For those of you who show western......?

Question

What's your opinion of the "new" design of using crystals on western tack, headstalls, breastcollars, spur straps, etc...?

I think I'm too much of a tradionalist(sterling silver) to fully appreciate it.

Answer 1

its all fractionated i like them but i think theres a limit and there over the top and i cant afford that much bling.

i do rodeos with livestock and a girl had a sullivans show stick covered entirely in crystals but i heard that they may start banning it from show rings as a distraction.

Answer 2

I think that women have done this to themselves. Look at what the men wear, simple solid collared shirt with blue jeans under black chaps with a matching pad. Where women wear diamond covered two thousand dollar jackets with matching chaps  of odd colors and matching colored pants to go under the chaps,  boots dyed to match, and cordinating hat and girls have to have new outfits for world shows and new seasons..custom made and different ones for showmanship, western, and trail. Not to even mention what the tack is like now cause of....women prob.

Answer 3

I don't show western, i show English, but i do know what you are talking about... I think the crystals are too much. they "over-do" the sheer brilliance of the horse.

Answer 4

I think for the girls who show, the crystals are good/nice.  Not so much the women who show. I think it shows ones age..... I'm with you! Silver!!!! The way it should be!! LOL

Answer 5

I think it makes the horse stand out and look beautiful more than they already are. If you pick the right color for the right horse color it makes it more flashy and noticable while competiting. thats my opinion!

Answer 6

I am still deciding on it to. I think that the sterling silver is definitely a more classy and polished look. But on the other hand the crystals are just another way to get that little extra something that will really make you pop. It's also a cheaper option if you don't want to spend a ton of money but still have the "glitz". I agree with u though i still prefer the sterling silver it is much more polsihed and doesn't look cheap

Answer 7

I am like you I go with traditional because it never goes out of style... That said I think these types of things are lovely but I just can't see spending that much for show tack and have it go out of style in 2 years...

Answer 8

I have heard from a lot of judges at shows and articles in magazines like Practical Horseman that it gives the judge the impression that you are there more for looks than you are for your horse.  While it can look ok, you are showing your horse off and not yourself.   I agree with the silver, Like anyone wants to be a rhinestone cowboy or girl!

Answer 9

I am a traditionalist too. However I'm up there in age so I'm not as hip or "with it" like some of the youngsters on here.

To me the crystals and animal print tack are as classless as showing up to a show in an annoying neon colored get up. You know, the kind you only see on a Hooker on the Vegas strip.

I believe the barrel racers love using the "bling" because it appears that your horse is going faster to spectators. Or that's what my daughter(she barrels) has said.

I'm all for saving the dying breed of tack that is pleasantly engraved or patterned, with a nice PLAIN colored seat(again with the blue, pink, and purple seats), that has a few splashes of silver and some conchos.

Answer 10

Tacky..............I like nice saddles like Serrgeants

http://www.sergeantswestern.com/saddles-...

I like Billy Cook too. Although they have jumped up in price you only need to buy one of these in your lifetime because they are so timeless and beautiful and classy. Im not into trends, they are usually expensive and dont last long. I think the Crystals make you look desperate like,  I have to be distracted from noticing something else about your horse that might be wrong. I think If you have a great horse, the less flashy tack the more the judge notices your horses movement.