No matter how well you care for your equipment something can always break – usually just before you’re about to compete or when you’re out on the trail. It can be a worn or broken tie string on a rein, headstall attachment to the bit or the cinch hobble strap between the front and back cinches. The failure of any of these can bring about a wreck.
A “quick fix” is to have a flat latigo leather tie string looped around a back cinch dee on your saddle to make temporary repairs says Dennis Moreland Tack. It’s handy, doesn’t take up any room and is always ready to use. The latigo string on the saddle in the picture is 3/8 inch wide x 48 inches long. This leather string can be so handy to repair rein or headstall tie strings, broken spur straps and straps on your chaps. This shouldn’t be used to repair any tack that will have pressure applied while in use however.
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If you’re in the show pen, sometimes judges will give you time to make a quick repair so just pull the string loose, make the repair, cut off the excess and you’re back in business. AQHA rule SHW300.1 states that “when exhibitor equipment failure causes a delay or a run to be discontinued, the judge will disqualify the entry, except working hunter and jumping.”1 The NRHA rule is similar: “equipment failure that delays the completion of a pattern will result in a score of zero (0).”2 In these cases you’d still be able to make a quick repair under last minute circumstances before your time to enter the ring. NRCHA rule 6.1 allows, under certain circumstances, a rider to have up to 1 minute to repair a piece of equipment while in the arena.3 It’s always a good idea to check your rulebook to see whether and when a repair is acceptable during a performance before heading to the show. If you’re out on the trail this tie string can be useful in countless ways.
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It’s important once you’re out of the arena or back at the barn or trailer to repair the broken or worn tack correctly. It’s also important to regularly check and care for your repair string.
Dennis Moreland Tack is a full line manufacturer of handmade tack and we’re here to help you! Visit dmtack.com or call 817-312-5305 for all your tack needs.
- AQHA Official Handbook of Rules and Regulations 2017, 65th Edition, pg. 106.
- NRHA 2017 Handbook Rules, Regulations and Judges’ Guide Revised 5/17 pg. 82
- NRCHA 2017 Rulebook, Official Handbook of the NRCHA pg. 29
More from Dennis Moreland Tack
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