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The tack room

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Original poster

Tack and fashions

51 replies

VillyCazalet · 25/10/2014 20:22

I've had a thread (help - slipping saddle') where string girths were recommend and it's been a pain to get hold of one.

I was just thinking, what else has gone out of fashion for no apparent reason? There must be lots of tack and equipment which used to be commonplace and is no longer used.

OP posts:
OscarWinningActress · 25/10/2014 21:51

Draw reins, New Zealand rugs and custom-made full chaps. Also, velvet hunt caps in navy blue or chocolate velvet and those colourful, stretchy hat covers that you used to be able to buy. When I was a teenager there was also a trend of wearing polo wraps, instead of tall boots Blush.

Butkin · 26/10/2014 01:22

When I had my first horse he had a jute rug and an old fashioned New Zealand rug for living outdoors (Chaskit made - lasted his whole life 24 years). Doubt you could get either now. We also used to put human duvets under his rug when clipped in the Winter - now we'd just buy a thicker rug..

I agree I've not seen string girths in years - elastic has taken over.

misog2000 · 26/10/2014 01:32

Thank goodness canvas new Zealand's have gone Grin I remember getting my sisters coloured in years ago to find him stained green from a leaky rug!

Stubben do a string girth specifically for slippy saddles.

Booboostoo · 26/10/2014 03:12

String girth a have a reputation for pinching which has tended to make them unpopular. Some horses still like them though, I have one sitting around in my tack room.

I remember jute rugs and duvets underneath...can't say I miss them though! Good riddance to draw reins as well!

frostyfingers · 26/10/2014 12:29

Have a look at Professionals Choice Ventech Girths - I was advised to get one by my saddle fitter to stop my saddle moving back and it's fab. Not cheap, but fab. I didn't get mine from here, but this is the one I mean.

www.tallyhofarm.co.uk/professionals-choice-smx-english-girth/p1170

Original poster
VillyCazalet · 26/10/2014 18:20

I see draw reins used quite a bit round here, horrid things. The horses look so awful in them, you can spot them a mile off.

I did get a second hand Stuben one for £15, thanks! It's lovely, the mare seems happy Smile

I liked NZ rugs, like wax jackets! Do people use plaited reins anymore?

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 26/10/2014 19:55

When I got my first horse she had a green New Zealand with a slotted surcingle and a jute rug with blankets under all fixed on with a roller. We also had an Abbot Davis balancing rein at one point .

Booboostoo · 26/10/2014 20:24

I see a lot of draw reins here in France as well but the level of riding is well below what you'd see at a competition in the UK - at least for dressage.

Pixel · 26/10/2014 21:22

I came across my old plaited nylon reins the other day and thought I'd try them for old time's sake. They felt a bit flimsy though so I went back to my rubber ones, also I didn't have 100% faith in the stitching after all these years! I had two sets, one brown and one green and they were quite good for gymkhana because they were easy to knot.

We all used to ride with exercise bandages over gamgee (then later fibregee if we wanted to be hi-tech). Something else we don't see so much now is the circular rubber bit guards. I've seen them occasionally but there was a time when they were everywhere. I remember they were awful to get on, almost as bad as the over reach boots. We had to put them in hot water and then use baling twine and brute force.

Haynets were all made of jute. Can you still get them at all?

Does anyone remember Holvair saddles? They were the first synthetic saddles and were made of plastic. They were quite slippery and you could feel a seam up the middle when you sat on them which wasn't so good! My friend had two, one of which she passed on to us when she gave us her horse. Unfortunately the tree broke a few years later and when we took it to the saddler he said "where on earth did you get that?, I haven't seen one of those for twenty years". Apparently the trees broke quite easily but my friend still has hers! She dragged it out of a trunk all covered in cobwebs to show me a few weeks ago. The other people at the yard couldn't believe we used to jump in it and everything. It sounds awful but I quite liked it, it only had a half panel underneath so it fitted pretty much anything. Next time I see my friend I'll try to get a photo.

I've only ever had one schooling whip, I'm still using it and it's 33 years old which is pretty good. Yesterday when I got it out of the car I noticed a little split in the handle Sad.

Pixel · 26/10/2014 21:24

Sorry, think I got carried away and went off the point of the thread a bit there. I think we can all work out why the Holvair went out of fashion. Thank you Wintec!

Original poster
VillyCazalet · 26/10/2014 22:43

Haha! Yes I remember those rubber bit guards, and using baler twine to get them on!

OP posts:
Sparky05 · 27/10/2014 17:12

Drop nosebands! Hardly anyone has them anymore. The string girths but they were horrible and pinched the whole time! Quite a few people have bit guards round here still, there's a riding stable nearby ours that have all their horses kitted out in them!

JulyKit · 27/10/2014 17:50

Drop nosebands
Flash nosebands properly fitted
Orange rubber reins
Leg bandages for travelling
Leg bandages for x-country
String gloves
Mixing horses' feeds from 'raw'
Rugby shirt with polystyrene 'back protector' underneath (cut to size with scissors) for x-country
Velvet/fibreglass hat with no chinstrap
'String vest' sweat rugs
Jute rugs
NZ rugs
Classy wool stable/show rugs
Just one saddle per horse unless professional showing/competing
tasteful 'conservative' colours only for: numnahs, rugs, wheelbarrows, etc...
Looping a lead rope over horse's nose and through headcollar rather than spewing out on 'Dually' or similar
Application of a blade of any sort to mane/tail not being acceptable alternative to proper pulling

... getting out of bed at 3am for washing, plaiting up, travelling bandages, etc. and being ready to compete at 8.45.

Seat like superglue by age 9 from countless childhood hours of no-hands, stirrup-less lunging... oh, and use of 'neck-straps' to stay on the horse not being considered quite normal for anyone over the age of 5.

Ah, custom-made leather chaps - always wanted those as a teenager twin obsessions: riding and Frankie Goes To Hollywood Blush

OMG, I even remember when brown/blue jodhpurs were a novelty, and 'jean-jodhpurs' really sailed close to the wind.

However did we manage without diamante browbands, upside-down flash nose bands and hot pink KP breeches?

frostyfingers · 27/10/2014 18:01

I still have and use a string vest, it was given to me by my MIL about 10 years ago, she'd not had horses for at least 10 years prior to that so it's pretty ancient. Dhorse is "hot" and even a cotton or thermatex rug is too much for him - he's fully clipped and travels to the meet naked in the lorry but on the way back wears his string vest and it's absolutely perfect for him, keeps him warm and drys him off. Had a lot of comments on it on Saturday funnily enough! I also use an old jute rug of MIL's if it's really cold out exercising - keeps both of us lovely and warm as I sit on it and fold the flaps over my knees. Some things really can't be improved on.

frostyfingers · 27/10/2014 18:02

I still have and use a string vest, it was given to me by my MIL about 10 years ago, she'd not had horses for at least 10 years prior to that so it's pretty ancient. Dhorse is "hot" and even a cotton or thermatex rug is too much for him - he's fully clipped and travels to the meet naked in the lorry but on the way back wears his string vest and it's absolutely perfect for him, keeps him warm and drys him off. Had a lot of comments on it on Saturday funnily enough! I also use an old jute rug of MIL's if it's really cold out exercising - keeps both of us lovely and warm as I sit on it and fold the flaps over my knees. Some things really can't be improved on.

JulyKit · 27/10/2014 18:07

Nowt wrong with string vests, frosty (and Shires still sell them for under £15, IIRC). TBH, I can't really see the appeal other than for the manufacturers, obvs of these new-fangled 'waffle' things...

Pixel · 27/10/2014 19:28

Great list, how could I have forgotten the string vests! And I too remember the joy of my first pair of brown jods. We once got our first pony a brown canvas NZ and not only that it had a slotted surcingle, very new-fangled at the time and the only one like it in the entire yard. We were so proud Grin.

Application of a blade of any sort to mane/tail not being acceptable alternative to proper pulling
As for this, I still can't bring myself to use scissors on a mane or tail unless it's to bang the end of the tail or trim a 'bridlepath'. The other week I saw a cob that had been clipped out and the owner had clipped his entire dock! I almost wept it was so ugly and it wasn't even my horse.

Hobnobissupersweet · 27/10/2014 20:16

I still use plaited leather reins for dressage ( old fart alert)
Do not miss the awful green canvas NZ, they leaked, rubbed and rarely fitted, ditto string vests vs today's fleece type coolers, the new ones work, horse is dry, rug is damp on the outside only.
Would love a return to the lands of no bling, and no coloured head collars/wheelbarrows etc, grim Grin
My custom made full letter chaps are now more than 30 years old, I only use them in winter but they are fab

Hobnobissupersweet · 27/10/2014 20:19

Oh and I still use porter protectors with leg bandages over for xc in front, fit any horse, never slip, never rub. The porters are also more than 30 years old, no intention of parting with £100 plus for some boots that may well slip/rub/ fail to protect.( I have gone to the dark side for hind boots)

Pixel · 27/10/2014 20:47

No bling here Smile. The most racy things dhorse has is are a plaited leather browband and a bright red turnout rug. Everything else is brown/black and plain as befits a cob, but then I tend to prefer the traditional look in most things. .

Hobnobissupersweet · 27/10/2014 21:07

Step away from the purple wheelbarrow pixel, you know it is for the best

OscarWinningActress · 27/10/2014 21:12

Have you guys seen those 'bling' helmets that are available now? They had one on display in the tack shop the other day and I thought, 'how tacky' but then I saw them on riders on the USEF network and I now really want one might be sort of coming around to the idea. They do look pretty cool under indoor-school lights.

Pixel · 27/10/2014 21:26

Lol, I've been waiting forever for my old green metal wheelbarrow to fall apart so I can justify the purple one, but it just will not die! I think it will outlive me.

backinthebox · 27/10/2014 23:01

We were watching this year's HOYS puissance, and one young lady's horse refused and spooked sideways. DD (7) asked why the horse had done that, and quick as a flash (and rather clever for DH) her dad answered that the horse had caught sight from the corner of it's eye of the amount of diamante the rider was wearing and plain refused to work with her any more Grin

I favour the plain look myself too. I suck my breathe in in horror at some of the sights the uneducated present in the show ring and on the hunting field. But I always try (if asked) to offer assistance with turnout. Last season I took to carrying a dark hairnet in my pocket in case the local lady farrier turned up with her hair down her back again!

Booboostoo · 28/10/2014 07:03

You guys lost me at the lack of bling. What is the point of riding if you don't sparkle? Tootles off to unload a bucket of glitter dust on her unicorn....erh I mean horse.