SADDLE UP!

Leah Matanky was a publicist in the music industry 10 years ago, with a one-hour commute each way, when she chose to shift to another line of work—selling high-end, slightly used saddles and tack.

The woman who could no longer stand sitting in a car for lengthy stretches of time sought to help riders of a different ilk secure comfortable seats for themselves and for their horses.

In 2013, Matanky launched Redwood Tack as part mail order venture, featuring the biggest and best selection of slightly used saddles and tack in America. Among Redwood Tack’s exclusive brands are Butet, Voltaire, CWD, Antares, Devoucoux, Hermès, Amerigo, Meyer, Prestige, and Bruno Delgrange. Redwood Tack’s inventory includes saddle covers, stirrup leathers and irons, saddle pads, bridles, bits and more. Saddles purchased through Redwood Tack come with a five-day trial policy and have a flat $50 (fully insured) shipping fee. At least 20 of her satisfied customers live in the Barrington area.

“I’d returned to riding when I figured it was time for a life shift,” Matanky says. “I work in a niche market. I’m a one-woman business, filling a need for people who want high-quality saddles without the high price and without the long waiting periods— three to four months—of custom-made saddles.” And as riders know, lightly broken in saddles are to most people even better than having to break in a new saddle.

“I started small, looking for tack items at local shops. I own everything I sell; no consignments. The first Redwood Tack saddle I sold was one I’d bought on eBay. Our saddles range in price from $1,000 to $6,000. It’s been an education for me, as I’ve learned from making a profit and sometimes from not making one.”

Matanky started riding horses at the age of 6 in Boulder, Colorado, where her parents, Michael and Pat, still reside. It was love at first trot. The name of the first pony she rode was Tic Tac. Next was Dinah.

“Dinah was a black, adorable pony, a perfect pony,” says Matanky, who lives with her partner, Oscar, and 10-yearold son, Robin. “I’d always loved horses. I remember feeding a couple of horses that would come right up to our backyard fence in Colorado. My parents were great, letting me take horseback riding lessons at a young age.

“I still ride horses today,” adds Matanky. “I have a couple of horses I show. By showing horses, I feel I can stay on top of the trends and know what people are looking for when it comes to saddles and tack.”

“We have bought several saddles from Redwood,” says Jenny Welsh, whose 19-year-old daughter, Olivia, rides at Deerwood Farm in Barrington Hills and is a member of the College of Charleston equestrian team in South Carolina. “The online process is easy and so is the trial process, which allows riders the opportunity to decide if the saddle meets their needs. Shipping is quick and easy.” “All the saddles,” she adds, “have been in great condition and as described on the site.” Matanky notes she is one of only a handful of entrepreneurs selling slightly used saddles and tack items as a full-time career in the United States. It’s a small group—and a collaborative one.

“We all tend to work together and help one another out,” says Matanky, whose expanded inventory— 300-plus saddles—now requires the space of a spacious showroom instead of the bedroom she used to house items during Redwood Tack’s first year. “I won’t hesitate to inform a client of another seller that might have an item that I don’t have. Other sellers have recommended horse riders visit my site.”

But the bottom line takes a back seat to something bigger and more meaningful for the owner of Redwood Tack.

“Redwood Tack is my way of sharing my love of the sport and the beautiful equipment that goes with it,” Matanky says.

For more information and to order high-end, slightly used saddles and tack, visit redwoodtack.com.