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Sunday, January 19, 2014

Tack Trunk Utility And Luxury

By Amanda Bean


Owning a horse doesn't mean that you need a lot of stuff. American Indians of the Great Plains could ride across their domain with a single cord tied around their horse's jaw. Most equestrians, however, have a lot of necessities and accessories. It's hard enough to stay organized at home, but when you travel, it's very nice to have a tack trunk.

Of course, there are many options in storage containers. There are basic, utilitarian ones roomy enough to hold 'tack' - bridle and saddle - as well as grooming equipment, medical supplies, protective and therapeutic bandages, and anything else horse and rider need either at home or on the road. There are also high-end ones, luxury ones, custom-designed ones, and heirloom-quality ones.

UV resistant polyethylene and vinyl are modern materials that are used, while the traditional ones of cabinet-grade plywood or solid hardwood are still offered. Of course, color choice ranges from several choices in plastic resin to anything you want in custom-finished stain or lacquer. All can be equipped with carrying handles, wheels or casters, brass or stainless steel tags and hardware, and locks. Covers keep everything dust and scratch free, and racks lift wooden trunks off the ground to protect them from dirt and moisture.

There are choices in size, as well, but remember that any storage you choose for travel needs to be both roomy and portable. The vinyl or plastic ones are usually the lightest in weight with no loss of capacity. Wooden ones come in various sizes or can be hand-made to your exact specifications by cabinetmakers.

It's easy to check out the options. Just go online and browse. It's as much fun as shopping for anything else. Your final choice might be practical and dictated by your budget, but virtual window shopping is unrestricted. Photo galleries show off both basic and eye-catching trunks and highlight the options of color, finish, detail, and custom logos.

Most trunks come with tray totes that fit under the lid. The trays come in handy for those things that you use so often that you want them easy to see and grab. The lid itself might be slotted to hold bandages so they are easy to grab when needed. It can also have a mounted mirror or dry erase board.

Trunks are great at home, when stuff needs to be accessible but kept out of sight. That keeps tack rooms neat and uncluttered and aisles free of clutter. Tools and supplies are out of the way and protected from dust. But it's on the road that trunks really come in handy. Everyone knows the stress of arriving at a show, meet, or event without some vital piece of equipment. It's a lot easier to have your check list at home (perhaps on an optional dry-erase board mounted on the lid of your bin) and pack all you need in peace and quiet.

A tack trunk can be a necessity, an advertisement for your stable, a decoration, and a status symbol. Make sure you stay practical long enough to get the size right and then - the sky's the limit!




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