Is Any UK Horse Tack Guaranteed ?

£4bn Spent on horses and nothing guaranteed?

According to the National Equestrian Survey (NES) commissioned by the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA), UK horse owners and riders spend around £4 billion per year on horse riding euipment and activities.

The survey shows that there are 1.35 million horses in Britain, which are looked after by 720,000 private owners and professional establishments. It also states that around 2.1 million people ride at least once a month, with a further 2.2 million doing so during the last year. 

That's a total of 4.3 million riders, riding 1.35 million horses and spending £4,000,000,000 pounds on horses, horse riding, horse tack, feed, bedding and equipment.

Equestrian activity is the second largest economic activity in the British countryside.

Which, made me ask... Who does offer a full guarantee on horse tack and riding equipment?

Well, I called various UK tack suppliers including Robinsons, R&R Country, Ingatestone Saddlery, Fal Pro, Ride-Away, Matchmakers International and quite a few others. I visited the websites of online tack shops including Derby House*, the Saddlery Shop, Tackanory, Eileen Douglas Tack Shops** and all the above, plus other horse rug and horse tack sellers... and the short answer appears to be... NO-ONE.

In a full day of calling and searching I couldn't find one horse tack website or one horse rug or tack manufacturer that provided a genuine full guarantee on the products they sell... NOT ONE.

* Derby House were called twice on 0800 048 0114 and 0800 048 0113. I held on for five minutes each time and got no answer. However the Derby house Terms & Conditions do include the following, although I was unable to find out what the single asterisk refers to ...

Fair Wear & Tear Guarantee*
Our products are guaranteed for 12 months from the date of receipt, providing they are used in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations. If we feel it is necessary goods will be returned to the manufacturer for their comments. Please allow 30 days for an exchange or refund in these instances.

In accordance with the manufacturers recommendations can mean a lot of things, especially when you've never seen them, don't know who the manufacturer is (ie. company in China or India or the Importer or Derby House themselves), or whether there actually are any published by the manufacturer.

** Eileen Douglas Tack Shops Terms and Conditions states....

What do I do if an item fails once it's been used?
All goods supplied by Eileen Douglas Tack Shops are from official sources within the UK and are covered by the normal manufacturers warranty. If you feel that an item has failed prematurely, please advise us.

Not a product guarantee by any stretch of the imagination.

As in my previous post, Masta Horse Rugs - No Guarantee, where Matchmakers International, (Masta product manufacturers), told me they provide no manfacturers warranty or any form of guarantee to the consumer, I simply asked if the manufacturer or tack shop selling the goods could point me to the details of the guarantee they provide for the products they manufacture and/or sell to horse owners.

Some of the answers I got included...

Oh! I don't know you'd have to talk to the boss about that and he's not available.

Sorry, you don't have a guarantee with us your sales contract is with .....

Well that's difficult, horses are hard work and they roll.

Jane, he wants to know about our guarantee, do we have one?

Well you know, the material is waterproof when it's made but when they stitch it, it leaves holes. But you can buy proofing things...

We pass on the manudacturers guarantee. (Do all the manufacturers you use provide a guarantee?) Hmmm, I'd have to get back to you on that.

Compare the above with U.S. tack supplier Dover Saddlery, who proudly display an 'Our Guarantee' link in their left side navigation which, when clicked says simply...

Dover's Customer Satisfaction Guarantee
We stand behind the quality of our products. If you find you are not satisfied with your purchase, simply return it and we will refund, replace or exchange it for you.

WOW !! We stand behind the quality of our products... Could you ask for anything more?

Don't you think injecting £4 billion into the UK economy means UK horse owners deserve products that are guaranteed to do the job manufacturers say they will?

Shouldn't you, the UK horse owner, ask the simple question...

What guarantee do you give with this?

Masta Horse Rugs – No Guarantee ?

So, you've done your research, checked the prices and set your heart on the latest horse rug with the latest wicking and waterproofing technology built in and the most innovative features. All you have to do now is buy it and your horse is guaranteed to be warm and snug this winter... Or is it?

Guaranteed... It's an emotive word, it reassures and it makes you want to buy one item instead of another that doesn't have that all encompassing, full guarantee.

• Guaranteed Waterproof...
• Guaranteed Super Tough and Rip Stop...
• Guaranteed Hard Wearing...
• Guaranteed Fully Adjustable...

It all sounds terrific, there's just one thing missing.... GUARANTEED !!

You would think that, if a company set out to manufacture a rug for horses they would investigate and research the subject. You might then expect that they would make that rug to suit the conditions horses live in and the things horses do.

You, the horse owner, would probably expect waterproof to mean waterproof. Surely they would put shower proof if the rug was only shower proof?

Here's an extract from the details on a North Face jacket. A jacket made for humans who like to play in the outdoors.

Push your boundaries in this Boundary Triclimate Jacket and stay warm no matter where you go. Combined with a waterproof, breathable, nylon exterior and a high-loft, silken interior, you’ll stay cozy with this versatile jacket wrapped around your shoulders. Easily zip-in or zip-out the plush silken fleece interior for added or less warmth, or wear each layer as separates for greater versatility.

Waterproof, breathable, seam sealed
Fully adjustable, removable drop hood with lower face protection
Brushed collar linings
Napoleon chest pocket
Pit-zips with two-way zippers
Center double storm flap with Velcro™ closure

And the Manufacturers Warranty / Guarantee...

The North Face products are fully warranted to the original owner against defects in materials and workmanship for the lifetime of the product. If a product ever fails due to a manufacturing defect, even after extended use, we will repair the product, without charge, or replace it, at our discretion.

Here's an extract from the details on a Masta Check Tech XT Turnout Rug made for big strapping horses that live in the outdoors....

A revolutionary new fabric from Masta which offers extra strength, and improved performance in a variety of turnout rugs . Made from 600denier polyester fibers woven into a unique attenuating diagonal herringbone pattern. The inherent strength of the polyester combined with the unique weave results in a fabric, which is more than 30% stronger than our previous 600denier polyester ripstop fabric.

Check-Tech fabric is then coated with a high quality PU based compound which results in one of the highest levels of waterproofness and breathability of any turnout type fabric.

The fabric has an appealing distinctive look with superb durability and high resilience to the elements.

Super tough 1200 Denier Check-Tech weave
Waterproof
Fully breathable with taped seams

And the Manufacturers Warranty / Guarantee

Sorry.... you don't get one.

Masta Rugs are made by a company called : Matchmakers International, Parkview Mills, Wibsey Park Ave, Bradford, BD6 3SR. Tel: 01274 711101 and after calling Rideaway and getting a wholly unsatisfactory response, Matchmakers International quickly let us know that they do not provide any Manufacturers Warranty or any form of Guarantee to the End User.

We'll say that again...

Masta Rugs do not have any Manufacturers Warranty or any form of Manufacturers Guarantee whatsoever.

According to Matchmakers International, you the customer, the consumer and end user are wholly dependent upon the good will of the tack shop or online shop you bought from. If the tack shop has problems, goes out of business or just doesn't like your face, hard luck.

No guarantee on the waterproofing, no guarantee on the rip-stopping or the stitching, no guarantee on the fit. No guarantee the rug is fit for purpose. No guarantee the rug will last a season or two. No guarantee the rug will last a week or perform as specified for even one day.

No guarantee.... period.

Here's our recent experience of purchasing and using (once) a Masta Check Tech XT Turnout Rug,

On Friday 28th Nov. 2008,  we went online to find two good quality turnout rugs and persuaded by all the advertised features and claims of waterproofness, we chose the red Masta Check Tech XT Turnouts with zip off necks, one 6'3" and one 6'6" (just like the pic but with necks).

We ordered online from Rideaway paying £89.69 each plus delivery (£184.37 not cheap rugs).

The rugs arrived one week later and they looked terrific, packed in a nice pvc bag with lot's of leaflets and pictures extolling the virtues and effectiveness of the waterproofing and durability.

We loved them and even sat on the settee with them wrapped around us to check how cosy and warm they were. There's nothing quite like the look and feel of a new rug.

Next day we put them on the girls and they fitted fine. The girls looked terrific and we turned them out for the day.

That afternoon at around 3:00pm it rained, a half hour shower, but we weren't worried  ( Masta Check Tech - waterproof and fully breathable fabric coating with taped seams), no problems it can rain all day if it wants.

Sadly... No.

One short shower and both girls were soaked. Not just through one rug but both and not just in one area. Both the necks were dripping, the chests were soaked and the quarters from dock to hock were soaked through.

Amazingly, although the cloth lining was wet it felt as though the water was sitting on it, but the Check-Tech fabric, the revolutionary new fabric from Masta which offers extra strength, and improved performance, the fabric coated with a high quality PU based compound which results in one of the highest levels of waterproofness, was soaking wet.

The Masta Check Tech rug is as waterproof as a sponge.

So, we called Rideaway and here's what you have to do to get your money back on a 1 day old rug.....

1. Book a collection by Parcelforce
Not to suit you because you work 9 to 5, leave the house at 7:30am and don't get home until 7:00pm. Oh no, you have to stay at home and wait in until Parcelforce turn up. Don't worry it's only a days wages.

2. Clean and dry the defective rugs -
Health and Safety don't you know. Can't have the dainty digits of the warehouse workers getting dirty. Forget your horses have been soaked and are now without cover in the rain and the cold.

3. Wait
Wait until Parcelforce turn up.
Wait until Pacelforce deliver to Rideaway.
Wait until Rideaway check the rugs.
Wait until Rideaway send the rugs back to Masta. Even though Masta offer no guarantee.

4. Wait some more...
Wait until Masta get the rugs
Wait until Masta check the rugs.
Wait until Masta reimburse Rideaway.

5. Wait longer...
Wait until Rideaway decide whether they will reimburse you.
Wait until Rideaway credit your credit card.
Wait until your credit card payment clears.

5. Shop for and Buy New Rugs..
Buy your horses working, dependable, waterproof turnout rugs.
Avoid Masta Check Tech they do not work & aren't guaranteed.
Check whether North Face do horse rugs... If only

So horse owners, should you buy Masta Rugs or deal with Rideaway.... ?

NO, not until they are confident enough to guarantee their products and, definitely not until their customer service gets an awful lot better.

Oh! and just in case you were wondering, here's your guarantee. It's provided by the Government and it's the law in this land.

FIT FOR PURPOSE ?

Fit for purpose covers not only the obvious purpose of an item but any purpose you queried and were given assurances about by the trader.

If you buy something which doesn't meet these conditions, you have the potential right to return it, get a full refund, and if it will cost you more to buy similar goods elsewhere, compensation (to cover the extra cost) too.

... a consumer has six years from the time they buy something in which to make a claim.  (more)

Matchmakers International website is at... http://match.shared.hosting.zen.co.uk/newdesign/masta/home.aspx

Rideaway terms and conditions are at... http://www.rideaway.co.uk/index2.php3?page=terms

If you buy online be aware of the sellers responsibilites by reading The Distance Selling Regulations they apply to all online and telephone sales including eBay Buy It Now and Classified sales.

The key features of the regulations are:

The seller must give consumers clear information including details of the goods or services offered, delivery arrangements and payment, the supplier's details and the consumer's cancellation right before they buy (known as prior information)

The seller must also provide this information in writing

The consumer has a cooling-off period of seven working days.