Goodbye, Libertyville Saddle Shop

I just got an email that the Libertyville Saddle Shop in Libertyville, IL is going out of business. They are closing up shop and liquidating their inventory. Here is the ad: Libertyville Saddle Shop store closing

I'm kind of bummed about this. I always liked that shop. I've never been to the actual store but I enjoyed their catalog and have ordered many items from them in the past. At one time I even had a line of store credit with them! They always had a unique selection of tack and items that you just couldn't find anywhere else. They also had very reasonable and competitive pricing.

I will miss their catalog and it feels like one more door closing on my horsey past. If any of you are in the Libertyville, IL area, check out their liquidation sale and give this great saddle shop some business for the last time.

And for those of you who might remember Miller's Harness Company, I just learned one of their founders has passed away about a month ago. Joseph Miller, Who Sold Horse Tack to the Well-Heeled, Dies at 93 I remember Miller's in their heyday. Back in the day, my local tack shop, "The Saddle Shop" owned by a man named Bernie Cohen (and now also just a memory) always carried the latest from Miller's line. I never got to visit Miller's Manhattan store (but I did go to Kaufmann's a few times during college) but I have heard it was worth the visit.

Video may not have killed the radio star but the internet and the economy sure have beaten up the local equestrian retailer. At least I still have Beval Saddlery. Their Gladstone store is my Mecca.

Micklem Multibridle - I'm Intrigued

I've been checking these out online for a while now and find them interesting. I found out very quickly that Rugby is not easy to fit to a bridle. Only one of Monty's bridles could be made to fit him and I've had to buy a new bridle in Oversize for a better fit. I now have an oversized flat leather hunt bridle and a black, raised leather flash nosed dressage bridle. I've been selling tack like crazy on Ebay to clean house. None of my bits fit either, Rugby wears a 6 inch mouth and all the bits I have are 5" or 5-1/4" mouth bits. I'm keeping a few of the "classic" styles of these smaller bits but most of the other stuff I've collected is also moving on Ebay.

Rugby has a very wide jowl, he has a warmblood to draft sized browband, warmblood crownpiece and needs a warmblood noseband. He has a smallish mouth and though he needs a 6" bit, I'm not convinced he's really comfortable with a bit. The only style bit that works well on him is the 3 piece mouth Sprenger type bits.

So, new horse has meant many changes in the tack room as well. Since I've got a little extra money from selling my smaller tack, I'm very tempted to buy one of these Micklem bridles. I'm intrugued by it's multiple features and that it can be bitless or bitted. The new "Competition" style is more streamlined but has less features, such as the noseband ring for lunging (which I don't think I'd be using much anyway).

I've been reading anything I can find about it by people who've used it. There seem to be discussions both for and against, as I expected, but it seems to be more in favor of the results from using it. I wish there was a tack shop nearby that had a "loaner" model that I could test first.

I've posted some links below for further reading about this new bridle and if anyone reading has used one I'd enjoy hearing your experience with it.

Micklem Multibridle

Bitless Forum - Micklem Bridles

Forum Discussion - Micklem Multibridle

Should Bitless Bridles be Allowed in USEF Competitions?

Video - Fitting the Micklem Bridle

And here's a "Friday Funny" for you that I just came across! "Yeah. He's the best horse in all of Europe." LOLL!!

Too Much Tack

Like the children's book series, "I Spy", you can look in my tack locker at the barn where I board and see how many hidden things you can find:

2 rolls of masking tape
A pair of white rubber bit guards
A baker plaid girth cover
My portable saddle rack

So, when I said I have way too much tack in my last "10 things about me" post, you can see I wasn't kidding! And this is only the stuff I can fit in my assigned locker at the barn! All boarders in my barn get a locker. The barn owner does not like tack trunks in the aisle, he feels they are a safety hazard, so this is what you have to work with. And this is only the tip of the iceberg. After 35+ years of owning/riding/showing/training horses I have my show trunk at home, a wall full of bits and bridles in the basement and 3 more trunks in the attic with blankets, coolers, wraps and God knows what else.

Some of my favorite horse stuff is my 5/A Baker saddle pad, my O'Halloran Co. black watch plaid saddle pad, Monty's Beval show bridle, the hand made beaded browband on my schooling bridle and that silly blue bit Monty just got from Santa. Ebay has only made it worse, I love hunting for bargains and I have found some sweet goodies on Ebay. I've sold stuff there too, but it never evens out. I always collect more than I sell.

And I know I'm not the only one. You know it too. So c'mon, lets share the details. How much stuff have you accumulated?

Tack of the Day - shopping

While we are all in shopping mode this time of year, It's always fun to see, "what's out there", especially on the web. Here's a great, fun site that changes their featured bargain every day. It's Tack of the Day.com. Every day at noon EST they change the featured item and bonus item and some of the bargains are excellent. It's hosted by my other favorite place to shop, Bit of Britain.com, whom I highly recommend for variety of merchandise, great website and super helpful and friendly staff.

My Happy Horse!

Monty was the lucky winner of a huge gift basket of assorted horse treats! The West Hills Saddlery, a new tack shop that just opened in my area had a grand opening day. There were horse and carriage rides, raffles, lunch and just a fun time meeting other local horse lovers. I was the winner of a huge treat basket! Monty has always loved his goodies and now my usually happy beastie is VERY happy!

Many thanks to Diane and the West Hills Saddlery! We wish you all the best of luck with the new shop! If any of the readers of my blog are in the West Hills area of Long Island, look up the shop and stop by!