Hot Show Horses
Show Tack & Accessories
There are alot of good tack manufactures out there and there are alot of not so good manufacturers. I have listed only a few companies but there are tons more out there. The following is based purely on my experience and preferences.
The Best:
Dale Chavez - Still hand made and very nice stuff.
McLelland - Handmade and really nice equipment.
Blue Ribbon - Don''''t know if they are still in business but thier stuff is always superior.
Billy Royal & Silver Royal- The old stuff from the 90s and earlier are super nice.
Harris - Handmade and really nice
Broken Horn - Top of the line stuff
For Synthetic Saddles my choices are Fabtron and Bighorn. They seem to last forever and fit most horses.
The Good:
Circle Y - Thier saddles and tack have always been upper priced and used to be in upper quality but I am seeing a trend towards lower quality lately.
Showman - They have an upper and lower line. The upper line is pretty decent and still low cost.
Weaver Leather - They too have an upper and lower line. Usually a good value for the money.
RU Tack - They use the softee leather for thier headstalls which is really nice.
Billy Cook - Some of thier show saddles are super nice.
Champion Turf - Thier stuff is really nice. For good deals check out E-bay as prices are very good for buyers.
The Fair:
Wintec - Made well enough but the synthetic material is not sturdy and will wear away prematurely.
Abetta - See above
Amish Made Tack - Widely varying quality based on the leathersmiths skills. Would not buy via online sources as you really need to see it in person.
The Stay Away From At All Costs:
All India Leather & Silver - usually found at your local tack auctions.
JT International - I have only seen English tack from them and it is really cheapy like the India tack.
Royal King - Thier stuff is cheap, the silver is crap and the leather is poor.
Saddle King - More than likely it won''''''''t fit your horse properly.
Simco - cheap leather and construction not to be confused with the old Simco from the 90s and earlier. The early stuff is very nice and well worth the money.