Take your Tack Room to the next level

There are a few very quick and easy ways to get your tack room in order and take it to the next level in organisation and storage. We have a few ideas for you below:

1. de clutter – always start with this. The feeling once you have had a good clear out is immense, plus you have less stuff to store and more space for the equipment you do need to keep.

2. Organise – group thing together for storage and ease of use. Put the things you use most at the front and seasonal/ out of use items at the back, or up high.

3. Invest  – in matching storage solutions, this is the easiest way to get your tack room looking on point. Matching storage unifies and looks so smart. For the perfect place to begin check out the starter kits.

4. Label – That way you can easily see where everything is and quickly find the items you need.

For help with getting your tack room sorted and working for you, head over to the website and check out our 21 day tidying system and for storage ideas look at the starter kits.

Don’t forget to look at the beautiful wooden tack room range too.

As always we are here to help, so please do get in touch if you need any assistance getting your tack room organised.

Cassie xox

This is one of my favorite things to do. I absolutely love moving everything in and seeing my vision come together. However at times the initial design i had planned does need to be tweaked, as sometimes when everything is in you realise that you can change it a bit to better maximise the space.

So the things to bare in mind are:

Saddle racks – these take up a lot of room and you also need to take into account the height. If you have spare saddles that you don’t use often look at putting some saddle racks up high out of the way, with these spare saddles on. The saddles you use regularly think about how easy it is for you to get to them – i have a bad back so having lower saddle racks and lifting the saddles up off them works much better for me, however you may find it easier to have the higher racks, this is something you are going to be doing daily, sometimes more, so make sure it is the right height to be comfortable for you.

Bridle hooks – i am a huge fan of keeping the bridles seperate to the saddles. This is because i use different bits for different dicaplines, so in stead of swoppping bits all the time i have seperate bridles. So i like all my bridles and headcollars hung up together seperate from the saddles. That way i can easily mix and match the equipment depending on what im doing that day in my riding. I also like them seperate from the saddles because i like to hang my brisles at eye heigh and then get a shelf above for tack cleaning kit and spare bits, as well as my hats. That way if im lunging or hand walking i have all that kit to hand, and i dont need to go near the saddle racks.

Doorways – make sure these are clear with moving room either side of the entryway. Take into account things like being able to fully open the door and prop it back if needed, getting in tack trolleys and trunks as well as lockers and tack packs. You dont want to start packing to go away and find out you can’t get your luggage into your tack room.

Lights – make sure you have easy access to lights for changing the bulbs etc, plus make sure there is clearance for things like fliniging a saddlecloth over a saddle or rack, it might seem inconsiquential but if you wack a tube light they do tend to shatter and you and everythign else gets showered with glass – this is not only dangerous, but also an absolute pain to tidy up, and ther is a large chance of saddles etc getting scratched by the glass.

Heaters and dehumidifiers – if you are using plug in equipment makes sure there is space around a socket and also the equipment itself when in use. Direct heat is really bad for leather and drys it out – leading to cracks and breakages, so make sure any heat source is away from tack and other leather items.

Windows – make sure materials items such as saddlecloths and rugs, hat silks and back protectors are stored away from direct sunlight. As overtime sunlight can break down the waterproofing on rugs as well as cause faded patches on materials. Also in summer direct sunlight coming in through glass can get extremely hot and cause things like glues and adhesives to melt, this can lead to safety equipment such as riding hats and back protectors being compromised.

Shelving and cupboards – The biggest thing with these is making sure you have enough surrounding space to fully open doors and also pull things off of shelves. Make sure you put the shelving in first before hanging or adding in any saddle racks or other fixtures, there is nothing worse than having a shelf that is blocked in and you can’t get the kit off it. Remember to allow yourself room to be able to stand in front of the shelves or cupboards too. Depending on your set up you will need to consider if you want built in fixed storage or movable free standing storage. If you are going for the fixed type, make sure you measure and measure again, also tape out the area on the floor before committing and make sure you have the space in your tack room, as finding out too late leads to a very expensive way of getting things sorted out. With free standing storage you have the ability to change and move your tack room as you need to.

Seasonal items – i love to have a place that is out of the way to store seasonal items. My go to choice is shelving up high, that way i can pack away all of my winter rugs and pop them up on a shelf out of the way, until next winter. It is the same for all those summer items such as fly rugs and hoods, fly sprays turnout boots etc. This is a great way to maximise your space in the tack room and not be constantly sifting through things you don’t need, to find the things you do need.

Don’t forget to sign up to the email list to be kept up to date with more tack room storage and organisational ideas and products.

Cassie xox

As the weather begins to turn and the days get shorter now is the time to take a look at your tack room and put some measures in place to get it winter ready. By creating a more efficient tack room you will save yourself time, minimise stress and generally make life much easier. Especially on those dark mornings and evenings when it freezing cold and raining.

The first thing to do is have a big clear out and get rid of anything you don’t need. Now if you haven’t got a spare half a day to do this its no problem. Simply segregate your tack room into different areas and do one at a time. For example spend an hour decluttering your shelves, then next time go through the rug box etc its amazing what you can achieve in a short amount of time. Put an alarm on your phone, give yourself an hour and go for it. In a few days it will all be done.

Get rid of anything you no longer need/want. Any equipment in good working order can be sold on or given to a charity, other items such as rugs etc that are not usable can still be re purposed. For example cut off straps and keep as spares, cut the fabric into squares for future repairs etc.

Once the are has been decluttered separate out the things you only use in the summer, for example fly rugs, masks, fly spray. These items can be stored in an out of the way place on the top shelf or at the bottom of the storage box, somewhere they won’t be in the way everyday.

Next get all the items you will be using regularly through winter – turnout rugs, stable rugs, hoods, mud fever boots/creams, overreach boots, bibs, stable wraps/bandages, saddle covers, rain sheets, walker rugs, coats, wellies and Hi Viz equipment

Check all of the items and make sure they are ready to go and not damaged. It is also good to check that rugs are still waterproof – do this by pouring a small amount of water over them, the water should bead and sit on top of the rug. If the water is absorbed into the rug, then it is not waterproof and needs reproofing. Remember to check straps and binding too.

Decide where you will drying rugs and make sure that area is clear and ready for use. Ideas on how to dry rugs can be found here. Put stable rugs in the appropriate place in or around the stable, and also remember to put out any wraps or bandages.

Put saddle covers onto saddles and place rain sheets in an easy to grab location. Make sure your wellies are good to go and again put them in an easy to reach location.

Remember to give your grooming kit a clean out and make sure you have good brushes for mud removal, now is also a good time to check the vet kit and make sure its all up to date and fully stocked. You can find more information on what to include in your vet kit here. Move any medication that cannot get cold to a warm place. Update feeding charts if you are changing or increasing feed/hay.

If you have any tack you are not going to be using over the winter be sure to store it away properly and check it regularly for damp and mould. The next blog will give you more ideas for storing tack over the winter.

If you are getting ready to clip make sure your blades are sharp and your clippers are working. Also get any mud fever treatment creams etc to the front of a shelf at eye height, or add to your grooming box/bag so they are easy to access on a daily basis.

Make sure you have spare light bulbs for the tack room and a working torch in a handy place if the tack room lights do need changing in the dark. A head torch is a very good investment.

Finally check all your contact details are up to date and make sure you book in any Christmas grooms cover that is needed, and get hay and bedding deliverers and muck heap removal all booked in.

If you have any hints or tips of your own please share them with us.

Cassie xox

Are you looking for ways to quickly and easily improve the look, feel and function of your tack room? 
We have a 3 incremental upgrades you can make, that will help get you on the way to your dream tack room with minimal effort and expenditure.

1. Switch to wooden saddle racks – these not only look amazing they are actually better for your saddle to sit on, as they distribute the weight evenly and prevent the flocking from being pushed out of place. With a variety on the market, there are ones to suit all tastes and budgets.

2. Use matching storage bags – these are a great way to quickly and easily organise and store all your kit. Plus they look great and really help you to put your stamp on your tack room and let your personality show through.

3. Dust and decobweb – its the job none of us enjoy, but it is also one of the most rewarding. Your tack room will look so go after a good dust and decobweb. It will help to make the place feel brighter and cleaner. Plus dust is really, really bad for leather – it dries it out. So limiting dust in the tack room not only improves the look, but it also lengthens the life span of your kit.

Try these ideas and let us know how you get on – we are sure you will feel a big improvement not just in your tack room but in yourself as well.

Cassie xox