A Few Considerations When Purchasing a Saddle Rack
Posted: Monday, December 27, 2010
by The Old Gray Mare
www.DressYourHorse.com
In the overall scheme of tack room décor, a saddle rack is not very significant. It serves a function – that of supporting your saddle.
If your Tack Room contains only tack, saddles and horse gear, and you run in and out with your grooming supplies – possibly leaving muddy tracks and piles of sand behind – then a simple metal, iron or wood saddle rack is perfectly adequate. If you share space with many borders and that space is accessible by all, covering your saddle with a saddle cover or blanket is advisable.
The trend these days, however, is to deck out Tack Rooms with lots of bling, show photographs, ribbons, comfortable furniture, phone, TV – it is the central spot in the barn for getting together, visiting and sharing horse stories. Saddles and tack are parked collectively in another room. And, when it comes down to essentials, you can certainly combine both – the horse equipment and comfy furniture and television - into a pleasant, comfortable room serving many functions. If there is enough square footage, you can use design ingenuity and your horse equipment knowledge to combine everything in one location, and make it work.
For the purpose of this article, I will briefly highlight a few considerations when purchasing a saddle rack. You can select from the “fancies” to deck out horse show tack rooms, or just-plain-everyday tack room variety saddle racks.
Consider the material
What are saddle racks made out of? Exactly what material? Generally, saddle racks are constructed out of steel, aluminum or wood. The lightest saddle rack is made with aluminum while wood and iron saddle racks are heavy. Each works effectively for various saddle styles. If appearance is not a consideration in your rack selection, a simple hammer and nails saddle rack construction can be quite adequate.
Regardless of material choice used for the saddle rack, it should be well constructed and be of size, width and height to properly serve as a saddle support. Depending on the material used, it may be painted and, in the case of wood, be heavily sanded to present a smooth surface for the saddle that will rest on it. The steel rack may rust, so it is important to prime and paint it, or purchase one that is powder coated with rust preventative.
Consider the height
Saddle racks range in height depending on design and whether they are for Western or English use. Western saddles require supportive racks that are large and strong enough to adequately accommodate a heavy saddle.
When mounting the saddle rack on the wall, remember to consider all aspects of the saddle - such as size and style, weight, and overall measurements. You do not want to locate the saddle rack too high so that it is cumbersome to slide the saddle on, or so low that the stirrups drag on the ground. All saddle gear should be located well above the floor. Further, the height also needs to be considered from your convenience perspective – mount a saddle rack too high on the wall and you’ll have difficulty lifting the saddle off or placing it on the rack properly.
Consider the width
How wide is the top of the rack? Remember that it needs to be wide enough to give excellent support to your saddle. Not adhering to this consideration can lead to a major problem down the road since a saddle may lose shape, curl or warp due to inadequate support. If you use a saddle rack that is too wide – such as a home constructed wooden model – your saddle may warp from uneven balance or it may get scratched or marred along the rub areas. The best rule of thumb is to use saddle support that is wide enough to provide proper support for the saddle, not too wide and not too narrow.
Consider the type of saddle rack
When space is an issue, you may automatically decide on the wall-mounted types. You can also select the trendy light-weight free-standing types or switch between the two. Free-standing or portable saddle racks are an ideal choice when tacking up or removing tack since it provides a safe location for saddle placement. If you decide on a free-standing saddle rack and you plan on moving it often, select a lightweight one. However, if you will use a free-standing model for routine storage of your saddle, the heavy stationary models are a better choice. Wall-mounted designs can be grouped together, staggered or clustered and are ideal to conserve space and clutter.
Consider these saddle rack choices in addition to those already mentioned: a) 3-tier saddle rack with swivels for easy access to saddles; b) 4-saddle rack that comes in space saving stacking design; c) lightweight and fully adjustable four-arm saddle rack that attaches to the wall with ease and detaches for travel use; d) a fold-down saddle rack that folds out of the way when not in use; e) portable saddle rack that hangs on most surfaces such as corral fencing, trailers, stalls and folds flat when not in use.
You can select the most popular iron contoured saddle rack that is readily available at all tack shops. Or, perhaps you want something more stylish such as the Baker Collection saddle rack. Perhaps you’d like the models that support not only the saddle but are also designed to mount bridle and assorted tack. And then there are the free-standing folding saddle racks.
Ultimately, there is one basic consideration for a saddle rack, and that is to adequately fit and support the saddle. The rack serves as a passive tool in your tack room, one that should blend in seamlessly when in use.
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