# Online Tack Shops



## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

I'm not familiar with that one, but I've been buying tack online for 30 years, although they used hardcopy catalogs then. I don't know about buying a saddle online, but if you know the size of your horse's head, and the size of girths/cinches, the prices are often much better online than they are locally.


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## SouthernTrails (Dec 19, 2008)

suziecreamcheez said:


> Hi,
> 
> I was looking at online tack shops and found one on Facebook in my area of North Carolina. Has anyone made purchases from Blacksheep Gift & Tack in Roxboro, NC? If so, how was your experience? I'm kinda leery about buying tack that I can't see in person.


Only 1 or 2 Saddles they sell are reputable brands.

Showman and Double T along with a few of the Cheap Packaged Saddles are junk along with most of the Saddle Accessories they sell, stay away from that stuff, you and your Horse will be happier.

.


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

If they're in your area, why not go and visit the store in person?

SouthernTrails is right about the brands on their website... low quality. They may have other, better stuff in the store, or used saddles on consignment.

I've had good luck with buying tack, even saddles, online, but you need to know what the return policy is beforehand (also good to research the brand you're considering buying). Usually the bigger companies like SmartPak and Schneiders have better return policies than the smaller stores like the one in the OP, which doesn't even have its own URL or list its return policies.


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## Kay Armstrong (Jun 28, 2015)

Curious why you would choose a local / online retailer? I would say the idea of buying online would be to choose the item you want and find it at the least expensive place whether it be local or from another country. Is your question, where do most of us do our online shopping? In my case Ebay or Dover Saddlery.com


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## suziecreamcheez (Sep 28, 2015)

Thanks for all your advise. I did not order anything from this local shop, Blacksheep Gifts & Tack, & boy am I glad. Over the past month numerous customers posted that they had placed orders 30-90 days ago & have never received their merchandise. The business owner appears not be responding to communications & has deleted the customers' posts from Facebook.


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## Cowgirlway73 (Nov 30, 2015)

I purchased several items on July 2nd. I have never received my merchandise or my refund. The owner is Amy Lister Poteat. She has of course blocked me from any further contact. DO NOT PURCHASE FROM HER.


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## HunterEq95 (Jun 26, 2015)

I have never heard of them, but one online store I swear by is tacksolutions.shoprw.com. Everything I have bought from them looks better in person than on their Web site. They are affordable, but provide you with good quality used tack (and occasionally some new), and I've been a customer of theirs for five years now.


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## rideprosperously (Nov 19, 2015)

I am quite a traditionalist in terms of tack, I just have to walk in the shop physically and buy all riding equipment and tack. But I wonder if there's a definite advantage of online tack shops.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

rideprosperously said:


> I am quite a traditionalist in terms of tack, I just have to walk in the shop physically and buy all riding equipment and tack. But I wonder if there's a definite advantage of online tack shops.


There's an advantage in some things. For example, I live in the land of the tiny-headed QHs, Arabs, and TBs. My gelding is a draft cross who wears a draft-size halter and bridle. I can't just walk into the shop and grab something off the rack. There's only one store that has draft halters (and I don't like the style they have). Nowhere carries draft bridles or bigger sized bits. He needs a 6" if it's loose-ring or gag, 5.5" if it's a fixed-ring type. 

Case in point: there's a bit at my local CAL Ranch store that I loved. Another member on here has one and recommended it. I wasn't about to pay $50+ in the store. So, I started looking online. Horse.com had the same bit with one minor difference (regular stainless-steel mouthpiece instead of sweet iron). It even looked identical. It was $25 plus shipping. Ordered it and took it into CAL Ranch when it came in to compare quality. If you hadn't seen the tags, you would think they were the same bit.


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## HunterEq95 (Jun 26, 2015)

rideprosperously said:


> I am quite a traditionalist in terms of tack, I just have to walk in the shop physically and buy all riding equipment and tack. But I wonder if there's a definite advantage of online tack shops.


I am also pretty traditional when it comes to tack and Tack Solutions by Leslie has fit all of my needs. They have pretty much everything, and if they don't have what you're looking for they most likely will in the near future. They don't carry a lot of junk, and everything is a very reasonable price.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

HunterEq95 said:


> I am also pretty traditional when it comes to tack and Tack Solutions by Leslie has fit all of my needs. They have pretty much everything, and if they don't have what you're looking for they most likely will in the near future. They don't carry a lot of junk, and everything is a very reasonable price.


Tack Solutions by Leslie is literally about an hour and 45 minutes away from me...and I've never been there. :shock: lol They're another one who doesn't carry a lot of what I need, as far as sizes go. *le sigh*


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Check out Pelham saddlery. They produce exc videos of their saddles. Dover has what seems to be a good money back guarantee. Tent sale on right now.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> Tack Solutions by Leslie is literally about an hour and 45 minutes away from me...and I've never been there. :shock: lol They're another one who doesn't carry a lot of what I need, as far as sizes go. *le sigh*


"Tack Solutions"......what a blast from the past!

I used to go there all the time when we lived in Phoenix as it was very close to where we lived. This was back when it was on Cave Creek Road in a shopping center. I think it's on 32 Street now. It was originally owned by a guy (don't remember his name). 

Then I assume he sold it and it became "Tack Solutions by Leslie" in a different location. I've only been to the new location once, as we don't live in Phoenix anymore. They put it right next to "The Western Ranchman Store", a general tack and feed store, which I also loved. That was also one of my favorite haunts back in the early days (20 + years ago).

Tack Solutions was always a consignment type shop, so you never knew what would turn up, or at what price. I was always a bargain hunter. :wink:

As for actual _online_ tack stores, I really like Valley Vet and The Riding Warehouse. Those are my two favorites. Why buy online? Selection and price! Both are better online. I hardly buy tack locally since we live in the boonies. There are tack stores but the prices are high and the selection is poor. It's better to go online and get exactly what you want with no tax, free shipping and an almost unlimited selection.

Everyone wants you to "buy local" but I'm sorry, local is overpriced and never has a good selection. I would love to go into a tack store and find exactly what I want at a fair price, but alas, it is hard to do in a rural area.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

THR, Tack Solutions by Leslie does have an online store and they will ship. Tack Solutions


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## Rain Shadow (May 1, 2014)

trailhorserider said:


> Everyone wants you to "buy local" but I'm sorry, local is overpriced and never has a good selection. I would love to go into a tack store and find exactly what I want at a fair price, but alas, it is hard to do in a rural area.


THIS^^^^

I always feel bad for not supporting the local tack store, but their prices are ridiculous. 

My local store wanted $29 for a Weaver Nylon Halter. I can get that same exact halter for $22 at Jefffers, with a much larger range of colors and in Arabian size, which my local store doesn't carry. I can't find any Arabian sized things local. 

Even feed at my local store is ridiculous. I hate to shop at TSC but there prices are so much better. 

A 40lb bag of Timothy hay pellets is $19 there. When I can get the same amount of $14.99 at TSC. $4 dollars is a huge difference! Strategy is $23 a bag and TSC sells it for about $16. I also find since smaller stores don't have the same turnover rate, that I've ended up with more bags of 'off' feed. Not bad necessarily but very dusty and just musky smelling. 

A round bale of hay from the store is $85 for a 800lb bale. From the biggish hay dealer I can get a 1000lb bale for $60.

I just can't afford to shop local. Online or TSC it has to be.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Man, I can second all of the above. I often buy from Dover-there are tack shops closer to me, but I am /easily/ paying 150% of the price that I see online. If I need something IMMEDIATELY it's worth it, otherwise I'll just wait for it to be shipped to me.


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## jgnmoose (May 27, 2015)

Two things.

For ordinary tack like halters, lead ropes, blankets etc. I actually prefer going to local auctions. You can save a lot of money on decent gear that way. In my area a guy comes down to Bowie TX every month with a boat load of decent stuff that goes pretty cheap. I suggest looking for something similar in your area.

For new western gear I recommend nrsworld.com and for saddles I'm a (heavily biased) fan of straydogsaddles.com for saddles made by Gene Bader.

For english which I know very little about, equestriancollections.com has good deals from what I hear.


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