Barn Renovations: Tack Organization

The barn is an on going project to get up to snuff for my liking. First we replaced the leaking roof, then we cemented in the aisle. After those two projects it was time for the tack room which needed a lot of work. I really wanted to move my tack out of the small office and give that space to Dusty as his work shop. Before I could even begin to think about organization we had to build a ceiling, replace the rotten floor boards and build a door. 

The only decent before picture I can find. A nice spacious area, but needing some key features before I could move my tack in

Once the floors were fixed, the ceiling created and a door hung, I got busy scheming ways to use the space. The long far wall opposite the door was slated for my tack. The wall wasn't very sturdy and didn't have enough studs close enough to be useful for hanging tack off the wall itself. I personally do not like the free standing saddle racks or at least not the ones I already had as they swiveled and invariably moved every time I tried to remove or replace my saddle. 

The first step then was to build a new back wall and since we were doing that I asked him to build me an entire tack locker because why not? 

My precious!!! I ADORE it. He did such an amazing job figuring out the hazy plans from inside my head and making this. It has everything in it I could have asked/hoped for. 

He worked his butt off for the entire week we took off in April to get the shell completed and then started in on the individual compartments. The far right holds Eeyore's jump saddle on the bottom right, Wyatt's saddle next to it and then Gemmie's endurance and jump saddles above. I originally planned to have him build me a cubby below this for storage but I have found that I like to drop the pad and girth and such on the ledge as I put the saddle up and then go back and put those items away, so I am leaving it open. 

The second compartment houses the bridles and this custom saddle pad rack he made me. This allows the pads to air dry and lets me pick whatever I want for that ride easily without rummaging through a stack. I then hung the bridles above the pads. There is room on the side walls for more bridle rcks if I ever need the extra space down the road. 

The saddle pad rack is my favorite part of the entire thing

Compartment #3 has my girth collection on the back and left side walls and various odds and ends like extra bits, his hoof boots, extra reins and Gemmie's breast plate on the right side wall. There are plenty of empty hooks too for more additions in the future.  

The random bar was a request by Wyatt to add a chin up bar. Of course we acquiesced. Don't all tack lockers come with a chin up bar?

The last compartment also has four saddle racks and currently houses three saddles. Someday I'd like to add a dressage saddle for Eeyore and this gives me room. Really all three of these could be sold. The western no longer fits Wyatt, the one next to it is an ancient but in good condition Kieffer AP that cost me $250 and just isn't worth the pain of selling and the bottom saddle was Dusty's when he rode Pete. 

I may still add a cubby here in the future to hide the blankets away in the summer. For now though it can stay like this. 

After cleaning all the tack and organizing it I realized that I own a crap ton of tack for one person riding one horse. To be real though two saddles, two pads and a bridle are all Wyatt's plus there is all Gem's endurance gear that could go in storage. So maybe not so bad? Maybe?

I have two walls left to organize in the room before it is completed, but my tack has been moved in and the office emptied so Dusty can move his equipment out of the barn aisle. Hopefully the entire room will be completed soon so we can move on to the next room.