I’m helping to organize a big used tack sale at the barn – we’re selling table spots for anyone who wants to come to help benefit the equestrian team at the local university that rides out of our barn. At the end of the day, we’ll collect any tack that people don’t want to take home and donate it to some local horse rescues.

I’m looking forward to it. Organizing this sort of event is right in my wheelhouse, both by professional training and personal inclination, and I have spent some quality time cleaning out my own old tack to see what I can unload. I’ve also been making some horsey craft items that I hope will go over well.

I now have an entire tupperware filled with various things I am fine with selling, from breeches to tack to sheets and more. It ranges from fair (good quality & well-loved in decent condition) to brand new & never used. (I finally gave up on the open front leather boots I bought many years ago and have never even taken out of the packaging, much less put on Tristan’s legs. sigh.)

Now I’m in a bit of a conundrum.

How do I price this? I have some gut sense of what I’d pay for it in a consignment shop, and a very vague sense of what I’ve seen similar items priced for online. But I’m pretty far from a savvy consumer of tack, and personally kind of a cheapskate. I’m still trying to pay down vet bills from Tristan and the dog’s fun July, so I need to come away from this with some money. I want to assess a fair price on things but I also need to sell it.

Have you ever done anything like this? How do you decide how to price items – pure whim? actual research on comparatives? some combination of both?

Any advice appreciated!

I wear spurs for every ride.*

*well, except when I forget and then end up hating myself.

Tristan is the epitome of the kick ride. Getting forward is our #1 problem, and nearly always has been, except for the early phase in which “stay all four feet on the ground” was our biggest problem.

So: spurs. Every time, every ride. Spurs, whip, helmet: without these things, riding does not happen.

Mind you, I am not digging into him with every stride. They’re a pointed reminder that I need to have in my toolkit to remind him that this shit is for real, they help give an edge to our transitions, and basically my life is much better when I have them on my feet.

So I’m not rethinking the actual wearing of spurs.

But I am rethinking the spurs that I have.

Vermont has this awesome website called Front Porch Forum. It’s basically an online bulletin board, and it is a source of constant awe to me. I love reading through it, even when I don’t need anything, because it’s absolutely fascinating to see what’s going on.

My favorite day until now was the one in which 5 subsequent postings tracked a loose/lost dog by street, the sixth said “Caught him, he’s in my garage!” and the seventh said “Thanks so much everyone, he’s home now!”

I have a new favorite day: last week, I saw a posting for someone who was giving away a whole bunch of horse stuff. Not just crap, either – good stuff. Side reins, half chaps, saddle pads, selling a nice saddle for a great price.

Top of the list, though, the thing that caught my attention? A Nunn Finer Hunting Breastplate, cob sized, in black with nickel fittings. FREE.

I have wanted a breastplate for Tristan for years. I bought him one about five years ago, in a horse size, and it just swam on him – way too big.

I replied as soon as I saw the posting, waited with baited breath, and then got an email: “Sure, I’d be happy to get it to you – I think it will fit Tristan beautifully!”

Turns out the person giving it away rides at my barn, and recognized Tristan from my email profile picture! Small, small town.

I picked it up a week ago and it is in gorgeous shape, fits perfectly, and is exactly what I have wanted. The black will not match our XC/jumping saddle but I could not possibly care less.