Cob Jockey

1. Dover suffolk (I think) bridle, under $50. These have big enough browbands for my arabs and cobs, but short enough cheek pieces. I try not to look at more expensive ones, though I did get a nice Stubben from a friend.
2. Thornhill Pro trainer, leather event saddle, Got it for free, well I cleaned stalls.
3. 5-6 saddles
4. Ugh, a Wintec Pro that the seller said was an Isabel. Plus it is an older model with no changeable gullet.
5. Hmm, probably our local website, virginiaequestrian.com classifieds

1) haven't made that purchase yet. I just have a used no name bridle right now.
2) I consider my biggest score simply because having such a difficult time fitting Steady and to find a saddle that wasn't custom was a huge deal. so though it was still the most money I have ever spent onall saddles I have ever owned put together with the price tag at $1000 I still see it as a $4000 savings over custom.
3) I only trialed one other but looked at 100's but could tell that they wouldn't work.
4) mine is a biggy. It was a $16,000 regret. When I purchased a ford truck. Thankfully I was able to return said regret and get a respectable truck aka big ass dodge.
5) considering that I rarely purchase new tack I will just go generic and say any place a can walk in and smell, touch and admire in real life beautiful horse related items.

1. My favorite is my stubben bridle that matches Ginger's saddle. Sadly, the browband is too small so until I find a bigger one she's suck wearing an el cheapo painted black bridle :)
2. A person who owed me a small amount of cash instead gave me this huge box of tack he got at a garage sale. Think old silver concho'd western gear a la Roy Rogers. Awesome :)
3. One. The above mentioned Stubben (Juventus S). I already owned it and loved it but it was too wide for my horse. So obviously I had to buy a welsh cob for my saddle!
4.A blanket that lasted about one day before ripping at the neck, which managed to rub part of my then horses mane off and leave a scar.
5. I'm Canadian, so greenhawk is my weakness!

1. Suffolk... affordable yet nice quality and good fit.
2. Used Collegiate saddle from tacktrader.com. Great deal.
3. I browsed ads for a months, but didn't actually try any others out.
4. $80 trail bridle that seems too heavy and cumbersome. I haven't really used it enough to give a good review yet though.
5. Since I am a tack whore myself, I don't mind shopping around and cheating on anyone. If it's good quality and I'm getting a great deal, then I'm happy!

Hope you get to see your pony soon!!!

Ok - I'll play along. Our weather is doing the same as yours - a teaser spring day followed by bitter cold. :-(

1. I ride western mostly - weaver leather makes nice bridles. But, I have a beautiful Keiffer dressage bridle that I have had for awhile stashed away because it is too purdy to sell.

2. See above. Keiffer bridle - approx $220 in stores, but it came with my old appy gelding since the bridle was too small for the seller's new horse! Score!

3. Again with the western. Tried about 3, then went semi-custom. Best move I made. Luckily it wasn't super pricey.

4. Two questionable horse purchases that cost me a decent amount of $$ and lots of heartbreak. I think I've learned my lesson...

5. Love Smartpak, but rarely buy from Dover. I have bought from: Chicks.com, Rods, a Cdn company called Greeenhawk, horseloverz.com, equestriancollections.com, and pretty much anywhere I can find tack. Since I clearly have a problem... :-S

1. Stuebben. I saved and saved and then waited for a good deal and I love it.
2. My dressage coat. Retails for $400, I got it for $40 on clearance. It might be the highest quality piece of clothing I own, not just my nicest riding gear.
3. I had wanted a dressage saddle for 3 years or so, and I'd sat in quite a few and taken maybe 3-5 out on trial over that time, but they never quite fit, or the finances didn't line up. Finally, I built a dedicated savings account and when I started to seriously shop, I bought the first one I took out on trial.
4. When State Line was going out of business/leaving Petsmart, I bought quite a few things that were on ridiculous sales, but that I had no need for. The most ridiculous of those was a fly sheet - which my horse has never worn and probably never will wear. Still, not too expensive a mistake - I think I paid $10 for it.
5. Pelham Saddlery in New Hampshire, where I got my saddle. They have a ridiculously good used saddle collection and they really knew their stock. It's thanks to their expertise that I bought the first saddle I took on trial, and they sold an old Wintec of mine that was sitting around, helping to pay for my show season last year.

1. Antares, it didn't look good on my horse though so I returned it, so far the best bridle for him was a Beval LTD2.
2. My Antares saddle, I got it by winning a bet :)
3. I tried all the expensive ones as a working Student (yay customer's tack..) thats how I realized that my upper end on saddle price wasn't the real upper end... hahaha
4. I have soooo many blanket woes, blankets that don't last a day etc.
5. Carousel Saddlery in Portola Valley!

Tack questions? Count me in!


1. Brand of your favorite bridle?
Oh my. I adore my well-broken-in Nunn Finer event bridle, but I'm currently loving my bought-used-for-a-steal hadfields hunter bridle. It's pretty and the leather is amazing and it's beautiful on Cuna. I had some five star tack stuff I loved, but it can only go on some faces, and Cuna's isn't one of them. Cheap leather can go to hell.

2. Best tack/equipment score ever? (Bonus points if you got a sweet deal.)
Ever? Hm...

3. Number of saddles you tried while shopping for your current one?
Actually none. Someone let me borrow it to try. It was brand new, never even sat in. It fit Cuna and it fit me and I got a total steal on it. See above? J Wo XC saddle for $500.

4. Most regrettable horse-related purchase you've ever made?
Cheap leather. I always always hate it.

5. Favorite place to purchase tack that isn't Smartpak, Dover or eBay?
tacktrader.com, Bits and Barter board, facebook tack groups. Anything where I buy straight from other horse people instead of through a store. There's always someone out there who just wants that item out of their house without a fuss and is willing to make a deal. :)

1. Brand of your favorite bridle?

Right now it's my Horze bridle I got for %50 off.
2. Best tack/equipment score ever? (Bonus points if you got a sweet deal.)

On our way to a tack auction we stopped at another surprise tack swap meet. I purchased a dover close contact saddle for $35 because the meet was all western and it had damage to the pommel. $100 later at a tack repair place and I still ride in it today.
3. Number of saddles you tried while shopping for your current one?

Hrmmm, I think I bought and sold 3 saddles on Ebay before finding the right one. I got an HDR paris saddle for $250 almost new, usually $1000, I think everyone was asleep when the auction ended!
4. Most regrettable horse-related purchase you've ever made?

Hrmmm, two pairs of white breeches I bought and hated. Didn't fit right and felt like diapers.

5. Favorite place to purchase tack that isn't Smartpak, Dover or eBay?

Right now that's got to be Horze. Equusnow is also a good one.

1. Of the ones I have it's the Harwich Padded Fancy Stitch Bridle by SmartPak.
2. Wellll every birthday/Christmas I ask for horse stuff. I send hubby links and he picks what he wants to get me... best way to collect tack ;)
3. Probably 10-12 and it sucked!
4. All of the random no name crap I bought instead of just saving for quality and buying good stuff.
5. I like when I search for and item and find it on crazy discount at some random tack store/website :)