1.	Shop online for tack deals!  See "Best Bargain Sites" on the menu bar to the left for several affordable sites.
2.	Toothpaste is wonderful for cleaning white stirrup pads and will also shine silver bits, stirrups. and buckles.
3.	Glycerine soap can often be found at supermarkets and is great for cleaning tack.
4.	Keep your tack clean, as well taken care of tack will easily last decades.
5.	A good quality saddle will pay for itself over time.  Cheap saddles are often uncomfortable for both the horse and the rider. If you can't afford a new saddle - look for a well taken care of used saddle (see Pelham Saddlery or St Croix Saddlery for a huge English selection. Western Riders check out Horse Saddle Shop), or buy a quality synthetic saddle.  Avoid cheap leather saddles!
6.	Cheap waterproof sleeping bags can be turned into a blanket.  Remove the zipper and cut out a semi-circle for the neck.  Stitch around the edge and add binding up the middle of the back.  Use big strips of velcro for across the chest, under the belly, and the legs.  (If you have done this, please send us a photo!)
7.	If you have rusted stainless steel bits or stirrups, soak them in a bowl of vinegar for several days to dissolve the rust. Rinse thoroughly before using.
8.	When storing winter blankets, use a Space Bag to save space and keep out bugs. They are reuseable and can be brought out year after year.
9.	If you have an electric tooth brush lying around that you never use - use it to clean your bridle!  With a little bit of saddle soap and water, it will do a great job of getting in deep around the stitching.
10.	For a sheepskin saver for western saddles, rather than buying an expensive custom made piece, buy an ordinary sheepskin from a fabric store, cut a hole in it for the horn and just place it on the saddle.
11.	Wash a white saddle pad with a dishwashing tablet to really bring out the white. Follow up with ordinary detergent and rinse well to prevent irritation.
12.	If your saddle is prone to slipping whether back and forth or side to side, you can stick a wet shammy (the kind you dry your car with) underneath the saddle pad to hold the saddle in place.  Just wet it, wring it out and place on the horse's back.  Rinse out after each use.  First make sure the saddle fits the horse as an impoperly fitted saddle can cause the horse pain!
13.	Wood oil can be used to condition your tack. And it's very cheap in the grocery stores.
14.	White vinegar can be used for a deep cleaning of moldy leather products. It will kill all mold spores. Vinegar will also remove buildup and stickiness.
15.	We use the EzAll Horse Washing system with our horses because, as you know, sweat and dirt are a problem here in the summer. But another great use for the EzAll is to keep fly sheets clean throughout the summer. I regularly rinse my fly sheets, and even my dressage pad, with the EzAll when I wash my horse (about every two weeks). I just hang the sheets and pad on the fence and wash the horse and his "clothes" at the same time. The cleaning solution in the EzAll soap is gentle and rinse much cleaner than commercial detergents. I haven't tried it yet on my winter blankets, but there's no reason it shouldn't work for this as well. Drying time might be an issue in the winter, however. - Robbi in FL
16.	Have a tack tip that you would like to share?  Please email me!