When it comes to buying horse stuff, I have a few different categories that things fall under. There’s the “Long list”: things I’ll need within 6 months or so, or things I really want but can’t justify unless it’s a really good deal. There’s the “Short list”: things I actually legitimately need right now. There’s also “Impulse purchases”: things we don’t talk about and I refuse to defend or explain. And I guess technically I do have one other category existing within my Riding Warehouse wishlist… mostly stuff I would buy if someone handed me a big pile of money or a really really generous gift card, but realistically most of it isn’t going to ever happen. Fantasyland.
As an example, that new clipper blade and blade wash that came in the mail yesterday? Definitely short-list. I legit needed that, and needed it ASAP. Horse is approaching yak status. So sensible, that purchase. Look at me being an adult.
The AmazeBrush that I demo’d at Burghley but thought I didn’t really need so didn’t buy at the time, yet have thought about several times since and now realize I could definitely use? Yeah, that got “added to cart” a few days ago. Maybe it falls more into the impulse purchase category, but I could probably manipulate it onto the short list with some excellent equestrian reasoning. Also.. ya know… it was cheap and there was free US shipping. Barely counts.
Lately though, it’s been a bit of a boon for my long list. I had several things on there that were more on the “if I come across a smoking deal” side of things, and it just so happens that several smoking deals have presented themselves. First it was the closeout Mountain Horse Opus boots. I KNOW I KNOW I just got a nice pair of Pioneer’s. But… that’s the problem. Now I have two really nice semi-custom pairs of tall boots (black Tucci and brown Pioneer) that I really don’t want to trash by wearing daily. I want them to last a long time, which is unlikely with the amount of abuse I tend to inflict on my “daily” boots… stall cleaning, baths, mud, lots of walking around, etc. It physically pains me to destroy my nice boots one day at a time. So I reasoned that if a good, hard-wearing pair of boots came along at a really good price, I’d pick them up.
And then Equizone clearanced their MH Opus.
$150 for a nice, pretty pair of brown boots that I can wear around the barn without guilt and completely destroy without feeling like such a garbage human? Sign me the eff up. And they’re Mountain Horse, so they should be able to withstand some abuse. And my calf size came in Tall (not a thing with the Sovereigns)! Score.
A few days after that I got the email from Dover offering 30% off a blanket purchase. The boys are fully stocked on turnout apparel, but I had been wanting to buy Henry a very lightweight cotton sheet for those in between temps. I loathe Dover, but they do get me a couple times a year with coupons. So I popped into the store on Sunday, figuring I’d just see if they had anything in his size. They did, and it was $20 with my coupon, so… sold.
And then I happened to peek in on Insta, where I saw a new story from The Tried Equestrian, who had just posted an Equifit bellyband for less than half of what it costs new. I actually HAVE had a bellyband on my list of things I need to buy soon, because Henry gets rubs from just my leg/boots in the winter and I’m tired of fighting it. I just… haven’t been excited about shelling out $140 for one. But for $59, I’m in.
I’ve managed to take care of most of my long list, completely by happenstance, in the past couple weeks. The stars are aligning for some reason, and I’m not going to question it.
I also got the shipping notification for that Hufglocken order I’d kind of forgotten about, with the navy shimmable Mattes sheepskin half pad. That’ll be Presto’s. I still need to get white versions of Henry’s Premier Equine sheepskin pads, because turns out I love those things more and more every day and will definitely be sticking with them. Which in turn means that I have a lot of other saddle pads to sell (among a ton of other things, because downsizing to tiny house). Ugh. Selling things is my least favorite. Kind of thinking I should just haul it all to a tack swap or send it to consignment. What have y’all done (and liked) in the past when you have lots of random shit to get rid of?
I also found out (or rather, Mimi told me) that you can actually buy those blue Decathlon gloves that I got in France in the US now. I am absolutely freaking in love with those things (like… I like them more than my Roeckl’s and they’re half the price) so I’m considering stocking up on a couple more pairs. I just wish they made them in more colors! But hey, tada… just like that the long list is no longer empty.
breedrideevent.com 
I sold my horse in August and I had to bring all of my stuff home that hasn’t been in my house for 5 years. I wasn’t selling anything big, just a lot of smaller, random things I didn’t want to store. A few things went to the tack store I work in for consignment, several I sold locally, a few things on ebay and several more on Facebook. If you have a good local consignment shop or know of a local consignment sale, that would probably be easier since you have an entire house to pack up. You’d likely make more selling it on your own, but sometimes it’s worth it just to take it somewhere and kind of forget about it.
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I think there are a couple of consignment options in Texas, I need to research them more!
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Just saying, I LOVE my hay steamer. I have the equisteam from the UK because thanks to the exchange rate it was about $400 cheaper shipped, but I couldn’t live without this thing. The haygain is probably nicer, but they made the Equisteam work for me with a US compatible steamer and it’s fabulous. I assume it helps my heaves horse as much as it can and I’m looking forward to steamed hay all winter! Less fun in the summer…
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I’m a little obsessed with the hay steamers. I definitely wonder if it would help Henry’s allergies a little.
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Several years ago, we were selling our farm and re-locating to another state. I sold as much as I could and then donated the rest to a horse rescue and to a handicapped riding program in my area. Both were non-profit orgs so took a tax deduction. A win-win.
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That’s what I was thinking for all the stuff that we be hard to sell, or not really worth my while. There is a good local rescue that I could donate to!
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Any Equizone promo codes floating around? Asking for a friend….
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not that i know of but maybe try searching facebook
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I finally caved and bought the Opus boots. I have been wanting a brown pair for a while, and just couldn’t stop thinking about these since you posted them last week. So thanks?? 🙂
The few reviews I could find said they fit a bit big in the calf so I sized down in the calf but regular sole size. Fingers crossed they fit!!
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I second the consignment shop idea, when I had a bunch of horse stuff to sell I just took the big pile to them and let them handle it. It was worth it to me to not have to deal with selling and shipping/meeting the buyer myself. I imagine with moving and packing you’ll have more than enough on your plate…
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That’s about where I’m at. Maybe give it one go at trying to sell the more marketable/valuable things, and whatevers left can go to consignment.
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Is that brush specifically for pads because I got so frustrated washing all my saddle pads and not being able to get the hairs out no matter what I tried. I nearly threw it away in a tantrum and bought new.
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Pads, clothing, car seats, rugs, etc. Anywhere that hair builds up as long as its not a delicate fabric like silk (or leather, since the surface would be abrasive to leather). It removes pilling as well.
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Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society is having their annual Expo on the 19th (in Taylor this year), and you could either rent a vendor booth there and sell it all, or donate it to them for disbursement. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to their Expo, but it’s a really nice horsey day and is for a great rescue. They have a trainer’s challenge (both professional and non-pro), demos, a tack booth, silent auction, live tack auction, and most of the horses available for adoption are brought on site to hopefully find new homes. If you choose to just donate anything, let me know and I will pick it up and get it to them.
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That is a great idea! Maybe several riders could even go in on a used tack booth.
And not to defeat the purpose, but there will be some nice used tack for sale at the Expo as well!
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If I buy an Amaze Brush for say $25-$30 with conversion & shipping, then I’ll be saving on the $35-$45 saddle pads I might buy 2-3 times per year to have a really clean one available – right? The extra heads will be worth it as well for the same reason. Right? And I can save more by not having to re-cover the couch where the lab sleeps! (Because he wads up the cover that goes over it between him and the couch, to keep his hair off the couch – so much for that.)
So buying an Amaze Brush is cheaper than not buying an Amaze Brush. So glad I figured that out and saved so much money. 😉
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Mine was like $22. They say that the heads are supposed to last a couple years, I guess we’ll see. I saw a promo code on facebook – HAIROFTHEDOG10.
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Would the amaze brush work on polar fleece? I have a cooler that is stubbornly holding onto most of the hair.
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It did at the demo.
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I managed to score a rubber brush for dogs at the pet store years ago and I use that to not only curry the horses, but scrap off hair/sweat layers on my pads. It works amazing, and because it was discounted I think I only paid around $8-10 for it)
(I found what it’s called! It is a “Furbliss Pet and Dog Brush”. I bought the red one)
https://www.amazon.ca/Furbliss-Multi-Functional-Grooming-Bathing-Massaging/dp/B075RPBNHQ/ref=asc_df_B075RPBNHQ/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=292914254304&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15067506179625334294&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001588&hvtargid=pla-377836113559&psc=1
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I have one of those too, got it at Target, I think! Works great on fleece, I use mine to get the shavings out of my mare’s hock protectors every morning.
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A few of our older stuff that I can’t sell (even if it is in really good condition) because people aren’t really wanting to get them, I’ve donated to our local horse/burro rescue. It gets it out so I don’t have to store it, and it’s benefiting someone else. Other things that I know I can sell I usually do via facebook, and that’s about it lol. I will need to look into that Amaze Brush tho – I need that for my pads! And swoon on the MH boots! That’s a great deal!
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Damnit, Amanda. The money I didn’t need to spend I just spent on one of those brushes.
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Sorry not sorry? At least it was cheap. Think of all the other way more expensive things I could have made you buy.
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See, I thought about the brush and instead reminded myself that I spend all my money now on ventipulmin and steroids 🤦🏻♀️😭. And culverts. I need a new life. Or my horse(s) need new homes or to start bringing in income!!! Freeloaders. Anyone want a half blind, half crippled senior who only likes…me? Or a fat quarter horse who needs ??? meds to breathe? Or a mini with a bad attitude?
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I got the MH Opus boots a couple of years ago on a similar sale through Derby House. I love them and they’ve held up way better to abuse than the Ariats they replaced. The leather is soft and scuffs easily, but theyre so comfy and they still clean up great 2 years on.
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That’s what I’m hoping for!
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I know everyone loves hay steamers, but full disclosure, I found it to be kind of a pain in the ass. Probably wouldn’t be if I was in the barn all the time, but I’m not. I was nervous about letting it run when I wasn’t home or was asleep, because that seems like a fire hazard to me. Much like fans. But that’s maybe just my neuroses. Jamp hated the steamed hay too, so maybe that just soured my opinion.
Anyway, nice find on the boots! My list shrinks and grows on the daily lately… Currently it’s fairly empty. There are two show jackets I’m dying to own, but they’re jumper jackets, so definitely no need until I get Pammon’s leg healed up.
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Forgot to mention, I use “used horse stuff” to consign my stuff. They’ve been a little slow to send the bags out lately to fill, but they seem to move my stuff well.
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Stacie I love Used Horse Stuff! I’ve bought several things from that site.
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Those boots are gorgeous!! I’m not even looking, though, nobody but Tredstep and custom makes anything in my calf size… but if they did I would so want to snap those up.
Thanks for introducing the concept of long/short/impulse lists. I immediately got a piece of paper and wrote stuff down. Unfortunately I have justified too many completely unnecessary purchases lately so I must TRY and exercise restraint… but it’s just So. Much. Fun. shopping for horse stuff. Even when you don’t actually own one!
Re: the gloves, I’m surprised to see they are synthetic and not leather. Considering the lovely temps you experience in TX how do they not become sauna-like on your hands? I practically have to wring out my crochet and leather gloves after riding on a really hot day, so I’m wondering how that works.
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When you live in a sauna, anything feels like a sauna. There’s a point at which it doesn’t really matter, you’re sweating buckets long before you even put the gloves on lol. But the synthetics do bounce back much more easily, they stay soft when they dry and they dry pretty fast. These especially, because they’re thinner.
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P.S. Check out this new company, The Tack Hack, that I found out about yesterday. I’m sure they could help you sell your really nice things and it seems very convenient! Pack it all up, ship to them for FREE and they sort it/list it/etc. Their commission is high but again, major convenience.
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It would help to include the URL: https://www.thetackhack.com
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I’ve seen them before! The commission does seem high, but I haven’t really looked around to see what’s normal.
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It is so satisfying when stuff on your list just magically appears! I have kept my lists/shopping in check up until the last month or so… My 4yo is way bigger than my other gelding, so obvs. I need all new stuff!
And I just had a genius lightbulb moment here – we are getting a Decathlon store opening soon. I haven’t paid it much attention, thinking it was just regular spots stuff, until this post (gee, that place has the same name as the store) …! Now I can’t wait for it to open…. lol
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Not sure if you have anything similar but my local GMO runs a really nice spring and fall tack sale. The proceeds from the commissions go to the organization so I don’t even mind and it’s a lower amount than our local tack shop. It is a bit of a pain tagging everything but I typically just list it cheap and get rid of a bunch of stuff.
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Amanda, where can we buy the Decathlon gloves in the States?
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Online through the link.
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