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Monday, February 23, 2009

In a Barbie World

Today, I bring to you a group of saddles that look more like they belong on Barbie's mount than on a real horse. I will say, I DO NOT like pink, period. I am of the opinion that pink tack ought to be banned, just to prevent the embarrassment of thousands of geldings and stallions worldwide. I used to volunteer at a Equine Assisted Therapy barn where this one poor fellow had hot pink SMBs. He looked so embarrassed every time we put them on. He was a 16.2 hand TB who was no sissy. I felt so bad every time I tacked him up.


For our first selection we have a lovely (sarcasm) roping saddle. It is a synthetic, which in itself is not a bad thing, it is the screaming pink color that offends me.





Then we have a couple of not-too terrible saddles with pink accents. These are tolerable, though I could do without the pink corner accents on the first one.










Now, here is another synthetic, with fake ostrich print leather accents and hearts. Yuck.





Next is possibly the most horrendous pink beast I have ever seen. The ENTIRE saddle is dyed (painted) pink. The silver spots all over it are a lovely addition as well. It looks like a cheap piece of junk with cardboard leather too. The color is not consistent on the saddle, looks like it had a horrible incident with a bottle of Pepto-Bismol. Blech.






I will leave you with some more of my finds that are also victims of the Pepto explosion.






Wow, and it has sparkly "Ghetto-flage" accents too.








This one is also not so bad. The seat being the only thing on it that is pink. It looks well made too.
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13 comments:

  1. SusanFebruary 23, 2009 at 8:10 AM

    Personally, I LOATHE pink, but when it comes to "colored" tack, I find it is not so much the color, but the quality of the vast majority of these pieces that is shocking. It's like they use blinding shades to try to distract from the fact that the leather is crap, the symmetry is off, the construction is poor, etc.

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  2. MalaureeFebruary 23, 2009 at 8:29 AM

    I have to admit... I have a HOT PINK Abetta saddle... It was a gift from my grandmother when I was learning how to ride. I got it 12 or so years ago. I still have it. It is the ONLY piece of hot pink tack I will EVER own. But I have to admit, it is a VERY comfortable saddle. And I make sure to only put it on my mare! >.<


    Saddle is VERY similar to this one. Only in hot pink.

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  3. Diane I.February 23, 2009 at 8:32 AM

    Camo is supposed to disguise you. Where in Nature would pink camo help you hide???? LOL....

    I also don't get lining the stirrups in a color obviously not suitable for muddy/dirty/manur-y boots.

    Pink is a hard color to use. You really need a girly-girl mare.....a princess who doesn't want to get her feet wet. A diva, who expects to have staff.

    Just thinking about a gorgeous dapple pally mare a friend owns.....SO not girly-girl. If you put anything pink on her, she'd probably eat you for breakfast.....ROF......

    Last one isn't too bad......but I liked the mermaid saddle more.......

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  4. AmbiFebruary 23, 2009 at 8:43 AM

    Ugh, that pink English ensemble with the pad, girth, and bridle...

    I don't even like nylon halters, let alone nylon bridles. I used to ride a mare who hated anything touching her face, and if it was anything other than butter-soft leather, she'd toss and toss. That pink abomination would NOT fly.

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  5. AnonymousFebruary 23, 2009 at 9:10 AM

    Is it wrong that I like those? Call me little miss gaudy but I like bright colors as long as you keep them out of the show ring. I'd also like to mention that I like putting my pink flamingo saddle pad on geldings.

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  6. DigitSisFebruary 23, 2009 at 10:27 AM

    Many, many moons ago (like 25 years) someone came out with pink and purple halters. Ugly but I bought one for each horse. You see my green and blue and brown halters kept being 'borrowed' and never returned. No one ever borrowed the pink and purple ones and I never had to go looking for my halters.

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  7. AnonymousFebruary 23, 2009 at 1:24 PM

    I have to confess I love pink and could totally see myself in the 2nd pink roping saddle (pink seat and inside stirrups). Would I actually part with green papery stuff for it? Uh, no. I did buy a hot pink and purple striped lunge line. Never gets lost. Ever. LOL if anyone borrows it, it's returned SO fast.

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  8. Katharine SwanFebruary 23, 2009 at 6:12 PM

    Yuck! The picture of the horse in the pink halter looks SO OVER IT, doesn't she (or he, probably)?

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  9. Diane I.February 23, 2009 at 6:54 PM

    Slytherinquoll.....where did you find a flamingo pad????

    I have a blue one with pink flying pigs, a tan one with monkeys, a green one with multi-colored frogs on it.......

    I need a flamingo pad!!!!

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  10. Heidi the HickFebruary 23, 2009 at 9:43 PM

    I love pink. Actually it used to be my least favourite until I had a breakdown and now I love it. Brains are so unexplainable.

    I love pink tack too! My little red roan Appaloosa mare has pink saddle pads and looks so pretty in it. (My 12 year old son has been assured that when it's his turn to ride, he gets the more manly blue and grey stuff.)

    What I hate is crap cheapness.

    I really like that last saddle. I would ride the heck outta that one.

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  11. TempestRoseFebruary 23, 2009 at 9:53 PM

    My problem is not so much with the tack (although it IS ugly) but with the small spoiled children I see demanding the newest color from their parents. One particular memorable trip I took to a tack shop involved wading through hordes of pony club girls, one of which (who was about 12)had SET HER HEART on a HOT PINK saddle-bridle-blanket combo (I don't remember the price tag exactly but I believe it was in the ballpark of $5000) The parents said no, but then proceeded to secretly have the shop keeper wrap it up as a "little surprise". When the girl came back to check on her beloved new infatuation and the shop keeper had moved it she nearly had a melt down. sigh -_-
    As for me I'll ride the horse and skip the rest. (turns out owning a horse is a lot cheaper my way too!)

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  12. a beautiful disasterMarch 1, 2009 at 7:46 AM

    i agree that the saddles are heinous, but i have to take issue with your no pink on geldings...i was recently the gracious recipient of a pile of polo wraps from someone else at my barn, including full sets of pink and purple. now, my (16.1 hh TB) gelding is exceptionally clumsy, and i wrap all 4 legs every ride, and they wraps are dirty within a day or two. i also have laundry machine issues so...needless to say i will put any wraps on him regardless of color. personally i though the combined pink/purple easter egg look was just adorable. i also have a pink and brown mesh cooler that i bought for the mare i leased before him, and it fits so i see no need for replacement. can i be forgiven if it is more a matter of economics than "fashion"?

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  13. BarrelsaddleMarch 1, 2009 at 2:28 PM

    Brand new blogger here and enjoying it! Hello!

    Although I'm not a pink fan either, it looks awesome on my black mare for barrelracing. Looking at the pics, I noted that several were refered to as roping saddles...is that because the horn is wrapped? Many saddles are mistaken for roping saddles because of the horn wrap when they're really not. If the manufacturer listed them as roping saddles then they either are 1) stupid, 2)apathetic to their customers, or 3) just plain out ignorant to what they are buying from China. There is absolutely no way anyone in their right mind would rope in a synthetic saddle! The others look more like trail, barrel or pleasure saddles than ropers! But to each his own and when the poor "cowboy" is being drug down the arena after their nylon saddle broke, I hope he will rethink his next saddle purchase for his impending roping career or just maybe even get a clue and get out of roping all together. By the way, I also have worked in a tack shop for years and do know the difference between types of saddles, even if they are mislabled. We currently have a pink camo saddle set (breastcollar, saddle and pad) AND a green camo set for sale in our store. We also have blue (yes BLUE) and brown gator skin-look saddles for sale. It's unbelieveable WHAT people will buy sometimes.....

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