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Wentworth Hunter Pace - June 6, 2021

After Margaret and I had such a fun time at the fall hunter pace, we opted to go again this spring! This time, while I rode Rejoice again, Margaret rode her horse Jester and had a friend ride Ladyhawke. All Kennebec Morgans!! Jester and Rejoice have the same dam and Jester and Lady share the same sire. Unfortunately instead of a lovely late spring day, we had one of the first intensely hot and humid days of the year. It was definitely a bummer, but the ride was mostly in the shade of the woods and we had a great time!  most of the fences were 3' coops but we found a small log and this hay to jump haha Until we didn't. 😑 We brought along a third friend who rode Margaret's older mare, Ladyhawke. She's a good rider but hasn't known Ladyhawke for very long and didn't realize how much of a cranky boss mare she could be at times. She kicked Jester right in the front leg just about halfway through the ride, and while the cut itself ended up not being a big deal in the...

Product Review: Smartpak Winter Overpant

I am always cold and living in Maine doesn't help haha!  Honestly, I can be cold when it is 70 degrees out.  And while I have a couple pairs of winter riding breeches, I still really freeze when riding in the winter months.  As a kid, I had a pair of winter riding overpants, but they were super bulky, eventually the full seat area disintegrated, and the pants basically fell apart; when I found them in the back of my closet when I moved five years ago, I threw them away.  I don't even know what brand they were, but they were definitely from the late 1990's!

I have ridden plenty of times in my Carhartt overalls, which are certainly warm but they are also rather slippery.  Riding bareback is fine, but the material doesn't work well in a saddle.  I have also ridden in my ski pants before, but if I thought the Carhartt material was slippery, the ski pants were like riding on ice.  Or something like that.  (I am living in an ice rink right now, so everything is ice.  Ice sucks lol.)

Not only warm but also super sexy lol
When I saw a deal on the Smartpak Winter Overpant, I decided to give them a try.  Normally marked at $76, there was no way I was spending that on an item I may not even like or use very often.  So $45 seemed reasonable enough (and with the $25 gift card I ended up getting from Smartpak because the order was slightly delayed, they were basically $20.  I call that a huge WIN).

When they arrived and I tried the overpants on, I was like, ohhhhh these are puffy.  I honestly didn't think I would like them just by first impressions, but I liked how warm they felt.  I figured warmth far outweighed puffiness.  I also wasn't sure how my riding boots would work with them.  Should I wear my winter riding boots or should I wear my Bogs chore boots (which are shorter than the tall boots)?  It was obvious that the overpants would go OVER the boots instead of tucked inside, so would tall boots even work?  So many questions LOL!

Loving them
But when I actually went to ride a horse (you know, the whole point of the pants), I was pleasantly surprised.  The pants did not feel bulky at all, and at 5 feet tall, things tend to always ride up or feel bulky on me because, well, I am short!  I chose to wear my tall boots (specifically my Dover Tall River Boots because I choose them over my winter riding boots like, every time), and I was happy to find there were wide stirrup loops to put down underneath my heels to keep the pants from scrunching up my leg.  There are zippers up both sides of the pants, which is nice when you are trying to get them on over boots.  THe full seat definitely makes them feel like real riding breeches rather than the slippery Carhartts.  The pants seem well made and I am sure will last me for several winters.
Not too puffy
So, I highly recommend the Smartpak Winter Overpants for their warmth and fit.  There are on sale right now (though not as cheap as I was able to snag them for), but maybe if you wait a few more weeks, they will be on sale as end of winter clearance?  (Can you tell I am frugal? LOL)

Comments

  1. Those sound really nice. I hope to never live somewhere where I would need them though ;)

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    1. Hahaha brat! Just kidding! ;-) Definitely be thankful you don't need them hahaha!

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  2. I've had my eye on those for-ever! I might scoop them up in that end of year clearance. I've often thought they would be great for riding out. I don't have a good windbreak solution for my legs right now. Thank you for the detailed review!

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    1. They are really great! Happy to help you spend money! ;-)

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  3. I've always wondered about these things! Thanks for the review =)

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