
		
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Being a child with spurs does not necessarily mean you're using them as punishment! I got permission when I was 13, from my instructor, when he judged that my lower leg was stable enough that I wouldn't abuse the privilege, and I felt very honoured.


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## Kao (25 January 2011)

Can't help but take offence to the treeless thing...
If I put my pony in a tree'd saddle again, I can't help but think I'd be on the floor. I've tried him with a well fitting tree'd and he moved like a sack of **** as did I. I don't use the fancy pads mainly because when I did try them from a friend the saddle slipped all the time. when I used a normal thin numnah or a polypad, there's no movement at all. I always just use a normal Amerigo girth too, rather than the ones "designed" for treeless saddles.

Freemax saddles you wouldn't even know they were treeless. I've got a Barefoot and can't say I've ever had a problem with it. It's made my horse happier which, in turn has made bringing him on much more enjoyable for me.

But anyway, my pet hate for tack is...
- Children with spurs.
- Chestnuts in Pink.
- Over-tacking (un-needed martingales, draw reins etc.)


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## dibbin (25 January 2011)

Kao - due to your treeless saddle, you must also wear the Bell of Shame.

miss_bird - here's your bell, welcome to the club!

mashnut - as synthetic saddles are for novices, obviously, yours should have come with matching stabilisers. If they're not there, contact your retailer


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## xloopylozzax (25 January 2011)

^^ from the research I've done, treeless require those special girths (they are self balancing to eliminate pressure points) and also the special pads, otherwise the pressure is focussed on the back where the stirrups are, and also fom your seat bones.

tbh i dont like them in any shape or form, have seen the damage they have done and if anything require more work than a tree'd saddle to keep them right. 
They also look hideous , i dont need an armchair to carry myself and ride properly- perfected by hours of riding bareback i think 

I have supposedly difficult to fit cob types, but we manage alright, just means comprimise and dont have forward cut saddles (which is fine by us, cos we show so straighter the better, get some funny looks out hunting in that though lol) 

I have heard good things about stubben string girths, personally we just go for a plain cotton/leather jobby, or balding girth for neatness, and a basic dressage girth on the other saddle.


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## tallyho! (25 January 2011)

What do people think about western saddles? Or portuguese ones? What about bareback pads? 

I assume then you don't need 'bell of shame' unless it's in black?


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## Piglet (25 January 2011)

Hey, can I join in with sharing the "bell of shame" please?  I ride in a tree free saddle (although it is a Heather Moffett one as mentioned in my earlier post) but OMG how shocking  - I ride in a "cheap imported leather bridle" with buckles which cost me £5 from a mail order catalogue but 6 years later with cleaning every day it still looks good, at least when it gets wet I don't mind 'cos it was so cheap, admittedly I do compete in a porper leather bridle with billets.   

PS I do think that the original post was a bit "tongue in cheek", I can't believe I am still reading all the comments - some are hilarious


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## MagicMelon (25 January 2011)

mhorses said:



			'oh that must be a novice' if i see a rider with a synthetic sadde!
		
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Lol, I had a synthetic dressage saddle that I evented with (had a leather one for the jumpy parts) - I did a CIC* with it twice, although I'm no pro - I didnt realise I'm still a novice?!

I also had to use a synthetic saddle on my Welsh Cob who I showed and did some BE etc. on, purely because at the time it was the only saddle that fit him!


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## Circe (25 January 2011)

Hee Hee. 
I def need a bell of shame ! 
Ive got a black, synthetic saddle. ( that fits. )
My appy wears black snaffle/ cavesson bridle. 
Tb wears a very nice burgundy oak coloured bridle with black reins. ( didnt like the reins that came with the bridle, and not paying good money on a new pair just for riding around at home. ) 
All my rugs are cotton, wool, jute or canvas. I dislike synthetic rugs, as i find ny boys get hot in them, but dont care what other people use. Its their money , their choice. 
Kx


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## Hippona (25 January 2011)

dibbin said:



			Thanks Faracat  anybody else want a Bell of Shame?
		
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I'll pass it on to my OH.....not only is his tack black his saddle is synthetic, he uses saddlecloths and......wait for it......his hat is purple. Plus....he has been known to ride in shorts and chaps

Find that esemble in a manual......


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## Meowy Catkin (25 January 2011)

*Hands 'bells of shame' to Eeyore, Magicmelon (we know of your double sythetic saddle shame now, you are forever tainted and no amount of Jeffries havana-leather-with-the-pale-back can undo your tack sins.   ) and Circe.*


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## Meowy Catkin (25 January 2011)

poppymoo said:



			I'll pass it on to my OH.....not only is his tack black his saddle is synthetic, he uses saddlecloths and......wait for it......his hat is purple. Plus....he has been known to ride in shorts and chaps

Find that esemble in a manual......

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That is bad... he may need two bells.


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## Hippona (25 January 2011)

Faracat said:



			That is bad... he may need two bells. 

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They can clearly be seen when he is riding in said shorts.....


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## MissSBird (25 January 2011)

I generally try not to judge, but I admit if I'm at the local showjumping show and I see a kid on pony with a grackle/3 ring gag combo heading into the ring I tend to think 'disaster coming'.

Unfortunately not one of said combinations has ever proved me wrong.

In general I try to live and let live, as long as the horse is happy. They don't really care what they're in. 

Unless I'm judging a first ridden/lead rein type class. Then I'm very judgemental


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## SGCR (25 January 2011)

I really dont like coloured bridles/ saddles ie pink i was mortified, my local tack shop was selling them, i thought they had taste hehe, coloured nose bands with diamante.

My Tb's boys are in brown leather tack, snaffles and they dont where nosebands unless i need a abit extra i put a grackle on. No martingales unless jumping then i use a breast plate , The less the better. 

Im very sad tho as when it come to rug and accessorise i like mine all in the same rugs ect
They Have to wear brown leather headcollars no nylon rubbish haha, dark coloured lead ropes wool rugs ect haha yes i am sad.


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## Chloe..x (25 January 2011)

I actually couldn't care less what another horse is wearing as long as mine looks good.
My piebald cob is in black tack with white boots and white polypad. Absolute nightmare to keep clean but looks so smart! He wears a grackle when jumping and eventing because he likes to cross his jaw and a hanging snaffle.
My bsja mare is bay so is in brown tack with white polypad and white boots. Shes ridden in a cavesson noseband and normal snaffle. No martingale and no fancy extras.
It seems to be the fashion at BSJA recently to have a horse in all four  brushing boots, over reach boots, martingale, grackle noseband and a pelham. I'm always shocked when I see people in spurs, riding in a pelham, kicking into every fence.


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## RunToEarth (25 January 2011)

I also do not care what tack anyone else has on, unless we are out hunting- because dirty, ill fitting, miss matching tack out hunting is gross IMO. 
OP- you sound incredibly up your own arse to be honest.


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## mainpower (25 January 2011)

skewby 
Veteran




Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 1,392   Re: Do horses "get used" to bits? 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JessPickle I would sooo love to find a "miracle bit"! I have tried a waterford gag (cos he leans like nobody's business, that's how he gets the better of me, leans on everything and takes off) but he hated it and to be honest it had no effect, even when I ended up riding with one rein on the 3rd ring. Pelham with roundings was the only thing that worked at all, still had no brakes but if I tightened the curb as much as I could (I know! Bad!) then at least I could type at work the next day. Other than that, myler snaffle, and ns lozenge with kineton helped a weensy bit, but not really. Instructor has taught me to stop with my body but it still takes a loooong time for us to stop (unless I turn him at something ) but at least I am stopping, I suppose ....




Was this posted by a different Skewby on 24/12/08 then?


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## Mildred (25 January 2011)

hmm, Ive been thinking about this all day (I dont have much to think about!).  I have come to the conclusion that yes, I do make mental judgements based on tack choice - not that I would ever say anything.

A woman who used to be at my yard used to use a martingale for no reason, it was far too big and looked scrappy. She also used to put her brushing boots on either back to front or too high up the leg. She also wore irritating white breeches with black leather boots, and all her tack was extremely expensive but always ill-fitting and grubby -although - I suppose all of this combined was only an issue for me as I didnt like her much, she was up her own backside.

There are others who I see out and about without nosebands, and I hold my hands up and admit I immediately tend to put them in the parelli don't-go-anywhere-faster-than-a-nervous-walk category. There is no actual basis for this reasoning.

I also think my horse looks like a beack donkey in her drop noseband, but I still make her wear it.


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## BonneMaman (25 January 2011)

Hate anything from the KP range and coloured tack.  Hate matching everything ie pink reins, bridle, saddle, boots, numnah etc etc.

Other stuff like flashes, black tack etc - not bovvered.  Each to their own.


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## D66 (25 January 2011)

I have a tricoloured youngster (mostly white, some black and a little brown - the bell of shame is permanently attached), she had a black inhand bridle which looked good on her, but I have bought a brown bridle (not tried on yet) because she looked good in a brown saddle when she practiced "tack on" last summer! 
I like to have rugs in different colours so I know which one is which and I buy lead ropes, headcollars, buckets and whips in red if poss because it's the easiest colour to find in the grass when they are dropped.
My personal pet hate is when the loose ends of stirrup leathers is so long they hang down round the riders feet. Oh, and tatty half chaps. Oh, and pink any thing. Oh, and droopy browbands. 

disclaimer: Whilst I have these little foibles I don't go round poking people in the eyes because of them.


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## Merrymoles (25 January 2011)

My old riding teacher's words of wisdom were "no such thing as a harsh bit, only harsh hands". My old horse wore a French link snaffle in the summer when he was out at grass and fairly "let down" and then a Dutch gag in the winter - only one set of reins I'm afraid - for when he was very fresh and full of himself.
I used to show him in a pelham with two reins which was fine (although I had to make sure I didn't make him go overbent. The year before he died, I thought I would show him in the snaffle - major mistake. He was always full of adrenalin and when the steward asked us to trot, he bounced into canter, bucked and tore round the ring. When I eventually pulled up, I apologised to the judge and left the ring. "Nice horse, how old is he?" asked the gate steward. "Nineteen" I muttered out of the corner of my mouth. So different bits for different horses but ensure your hands are right too!


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## Solo1 (25 January 2011)

I think I need several bells of shame here...

Dressage is in a loose ring French snaffle - with a flash noseband! It's a black Heritage comfort bridle - with all the buckles on the outside! Oh dear me! Saddle is black Kieffer. Also, I have a half sheepskin numnah under it, with a polypad under that. And rubber reins! Horse is also ridden in draw reins sometimes!

Jumping - oh dear lord. I have a brown saddle and a black bridle! Bridle is another Heritage comfort with a grackle and a Dr. Bristol and the saddle is a Kentaur. Again with the half sheepskin numnah, and then a polypad. I wear spurs for jumping as well, and dressage comps as I can't have a whip. At home I have been known to ride in scruffy half chaps and boots falling apart, and trackie bottoms! Sometimes even PJ's!

Never fear, I shall never ride again, it is obviously very cruel to my horse, I should not be allowed...


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## M'n'M (25 January 2011)

Oh dear dear dear, I am certaintly not the fashionista! I ride dressage with a jumping saddle, I wear shorts or sweatpants depending on the weather with brown-falling-apart half-chaps, my horse's bridle does not match the saddle and I made her her own cooler that is a baby quilted pattern.  Doesn't bother me, as its all I can afford

Generally I don't judge people on their tack, but I have to admit if they are novices and they have harsh bits I am put off. I usually think poor horse, but if they kn ow what they are doing then it's fine.

Haha some of these posts are hilarious!


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## dibbin (25 January 2011)

Wow ... I'll need to order more Bells of Shame ... hang on ...

You're all appalling and clearly know NOTHING.


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## tallyho! (25 January 2011)

dibbin said:



			Wow ... I'll need to order more Bells of Shame ... hang on ...

You're all appalling and clearly know NOTHING.
		
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How very dare you Dibbin of bell shame!!!

If you read ANY of the above posts, you shall quite clearly come to the conclusion that we are all *EXPERTS* in tack. 

We are tack BIGOTS you see? Now, I hope you go away and remember that o' Dibbin you shameful creature.

eta: oopsie, how did pink get in there???


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## Mickyjoe (25 January 2011)

RunToEarth said:



			I also do not care what tack anyone else has on, unless we are out hunting- because dirty, ill fitting, miss matching tack out hunting is gross IMO. 
OP- you sound incredibly up your own arse to be honest.
		
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 Couldn't agree more!!!


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## RuthnMeg (25 January 2011)

What a thread.
I dislike flash nosebands, and can't understand why more people don't use drops.
I see nothing wrong with waterfords, and in fact own and use several types.
I prefer to see kimblewicks instead of pelhams used on ponies if needed.
There is nothing wrong with using neck straps!! - no matter what your riding ability is like.
Why are people anti black tack??
Nothing wrong with numnahs - saddle cloths are a 'fashion'.
Kids riding horses, when they have not learnt to ride ponies first. People forget that unless you are on the 'large' side, a pony is quite capable of carrying kids with long legs! 
I don't understand the 'passoa' training gadget, and will never own one.

One of my biggest ''grrrs'' is the health and safety 'thing' getting way out of hand. Children should be able to 'ride round the world' and should not be made to wear bp everytime they sit on a pony, where is the freedom in that? Never use to be this way, and it would be so nice to turn back time and show peeps what it was like and how much fun it really was. Children have been falling off ponies for years, but noone used to complain as much as we do now. 

sorry, I've gone on a bit.


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## dibbin (25 January 2011)

tallyho! said:



			How very dare you Dibbin of bell shame!!!

If you read ANY of the above posts, you shall quite clearly come to the conclusion that we are all *EXPERTS* in tack. 

We are tack BIGOTS you see? Now, I hope you go away and remember that o' Dibbin you shameful creature.

eta: oopsie, how did pink get in there???
		
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Sorry  I am ashamed, and will slink off into a corner and clean my flash noseband.
















Psst ... Want a bell?


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## mashnut (25 January 2011)

*bell of shame rings*

At least all this 'fashon' tack keeps tack shops in business.


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## Toffee44 (25 January 2011)

I hate that almost all "showjumpers" (talking local shows here) require a sheepskin over load to compete with. Why does a section C pony need sheepskin eskradon boots....................................why does it need boots in the first place?????????

I cant stand cheap treeless saddles, I spent a decent amount of money on mine because I actually give a &*(^ about my horses back and bothered to do the research before going treeless, I also cant stand people not using the correct numnahs with treeless saddles. 

I actually dont like sheepskin numnahs and polypads (although makes lovely bed for the dog) as I find the saddle is now perched higher and therefore increased pressure points and then it slips everywhere which in my book means the saddle no longer fits??
My opinion that is. 

Why does everyone need to wear a half pad, what is it anyway lol.

Ditto flash nosebands, grackles have a place....


But to be honest if the tack fits and isnt causing discomfort  and the rider understands that it is not going to make their riding better, then each to their own.


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## hadfos (25 January 2011)

RuthnMeg said:



			What a thread.
I dislike flash nosebands, and can't understand why more people don't use drops.
I see nothing wrong with waterfords, and in fact own and use several types.
I prefer to see kimblewicks instead of pelhams used on ponies if needed.
There is nothing wrong with using neck straps!! - no matter what your riding ability is like.
Why are people anti black tack??
Nothing wrong with numnahs - saddle cloths are a 'fashion'.
Kids riding horses, when they have not learnt to ride ponies first. People forget that unless you are on the 'large' side, a pony is quite capable of carrying kids with long legs! 
I don't understand the 'passoa' training gadget, and will never own one.

One of my biggest ''grrrs'' is the health and safety 'thing' getting way out of hand. Children should be able to 'ride round the world' and should not be made to wear bp everytime they sit on a pony, where is the freedom in that? Never use to be this way, and it would be so nice to turn back time and show peeps what it was like and how much fun it really was. Children have been falling off ponies for years, but noone used to complain as much as we do now. 

sorry, I've gone on a bit.
		
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Well said R&M on that last paragraph,totally agree....as a kid i thoroughly enjoyed it all,even the falling off,Health and Safety gone mad,has taken the enjoyment out of it for kids and given the parents someone to sue...Madness


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## jumptoit (26 January 2011)

dibbin said:



			Thanks Faracat  anybody else want a Bell of Shame?
		
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I will take a job lot !

Black tack, crank noseband (hasn't cropped up yet but it will ), flash, spurs, martingale - standing and running, grackle, dead sheep, half pad, saddle cloths, synthetic saddle, three ring gag, pessoa, waterford - you name it I probably use it now or have done quite recently  . . 

They all have their place though imo, most as a temporary measure though not permanent. And tbh I couldn't give a flying fig what tack everyone else uses either, they either have their reasons or they don't and will get caught out in the long run.





			Kids riding horses, when they have not learnt to ride ponies first. People forget that unless you are on the 'large' side, a pony is quite capable of carrying kids with long legs!
		
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Though I do fill one good criteria I still ride a pony!


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## tallyho! (26 January 2011)

dibbin said:



			Sorry  I am ashamed, and will slink off into a corner and clean my flash noseband.
















Psst ... Want a bell? 

Click to expand...

*whispers* Yeah go on dibbin, pop it in me pink flowery wheelbarrow...


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## Ginge Crosby (26 January 2011)

dibbin said:



			Thanks Faracat  anybody else want a Bell of Shame?
		
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better pass one this way too. Black tack on a ginger horse, saddlecloths rather than numnah, blingy browband, neuschule snaffle bit for dressage, gag and martingale for jumping, lit up like a christmas tree when we hack out. 

but, OP, on a serious note, i couldnt give a flying horsepoo what anyone else thinks, because he's MY horse, all of his tack fits him properly, and I KNOW MY HORSE. I know that he schools best in these bits, and this tack, through trial and error. 

When you look at someone at a show or out hacking and they have a bit which you dissaprove of, you have no idea what their horse is like, their mouth conformation or their temperament, nor what bit suits that horse best. Same for martingales. 

I suppose everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Sometimes people are just too quick to judge.


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## dibbin (26 January 2011)

It's getting a tad festive in here with all these bells 

I've let you all down, I went for a hack yesterday on my friend's chestnut mare, with brown tack, a loose ring snaffle, cavesson noseband and no martingale. The tack bigots will ADORE me now ... Oh no wait, it was a SYNTHETIC saddle with a black SADDLECLOTH under it. Mwahahahaha!

More bells!!!


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## mymare (26 January 2011)

String girths put grit in my ****!  But thankfully haven't seen one for many years.  Other than that I really don't care so long as it fits and is used correctly.

Oh, and pink should be banned!


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## Tiny Fluffy Coblet (26 January 2011)

Eek at mandatory body protectors on under 14s. I would have hit the ground so much more if that had been the case when I was a kid which would have been depressing as I hit the ground enough as it was. Trying to do mounted games and slinging myself off the side of the pony, twisting in the saddle ect ect with a back board keeping my pelvis and shoulders paralell is a nightmare. 

Kids bounce, and heal well, get them a nice pony and hope they survive, want them to be safe? stop the riding, it isn't.


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## tallyho! (26 January 2011)

Does it count if you ride donkeys?


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## dibbin (26 January 2011)

tallyho! said:



			Does it count if you ride donkeys?
		
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I think donkeys merit a bell as well.


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## Georgedubbelu (26 January 2011)

I hate foreign tack which has that distinct sweet smell. I hate plastic tack. I hate bright numbats except for xc. I don't worry about martingales as would rather see a martingale fitted correctly than some of the bits you see especially the gags. I don't have a problem with flash nose bands but wish you could buy a bridle without one. It is hard to find one now. I hate nickel anything. And I hate coloured overreach boots. I also hate xc skull cap covers with bobbled on them and I hate orange leather....

Bigot...me....never!


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## ShowJumperBeckii (26 January 2011)

havent read the whole thing but that orangey red tack on black and dark horses why?


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## mashnut (26 January 2011)

ShowJumpingBeckii123 said:



			havent read the whole thing but that orangey red tack on black and dark horses why? 

Click to expand...

Apparently tack only came in orange (I mean brown) once upon a time. Black is a newer development. My YO was telling me about those days. And about all the oiling it took to get it from orange to a brown.


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## vanessa97 (26 January 2011)

No I am not a tack bigot. I feel myself extremely lucky to own two horses, to worry about this or that sort of tack is silly, as horses are extremely expensive to keep, anyway!  Life is too full of stress at any rate- my time with my horses is my fun time and I don't ride to be a poser!


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## misterjinglejay (27 January 2011)

Oh, just thought of another one - girths left buckled when on the saddle rack; FGS undo both ends. 
And while we're at it - please wash your bit, and do up your flash strap when you take off the bridle.
Phew, off to work now!

Before I go - if you have girths with elastic at one end (yuk), can you please alternate the side the elastic goes, so it's not always done up on the same side? Thank you.


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## MrsMozart (27 January 2011)

Hm. People would have loved to have seen me out on the Dizz when I first got her....   

Tri Zone Cross Country boots all round - she didn't always know where all her legs were or what they were doing, so reduced injuries 

Five point breasplate, with a martingale attachment - gave me something to grab and kept her ears out of my nose 

Dressage saddle - old, without blocks , but fitted her (saving grace, it is brown and she is a chestnut ) 

White show jumping saddle cloth as D2 had given it to me when I had Tigs, but I hadn't the heart to tell her I couldn't use it with a dressage saddle 

And lots and lots and lots of high viz   


Now we still have the breast plate on, with the martingale - did ditch it for a while, but head started going back up, so it's back (see comment re. ears and nose ).

Still wears the Tri Zones if she's likely to be a loop fruit or the ground is a bit boggy.

In our defence, she goes in a mullen mouth Happy Mouth bit, and so far we've been able to stop 

Pet hate: flash nosebands on almost all new bridles!!!! Why? Not all horses need their mouths strapped shut (and if they did, I'd try a Mexican grackle or a proper drop noseband before trying a flash), so why do they almost all come with one?


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## MrsMozart (27 January 2011)

mashnut said:



			Apparently tack only came in orange (I mean brown) once upon a time. Black is a newer development. My YO was telling me about those days. And about all the oiling it took to get it from orange to a brown.
		
Click to expand...

Inferior quality leather was dyed black, to hide the fact that the colouring, etc. was not good enough to remain brown 

Some people still have that snobbery about it


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## Festive_Felicitations (27 January 2011)

kez1001 said:



			roundings! i hate them use two reins!

standing martingales done up too tight - they have their uses but only if correctly used.
draw reins for same reason as above, actually most gadgets!

oh and a weird one, people who dont put cheekpieces/nosebands into keepers! Ian Stark gave me a lesson once and said if your keepers are undone your going to fall off  ok a bit superstitious but its stuck with me!
		
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My mum (of the same vintage as IStark) always says that if you have a keeper out the horse will be unbalanced and fall over! 


I suspect I'm a tack bigot. 
I hate anything that is more PVC than leather, the unecessary use of boots (or any piece of tack), over tight flash/grackle nosebands, pale poo brown saddles


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## Honey08 (27 January 2011)

Crikey this thread brought out the worst in some people didn't it!  Don't see any reason why you need to swear at the OP - there were loads of people with harsh views!

I think that any tack that fits well, is on for a good reason, and is not being abused by the rider, then live and let live!

For the load of you that have asked why people all wear martingales - most o which don't work - probably for a neck strap to avoid the rider hanging off the reins...

For those of you who think all ponies should be in snaffles - have you ever ridden one of the naughty little things?  Both of my son's lovely ponies have been little gits when they knew damn well that he wasn't strong enough to stop them - so they have gone into dutch gags with the rein on the second hole now and again.  He wasn't strong enough to do any harm at all with this harsh bit.  When he got stronger, they went back into snaffles again...

Totally agree with the person who posted "there is no such thing as a harsh bit, just harsh hands" - will borrow that one!

Thank goodness for Tallyho and co with their bells - who took the thread as light hearted as it should have been, or this would have been too full of self righteous silly people!

ps.  Theres a young girl near us who gallops her pony up and down the lanes yanking on its mouth at corners, but I guess she's ok because she's in a snaffle and has no saddle?  Yes I have had many a go at her!


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## SamanthaG (27 January 2011)

I dont like this new patent tack, it looks so cheap but has a wow I could never afford that price tag


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## Shutterbug (27 January 2011)

Nope - I pay no attention to what other people choose to use on their horses because I have no idea why they are using them.

I used a dutch gag on Arion when jumping -  I jump him on the second ring and he goes better in that than he does with roundings or two reins in it as it is so Im not going to change it.  I take my lead fro him and what works for one horse wont work for another. He gets far too strong on a snaffle.  I have used a Waterford to re-school a horse who took off with me after every jump - by the time I sold him I could jump him in a snaffle over 3' courses and he went great - so I dont know why someone is using a certain piece of equipment so I dont judge.

I have also seen top eventing riders use roundings and I certainly wont be judging them any time soon 


Horses for courses - and where did you get a 70's book of tack - would love to have a read at that


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## Vixstar (27 January 2011)

I don't mind what tack people use on their horses so long as it fits correctly, however I do have a couple of things that annoy me,

not seeing cheekpieces, throatlashes etc in their keepers!  Or when a throatlash is too loose (or too tight).

And badly fitting rugs!  I'm a sharer of a 15.1hh middleweight and the other sharer bought a nice new heavy duty winter turnout, but she didn't properly check what size to get him (all his rugs have the size label on, saying 6ft) but she measured it (?) and bought a 6ft 9!!!!  So the poor horse is wearing a rug that is far too big for him.  Grrr!!


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## dibbin (27 January 2011)

Honey08 said:



			Thank goodness for Tallyho and co with their bells - who took the thread as light hearted as it should have been, or this would have been too full of self righteous silly people!
		
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You can have an honorary Bell of Shame, even if you haven't committed a heinous tack crime


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## skewby (27 January 2011)

Honey08 said:



			Crikey this thread brought out the worst in some people didn't it!  Don't see any reason why you need to swear at the OP - there were loads of people with harsh views!
		
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Aw thank you!!  Although, when it turned into a monster I stopped reading the thread even tho it was mine...will try and read now.

FWIW any opinions on cheap tack, i.e. synthetic or whatever, were not mine.  I was more on about people using stuff just because the tack shop flogged them it, rather than because they knew exactly what effect if would have.  I do hope noone swore at me, blimey.


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## skewby (27 January 2011)

Snowy Celandine said:



			People like you (Skewby) make me feel very sad.  Why not just get on with your own life and let others get on with theirs? So what if their tack is black rather than your preferred colour?  So what if your saddle cost more than theirs?  If you are perversely proud to be a judgemental bigot then I think you should consider seeking treatment to see if you can become a more tolerant and happy person.  People who are happy with themselves and their life choices don't need to go round picking fault with others you see. Good luck!
		
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How sad that I've had the power to make a random internet person sad.  Did I say I had a preference over colour of tack?  Did I?  Did I say how much my saddle cost?  Did I?  Read again, and be sad over something that actually happened.  By starting a thread, am I suddenly responsible for the thoughts of others?  I think not.  Do hope you're not too sad, for too long.


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## DragonSlayer (27 January 2011)

I find baler twine makes great make-shift bridles if you can't afford new stuff, and you can also use it to tie on old saddle cloths to make a temp saddle.


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## LeneHorse (27 January 2011)

DragonSlayer said:



			I find baler twine makes great make-shift bridles if you can't afford new stuff, and you can also use it to tie on old saddle cloths to make a temp saddle.



Click to expand...

PMSL!
Here are some more handy hints -
A dead sheep tied to your horse with baler twin gives you the benefit of a 'treeless' saddle plus the fashionable sheepskin accessory look. A sure fire winner!
And if your horse is a teensy bit hard to stop, try the 'barbed wire' snaffle!
You need never visit a tack shop again.


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## MileAMinute (29 January 2011)

LeneHorse said:



			And if your horse is a teensy bit hard to stop, try the 'barbed wire' snaffle!
		
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Don't forget the special rust covered ones - so your newly backed horse can 'play' and get  used to the bit in his mouth


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## tallyho! (29 January 2011)

DragonSlayer said:



			I find baler twine makes great make-shift bridles if you can't afford new stuff, and you can also use it to tie on old saddle cloths to make a temp saddle.



Click to expand...

PMSL!!!

Baler twine rocks!


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## DragonSlayer (29 January 2011)

tallyho! said:



			PMSL!!!

Baler twine rocks!
		
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Years ago at the stables, we DID make a bridle out of baler twine for a friend as a wind-up as the boss used to make lead reins out of baler twine for the school horses and ponies!!

I'm in the attic later looking for something, so I'll see if I can find the picture...its a cracker!


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## DragonSlayer (29 January 2011)

LeneHorse said:



			PMSL!
Here are some more handy hints -
A dead sheep tied to your horse with baler twin gives you the benefit of a 'treeless' saddle plus the fashionable sheepskin accessory look. A sure fire winner!
And if your horse is a teensy bit hard to stop, try the 'barbed wire' snaffle!
You need never visit a tack shop again.
		
Click to expand...

Brill!


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## Sanolly (29 January 2011)

I haven't read all the replies but I think it's clear that I definitely need a bell of shame!

I have (wait for it!) 2 synthetic saddles eek, one is black (double ). I have 2 cheap foreign leather saddles eek, again one is black and BOTH are treeless! (triple !)
I also have 3 cheap foreign leather bridles but it's ok because they are all brown 

I have ridden in a pelham with one rein and roundings BUT I also don't like doing it so have bought a kimblewick.

I would love to be able to go and buy a nice dressage and jump saddle for each of my ponies along with quality leather bridles but until I win the lottery, sadly that isn't going to happen.


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## Polo*Pony (29 January 2011)

spookypony said:



			it's a worrying thought what people may be thinking when encountering _us_ in the woods  : scruffy, extra-furry, partially muddy pony with natural mane; elderly synthetic saddle (black, oh woe!); _alas_, a black bridle (though with cavesson and snaffle, _phew_...but slightly raised, _oh NOES!!_ [it was the only one without a flash loop]). No _wonder_ the local dead-sheep-and-bling experts seem to look down on us sometimes...of course, their horses are also much taller, for the most part, so that could explain it too... 

Click to expand...


You could be talking about me here! I have a native pony (not clipped, so extremely fluffy), currently sporting dreadlocks of mud and very shaggy feathers. I use a black synthetic saddle (AND he's chestnut! ) but with real stirrup leathers as the synthetic ones were useless and naturally I have managed to find leathers in a different shade of black to his saddle. His bridle is actually made up of two Sabres as he's that awkward size between a pony and a cob - raised noseband (cavesson though)...

He is in a snaffle though, and comes with NO extras - not even boots. Does that redeem us slightly or just make us even more scruffy?? 

(My mare, on the other hand, is dressed head to toe in brown Stubben and sheepskin. Feeling a bit sorry for my old boy now!).


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## Tinypony (29 January 2011)

Phew!  Who cares?  Currently riding a chesnute horse in a brown western bridle, complete with tassles (no noseband - gasp!), black soft rope reins and a black dressage saddle.  Oh, and I've got a brown numnah because my black one seems to have vanished.  Who cares?  Horse and I are comfy, which is all that matters.  Just wait 'till you tack police bump into me poodling in the woods on my pony, who is wearing a green bareback pad and a black rope halter for riding.


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## tallyho! (29 January 2011)

Tinypony said:



			Phew!  Who cares?  Currently riding a chesnute horse in a brown western bridle, complete with tassles (no noseband - gasp!), black soft rope reins and a black dressage saddle.  Oh, and I've got a brown numnah because my black one seems to have vanished.  Who cares?  Horse and I are comfy, which is all that matters.  Just wait 'till you tack police bump into me poodling in the woods on my pony, who is wearing a green bareback pad and a black rope halter for riding.
		
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What??? no noseband is a no no? Well, when we nearly died on a gate one year due to getting caught on bizarrely the clip bolt, I vouched never to wearing one again on a hack. Thank god it was brown leather cos it snapped!!!! He's very handy you see, can open longhandled gates himself, it was just unfortunate. I take nosebands off for safety these days unless out hunting. 

Again, baling twine would have been useful here.... 

Anyway, pass me a bell would you, I'll pop it one my little chain o bells!!!!


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## Flying_Filly (29 January 2011)

The only judgement I make is when I see a stunning rider, then I judge them as god and worship them!!

Apart from that I have no reason to pass judgement on others, what their horse is wearing or why they are wearing it!


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## Flying_Filly (29 January 2011)

LeneHorse said:



			PMSL!
Here are some more handy hints -
A dead sheep tied to your horse with baler twin gives you the benefit of a 'treeless' saddle plus the fashionable sheepskin accessory look. A sure fire winner!
		
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You must mean one of theses http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=903658&l=94dcbc9b6b&id=673411724


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## Katie (29 January 2011)

i'm 14 and i wear spurs at shows, for a reason!!  should i be shot now?   i also have a navy velvet personalised saddlecloth with navy and gold cord edging - eek!

i really don't care what tack people have on their horses, i don't know them or their horse.


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## Pixiedust91 (29 January 2011)

kez1001 said:



			oh and a weird one, people who dont put cheekpieces/nosebands into keepers! Ian Stark gave me a lesson once and said if your keepers are undone your going to fall off  ok a bit superstitious but its stuck with me!
		
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I am exactally the same..This really bothers me. I was told this superstition years ago and it has stuck with me..   Unnecessary gadgets, ill-fitting tack, dirty tack, tack not fastened properly...I shall stop before I start to rant


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## Wolfie (29 January 2011)

As long as I am happy with how my horse is kitted out, that's all that matters to me. Don't really care what anyone else has on their horse. Pride ever goeth before a fall anyway


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## AndySpooner (30 January 2011)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHLSQ1YILEo


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## tallyho! (30 January 2011)

Ok pass me more bells......... Andy, I agree with you.


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## ClobellsandBaubles (30 January 2011)

did not think i was prejudiced until i went to a kids federated showjumping show in spain where 10 year olds were riding (badly) in spurs and pelhams (rusty) with only the curb rain we started up a game called spot the snaffle turned out was very boring as couldn't find one 
also why do people ride in a dutch gag with the reins on the snaffle ring is it just fashionable because im sure a hanging snaffle does exactly the same ?
i dont mind flashes and mexican nosebands if fitted properly but usually they aren't ever seen a grackle worn like a flash i have !
my boss used to make all her students ride in snaffles with no gadgets even when they turned up with all their massive martingales for tiny ponies and stud guards for unshod horses. there were only ever snaffles in her tack room and she would ride the biggest strongest horses


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## dibbin (31 January 2011)

Sanolly, you're going to need to thread bells onto your reins to cover all your transgressions.

Katie - you definitely get a bell of shame.


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## Tinypony (31 January 2011)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ-zAoovg-c


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## pony_junkie (31 January 2011)

Love the 'treeless - clueless' bit.
I dont like bling types and equally the obsessive 'stick to tradition' types who wont buy new stuff when they desperately need it.
And all the pink stuff needs burning


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## OneInAMillion (31 January 2011)

WOW. I can not understand some people AT ALL.

SO you would rather a horse wore brown tack even if it didn't fit rather than wearing (QUOTE) common black tack? 

You would rather someone who is 35 and only ridden for a year wear spurs than a 14y/o who has ridden all of their lives because they are adults not children?

Someone has a synthetic saddle, so that makes them an idiot?


I think you need to take a look at yourselves and some people need to come down a peg or two.

IMPE we couldn't afford a leather saddle but synthetic fits beautifully. We couldn't afford english leather bridles but they fit. We have our old pony in a gag with one rein, it suits him. *Why does it matter?*


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## MrsMozart (31 January 2011)

This thread has made me howl   

I do so love the horsey world. It is priceless


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## LeneHorse (31 January 2011)

Flying_Filly said:



			You must mean one of theses http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=903658&l=94dcbc9b6b&id=673411724

Click to expand...

I don't believe it! Someone's stolen my dead sheep treeless saddle idea. (goes off to tear up her Dragon's Den application form).
But hey - what if I did a hi viz version??


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## Charliepony (31 January 2011)

Treeless - clueless

--

I hate to say it, but same here 

Also kiddies on little ponies with spurs and giant shanked bits... Why?


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## mainpower (31 January 2011)

I'm still waiting for OP to explain her dislike of gags used with one rein when she said in an earlier post that she had used a waterford gag on her horse..... with one rein!


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## JenniferS (31 January 2011)

OneInAMillion said:



			WOW. I can not understand some people AT ALL.

SO you would rather a horse wore brown tack even if it didn't fit rather than wearing (QUOTE) common black tack? 

You would rather someone who is 35 and only ridden for a year wear spurs than a 14y/o who has ridden all of their lives because they are adults not children?

Someone has a synthetic saddle, so that makes them an idiot?


I think you need to take a look at yourselves and some people need to come down a peg or two.

IMPE we couldn't afford a leather saddle but synthetic fits beautifully. We couldn't afford english leather bridles but they fit. We have our old pony in a gag with one rein, it suits him. *Why does it matter?*

Click to expand...

This.


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## Charliepony (31 January 2011)

I'm the opposite, I hate brown tack unless it's on a bay!! And it's so hard to match brown tack... Because it comes in so many shades..

I'm not a fan of flashes, but I'm schooling one atm that needs it... But then he's 14 and been ridden by kids/beginners all his life, he takes the p otherwise. I always swore I wouldn't use one but I'm fed up of him getting his tongue over the bit and carting me off into the distance! He hasn't managed this once since I put the flash on him...


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## unbalanced (31 January 2011)

Hmmm you would hate my tack. I have a brown (yay) bridle with (shock) white rope reins and no noseband. Hey, at least no flash! And sometimes I ride in a Western saddle, which my very traditional YO hates. And sometimes I leave the tack off altogether...


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## paddy (31 January 2011)

I'm more likely to judge by how the horse is going than the tack it's wearing.  If you saw the following, what would you think:

a) horse beautifully turned out in (brown) tack that gleams and fits - snaffle bridle, cavesson noseband, no martingale.  Horse has its nose in the air and is charging round like a lunatic whilst the rider hauls away at the reins; 

b) horse in a mixture of tack, clearly old and pieced together from several sets, pelham with roundings, dead sheep on the girth, going beautifully, from behind, in an outline and standing still when asked, to invisible aids from the rider.

Had a jumping lesson with a well known sj'er several years ago, who questioned the tack I was using - a snaffle, cavesson and breastplate, on a stallion.  It's all I'd ever needed on him.  That said, after he p'd off with me out hunting the other day, I think I'll up the bitting arrangement next time out.

BTW, whoever said black for harness, brown for saddles, country carriages in the olden days had brown harness, still seen today on a few coaching classes at county shows.


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## dibbin (31 January 2011)

MrsM -  do you want an honorary bell of shame too? I'd hate you to be left out.


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## moodymare123 (31 January 2011)

You guys are all saying about teenagers putting really strong bits in there ponies ect ect, i always have to ask my mom if i can put a martingale or flash or stronger bit in,and in sone cases she even rides my pony to see if he needs it, and i have only have had to put a stronger bit iin when i took my bucking broncho show pony to a show so i could actually pull his head up when his head is in between there legs, not all kids are bad


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## DragonSlayer (31 January 2011)

Couldn't find the pic of the baler-twine bridle 

Anyone want me to make them one??

£2 inc. P and P.


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## MrsMozart (31 January 2011)

dibbin said:



			MrsM -  do you want an honorary bell of shame too? I'd hate you to be left out.
		
Click to expand...

Yes please!


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## Indy (1 February 2011)

Well here's one for you all....I ride my horse in a brown bridle and a black saddle with a green saddlecloth.........so nerner ner nerner!


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## dibbin (1 February 2011)

MrsM, here's your bell 

Indy, I might promote you to High Chief Tack Leper. Interested?


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## mashnut (1 February 2011)

Found on ebay - **MANE CHARM** Natural Horsemanship Rhythm Beads BLUE
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MANE-CHARM-Na...t=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&hash=item1c18e35e75
Can we have these as our bells of shame?


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## dibbin (1 February 2011)

mashnut said:



			Found on ebay - **MANE CHARM** Natural Horsemanship Rhythm Beads BLUE
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MANE-CHARM-Na...t=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&hash=item1c18e35e75
Can we have these as our bells of shame?
		
Click to expand...

Definitely, do they come in a variety of offensive and clearly incompetent colours? Or black synthetic? Or even *whispers* webbing?


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## Meowy Catkin (1 February 2011)

Do they come in hi-viz with reflective bits? I don't want anyone to have the impression that I actually know how to ride (even a little) or that the mare knows how to be ridden either.


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## Geraldine (1 February 2011)

I'll hold my hands up - I use a pelham with roundings. It's the only bit he'll accept and I cannot use double reins as I cannot grip thanks to my stupid, useless, old and knackered hands.

So shoot me where I stand..................


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## skewby (2 February 2011)

mainpower said:



			I'm still waiting for OP to explain her dislike of gags used with one rein when she said in an earlier post that she had used a waterford gag on her horse..... with one rein!
		
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That, is why!  In 2003 I went into my local tack shop and said, I can't stop my horse.  A lady in the shop overheard and said "shoot it".  The lady behind the counter flogged me a waterford gag after I told her he leaned, and advised me to try it with the rein on the top ring at first, then move it down until it had an effect.  Which I did.  It had 0 effect on brakes and horse HATED it.  I detest the things because my horse does (waterfords), and I detest the fact that tack shops always seem to push people towards these "bubble bits" every time a customer complains a horse is strong.  They are nasty "quick fixes" that my horse, thankfully, ran straight through so I was forced to get proper help.  Grateful for that now, though wasn't at the time.  I would have LOVED it to have worked.


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## Meowy Catkin (2 February 2011)

skewby said:



			A lady in the shop overheard and said "shoot it".
		
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Wow, that is harsh and really unkind.


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## mainpower (2 February 2011)

Thanks for that Skewby!


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## skewby (2 February 2011)

mainpower said:



			Thanks for that Skewby! 

Click to expand...

No worries!  I am a bit chuffed off that all the prejudices vented on this thread (each to their own) have been attributed to me cos I was the OP!  Sheesh.

Oh and I am prob just jealous cos if a gag on the bottom ring had stopped my fella I'd have been laughing  unfortunately the big s0d made me pay out a LOT of money in weekly lessons, tack and bits before I could ride one side of him hehe xx


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## skewby (2 February 2011)

Faracat said:



			Wow, that is harsh and really unkind. 

Click to expand...

Yeah, made me feel even smaller than I already did at the time too!


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## DragonSlayer (2 February 2011)

Geraldine said:



			I'll hold my hands up - I use a pelham with roundings. It's the only bit he'll accept and I cannot use double reins as I cannot grip thanks to my stupid, useless, old and knackered hands.

So shoot me where I stand.................. 

Click to expand...

I also have a pelham with roundings on my mare.

I don't give a flying fook what anyone says. She is 16 years old, I've had her 3 years, and we went through every concievable combination of bits possible. The pelham is the only one she does not lean on, and it's nice not to have to fight her all the time, a gentle squeeze, and she is listening, not the blimmin' tug of war we had with everything else...

Snaffle? No chance!


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## silvertinsel (2 February 2011)

I dont think I am, well ok...I hate none-matching tack, if you are going to purchase a black or brown saddle, why not also buy the same colour bridle?! Lol! Other than that, no! 

I love my Syntheic, its my best friend, and have recently just got a new one and i know we're going to be the three best friends (forget the horse, i can put this over the back of the sofa and sit on it! lol) 

I say leave people to it, they either have a reason for what their horse is wearing, OR they dont know what they are doing!


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## asbo (2 February 2011)

i dont give a toss TBH.

my lad was ridden in a waterford, boots on all 4 legs, over reach boots, the little one ( sec a) wears brushing boots and bling/pink and looks fab in it.

if people worried more about their own horse/tack/riding ability than other peoples they would get on much better IMO.


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## skewby (2 February 2011)

DragonSlayer said:



			I also have a pelham with roundings on my mare.
		
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So, a case in point.  What's wrong with two reins?  I can appreciate that if you have arthritis or are a very small child, this is a no-no.  But for the rest of us - what I love about the double and pelham are, I can correct the beast as we are our doing exciting things.  If he's nice, he gets the bradoon....if he's a rude nasty object, he gets the curb.  High up and yanked in his gob if he asks for it, albeit for a second but he needs reminding!  A rounding gives a muffled signal...not being obstreperous, just asking, can that really work, in a long term education type way?


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## Achinghips (2 February 2011)

CBFan said:



			I hate... Poor Quality leather... you only have to look at it to know it's cheap, but you can actually get cheap leather that is good quality if you shop around. I bought two headcollars recently (took one back though) one was £35 and the other was £21 ... guess which one I kept?!

Poorly fitting headcollars and rugs.  The former is just dangerous IMO and the latter must be downright uncomfortable for the horse!!! My yard is full of them and they make me cringe!

I'm all for finding cheap solutions when it comes to the care of my horse but why compromise safety and his comfort for the sake of a few quid. Horse doesn't need 10 rugs... he just needs ONE well fitting one!! (and maybe a fleece!)
		
Click to expand...

Oh yes, fully agree. AND cheap leather is such a poor investment, it crumbles and never fits right and dries out all the time then breaks. I recently bought a John Whittaker bridle, looooooovely soft leather, wish I'd bought that straight off, rather than mucking around trying to save a buck or two. Oh well, you live and learn
Also looove stitched nosebands and ...... wait for it......... black tack on chestnuts - runs and hides!!!!!!!!!!

BUT - All fleeces should be burnt, they slip behind the wither and you can't get the hair off them 

Synthetic saddles - love em!!!!!!!!!!!! Massive timesaver in terms of cleaning -just wash n go - and less weight - so I can eat more chips and drink more wine

Snaffles without lozenges? - pah, nutcrackers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Geraldine (2 February 2011)

skewby said:



			not being obstreperous, just asking, can that really work, in a long term education type way?
		
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Yes it works very well for us. He does as he is asked and I don't have to put up with with a horse taking the p*ss.


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## Tinsel Town (2 February 2011)

each to their own!! each horse and each person is individual


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## tallyho! (2 February 2011)

Achinghips said:



			BUT - All fleeces should be burnt, they slip behind the wither and you can't get the hair off them 
!!!!!!!!!!!
		
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Ahhhh sense and truth!!


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