Tack Room and Barn Essentials

Horses require quite a bit of equipment, and for those who are first-time owners or who are setting up a new barn, it can be daunting to figure out the best way to store and organize it. In most stable buildings, a dedicated space called a tack room is the best solution to this common horse care challenge. Once you've selected the space where all your riding tack will be kept, the next step is figuring out which products will make it as efficient and convenient as possible. Check out this guide to find a list of the essential barn and tack room supplies you'll need.

Tack Hooks and Racks

When you begin planning out your tack room, the first thing to consider is how all the equipment will be stored and organized. You don't want to just leave expensive tack pieces on the floor or piled up on top of one another. Instead, use tack hooks and racks to keep everything properly stored between uses. This is also a great way to keep the tack for multiple horses separated so everyone knows which equipment goes with each horse.

A set of hooks is useful for hanging lighter weight items like bridles, and lead ropes. These hooks can be placed on the walls to maximize the available surface space.

Saddles need strong racks to hold them up. Make sure you have very sturdy saddle racks that hold each saddle in the correct position (with weight evenly distributed, bars supported and the skirt flat) so they don't become misshapen or damaged.

Cleaning and Organization

Your tack room should also include some helpful items for cleaning and organization purposes. These items will help to protect all the tack stored inside and make daily chores more convenient. Tack room organization and cleaning products include:

• Disinfectants: Keep the space sanitized by using a spray or sponge to disinfect surfaces. A versatile disinfectant product can clean and deodorize, cut through grease and grime, kill viruses and bacteria and remove mildew and mold.
• Dehumidifier: Saddles and other leather products can be damaged by excessive humidity. You may want to use a dehumidifier to maintain the ideal climate in the tack room.
• Stall bags: A stall bag is especially helpful for keeping odds and ends neatly organized. It helps to have one bag assigned to each horse to keep supplies separate and sanitary.

Horse Health Supplies

In addition to all of your riding tack, a tack room is commonly used to store other items that assist in maintaining the health of your horse. Some of the horse health supplies you should keep on hand in your tack room or barn include:

• Grooming kit: You'll need a variety of grooming supplies, including brushes and combs, grooming tools like a hoof pick and shampoos.
• Horse feed: Many people have their tack room double as storage for horse feed, including bagged feed, hay bales and treats.
• First aid: It's essential to have first aid supplies available in case of an emergency. Some common items to include are bandage rolls, ice packs, ointments and wound care products.

Use this guide to gather all the essential tack room supplies you need for your barn.  Have questions about what hooks, totes, racks, and first aid organizers might work best for you?  Call us.  Designing your tack room is just as much fun for us as it is for you!