Horse Tack

[Elystole]

Now that horses have encumbrance, can we expect to see horse tack at some point in the future? Bridles, saddles, breastplates (not armor but a saddle attachment), saddlebags, saddle scabbards (usually made for firearms, but can be made for other things), etc. I could look into it more thoroughly if the interest is there. I would suggest that stables just take your horse with all of your tack on it and return it with all of your tack still in place.

Anyways, I'm posting this here because it sounds like a natural expansion for leathercrafting. They're leather goods and they're something that players will want.

[Rias]

There's interest, so anyone with ideas and suggestions, chime in!

[Elystole]

First, I'm not sure if we'd want to make this something mandatory (as in you need the right tack to ride your horse) or optional with special tack being decorative or granting benefits but unequipped horses being rideable like they are now with assumed invisible tack.

Anyways, the first thing you'd need is a saddle blanket or pad. These wouldn't be made by leathercrafting as they are fabric, but they're a critical component of the tack and are often decorative. Then we need a saddle, and that can be simple or complicated. Simple would be one type does it all: riding, packs, and harnesses. Alternatively, you could split them up: A riding saddle is what most people would want and could handle a few attachments. A pack saddle can carry a bunch of stuff but you can't ride it. A harness lets you pull wagons, but you'd still need a riding saddle.

You'd need a bridle and reins for riding. You could make those one item set or two separate items. If you wanted, you could make halters and lead ropse, but those aren't used for riding and may add needless complexity.

Saddlebags come in pairs, one on each side of the horse, and sit behind a riding saddle. They aren't that large (so no holding big items), but they'd be great for holding some of that survival equipment you want "just in case" but don't necessarily want as part of your combat load. If you want something to carry your loot, put a pack saddle on a mule. I figure a saddle could hold one set of saddlebags, and I'm not sure if you'd want to count that as one item ("saddlebags" with double capacity) or two items.

Saddle scabbards can be in a few different places, and riders usually put them wherever it is most convenient for them to access the weapon. Most of the ones you'll find nowadays are for rifles, but I've seen some made for revolvers, handaxes, swords, and knives. Instead of making different scabbards for different weapon types, you could just make a "saddle scabbard" an item that can carry one of almost any weapon type. Polearm might be pushing it. I figure a saddle could carry two of these with one on each side.

Here's a quick example of a cavalry horse with saddle, saddle scabbard, and saddlebags:

[jilliana]

I'm giving this idea thumbs up.
I am particularly partial to the saddle and saddlebags and all the rest like the bridle and reins.

How about sidesaddles for those Miss Priss ladies who don't use horses for combat or for those who are going to a particularly nice event in particularly nice clothes?

[xavier]

I love this idea, have always been waiting on the edge of my seat for this stuff to come out and have one suggestion to add to the idea so that it would encourage people to purchase this stuff.
saddle + a 1% increase to your riding rolls.
complex saddle i.e. bridle and reins plus a seperate saddle with attachable spots for saddlebags, scabbards = 2% to riding rolls
lead rope = 1 second decrease in round time if horse's round time exceeds five seconds.
pack saddle = can carry up to huge items, within limitations. no strapping ten weapons cases to the horse's saddle or something dumb like that.
I would like to see the saddlebags as a single item since that's the way I've always seen them, but like Elystole says make the limits reasonable on what can be stowed. No swords, shields, items that would be larger than say about 2X2X2 naturally.
last but not least, the ability to hang a shield in place of the second scabbard. this would be an extra awesome addition to those classes that use shields on a regular basis as the person could be wearing one shield and have a shield hung on the saddle horn or something in case there is a situation where they need to switch for something. i.e. templar uses a round shield for general use, but is summoned on emergency status to guard a monk. tower shields being much better than round for this task, the templar could switch readily instead of needing to run all the way back home and grabbing the right tool for the job or going into this dangerous situation not equipped in the preferred manner.