What’s In My Tack Trunk?

A few months ago, before moving to a new barn, I decided that I wanted to upgrade from my Horseman’s Pride plastic trunk to something more secure and durable. There was nothing wrong with the plastic trunk, but I had had it for a while and it was pretty warped and banged up from use (my dad broke the lock on it almost right after we bought it). I decided on the Husky Job Box for three reasons: it’s super durable, it has heavy duty locks, and it has a handle and wheels. My trusty boyfriend—who happens to work at Home Depot—brought one home for me and it then was my job to downsize my stuff into the smaller trunk.

Now, months later, I find myself struggling to close the thing because I have it packed to the brim like a crazy game of Tetris. If you thought that I stuffed a bunch of things into my grooming tote, wait until you see all of the nonsense in my tack trunk.

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Here she is in all of her dusty, dirty glory. While I have yet to monogram it, I did order one of those sticky name plates from Smartpak to put on it since everyone and their mother has this same trunk.

The first layer is mostly stuff that I use on a daily basis, plus the handy tray of random junk.

• My grooming tote – I shove this in every day and it just barely fits.
• Evidence of my boot collection – Consisting of my beloved Eskadron FlexiSoft AiRs and Equifit T-Boots. Plus the fancy new pair that I am currently testing for work.
• Back On Track Hock Wraps – Hidden under the Rounders.
• Treats – These vary depending on what giant bag of cookies I have at the time.

The little tray is full of miscellaneous things that could easily be lost and/or have no real place.

• More treats
• Bit warmer – I’ve never used this but apparently you put hand warmers in the pockets and it makes the bit all toasty.
• Spare bits – One of my Island barn’s clients found out I use a waterford on Ax and gave me every style known to man so they live here with my extra happy mouths.
• Spare spurs – I found these lying around at the end of a show day in the middle of the field (I guess I stole them, oops?) and extra/old/need-to-be-thrown-away-but-I-am-a-hoarder spur straps.
• Shampoo and Conditioner samples – These belong in my wash bucket…
• Random hardware – Double-ended snaps, eye hooks, and other things I apparently think I need.
• Baby wipes – Honestly, these have been in here forever and are probably all dried but they fit in there so perfectly.
• Tack cleaning travel kit – Why is this in here? I have no clue.
• K. Marie Equestrian zipper bag full of my The Herbal Horse salves
• Leather punch
• Gloves
• Ear bonnet
• Spare nameplate parts – Shoutout to Smartpak for always supplying extra.

Layer two is the bigger stuff that I use pretty frequently or just happens to fit there.

• Evidence of my saddle pad addiction – I keep my clean Ogilvy Baby Pads and Back On Track Pads here at the top since I use those the most.
• Equifit Standing Wraps – These just happen to fit perfectly here.
• Spare stirrups irons – Since I’ve switched to the wide tread irons, I don’t know what to do with these.
• Standing bandages – Hidden under the wraps.
• Back On Track Quick Wraps – Also hidden under the wraps.
• Towels
• Extra girth – I should probably sell this but oh well.

• More saddle pads
• Spare tack – My martingale, extra halter, lunge line, and extra lead ropes live here.
• Bin of First Aid stuff/bottles – Fly spray, Bute, Banamine, Thrush Buster, Vet Wrap, Listerine, coat conditioners, supplement samples, etc.

For stuff outside if the tack trunk that just doesn’t fit…we have the stuff in a random bucket, on and below my saddle rack, and my bridle hook.

• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Mrs. Conn’s Bath Day Shampoo-Filled Sponges
• Liniment concentrate
• Hay, Where’s That Blue Stuff, Fungus Amungus, and Winky Wash
• Banixx Fungal Spray

• Half pads – ECOGOLD Flip Half Pad and ThinLine Trifecta.
• My beloved new saddle
• Used/dirty saddle pads
• Rambo quarter sheet – This is usually stored with all Ax’s blankets in the summer.
• Girth I actually use – I love this one, the Professionals Choice VenTECH Girth.
• Spare halters – Baker halter for destroying and Arc De Triomphe halter for fancy occasions.
• Micklem Competition Bridle – Because Ax would prefer to go bitless 100% if he could.

• Bridles – Rodrigo Fancy Stitched Padded Bridle and Rodrigo Figure 8 Bridle. I swap back and forth between these so I keep them both out.
• Training aids – A chambon and a neck stretcher.

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In short—I have ALOT of stuff.

-TC