Duct Tape: The 8th Wonder of the Horse World

Where would we be without it?

Photo by Maria Wachter

Ah yes, that sticky, silver wonder that has gotten us all out of a couple of jams. I’m talking about you, O Duct Tape. Oh, how do I love you.

As the saying goes (especially in the horse world), “hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.”

I, preparing for the worst, always carry a roll of duct tape in my truck with me. I, being in possession of bad luck, know that I need everything I can jam in my arsenal of junk to pack. Along with duct tape, I also bring two spares in my truck, two jacks, ratchet straps, tire patching kits, an air compressor, tools, clothes, food and water… oh, yes, and also a gun if all of the other tools fail. (Kidding… sort of.)

But I have to say, the duct tape is probably my most handy tool. Let me tell you all the ways it’s helped me this past year. You probably couldn’t care less, but I’m going to tell you anyways

• Two days ago, walking into work in my tuxedo (yes, I have a real job to pay for my horse addiction), my pants seam ripped. I walked back to the truck, ripped off a piece of duct tape and put it inside the pants and temporarily patched my pants. The seam held throughout the whole shift, and not one hoity-toity French-fine-dining aficionado even noticed.
• I got these really cheap stampede strings on Amazon for my cowboy hats. My part-time horse wrangling job calls for us to always wear a cowboy hat, even if it’s blowing 80 mph (hence the need for the stampede strings). Well, the string broke where it attaches to the hat, but duct tape was there once again to save the day… and add some nice silver highlights to the boring-colored brown leather strings.
• It’s shedding season and duct tape works just as good as, if not better than, a lint roller.
• Horse has hock sores? Try putting some duct tape over the wounds. It will give the horse a band-aid, and it will stay put for a couple of days to help the healing process.
• Horse has hoof access? Have you met my two friends baby diapers and duct tape?
• Electrical wires are easily patched with duct tape. Most of my extension cords are sporting some silver lining.
• Duct tape is a quick fix for broken tack on the trail — don’t forget to pack some in your saddle bags.
• Duct tape works great on fixing cracked dashes and ripped seats in your old truck. It won’t look classy, but I call it “hillbillifying” the truck. It’s a custom upgrade that will make your friends drool with envy.
• Last winter I thought I would be smart and ride in my Uggs to keep my feet from freezing. It worked very well, until I ripped them on a tree branch and my little toes were exposed. Well, that duct tape was real handy. (Now I ride with tapederos so my boots don’t get ripped.)
• Last week, unloading twenty 50-lb bags of grain, I slit my finger open on the ingredients label and started bleeding like a stuck pig. Since, I didn’t have any band-aids… duct tape to the rescue.

So, Horse Nation readers, what have YOU used duct tape on?