Investing in a tack box or tack trunk is a proud moment for any show horse rider. It feels like the mark of a true contestant. Tack trunks can last for a whole riding career, and even be passed down, so they are fun and important investments. However, once you have studied and compared trunks, then finally purchased the perfect one, the next step is to figure out what to put in it and what to leave out. You have so much room for your accessories and equipment, but certainly not unlimited room. How can you best utilize the space you now have? To help you decide, below are listed the three top DIY tack trunk videos you can find on youtube, as well as the most innovative and unique items mentioned in each one.
The highlight of Keelari’s video is all of the organizational aids she includes in her tack truck. First off, she has a stall front storage bag, which is a large bag that can be hung over the stall and can hold several blankets and towels. In addition, there are smaller pockets inside the larger bag for cleaning supplies, braiding supplies, brushes, or whatever is needed. She also includes a bridle hanger and a bridle hook. The bridle hanger is for storing the bridles, and the hook is for cleaning them. Deciding to keep clean and dirty bridles separate is a great idea during shows. She also shows off her collapsible water bucket, which zips up small enough that it hardly takes up any room in the tack box but holds plenty of water. In fact, the more equipment you can find that is collapsible or foldable, the more space your tack trunk will have and the more organized it will look. Finally, she keeps bucket straps in her tack trunk as well, to hang buckets in the stall. Keelari’s trunk is great for keeping a nice-looking, organized stall, which is always helpful during a show.
Ellesse is excellent at making sure her tack trunk is well stocked with homeopathic supplements and natural solutions for her horse’s health. She uses Traumeel to help her horse feel its best for shows. Traumeel is a natural, homeopathic treatment for inflammation, muscle aches, sports injury pains, sprains, or arthritis, and can be administered topically, orally, or through an injection. She also keeps an infrared laser with her to target and relieve inflammation. The girth pad, to provide a cushion of air between the saddle and the horse’s back, as well as the gel message pad. Ultimately, your horse’s health and comfort is the most important thing for a show, so it’s worth researching supplements and solutions to help your horse feel its best. And if you can find environmentally friendly, all natural solutions, all the better.
This rider does especially well with keeping a well-stocked lunging kit in her tack trunk. Her lunging kit includes a lunging line for training as well as a surcingle to stabilize the rider’s weight. In addition, she keeps a chambone, which she says is very effective for building great lunging horses and can be quite comfortable and helpful for the horse if used correctly and gently. Her grooming kit also includes clippers and smaller face trimmers, and an extension cord for last minute grooming before shows. In addition, she keeps oils on hand to maintain her clippers. Her kit is clearly organized into several different kits based on their function the types of shows they are used for, which is an excellent idea for keeping your tack box well-organized and user-friendly.
The videos above include lots of other excellent ideas for stocking your tack trunks in addition to the ones included above. It’s difficult to know where to start when you are preparing your trunk, or perhaps more importantly, when to stop. However, these videos should give you a good idea of what other experienced riders are bringing to shows.
Image Credit: Dennis Jarvis / Flickr