First, let me start by saying that I detest the term "
bling". It has wormed its way into our vocabulary and even into our dictionaries. Worse still, it has wormed its way onto our tack. Now, I have no problem at all with some silver embellishment on show tack. Tastefully done, it can really make your horse stand out in a class. Tastelessly done however, it can make your horse look like some sort of beauty pageant reject. I have seen in my recent browsing of tack stores and eBay, an increasing amount of tack that is completely encrusted in rhinestones. I do not mind a few, say, on a
browband. However, the things I have found would blind a judge from the glare of the arena lights reflecting off of them. They come in wild colors and on every piece of tack imaginable. It looks like some deranged person has attacked it with a Be-Dazzler. For your amazement and viewing pleasure I present (put on your sunglasses)....
Wow, really? Honestly, would YOU wear either pair of these in a World Show class?
Oh, here we have not only rhinestones, but purple ostrich leather as well...
Here is one with rhinestones and rawhide braiding...
I also found these gems...
Man, my eyes hurt.
I would rally like that last bridle you have up there. If it didn't have the rhinestones. I really don't get why everyone is attracted to them. To me it looks like something a pre-teen would put on their horse.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit... I actually really like the braided rawhide/rhinestone one... I think it's really cute and not really all that tacky....
ReplyDeleteI don't like the spurs at all and could never bring myself to even own them. And I have some really fancy old brass spurs with black and silver spur straps, they are onl;y worn with my old west style gear for parades.
ReplyDeleteI have some pretty fancy bridles but I done't like colored leather. I have a couple of those with the cable brow and side straps that are covered with beads. I use them when ever I fell the need to have a fancy bridle on my gelding. He doesn't care. I have 2 nylon bridles with fancy gold piping and trim for using with my Medieval gear and they are flashy. So far though I have not found one with rhinestones or crystals that catches my attention, they are just too guady most of the tijme or the wrong color.
LOVE your blog! Give me more!
ReplyDeleteI will admit there are three pink rhinestones on the outside of my POW spurs, BUT I only bought them because they were on clearance, AND I wear jeans when I ride so nobody knows but me. They're my dirty blingy little secret!
Hey, I understand, there are some pieces of tacky tack that I have seen that I thought might be fun just to have. Mind you not to use in a show, but to ride around with. There is one bridle that has insets of leopard print cowhide (they are teeny) that I like. I have an odd penchant for leopard print though.
ReplyDeleteSparkle is FUN....not necessarily to show in, just FUN!!
ReplyDeleteI like that last bridle, but I hope those stones are rimset, because they won't last if they are just glued on.
Pink works if you have a *girly* mare (and I do), not so much, say, on a black gelding.
I would never have put pink on my grey gelding.....he was strictly a *purple* boy.....LOL......
lol at the spurs! Those are quite gaudy... But I'm sure they're selling like hotcakes. I had a friend that got plain silver belt buckles and added rhinestones to them. Even the ones that you buy in the store, the rhinestones all fall off after a while!
ReplyDeleteIs nice normal leather tack so wrong?
-Caly
http://craftyequine.blogspot.com
oh man. tacky tack!
ReplyDeleteI like silver, but i REALLY dislike little gems and color!
I do have spurs that have little tiny gems inlaid on the sides but there are only 3 teeny ones on each spur. Sorry about the blingy little secret. These are horrible though...
ReplyDelete"Sorry I just think I went blind from looking at your spurs"
And people wonder why their horses spook...
I know some of these tack sets are gaudy but they aren’t always used for show I do games and also performance and I have nice silver tack for show and for games I have very binged out tack... so I think it just depends on what type of discipline you ride.
ReplyDeletei like the last headstall
ReplyDeletethese items are mostly for barrel racing, not to do pleasure with, you have to realize that when were runnin our patterns we like to be flashy. our horses dont have to be perfectly put together like a prim and proper pleasure horse, we want to be unique and in the event that we do get a fast time our horses look good while doin it(; i have a beautiful bling tack set thats not tacky at all, it goes great with my horse and with what i show in, everyone compliments me on it. so before you say "bling is tacky", would you rather be blingy than boring? i would.
ReplyDeleteWhere can I find the The bridle pictured with the breast collar that is wrapped with raw hide? I have the Breast Collar and have searched everywhere and cannot find a Bridle to match.
ReplyDelete