HGG Community Forums

I think that tack with training bonuses would be a fantastic way to give small barns a edge against the giants with 1500+ show ponies. Particularly, if the tack was discipline specific. i.e. Jumper tack on a hunter would act as a training detriment.

As a possible added edge (ducks and hides: this might be a coding nightmare) it may be cool if when the horse was created, the system generated tack preferences for that horse. Personally, I do not have time to go through a decide if ShowPony101 prefers leather or webbed girth and needs a full set of shoes or not. But, when I first started and for the first year I played, I believe that I would have had the time.

I would not like a system where tack items add to training and showing scores. However, I'll respect Ammit's final decision.

Well, I rarely show, on HJ1 (but starting on HJ2), and I don't tack my horses much on either one, as I too like to see the horse and not the tack, so I'm not big into having tack help the horse show. Personally I wouldn't like it if I had a good show horse and they suddenly were not as good because they were showing against horses enhanced by their show ware, instead of taking on the horse on equal horse to horse levels.

I'm not sure I would be a fan of this. For one thing, I have way too many show horses to have a prayer of trying to get them all tacked up. I barely get them all named every year! Trying to make sure they all had stuff on so I wasn't getting smacked in the show ring would begin to feel like a job.

Also, the clearest edge here would go to small stables who have recruited enough other players to have access to the referral tack. Which I suppose might be part of your goal here, but still.

In general the only tack I use right now is decorative. All of my stallions get some version of the bridle and reins, for example, and all of the horses in one of my color lines have minimal matching gear. Arguably I could just tack up the speuters but...

If it is decided that the show system will take tack into consideration, maybe one solution could be split it into categories? Like "tacked horses only"? However I think it would mean extra work for Ammit, and I really don't know if would worth it.

Personally I think that the "magic" or "beauty" of the game is exactly to breed for excellency, generation by generation, just like in real life. To tack a pixel pony in order to improve its chance to better place at show, would turn a little bit pointless all those selection efforts.

We already have boost tokens and speed training, do we really need another show boost?

With the route the game has gone after what's been added since tack was introduced, I'm now be opposed to tack adding any sort of bonus. I'm kind of with JDiamondW, I don't put tack on my horses now (besides maybe grooming attributes) because I feel it detracts from the horse's artwork.

Maybe have it boost the winnings by a small percentage? Not enough to skew the game economics, just like 5- 10% or something? Just enough to help people on the edge of making a profit without making it a requirement to stay competitive. You'd still have to have a horse good enough to finish in the money, so it wouldn't make a horse's foals look better than they are, or make up for bad breeding choices. This also wouldn't impact people who don't dress their horses, since it still comes down to the horse being able to finish in the money. (I also happen to be a fan of the artwork.)

And why...umm...because a well turned out horse would attract new borders and students to your barn? Thus giving your barn a small boost to income?

Side note: I don't think anything silly like the unicorn horns should have a boost factor to them. They are just for silly fun. :)

Ooh. I like that idea. :)

I would be interested to hear how you guys think that should work. Also curious about people wanting to win tack but at the same time saying they don't want to put tack on their horse...?

Oh, if I *won* stuff I'd put it on my horse 'cause...well...trophies are cool, no matter what form they take. :)

I agree, I like using tack and such as a reward base system, but not necessarily just on referrals as it is now. I used to have 10+ referrals at one point, but only have 1 now. I find them hard to maintain, as people come and go over the years. I'd love to have other ways to access grooming items like shiny spray, which is easily my favorite "tack" item. I'd certainly utilize any tack items that were won as others pointed out, especially if they're an exclusive reward.

I'm also with DCF, in that I don't think the game needs any more boosts, unless they're something statistical based, with a range of possible inheritance from their parents based on their statistical range. That's off topic, just something this made me think of. ;)

Anyway, I love Jbar's perspective on this.

Winning tack is a great idea! I personally don't tack my horses much... Maybe a halter every once and a while (I have one horse with full tack.) I agree with most of you. To much tack takes away from the horse itself.
We really don't need another boost, with speed training and all.

It did?

This is slightly off topic but as far as tack and grooming items via referrals go, I too am at the bottom of my barrel of friends who were willing to try the game and stick with it. I'd use shiny spray, certain tails and bling browbands if I had access to them at least on my stallions and favorites. I'd consider paying a buck or two more a month for a "groom" that gave me access to these otherwise unobtainable items. I've given up, before I even got started, on winning club awards and having even a moderately successful show strings. There's no way to be competitive with the stables who dominate the boards as I just don't have the time to monitor my show horses nor funds to use boosts and build boosted bloodlines. I stick with the game for the art work and the anticipation of the next foal crop's colors and patterns.

Agree with Gael. I'm not a big stable, I don't use to buy boosts to my horses, and even then I managed to have a few of them on the leaderboards. Well, there are really few, but I found awesome to see the ribbons on their pages. With the "old" system, I couldn't even dream about being where I'm now.

If tack did something, not necessarily for showing, I would be more inclined to invest in it. The only reason I don't is because as far as I know it doesn't have any benefit right now.

I would be among those that like the idea of winning tack items or winning credit to purchase tack items.

Also love the idea of 'hiring' or paying for a groom or trainer that would give me access to shiny spray, etc.

To be honest, I don't use tack. I'm just not into the whole bling thing, and just find it distracting. I don't even use visible tattoos. I guess if boosts are tied to it, I'll just have to find a way to adjust things so my non-boosted horses can compete.