We all want that Pinterest-perfect tack room. Expertly organized and everything labeled; nary a speck of dirt anywhere. But let’s be honest: many tack rooms aren’t pristine…...you throw things in, close the door, and worry about it later.

Here’s the good thing though: getting the right tack room essentials will give you the organization you crave and make your barn life so much easier. Below are some great tack room ideas and essentials that will keep your tack and tack room clean, organized, and a happier place.

What is a Tack Room?

If you have a horse, you know they come with a lot of equipment. In order to store all of their equipment, medications, grooming supplies, and more, a tack room is essential. Tack rooms are designated, closed-off areas (or rooms) to store all of your horse’s needs. While primarily kept for storing tack, these rooms can house all types of equipment, from important papers to horse boots and more. Tack rooms can be of various sizes, depending on your barn’s size and the number of horses you have.

What should be in a Tack Room?

What should be in your tack room is primarily your riding equipment. This includes your saddles, bridles, halters, bits, training equipment, stirrups, and more. When putting your tack room together, you’ll need various racks to hold that equipment. This includes:

  • Saddle racks and stands
  • Halter and bridle racks
  • Storage racks
  • Blanket racks
  • Equestrian bags
  • Grooming racks

Below, we will go over what these tack room essentials are used for and how they’ll help you get your tack room organized.

Tack Room Essentials

While there are many products a tack room could hold, here are the essentials every tack room should have:

  • Keep your saddles free from piling up, and getting dirty, and the space to dry from sweat or saddle soap/conditioner with saddle racks and stands. Racks can be attached to the wall and organized horizontally or vertically based on your wall space. Racks are great for smaller spaces and tack rooms with little wall space.

  • Keep your halters, bridles, reins and bits organized with bridle racks and hooks. Many designs can hang conveniently over a stall door or wall, freeing up floor space, or opt for a sturdy free-standing tack rack with bridle hooks that let you customize your preferred combination of bridle hooks and tack racks. Racks and hooks also come in multiple designs to add a personal touch to your tack room.

  • To keep items you don’t want to hang clean and organized, consider storage containers which keep your tack in one handy location. Another great essential are equestrian bags, which protect your leather from the elements. Bags are waterproof and keep dust, bugs, and mold from getting to your tack.

  • Grooming supplies are often kept in the tack room, so you can grab everything you need to brush and saddle your horse quickly without going to multiple spots in the barn.

  • Blanket Bars and Racks are essential items in a tack room; not only for organizational purposes but to maximize your time getting the items you need. Blankets stay clean and dry when hanging on these racks, which also keeps them off the floor.

  • When an emergency hits, you don’t want to be scrambling for first aid. A first aid kit in the tack room is an easy way to get what you need quickly. You can even put a shelf on a wall or hang one up for easy access.

  • Tack cleaning supplies should be with tack. If your tack room is big enough, you can clean your tack in the room and easily hang it to dry in one space. No need to be running to different areas of the barn for items that go hand in hand!

Check out this page with The 25 Top Stable Supplies for more items that could be useful in your tack room.

Tack Room Ideas

You have the essentials; now, how do you store them? Here are a few ideas to get your tack room to be the most functional:

  • Wall-mounted saddle racks keep your saddles off the floor, organized, and easy to grab and/or put away.

  • Portable saddle stands are great for both tack rooms, large and small. The added benefit is they can be moved to where you need them to be in the barn, or, moved around as you add/remove items in your tack room. Some have rollers, while others can be hung on doors or walls.

  • Overhead storage is great for maximizing your space. Shelving that attaches to your ceiling is a great way to store things you don’t use every day or seasonally.

  • Rolling tack carts are great for those times you need to grab a bunch of tack and head to the stall or the horse trailer. A task that could take multiple trips will now take one, maybe two trips! Tack carts are also a great essential to bring along with you to shows.

  • Pegboards and hooks are the ultimate solutions for tack organization. Pegboards are easy to install, and there are so many hooks and accessories you can buy for these boards, so all of your smaller items will have a perfectly organized home.

  • DIY storage solutions are a great way to think outside the box for organizational ideas. File cabinets are great for important papers. Think about including a small safe as well; they can be fireproof and lockable: keeping important items safe from theft and the elements. You can even build cabinets, use furniture for decor and storage, and any type of rack or hook that can store your items. Plus, many of these items can be customizable to your space, giving your tack room personality.

Bridle Rack - Tack Room Essential

Small Tack Room Ideas

Small tack rooms require a bit more creativity to keep organized, but it is completely doable. Plus, if you like Tetris, this is the ultimate game! Here are some great ideas for your smaller tack room:

  • Utilize vertical space by using multi saddle racks. Choose between permanently mounted ones and ones that can be portable.

  • Use multi-purpose tack systems that can keep all of your equipment organized in one space.

  • Consider collapsible or foldable equipment. When not in use, these bridle racks, saddle racks, and saddle bars fold up and/or collapse to maximize space.

  • Opt for wall-mounted storage! This type of storage keeps things off the ground and helps you have more floor space. Wall-mounted storage is perfect for any space, large or small.

  • Use shelving as another way to maximize wall space. Using shelves with adjustable hangers or adjustable bars keeps your items off the floor, and while not in use, they won’t be in the way. Plus, preemptively installing these shelves prevents you from ever having to wonder when you have time to get to the store for shelves: they are ready to go!

  • Utilize every inch of your space, including under the stairs or in corners. Every inch is gold; use it!

Blanket Rack for Large Tack Rooms

Large Tack Room Ideas

Larger tack rooms give you plenty of options. You can expand your organization ideas and incorporate decor to make your tack room fashionable and functional.

  • Custom cabinetry and shelving are great ways to organize your tack room. Having custom work done by a professional can maximize your space.

  • Multiple saddle and bridle racks make it easier to organize your saddles and bridles by size and discipline. You also have more room to plan out where to install these racks, whether horizontally or vertically.

  • Large tack rooms allow space to separate your different equipment types and give you the flexibility to map out where you want things in order of how you need them. For example, Blanket pad racks and mounted boot racks are great organizational tools to help you separate out equipment.

  • Be creative with your space; create seating and workspace areas so you can be comfortable cleaning tack or putting on your own gear. If you have the room, installing a table (with cabinets under it if possible) is perfect for preparing medications, filling out show forms, and more.

  • The elements, especially humidity, are a constant battle when you’re trying to keep your leather in good condition. Climate control and ventilation systems are key to keeping your equipment in great condition. It also keeps you comfortable as you work in your tack room!

  • Consider installing lighting fixtures for better visibility. If you have a tack room large enough to allow you to work in it, you need good lighting. It also helps you to find what you need quickly.

Having a tack room is a blessing, and an organized one makes your life so much easier. With the right equipment for your space and organizational tools, you’ll have a room that is functional, inviting, and accommodating.