July 8, 2019

Tack Room Reorganization: Part 1

Since we moved into this barn, one of my only complaints has been the tack room.  When this place was a Western Pleasure barn, as it was originally designed to be, it functioned well, but now that a bunch of eventers have moved in and everyone has two or more complete sets of tack, well...

This is actually from before my barn moved in.  Picture a bridle explosion on the left and you have it, lol.
Western-style metal hooks were high quality but just not the right shape for English tack.

It's small, but that wasn't the problem: it's more that we aren't using the space efficiently.  So my barnmate and I asked our trainer if she'd let us go nuts on the tack room, and she said yes.  Barnmate is a Six Sigma ninja, and I thoroughly enjoy organization projects, so of course we've over thought this to death.

Still before everyone moved in

Her wish list:
  • Better strap goods organization
  • A place to store girths
  • A place to store helmets so that they can air dry rather than getting gross in our tack trunks (that's actually what started all of this)
My wish list:
  • Bridle racks wide enough to store everyone's anatomic crowned English bridles
  • A tack cleaning station
  • A saddle pad storage/drying solution
  • A bit storage solution
  • Better utilization of the space near the ceiling for long-term storage of things we don't use often
It's definitely a long term project, but yesterday we went to town on Phase 1.  First we cleaned out the tall cabinet and moved it out in favor of a short cabinet that will become a tack cleaning station. 

It was HOT in there!

We removed the existing strap goods racks and hung up 20 bridle racks to replace them.

We also put up helmet holders, so that our helmets can air dry in the open.  (This is about as dust-free of a tack room as I've ever seen, so that's not an issue).

Some of the smallest things we did made a big difference, like gaining an extra 5" of wall space by moving the saddle racks closer to each other and the wall.  They were originally placed for big Western saddles, but we don't need as much room to maneuver our saddles.

That was as far as we got on day 1!  Next up is rehanging the old bridle holders as strap goods holders around the corner from where these pictures are taken (the tack room is L shaped), creating some bit storage, organizing bottles/medicine, hanging girths and finishing the tack cleaning station.  Eventually we'll add those shelves by the ceiling too.

The only thing I don't know if we're going to be able to do is find a place to dry/store saddle pads, but I won't be too upset if we don't get that one done.  Gotta compromise with these small spaces sometimes!


  1. If you have any extra wall space, you could maybe just do blanket racks for the saddle pads. They won't stick out far, but far enough to keep them off the wall for air flow. Or something like this maybe if you have limited wall space:
    I think they have free standing ones too.

    1. That was our plan, but we're sadly out of wall space for it I think.

  2. This makes my organizational OCD heart so, so happy. Those helmet holder things are amazing! Where did you get them? One of my barn mates and I were bemoaning our smelly head wear this weekend.

    1. Here you go! We found them in multiple places but SLT was cheapest: https://www.statelinetack.com/item/wall-mount-helmet-hanger/E011426/

  3. Darn those eventers and all their sh*t ;)
    But looks like a satisfying/rewarding project nonetheless!

    1. Right?! Everyone get one set of tack plz, haha. It very much is rewarding!

  4. the bridle racks are so pretty and straight and even and all the hardware is the same color and OMG TACK CLEANING STATION be still my heart.

    are you gonna get a whip holder?

    1. We are both neurotic about measuring and leveling and TBH it's pretty easy when you're working with a paneled wall like that. Built in straightness guides!

      We have a whip holder around the corner in the indoor, so no need for one in here. We do have a great spot for one though if we ever do decide to move them in here.

  5. Replies
    1. They're so great! That's entirely my barnmate's idea, can't take credit. Cheap too at around $5 USD.

  6. This looks amazing!! It’s incredible how much more open it looks just with the cabinet change

    1. Yeah! And you've seen it in person so you know. It just feels so much more open without that big cabinet looming over the room.

  7. I love those helmet racks! If my trainer ever gets her own farm, I am pitching this idea to her hahaha

  8. I LOVE organization projects and this would totally be my jam too. Thanks for sharing all the beautiful pictures, it looks awesome!