Tips for selling your used horse tack!
Most of us have a vast amount of absolutely necessary horse items that we have not used in years. Every now and then, it’s a good idea to organize it all and perhaps find it a new home.
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Get your used tack ready to sell
- I always start by collecting all of the items that I can do without. Then I decide if I toss, fix, sell, or donate. For any items that end up in the sale or donate pile, I want to make sure they are totally clean and pristine.
- Would you buy a car filled with fast food wrappers and trash? Maybe? Don’t sell dirty tack.
Look closely – this is dirty and cracked. Toss it, or frame it.
Now to the deep cleaning part. For tack and leather goods, here are a few steps to follow.
- Take it all apart! Well, not your saddle necessarily, but at least remove the stirrup leathers or fenders! This makes things easier to clean and inspect for damage.
Just NO. This is a definite toss.
- Inspect all of the leather for cracks, rips, and stretching. These indicate a weakening of the leather and could lead to breaking. For a damaged or cracked billet on your high-dollar saddle, consider having it repaired or replaced. For the low-dollar leather halter crownpiece spare you have not used or cleaned in five years, consider tossing it.
- Start to deep clean. Bust out the toothbrush and the tiny sponges. Grab polish for stirrup irons and those tiny buckles on bridles, don’t forget about the stirrup bars. Skip the metal polish on bits.
- You can toss stirrups and some nylon tack into the dishwasher for ease of cleaning. Metal cleaning cloths work well for the buckles and shiny parts of your tack.
- Condition it all. Depending on the age, past care, the condition of your leather, you may need to condition over a few days. Use a lederbalsam or neatsfoot oil to soften your leather. Neatsfoot can sometimes darken leather, so be prepared. More on oiling tack here!
Deep clean everything – especially those nooks and crannies!
Tips for selling used blankets, saddle pads, or boots
- Clean is the name of the game! A skilled laundry service can also fold and package your blankets into easy-to-store bags. Most services also handle repairs to blankets.
- Use a stiff nylon brush on everything to remove any hairs, sweat, and dirt before you launder. Stain sticks are your friend.
- Make repairs, even if it only takes a few stitches here and there.
- Fluff up fleece or sheepskin linings with a wire dog grooming brush.
- Use a mane pulling comb or furminator type brush to remove fuzzies from velcro.
These are well kept and the stitching is intact.
How much should you ask for your used horse tack?
- A good place to start is to compare prices on eBay, tack exchange websites, and even make a trip to your local consignment shop to see their inventory and what the price points are.
Where to sell your used horse tack.
- Do you want to deal with advertising and packing and shipping, or do you want to just turn it over to someone else to sell and pay the commission? Or do you want to trade it in for a newer saddle? Or post on an online forum, or at your local horse shows, lots of options.
Some ideas for where to sell your items –
- Social media
- Online stores that specialize in tack
- Consignment stores
- Online auctions, like eBay
- Trade-in with a manufacturer
- Tack swap – often at fairs, shows, local horse clubs
- Flyers at shows
More tips for selling your used tack:
- Take high-quality photos. This means fuzzy and soft light, like dawn, dusk, or in the shade. Take photos of everything – top, sides, front, back, bottom, under the flaps, show any existing damage. Find the most boring backdrop you possibly can. A blank wall is best.
This is a HORRIBLE saddle-selling photo.
- Know (and share) the specs. Manufacturer, model, year, size, gullet width, type of leather, describe the twist (narrow, wide?), find the serial number. Most manufacturers can tell you all of the specs from the serial number.
Decide if you are going to offer a trial.
- If you are a business and can secure a credit card deposit, then a trial is something you may want to offer. If you are not a business, and someone wants you to mail it to them for a trial, be warned you may never see your money or your saddle again.
- You can have a return policy – where they can get a refund if and when the saddle is returned in the same condition. This is where a zillion detailed photos are necessary. Or, you can say “as is” and not offer a return.
This photo is getting better. In the shade, up close, super clean.
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Clean anything and store anything with this versatile hook. Easy to bring to horse shows, too!
This is castile soap-based, so it won't leave that gooey stickiness that glycerine-based soaps can leave in humid environments.
There no time like the present to clean your tack after every ride!
Keep your horse's leather from snapping with some deep conditioning.
Set them free upon thine enemy (JK, not really, but you can move them to a safer spot for everyone).
Thank you!
