Bargain hunters paradise!

I recently found a bit for my horse. It is on it's way as we speak and I am excited about it. I am having the neighbor make a bridle for me and need to get the measurements over to him, show him what I want and get a price, but for the most part I just haven't gotten there yet...

Another poster on another blog I frequent was asking where I found it? She is looking for a similar bit, but a different size for her horse. Tack Trader is a treasure trove for horse people. All sorts of stuff, giant place to find anything and everything under the sun in just about every size, shape, brand and price you can think of.

I love looking for bargains. I love finding one and scoring a great deal on one even more. If someone else needs something and I can point them in the right direction of where to find it- just as good! So I posted in the comments for her to contact me, let me know what she's after and I would see what I could find and send her some links.

A lot of horse people already know about every tack store in their area within a reasonable distance- say a 40 mile range. They know which stores carry the stuff that is cheaply priced, because it is cheaply made, the stores with high prices on big brand names, low prices on big brands and so on. Horse people can be a fickle, less than loyal bunch too. We will shop where we get the best deal and lowest price on what we want. If we want something, we are on a constant lookout to find it.

For any newcomers or those unfamiliar with where to find things for your horse I figured today's post would be a good way for the rest of us to share. Almost like a recipe exchange or tack exchange if you will. A place to list some of the smaller businesses and shops where you find stuff, that's off the beaten path. Places others may not know of to look. Feel free to post a clicky link or the web address and a brief line or six about what they have that you like.

Besides Tack Trader, there is a whole host of other online places to shop. Some people prefer eBay, but I just have not found the time to find stuff there, let alone watch the bidding or remain on the lookout for similar items... I know there is a way to auto bid, up to a set price and all that, but I just can't get into it.

Craigslist is another place to find bargains, but you have to be on almost a daily alert, searching through a ton of ads and look through the assortment of all kinds of things to find what you really want. There is an abundance of good, bad and otherwise on there, just like everywhere else.

Many of us know about all of the "Biggies",
Schneider's, (sstack dot com)
Smart Pak Equine,
State Line Tack,
Libertyville Saddle Shop,
Jeffers Vet Supply,
Valley Vet,
Farm Tek,
Horse.com which used to be Country Supply
Chicks Saddlery

and then when you get into discipline specific there is a whole bunch more to be found.
Dressage Extensions and Dover Saddlery for English riders comes to mind for me...

But there are a whole bunch more out there to be found. Just Bridles, thanks to Cattypex posting that in the comments. EQ Tack is one I just found and will have to go back for another closer look at some things...

Horse Tack Co. has a number of products and items in their closeout section and regularly on sale. Equestrian International is another good one. I found breeches there for schooling for around $20 and a helmet for around $30. Note to Candy's Girl- I forgot about these two the other day in the email.)

Then there is Greenhawk Harness & Equestrian out of Canada- they have just about Everything- Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing tack, western, English, etc. They had leather field boots with the full zippers up the back once for around $65. Of course I was broke at the time!

Smith Brothers,
Teskey's and
South Texas Tack come to mind for the western crowd...

So pick your link and click away all you want, just don't run your bank account into complete, dismal oblivion if you can't restrain yourself... I have gotten to the phase where I know what I have, who it fits and where to find replacements if I should need them... See what you guys can come up with to fill in the blanks. Please leave the credit cards out of it...