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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 899
  
Location: Idaho | So long story short, I recently moved to a different state. I have a lot going on.. getting married, settling down, finishing my masters/internship, trying to find a good high paying job in my field. I have been riding my whole life and to be honest.. I'm just tired. I'm tired of the struggle, I want to really get my crap together before I go and buy another horse. I sold my horse and trailer, I just want a break. I want to do new things for a while and start this new chapter in my life.
But now.. I have literally a room full of tack. Saddles, saddle pads, headstalls, breastcollars, boots, bell boots, brushes, extra stirrups etc. I sold some of things that I know I will not use and other people could use (fly spray, linament etc.). But I have been teetering back and forth about whether or not to sell some of my stuff. I know my friends used to always tell me.. no matter what, keep your saddle. But I also have worked hard for my bit collection.. and I don't want to sell this stuff for half of what it's worth because everyone wants a deal these days. 
Any thoughts? I do not foresee buying another horse for at least a couple more years if that. |
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| Unless you think you would NEVER ride/own any horse again, I say keep at least some of it. Think about how much time and money you have spent curating your collection, and how much time and money it would take to achieve that again.
Just because you are taking a break does not mean you need to rid yourself of everything related to that hobby, especially if you have dreams of picking it back up one day.
After I graduated from college, I knew I would be taking a break from rodeoing, so I sold a few of my bits and saddles except for my favorites, and it was like paradise the day I was able to sit in my favorite roping saddle again. Yes there were items I had to go out and buy, but it saved me a lot of time, effort and headache knowing I could dust off a saddle, headstall and bit, and at least be prepared to get on a horse.
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 Veteran
Posts: 113
Location: Tx | I would say keep it. I sold everything when I was in a similar situation and building everything back up from nothing was so financially stressful for my husband and I that I would never sell all my tack again. My suggestion would be to keep some main items that are of quality and that you can gather at any time to go ride a friends horse or whatever, and sell the rest.
(Also, Keep the bits... they don't take a lot, in anything to keep maintained through storage so I say keep em.) |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 534
Location: Ohio girl moved to PA | I say keep whats most important/your favorite. When i took a break, i sold everything and it took me so long to get back to where i was again. I wish i would have atleast kept one set of everything, like just enough to tack up and go if needed in a hurry. 1 saddle, 1 pad, bit/headstall, boots/bells, reins, breast collar. Boots are always easy to find but when you really have the leather you like, just keep it. It can sit in storage and collect some dust. |
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 Dog Resuce Agent
Posts: 3459
 
Location: southeast Texas | My thoughts, if it's a quality saddle it will hold its value, but will I'll it fit your new horse?
Keep a few of your favorite bits. The rest I would sell. Mice are very destructive. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 146
| The minute you sell everything off and have nothing is the minute you end up buying a horse! Keep a set of the best/quality things you have, 1 saddle, bridle, saddle pad (or two), boots, wraps, etc. Enjoy your break from horses and doing other things that are just as important. The day will come when all those other things will settle into routine and stabilize and you'll find yourself wanting to ride again, and if it doesn't ever come to that, it's okay too. |
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Expert
Posts: 1280
Location: Texas | I think saddles that are left to sit just deteriorate. Leather is a living thing (don't laugh!) and NEEDS to be used. Besides, who knows if the saddle will even fit your next horse. I would sell the leather (saddles, headstalls, reins, etc). Keep the bits (they don't take up much space and don't deteriorate). Pads attract bugs and rodents so I would sell that as well. Start a little savings account now, so that when the time comes, you can have a nice little shopping spree. |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | Keep your favorite stuff, and sell the stuff you can easily replace. |
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| I would keep your saddle and more expensive things - but as far as tack, boots, saddle pads, etc. I would let those go. By the time you come back, new products will be out and you'd probably rather have that than your current stuff. |
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 Expert
Posts: 3815
Location: The best kept secret in TX | I would clean all my tack and oil/condition it. It will dry out in a few years anyway if you don't maintain it. It will also make it easier to get the money you want out of it instead of get lowball offers. HANG THE TACK UP for pictures, don't lay it on the ground. Your pictures determine your price. Don't group items together when you sell unless you want to "get rid of them" for cheap.
Keep the bits, the saddles, and anything that you think you will have a hard time purchasing new when you start again. Sell the rest.
The tack you decide to keep will need to be cleaned and conditioned at least once every 6 months to make sure it doesn't dry out. Keep the now clean tack in a water tight storage container inside the house. Otherwise it will mold and dry rot. |
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 The One
Posts: 7998
Location: South Georgia | Keep it. Lesson learned....an expensive lesson learned. Keep it all! |
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | I would sell all of the "trendy" things. Like if the boots/bells are in patterns that will be out of style by next year. Saddle pads come in and out style about every 5 years seems like. If your saddle is one that has gained popularity recently, I would sell. If it's one of the more timeless, high quality brands, I would keep. I would keep all my bits if it were me, but I'm a bit hoarder. Your basic essentials like brushes and buckets and stuff, you'll probably get pennies on the dollar for all that selling used and it will keep for a long time, I wouldn't sell it. |
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 The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
Location: North Dakota | I'd keep the expensive things like saddle, a good pad, headstalls, and get rid of the rest. |
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 Too Skinny
Posts: 8009
Location: LA Lower Alabama | I would sell it all and save the money I made to re buy later. All leather products would need to go because I would not want to deal with proper stoage and cleaning. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 899
Location: Idaho | roxieannie - 2017-09-19 5:07 AM
My thoughts, if it's a quality saddle it will hold its value, but will I'll it fit your new horse?
Keep a few of your favorite bits. The rest I would sell. Mice are very destructive.
Thank you all for the responses!! I think I will just sell some of my stuff, and as far as the saddle fit. I have a Teskey that I have had for quite a few years.. really nice and comfortable saddle, but early this year before I sold my horse I had a friend who saddle fits check it out and it has a ton of rock. My other saddle is Bob Marshall so it will fit another horse if I were to get it. I'm not too fond of riding in them but I had to get used to it for my boy to be comfortable when riding. And right now all of my stuff is being kept inside the house in my art room. So I don't know if mice are going to get to it. I just moved to Idaho so this will be my first winter here, not sure how the rodents fair around here! |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| I haven't hauled in quite some time but I kept my tack. I didn't want to have to come up with the money to replace it all later. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | Keep the bits. I have had some leather stuff go bad in storage, so I'd sell that. It's true that people are going to be looking for a steal of a deal on used tack. But, if you don't have to sell your saddles, you could always just advertise them somewhere free like facebook, or put them on consignment somewhere, and just see what happens. You don't have to take a low ball offer unless you're in financial trouble. Put the price you want on it and you don't have to sell unless someone makes you a reasonable offer. You can save up money for new tack, like others have suggested. Believe me, you will feel like you have sooo much extra money when you're not paying for the upkeep of a horse every month. (Even though you'll probably be miserable missing horses!) |
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Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | Oh... and be sure you let your friends here at BHW know when you post your tack for sale!!! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 899
Location: Idaho | Nita - 2017-09-19 8:32 PM
Oh... and be sure you let your friends here at BHW know when you post your tack for sale!!!
Hahaha, thank you.
So I did put some tack up for sale!! You can look on Facebook, look up Victoria Anne. It's a public FB album, and I will not be taking low ball offers. I took all my bits off my headstalls and weeded through the ones I want to keep and those that I want to sell. Might have a few more things to add, but not much. I'm a tack hoarder.. so if I sell them, great. If not.. I might just shove them back in the container in my closet lol
Anyhow, thanks all :) I'll still be lurking around. Has anyone seen the new video of Feel the Sting running barrels?? He is so nice! I told my future hubby in a few years, might have to invest in one of his babies lol Make it a late rgraduation present :D hahaha |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 312
Location: KS | I started having babies 2 years ago....haven't rode. Never crossed my mind to sell anything. Trailers are parked in the quonset both full of tack. Itll be there when I'm ready. Situation is a little different as my horses are out to grass loving the time off. |
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So I'm taking a break. To sell, or keep my tack?