Welcome to the Family!

Don't worry, it's not something that eats. I have plenty of mouths already. No, what I'm welcoming to the family is a gorgeous piece of tack that I've been coveting for what feels like ages.

As a confirmed member of tack hoarders anonymous, I'm always on the lookout for interesting and beautiful pieces of tack to collect. When I saw Otto for the first time, I was instantly smitten. I commenced annoying the shit out of Aimee (in the comments of every blog and social media photo featuring Otto) until she agreed to sell him to me whenever she was downsizing. Or trading up. Or whatever it is us tack hoarders do.

While I was in Puerto Rico, she tagged me in a sale ad for a similar bridle in brown. It was cheap, and the wrong color, but I thought it might be a fun dye project and give me something to blog about when it's too cold/wet/whatever to ride. Tragically, after dealing with a seller who went MIA and refused to ship, I had to file my first PayPal claim and spend weeks trying to get my money back.

Clearly bored with my shenanigans haha.

It all worked out okay though, because the mutual enabling that went on while she shopped for jump saddles meant Otto came to live with me! It was a very serious transaction -- the notes section of the PayPal invoice was filled with promises of tender loving care, copious photographs, and offering first right of refusal/helping me choose his new home if he ever leaves me.

It was funny to me how instantly recognizable the bridle is, and how popular. I feel a lot of pressure to live up to! Cinna is no Courage, but she'll try to do the bridle justice. That is, if it ever dries out enough to ride...