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Have you got a favorite model that looks great in that special costume? Were you ever tempted to leave the tack on the model, showing it off to everyone that visited? Beware! It could ruin your horse's finish!

I first became aware of this potential problem with a Hong Kong Clydesdale tacked in cheap harness. One day as I dusted him, I realized the area under the harness was darker than the rest of the horse. He'd been sitting on a sunlit shelf for years. The light had bleached the paint unprotected by the harness. I chalked this problem off to "sun exposure."

Then, I began swapping ideas and tall tales with fellow tackmakers. Model damage from tack is a real problem. It ranges from the sun-bleached incident of my Clydesdale to black dye oozing from a saddle pad ruining a friend's model.

What makes the problem so insidious is that it doesn't happen with all types of tack. You may display a western saddle for months or years without trouble, but an English saddle may do you in. Or vice versa. It depends on the display conditions (sunlight, humidity, etc.) and on the materials used in the tack construction. The only way to be certain a model won't be damaged by long-term tack exposure is to never leave him tacked up after shows or photo shoots.

If you still want to show off your new saddle, consider using a miniature saddle stand. Simple stands display just the saddle, while more elaborate ones have hooks for bridles, breast collars, and cruppers. It may not be as pretty as when on a model, but it is safe.

If you absolutely can't stand to leave the costume off the horse, you aren't alone. Several tackmakers I talked to left tack on models for long stretches of time without any problem. Sue Rowe (Sojourner Studios) has one horse that has been wearing the same bridle continuously for nearly 11 years. As I stated before, display conditions and construction materials seemed to be the factors that lead to damage.

With this in mind, there are several things you can do to minimize the risk of damage to your model's finish:

1. Test display the tack for a week. Use an rrh (repaint/remaking/hairing) prospect, preferably a white or light- colored one. If you don't have a white model, consider stripping the paint off your rrh (repaint/remaking/hairing). I don't recommend painting the horse white, unless you know how that paint reacts when dry. If the paint is tacky, but the OF model isn't, your test will be invalidated.)

Check the model at the end of the week. Is there any damage? Is the tack sticking to the finish? If yes, don't display on a long-term basis.

2. Avoid problem materials, when possible. For example, suede, especially black, has been known to cause trouble. Hand-dyed leather and laces are also risky. Here, though, the browns and blacks seem to set well, but the exotic colors, like reds and blues, don't. NOTE: Industrially dyed leathers generally do not bleed unless drenched in water.

Another problem material can be plastic. LSQ (live show quality) tack isn't usually made with that, but some OF (original finish) horses have come with plastic tack. With the Breyer plastic saddles, the only problem I've heard of is possible fading caused sunlight exposure. However, I have had a report that the plastic in Marx horses can have a chemical reaction with the plastic in the saddles when left tacked up for years and years.

3. Place a protective pad under the saddle and under any "problem" materials. This pad can be white felt or chamois. If you cut it exactly to the saddle size, it won't show or detract from your display. Smaller felt pieces may be placed under wide harness straps or breast collars.

4. Don't leave a tacked model in direct sunlight.

5. Avoid extreme heat. Don't store a tacked model near heat vents or fireplaces. Don't leave him tacked in hot, unventilated rooms during the summer.

6. Humidity is dangerous. During wet seasons, untack your horse. Don't leave tacked horses in rooms with humidifiers.

7. Check your horse periodically. This should be once a week for the first month. If there is no problem, just check once a month or whenever you dust. Do this even if the model is in a glass case. The moment you see any damage or stickiness, remove the tack!

8. Tacked horses should never touch their neighbors. Just as tack can damage the horse that it is on, so it can damage any other model it touches. Be sure there is plenty of space between the tack and any neighboring horses.

9. Consider displaying your tack only on inexpensive models that you can afford to replace if they are damaged.

Remember, while most tack won't damage your model, it only takes one accident to ruin that collector's piece. Be cautious!

Special thanks to fellow hobbyists Erica Bonomi, Celeste Gerber, Kim Jacobs, Diane Northington, Sue Rowe, Kathy Wiggins, and Susan Bensema Young for sharing their experiences with me.