Snowed in? Then it’s time to shop, obviously

Snow is piling up outside our windows, all over the arenas and all over our water tanks (grumble, grumble), and with this latest winter storm, there’s a good chance you’re experiencing the same.

That makes this a good weekend to grab a cup of coffee, stay under the blankets, and dream of warmer times–which for us, inevitably leads to tack shopping in preparation for the next (defrosted) riding adventure. That’s why we thought this was the perfect weekend to launch another sale on Two Horse Tack.com!

Now through Friday, Jan. 22, get free shipping on orders of $100 or more on TwoHorseTack.com when you enter the promo code FreeShip2016THT at checkout! At our shop, $100 can go a long way towards a customized bitless bridle or spread out over a bunch of smaller must-haves like a new turnout halter, stirrup leathers, and a sweatproof breastcollar. Love the bridle in the photo above? Get your own here.

Easy on, easy off–Conway buckles on bridles

We posted earlier in the week about the different options available to customers when choosing the hardware material for their order on Two Horse Tack. Today, we’ll take a look at the various attachment options for the bit ends of our reins.

For most conventional English bridles, the type of snap or attachment you use may not matter much to you, but folks purchasing one of our halter bridles are likely to be switching styles back and forth regularly, and may even be switching bits.

One of our most popular options is the Conway buckle, which looks like a conventional buckle that’s been slightly bent. The tension of the leather or beta biothane strap sitting in the curved frame is what keeps the prong in place through the desired hole. We use this as the standard for the bit ends of the cheekpieces on all our bridles and offer it as an option for reins, too.

Conway Buckle

Even if you’re buying a standard bridle, there is an important safety consideration with bit end hardware: at Two Horse Tack, we thread our beta or leather through our Conway buckles rather than sewing them in. We do this so that in the unlikely event of an accident where the horse spooks or trips, etc., the buckle will break before the beta. That means that all you need to do to repair the bridle is thread a new buckle through rather than find a repair shop to redo stitching. We’ve never had a problem with Conway buckles opening or slipping when they’re put in this way, and in fact we think of it as an important safety feature.

The roller buckle is a good option for people who move their reins from one bridle to another frequently. This conventional buckle includes a roller piece around the frame that helps the buckle move up and down the strap more easily and prevents sticking.

Snaps are also a good option for those changing equipment frequently–these are available in stainless steel or brass to match your hardware choice for the bridle itself.

For Western riders, we offer additional bit end options that better fit your needs in the show ring. Leather ties offer a traditional look, but we also offer Chicago screws. These are adjustable with a flathead screwdriver for security combined with tradition.

Chicago screws

In short, no mater what you’re looking for–style, tradition, or functionality–we’ve got you covered. Get started on your custom bridle today!

 

Hardware Dilemma: Brass Or Stainless Steel?

Here at Two Horse Tack, we offer a lot of different options to customize each of our products to the needs of the horse and rider who will be using them. One of those options, which a lot of people probably don’t do much thinking about, is the type of hardware used on their halter, bridle, or breastcollar.

Customers have the choice between stainless steel and brass hardware, with stainless steel being standard. We like it because it’s guaranteed not to rust, and just like our beta biothane, it always washes clean with soap and water.

Our model, whose name is Pony, shows off brass hardware in this traditional halter bridle, which features easy on-and-off snaps to convert between halter and bridle. Buy your own: http://www.twohorsetack.com/p-14-traditional-halter-bridle-with-bit-hangers-made-from-beta-biothane-solid-colored.aspx

Some customers prefer what they think of as a more classic look, or they may have brass hardware on their saddles (often true for our English riders), which they may want to match with brass. We have to say the color does play nicely with some of our tack color choices.

When it comes to cleaning the brass on your tack, we’re fans of NeverDull, which comes as cotton wadding in a tin can that’s easy to pinch off and scrub. This stuff works wonders, even if you’ve let your brass sit for a while without some attention, though we must point out it’s much easier to get the stuff thoroughly clean if you give it regular attention.

Interested in building your own custom tack creation? Visit our online shop and marvel at the options.

 

Want to win a free Western bridle? Here’s how

Calling all Western riders–our January tack giveaway is live! This month, we’re drawing for a single-color beta biothane Western bridle with a snap-on browband.

This versatile piece is hand-crafted with the ruggedness you need on the trail and the quality you prefer in the show ring. The snap-on browband allows you to ride with a rope halter. Our bridle is hand-stitched throughout for added depth and comes standard with no-rust stainless steel hardware (though brass is available). We offer our bridle in 14 dazzling colors, so you can opt for the traditional or the eye-catching.

Entering the contest is a breeze–just fill out the simple contact form on our contest page and you’re in! Plus you get a $5 off coupon for your next order just for entering. No fuss, no ‘like/share/post to enter’ requirements…just great tack and great deals!

Congratulations to Sarah and Kiara!

Congratulations to Sarah and her horse Kiara, who are the winners of the December tack giveaway for a two-color beta biothane turnout halter!

Kiara is a 13-year-old off-track Thoroughbred. Kiara and Sarah are currently focusing on their dressage, but they tell us their true love is jumping. (We know first-hand the long-suffering exercise of trying to achieve the perfect 20-meter circle. Hang in there, guys!)

Kiara showing off her Thoroughbred turn-of-foot

Sarah and Kiara are going to get their new halter (a blue base with dark green overlay, which we think will be very striking on Kiara’s coat) just in time to withstand the New England winter. We think they’ll find that beta biothane is the best material for those super-cold temperatures. During an especially brutal cold snap here in central Kentucky last season, we were relieved to find that even when leather and nylon halters froze solid, beta biothane remained soft and pliable as ever, making turnout much more pleasant for all involved. And, even during wet periods, our halters hold up thanks to no-rust stainless steel hardware.

Love the sound of our turnout halters? Pick up your own.

It’s time for a SALE!

Start the new year off right with a tack sale!

This is a great time to update your horse’s look with some new, colorful tack. Stock up on new halters, bridles, and breastcollars by entering the coupon code 10THT2016 at checkout. Now through Jan. 19 only. Shop now.

A hat-tip to our veterans

We always love seeing our products in action, but we were especially glad to receive a message on our Facebook page from Ramona, showing off our tack at work in a new therapeutic program for veterans.

Meet the members of the Heroes and Horses color guard at the Natural Valley Therapeutic Riding Center in Brownsburg, Ind. The Heroes and Horses program partners with the local VA Hospital to organize recreational activities for our veterans.

Ramona began working in therapeutic riding in 2002 and is in training to become a PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship Intl) instructor, and uses PATH lesson plans in her instruction.

Therapeutic riding can prove beneficial for people with a wide range of physical, mental, and emotional challenges–both the physical activity of riding a horse and the emotions of bonding and communicating with an animal.

“Riding and learning to care for a horse is therapeutic because you get away from everything and have to think of something besides yourself,” Ramona says on her website.

Ramona told us she uses our combination halter bridles in her program, which includes therapy and Special Olympics horses. Lots of people love our halter bridles because they allow riders to easily transition from ground work or leading to riding. That versatility can prove helpful in a therapeutic program, where a rider might be working with an instructor walking at or near the horse’s head, with occasional need to lead the horse. The beta biothane makes for easier upkeep for volunteers at a center like Natural Valley, too–it’s waterproof, fade proof and simple to clean with soap and water.

Natural Valley is one of many teams that we’ve outfitted with a uniform look, despite the fact that horses com in different sizes and shapes. Our bridles, halters, and breastcollars are fully adjustable and available in sizes mini to draft. Our shop can also tailor proportions to fit a growing or tough-to-fit animal–no matter what type of horse (or mule) you’ve got on your team, we can help.

At Two Horse Tack, our hats are off to Ramona and therapeutic instructors like her who bring joy and healing to those who need it. Thanks for all you do!