Hi my name is Heidi and I'm a tack addict.

This whole idea of my daughter's to start riding English instead of Western has started to feed my insatiable hunger for more gear.  I love the tack shop.  I am so finickity picky about my tack, wanting every bit to be free of green slobber --- good luck! -- and all my reins to be soft and smooth and pliable.  I hate dust in the cracks and the carving on my saddle.  Almost all of my tack is second hand, or as I prefer to say, "broken in."  I have picked up more tack and general horse gear lately in order to reach my certification.  Had to get a lunge rope with no chain, a lighter lunge whip, a crop, new spurs, a new bit and reins, and leg wraps, to practice the bandaging part of the stable management test.  I mean, I HAD TO get this stuff.  And I got so much of it used, so it was like half price, like I AVOIDED SPENDING twice the amount.  I may be crazy about horse-related items but I'm also famously cheap.  And the only thing better than good used tack is free tack!  

I took Girl and a friend to the local Greenhawk franchise this afternoon.  Once we oogled and awed over the new shiny blingy gorgeous stuff, we headed back to the giant USED section.  Oh my.

It was one of those rare good deal days.

She found a pair of purple suede half-chaps for $30.

(She contributed to this purchase, which is only fair.  Also she is obligated, no choice, no whining, no excuses, to give me free barn help whenever I ask, no matter how physically difficult or tiring or dirty the work is.  Plus I don't want to see any dust in her bedroom!)

I found a full cheek snaffle for $10.

A set of leather braided English reins for $13.

(I have a bad feeling that the bridle is too big for our Little Lady but we'll see.  We've got good reins and bit anyways, right?)

Winter paddock boots for $32.  Yeah I already have knee high winter riding boots, but this way, if Girl wants to ride with me, we have two pairs.

Plus I scooped a curb chain out of the FREE box!  

I also bought a brand new hard bristle dandy brush for Phoenix.  It's purple.  I don't care if Bucky thinks it's kinda gaaaaay to use purple stuff on a gelding.  He's a horse.  He does not care what colour saddle pad I use on him.  Besides, he looks gorgeous in purple!  It really sets off his dark brown spots.  It's the colour of royalty and Phoenix is my prince.  

So I spent some money, but most of it came out of my secret cash stash.  It's all good stuff.  I'll use it well and happily.  You know, in the future when I'm teaching lessons I'll need lots of extra stuff, enough to fit different horses and different riders and...

Oh who am I trying to kid.

I just love tack.

I love cleaning it, I love the smell of it, I love dressing up my horses in it.  I love organizing my tack room (which is really just the back of a wall and shared with a Honda 4 wheeler and a 72 Buick Skylark) and I would rather spend a day lovingly hanging up bridles and sweeping cobwebs than putting away dishes and vacuuming the couch.

Proof: I found my camera last night.  It was under the couch cushions.  This is a clear indication that I do not vacuum often enough.

But there are three pairs of clean riding boots at the front door, and two sparkly clean, soft bridles with shiny bits hanging where my purse should be.  On the next hook, where my coat should be, there's a bag containing an eggbutt snaffle, a pair of nylon reins, and a curb strap, all stuff that I've replaced with my *new* stuff.  There's a place for all of it in my tack room.  I've got an old green tack box to hold my growing bit collection, and a hook for extra curb straps, and a collection of extra reins in another trunk.  You must always have extra reins.  I am ready for anything.  

I do not have a problem. I have no problem with my problem.  I hardly spend any money on my habit.  Some women spend more on their make up. I only cut my hair once a year.  I'm very low maintenance, I just want to be well equipped.  C'mon, this makes me happy.  I could stop any time I want, but I just don't want to stop.

It could be worse.  I could be addicted to buying more horses.  THAT would be a problem...