Inventory and Dispersal: The Art of Being "Tack"ful

One Person's Tack is Another Person's Treasure

For many of us, the cold winter months mean no riding and give us a lot of down time as we await the arrival of spring. Aside from the everyday care that we provide our horses, there is still an important and possibly profitable task we can undertake while we are in our winter hibernation – inventory of our tack.

Throughout our years of horse ownership and riding many of us have amassed an arsenal (some larger than others) of horse tack and related tools. The winter months are a good time to go through our cache of horsey gidgets and gadgets, clean them up, and assess if these items are something we still need or ones we could sell and make a little cash.

Organize and Categorize

Once you have located and cleaned your tack, group and list the items categorically by type of equipment and whether or not you intend to keep the item or disperse it. For items that you intend to keep, assemble and group them as needed (bits, stirrups, girths, etc.). If there is a certain bit you like to use on a particular headset or stirrups that look better on your saddle, assemble them prior to returning them to storage. Make note of items that you may need to repair and/or replace and plan to address this some time prior to the arrival of spring.

Selling Online

Within the cyber world, there are many online venues upon which we can offer for sale (or even trade) these pieces of horse memorabilia that have outlived their necessity for us but may be considered treasure by others.

For those items you wish to sell, decide on your selling price, take pictures showing detail, with measurements if appropriate, and post them onto such social networks as Craigslist, Ebay, Facebook, etc. If you are unsure of an asking price, search online for similar items from folks in your area to see what they are asking for their goods. You can then price yours accordingly.

When listing items for sale online, you generally have the option of choosing how you wish to be contacted, either via phone or (proxy) email. A good and accurate description of your item accompanied with photos will garner the most attention from those perusing the ads. Photos are a big plus when placing an online sales ad.

Once you have been contacted by an interested buyer and you have vetted them accordingly, you can discuss the logistics of exchanging the item and payment. Words to the wise: Never accept personal checks and beware of possible scams.

Consignment Programs

Selling online can be a profitable venture. However, if you’re unfamiliar with the process or just don’t have the time to take it on, take a look at consigning your saddle. Horse Saddle Shop has a great consignment program that you can learn more about here. They take care of the cleaning, marketing, and money transfer so you don’t have to deal with any of it.

It is amazing the interest even the most basic of items may receive in an online ad. You may possibly have many items others do indeed want and will be willing to purchase.

Once your items have been sold, delete your ads or mark them as sold, accordingly, then count your money and determine what new horsey item you are going to buy with your new found funds.


Happy trails!


By: Darlene M. Cox (kyhomeagain@gmail.com)