Today we’d like to introduce you to Brassy Bit Tack.
Hello Brassy Bit Tack, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Brassy Bit Tack got its start when we looked around our tack room, and after years of changing disciplines, horses, and accommodating different riders, joked we had accumulated enough stuff to start a tack store! It was also born from frustration. We went through a lot of trial and error, gaining knowledge on our own, and by accident, that well-fitting tack means the world of difference. We “traded up” many times to find the perfect piece, all the while finding affordable and fitting tack was a challenge.
When the laughter surrounding our tack hoarding quieted down, we agreed we wanted to share what we’d learned with other equestrians: knowledge on how to get the right fit, the freedom to try some different, and the flexibility to keep upgrading on quality. Brassy Bit Tack was born!
Nine (ish) years later…and counting!
What started out as a joke among sisters (twins) has become a dream come true. 2 garages and 2 locations later, Brassy Bit Tack now finds itself in rural Glyndon, MN. There was a time when having 20 saddles in stock was a huge feat! Now, we average over 120 in our inventory! 9 years later, we have sent thousands of saddles across all 50 states, and over 35 countries, and supported countless riders in our local area. There are no words to share our gratitude to our clients for making this dream possible.
Our future. As Brassy Bit Tack grows, so does our commitment to our mission. We are committed to our education and understanding of saddle fit, horse and rider biomechanics, saddle building, and repair, while never losing focus on our shared passion….our equine partners! With that growth, we will be expanding our resources and capabilities to offer our clients support without bias.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s More Than Saddles.
Our mission is simple: Providing safe, inclusive, quality, and affordable tack to riders everywhere.
The equestrian community is incredibly diverse, hardworking, motivated, and more connected than ever. Brassy Bit Tack shares a strong commitment to this community-champion safety, preservation of history and quality leather goods, building community and networks, and making this world a better place for the equestrians of the future.
Commitment to Safety and Affordability.
We started Brassy Bit Tack to offer an alternative to buying new, showing that quality used items can be a safe and valuable option. Most of our inventory is used, with each item going through an inspection process by our trained saddlers to ensure their safety for future use. Items that can be safely repaired or refurbished are, to give each item more life for future use. Quality saddles and tack can stand the test of time, and some naughty horses! Offering used saddles and tack can assist riders in finding the perfect tack item for an affordable price.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
So you’ll, Calie is incredible. She is THE mind behind Brassy. Her hoard accidentally launched us into who we are today! In fact, she can be blamed for us being kicked out of several tack rooms/garages as the hoard continued to grow! Calie is the brains behind the operation, our professional photographer, and inventory manager/buyer. Basically, she handles the hard stuff while Cadie talks to people.
Her knowledge of bitting is unmatched. If you have big questions, she’ll rattle your ear off about all the things you didn’t know you needed to know! She is particularly passionate about custom bits. Preserving that trade within the equestrian community has really become a focus for her. Sometimes, she buys bits just to touch them. We only judge her a little bit for that!
Calie proudly served in the Army Natl Guard for 12 years and continues to serve the veteran population in her professional life. She has dedicated her entire life to public service. We are so proud of her as she nears the completion of her Ph.D. in Public Health.
Calie has been riding since three years old. She’s tried a little of everything and can currently be found fancy prancing on one of her homebred ponies, Nova. She also loves chestnut and white overo paints (she has a proper collection), hoping to develop a few to hit the show pen in the coming years.
As you’ve gotten to know Brassy, you have gotten to know Cadie. She knows an insane amount of random stuff about saddles and could rattle off about them for hours if you let her. She is often the face you see when coming to the store, or when we come for fittings. Customer service is a passion, though she is crazy busy and would lose her mind if not for this incredible team! Cadie’s real job is in finance…so it’s easy to see why she handles the numbers side of things!
Cadie is pursuing her education in saddle fitting and saddlery via SMS. However, we think saddle fitting is just an excuse to snuggle everyone’s barn cats and ponies. If she’s not outfitting, she’s hiding in her basement like the most delightful hermit…building saddles! Talk about living the dream!
Cadie has been riding since she was three years old and has tried everything from showmanship to dressage. Horses have been a passion and a part of her life almost every day since. She is currently piloting a homebred “pony”, is Mom to an OTTB/Unicorn, and is entirely obsessed with her giant floofy doggo who can often be found at the shop.
Cadie has spent almost a decade working with Cliff Langarud to learn about making and repairing saddles so that she can live her dreams instead of being a wage slave for Corporate America. In 2019, CL Custom Saddles was launched as the opportunity arose to purchase Cliff’s saddle-making business. Cliff hates retirement, so he can be found at the shop at least a couple of days a week.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
There are several qualities that have been the foundation of our success and our legacy. We are passionate to make more room at this table.
We strive to maintain our curiosity to learn more while ensuring access to this industry for all! We strive to be inclusive, fair, and welcoming to all. All while championing horsemanship and sustainability. And horses… it’s all about loving these incredible creatures!
Contact Info:
- Website: brassybit.com
Image Credits
Amber Langerud Photography, Mikala Woderak, Cadie Craddoc, Calie Lindseth, and Bekah Wallace
