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Tevis 1999 Tack Survey Findings

About the Survey Group
This survey was conducted on July 23, 1999, during the pre-Ride Vet-In at Robie Park. Participation in the survey was voluntary.

Questionaires were completed by volunteers who approached each rider after the ride number was marked on the successfully-vetted horse's rump. In each case, the full component of tack which would be used the following morning at the start of the Ride was either on the horse or close at hand.

Based on the following statistics, the survey participants appear to be representative of the 1999 Ride entrants as a whole.
  1. 181 out of 224 starters participated in the survey (80.8%) Eight of the Top Ten riders were in the survey group.
  2. The finishing rate for those surveyed (49.2%) was within 2% of the the overall Ride finishing rate of 50.9%.
  3. The average finishing place of those surveyed was 59th. Those not surveyed averaged 51st.
  4. The average age of surveyed vs. non-surveyed riders was the same: 44 years old. The average age of surveyed riders that completed vs. surveyed riders that did not was the same: 44 years old.

Saddle Types Used
 
Saddle Type Number Used Pct. of Use1 Finish Rate2 Avg Place3 Top 10
Endurance 112 62% 51% 58th 6
English 57 31% 58% 63rd 1
Western 6 3% 83% 55th 1
Australian 4 2% 50% 53rd 0
Dressage 2 1% 50% 18th 0
   
  Note 1 Pct. Of Use is Number Used as a percent of the 181 riders surveyed.
  Note 2Finish Rate is percent of Number Used that completed the Ride.
  Note 3Avg Place is for Number Used that completed the Ride.

Saddle Pads Used
 
Type Used Number Used Pct. of Use Finish Rate Avg Place Top 10
Fleece 120 66% 58% 61st 4
Synthetic 28 15% 32% 54th 0
Felt, foam or custom 8 4% 25% 57th 1
Western 7 4% 43% 83rd 0
Specific Brands 18 10% 63% 43rd 3
Not recorded 2 1% 0% n/a 0

Seat Padding used
 
Type Used Number Used Pct. of Use Finish Rate Avg Place Top 10
Fleece 104 46% 51% 57th 6
No padding 23 10% 48% 62nd 1
Synthetic, custom, or other 4 2% 50% 61st 0
Unknown 93 42% 52% 57th 3

Stirrups used

 
Type Used Number Used Pct. of Use Finish Rate Avg Place Top 10
Endurance 134 60% 54% 58th 7
Western 24 11% 38% 61st 1
English 21 9% 52% 61st 0
Unknown or other 93 42% 46% 51st 2
  Note: 14 finishers and 9 non-finishers in the survey group used caged stirrups.

Other Tack Components
 
Item Used Primary Material Total Use Not Used
Biothane Leather Nylon Rope Other /unkn
Halter 45
(20%)		 8
(4%)		 38
(17%)		 11
(5%)		   102
(67%)		 79
(35%)
Headstall 85
(38%)		 30
(13%)		 46
(21%)		 3
(1%)		   164
(91%)		 17
(9%)
Reins 20
(11%)		 17
(9%)		 74
(41%)		 40
(22%)		 30
(17%)		 181
(100%)		 0
(0%)
Lead 3
(2%)		 0
(0%)		 21
(12%)		 4
(2%)		   28
(15%)		 153
(85%)
Breast Collar 75
(41%)		 19
(10%)		 60
(33%)		 0
(0%)		 16
(9%)		 170
(94%)		 11
(6%)
Crupper 33
(18%)		 14
(8%)		 15
(8%)		 0
(0%)		 7
(4%)		 69
(38%)		 112
(62%)
Running Martingale 21
(12%)		 4
(2%)		 20
(11%)		 0
(0%)		 2
(1%)		 47
(26%)		 134
(74%)
Tiedown 0
(0%)		 1
(1%)		 2
(1%)		 0
(0%)		   3
(2%)		 178
(98%)

Horses' Shoes
Note: Percentages in parentheses are usages computed based on the 181 riders in the Survey.
 
FRONT Shoes Total Finish Rate Clips Soft pads Rigid pads Bar Boots
Steel 151
(83%)		 50% 56
(31%)		 34
(19%)		 68
(38%)		 1
(1%)		 18
(10%)
Aluminum 12
(7%)		 33% 2
(1%)		 3
(2%)		 4
(2%)		 1
(1%)		 2
(1%)
"Sneakers" 9
(5%)		 56% 4
(2%)		 0 0 0 0
Plastic 3
(2%)		 66% 1
(1%)		 0 0 0 0
No shoes
(Boots only)		 6
(3%)		 66% n/a n/a n/a n/a 6
(3%)
Finish Rates:  49% 62% 46% 100% 35%
   
 
REAR Shoes Total Finish Rate Clips Soft pads Rigid pads Bar Boots
Steel 168
(93%)		 53% 55
(30%)		 11
(6%)		 14
(8%)		 0
(0%)		 8
(4%)
Aluminum 4
(2%)		 25% 1
(1%)		 0
(0%)		 1
(1%)		 0
(0%)		 0
(0%)
"Sneakers" 5
(3%)		 40% 2
(1%)		 0
(0%)		 0
(0%)		 0
(0%)		 0
(0%)
Plastic 2
(1%)		 50% 1
(1%)		 0
(0%)		 0
(0%)		 0
(0%)		 0
(0%)
No shoes
(Boots only)		 2
(1%)		 0% n/a n/a n/a n/a 2
(1%)
Finish Rates:  56% 36% 27% n/a 20%
Acknowledgements:

Special thanks to Cheryl Jones and Kelly Nutter for their excellent work in collecting the raw data for this compilation on August 7, 1999, during the Vet-In at Robie Park. Their patience and diligence in using the forms devised for this first-ever Tevis tack survey were essential to its success.
-- Richard Goodwin, Survey Editor